As kickboxing continues to grow on a global scale with promotions like GLORY, K-1, ONE Championship, and more, fighters are constantly jockeying for position in the media's eyes, and rankings. Every month, the Beyond Kickboxing board will compile kickboxing rankings for each weight class from Heavyweight to Flyweight, as well as the pound-for-pound rankings for both men and women.
No fighter in the top 10 at Middleweight (-85.0 kg), Women's Flyweight (-53.5 kg), and Women's Atomweight (-47 kg) has been active this month.
POUND-FOR-POUND MEN
Akihiro Kaneko (9) won the K-1 -55 kg World Tournament. In the semi-finals defeated Riamu by majority decision in a low output fight decided by a point deduction against Riamu for clinching late in the third round. In the final he stopped Rui Okubo with low kicks early in the second round. Despite securing two more victories, Kaneko appeared lackluster and hesitant throughout the night.
Toki Tamaru (3 to 8) lost by unanimous decision to Shiro for the RISE 55 kg world title with scores of 50-49 for all three judges as the first three rounds were marked by a lack of action on both sides.
HEAVYWEIGHT (+95 KG)
Levi Rigters (2) defeated Bahram Rajabzadeh (3) by doctor stoppage in the third round of their GLORY heavyweight title eliminator bout. Rigters will next challenge Rico Verhoeven on December 7 in the main event of COLLISION 7.
Tariq Osaro (4) defeated Nico Pereira Horta (6) by unanimous decision.
Rade Opačić (5) defeated Cristian Ristea by unanimous decision.
LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT (-95 KG)
Sergej Maslobojev (3) defeated Mohammed Hamdi by unanimous decision.
Felipe Micheletti (8 to NR) exits the rankings. The Brazilian has been inactive in kickboxing for over a year and has transitioned to MMA where he has competed in multiple times already.
Mory Kromah (NR to 10) makes his entry, the former Enfusion champion is rocking a thirteen fight win streak.
WELTERWEIGHT (-77 KG)
Alim Nabiyev (7) defeated Umar Semata by unanimous decision.
LIGHTWEIGHT (-71 KG)
Superbon (2) defeated Jo Nattawut by first round knockout under Muay Thai rules. This doesn't affect his ranking.
SUPER FEATHERWEIGHT (-67.5 KG)
Hiroki Akimoto (7 to 8) lost by unanimous decision to Ilias Ennahachi (NR to 7) after suffering a knockdown in the first round. Although the Japanese fighter kept pressing forward, it was too little, too late.
Chadd Collins (4) stopped Yutaro Asahi in one round.
Jia Aoqi (8 to NR) falls out of the top 10 following ten months of inactivity and only a single win in the division over the last two years.
FEATHERWEIGHT (-64 KG)
Yuki Yoza (1) stopped former ONE champion Petchdam Petchyindee in the third round, first flooring him with a head kick, then sealing the win with relentless calf kicks.
Jin Ying (3 to 5) defeated Mo Abdurahman by unanimous decision after scoring a knockdown in the semifinals of his Wu Lin Feng 4-man tournament. In the final he lost to Zhao Chongyang (NR to 3) by unanimous decision after suffering two knockdowns. Zhao had previously knocked out Daniel Puertas with low kicks in his semi-finals.
Kongnapa (4) defeated Kuto Ueno by corner stoppage in the third round.
Kan Nakamura (5 to 6) defeated Yuen Pengjie by extension round unanimous decision at 61.5 kg.
SUPER BANTAMWEIGHT (-61 KG)
Superlek (1) knocked out Jonathan Haggerty in one minute under Muay Thai rules to take his 66 kg title. It doesn’t affect his ranking
Takeru (2) stopped Thant Zin in two rounds after suffering a knockdown. After withstanding an initial onslaught from Thant Zin, Takeru rallied to score a decisive knockout in the second round.
BANTAMWEIGHT (-58 KG)
Taito Gunji (1 to 2) lost to Takumi Terada (9 to 1) by extra round unanimous decision for the K-1 Featherweight (57.5 kg) title.
BANTAMWEIGHT (-58 KG)
Akihiro Kaneko (1) won the K-1 -55 kg World Tournament. In the semi-finals defeated Riamu by majority decision in a low output fight decided by a point deduction against Riamu for clinching late in the third round. In the final he stopped Rui Okubo with low kicks early in the second round.
Masashi Kumura (2 to 7) lost by unanimous decision to Rui Okubo (NR to 6) in a very competitive match that saw Okubo take the lead thanks to a flying knee that visibly rocked Kumura in the second round, winning him the only non draw round of the fight. Okubo advanced to the final where he was stopped by Akihiro Kaneko.
Toki Tamaru (2 to 3) lost by unanimous decision to Shiro (5 to 2) for the RISE 55 kg world title with scores of 50-49 for all three judges as the first three rounds were marked by a lack of action on both sides.
Akram Hamidi (8 to 9) was knocked out in the first round by Sam-A Gaiyanghadao under muay thai rules. This doesn't affect his ranking.
FLYWEIGHT (-53 KG)
Koji Ikeda (6 to NR) exits the rankings as he announced a move up in weight. Ikeda relinquished his Krush 53 kg title and competed over the weight limit in his last two fights.
Ryujin Nasukawa (NR to 10) makes his entry after defeating Shin Jong Min by second round knockout. He's scheduled to take on RISE champion Riku Kazushima (8) at RISE 183 on November 23.
WOMEN'S OPENWEIGHT (+59 KG)
Aurore Llorens (10) stopped Jawaher Barrhane in two rounds.
WOMEN'S BANTAMWEIGHT (-57.5 KG)
Sarah Moussadak (6) stopped Ester Viola with punches.
WOMEN'S STRAWWEIGHT (-50.0 KG)
Wakana Miyazaki (4) went to a draw with Yun Toshima.
