Masanori Kanehara: A Dynamic Force in MMA
Masanori Kanehara is a veteran of Japan’s MMA scene whose career has spanned homegrown promotions, the UFC and RIZIN. Rather than rely on a record total that varies among databases, this profile focuses on documented milestones and results.
Kanehara’s long career includes a notable unanimous-decision victory over Norifumi “Kid” Yamamoto at Dynamite!! 2009. He later competed in the UFC and returned to Japan, where he continued fighting at featherweight. His 2022 win over Kazumasa Majima at RIZIN Trigger 3rd came by third-round TKO at 3:37, as recorded in RIZIN’s official event result.
In April 2024, Kanehara challenged Chihiro Suzuki for the RIZIN featherweight title in the main event of RIZIN.46. Suzuki won by ground-and-pound TKO at 4:20 of the first round. The official result identifies it as a title fight and records the finish.
Kanehara returned for one final bout at Super RIZIN.4 on July 27, 2025, facing YA-MAN. YA-MAN stopped him with punches in the third round at 2:51. Afterward, Kanehara announced his retirement from competition in his in-ring remarks. RIZIN’s official fight report and post-fight transcript document both the result and announcement.
Those later chapters add important context to Kanehara’s record: his 2022 victory was not his final appearance, and his 2024 title challenge preceded the bout he chose as his send-off. The decorated Japanese veteran’s career is best understood through that long run across promotions and the high-profile matchups that bookended it.
Sources
- RIZIN: Trigger 3rd official results (April 16, 2022)
- RIZIN: RIZIN.46 official fight report (April 29, 2024)
- RIZIN: Super RIZIN.4 official fight report and post-fight remarks (July 27, 2025)
- UFC athlete profile
Selected Recorded Results
- Jul 27, 2025: Masanori Kanehara lost to Ren Sugiyama at Rizin FF – Super Rizin 4; KO (Punches), round 3, 2:51.
- Apr 29, 2024: Masanori Kanehara lost to Chihiro Suzuki at Rizin FF – Rizin 46; TKO (Punches), round 1, 4:20.
Sources
RIZIN’s official event result; official result; Biographical source.
Article Tags
Masanori Kanehara, Mixed Martial Arts, Sports History
