Masaaki Noiri is a Japanese kickboxer, currently competing in the Featherweight Division of ONE Championship, where he is the interim Featherweight Kickboxing World Champion.
66 Facts About Masaaki Noiri
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Masaaki Noiri is a two-weight K-1 champion, having held the K-1 World GP Super Lightweight Championship between 2017 and 2018 and the K-1 World GP Welterweight Championship between 2021 and 2024, as well as a one-time Grand Prix winner, having won the 2021 K-1 World Welterweight Grand Prix.
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Masaaki Noiri was then removed from the rankings after he moved to the lightweight division.
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Masaaki Noiri began kickboxing at a young age because of bullying in school.
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Masaaki Noiri soon became an All Japan Junior Champion in the discipline.
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On February 25,2007, at the age of thirteen, Masaaki Noiri participated in a try-out held by the K-1 kickboxing organization and was taken on as one of Japan's youngest prospects.
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Masaaki Noiri continued to show promise by winning the New Japan Karate Federation's K-2 Lightweight Grand Prix on May 3,2009.
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Masaaki Noiri was drawn against the previous year's Koshien champion, Hiroya, in the semi-finals and caused an upset by winning a unanimous decision from the judges.
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Masaaki Noiri then took another unanimous nod over Shota Shimada in the final to become the K-1 Koshien 2009 King of Under 18 Tournament Champion.
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Masaaki Noiri returned to K-1 Koshien the following year, with all four tournament rounds being held on the same night at the K-1 Koshien 2010 King of Under 18 Final on November 20,2010.
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Masaaki Noiri made it past Naoki Takeda with a unanimous decision victory in the first round, but was then eliminated by Keigo Ishida via decision at the quarter-finals.
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Masaaki Noiri debuted as a professional kickboxer on March 14,2010, in his home town of Nagoya, defeating Shinji Aseishi by unanimous decision.
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Masaaki Noiri was victorious over Junpei Aotsu in the tournament's first round but was then defeated by Yuji Takeuchi in the quarter-finals on April 30,2011.
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Masaaki Noiri floored Takeuchi in the second round and again at the beginning of the third when both men knocked each other down with concurrent left hooks.
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Masaaki Noiri faced a tough test in the quarter-finals against the more experienced Ryuji Kajiwara.
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The bout was called a draw after three rounds and so an extension round was added to decide the winner, after which Masaaki Noiri was given a close split decision.
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Masaaki Noiri ended the year with a unanimous decision victory over Kengo Sonoda at Fight For Japan: Genki Desu Ka Omisoka 2011 on December 31,2011.
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The end of 2012 saw lightweight's previous kingpin Yuta Kubo move up in weight, and so Masaaki Noiri then took his place as number one in the world rankings.
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Masaaki Noiri solidified his place as the world's top lightweight with a unanimous decision win over Yetkin Ozkul at Krush.
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Masaaki Noiri then dominated Makoto Nishiyama en route to a second round referee stoppage in a non-tournament bout at the Krush Grand Prix 2013 ~67kg First Class Tournament~ on January 14,2013.
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Masaaki Noiri struggled again in the semis, but came out with another majority decision over Yukihiro Komiya.
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Masaaki Noiri faced fellow Japanese native Yuta Kubo in a rematch in the final.
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Masaaki Noiri suffered a brutal low blow in the first round and wasn't able to rally back until the third.
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Masaaki Noiri had his rubber match with Yuta Kubo at Krush.
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The bout was relatively one-sided in favour of Masaaki Noiri and saw Kubo deducted a point in round three for extensive clinching, allowing Masaaki Noiri to take a wide unanimous decision.
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Masaaki Noiri challenged Tetsuya Yamato for his WBC Muaythai International Super Lightweight Championship at an NJKF event in Tokyo on February 16,2014.
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Masaaki Noiri faced Atsushi Ogata at Krush 48 on December 21,2014.
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Masaaki Noiri's two fight win streak was snapped by Massaro Glunder however, who stopped him 40 seconds into the second round at K-1 World GP 2016 -65kg World Tournament on June 24,2015, in the quarterfinals of the 2015 K-1 super lightweight Grand Prix.
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Masaaki Noiri won the fight by unanimous decision, after an extra fourth round was contested.
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Masaaki Noiri next faced Yasuomi Soda at K-1 World GP 2015 The Championship on November 21,2015.
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On January 10,2016, it was announced that Masaaki Noiri would be one of eight participants in the 2016 K-1 Super lightweight Grand Prix, which was scheduled to take place on March 4,2016.
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Masaaki Noiri faced Minoru Kimura in the quarterfinals of the one-day tournament and was able to overcome the Brazilian fighter by a first-round knockout, flooring Kumura with a flying knee with just six seconds left in the opening round.
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Masaaki Noiri faced Hideaki Yamazaki in the finals, a rematch of their August 22,2015 encounter, which Masaaki Noiri won by unanimous decision.
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Masaaki Noiri was less successful in their second meeting, as Yamazaki won both the fight and the title by majority decision.
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Masaaki Noiri faced the two-time K-1 Grand Prix winner Kaew Fairtex in the semifinals.
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Masaaki Noiri faced the Wu Lin Feng Rookie of the Year Wang Pengfei at Krush 68 on August 20,2016.
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Masaaki Noiri captured the title with a second round stoppage of the Frenchman.
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Masaaki Noiri returned to K-1 to face Younes Smaili at K-1 World GP 2017 Lightweight Championship Tournament on February 25,2017.
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Masaaki Noiri then challenged Kaew Fairtex for the K-1 World GP Super Lightweight Championship at K-1 World GP 2017 Super Middleweight Championship Tournament on June 18,2017.
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Masaaki Noiri won the fight by split decision, after an extra fourth round was contested.
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Masaaki Noiri faced Diego Freitas in a non-title bout at Krush 79 on August 20,2017.
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Masaaki Noiri made his first K-1 Super lightweight championship defense against Tetsuya Yamato at K-1 World GP 2018: K'FESTA.
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Masaaki Noiri would fight at super lightweight twice more before moving up to welterweight.
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Masaaki Noiri first stopped Vincent Foschiani with a left hook to the body at the 2:45 minute mark of the second round.
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Masaaki Noiri followed this up with a first-round head kick knockout of Yang Haodong at Krush 92 on August 18,2018.
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Masaaki Noiri faced Riki Matsuoka at K-1 World GP 2018: K-1 Lightweight World's Strongest Tournament on December 8,2018.
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Masaaki Noiri next faced the Krush Super Welterweight champion Jordann Pikeur at K-1 World GP 2019: K'FESTA 2 on March 10,2019.
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Masaaki Noiri was expected to fight Yodkhunpon Sitmonchai at K-1: K'Festa 4, but the event was later postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
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Masaaki Noiri was expected to face Kona Kato in the quarterfinal bout of the K-1 welterweight World Grand Prix, held at K-1 World GP 2021: Yokohamatsuri on September 20,2021.
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Masaaki Noiri made quick work of FUMIYA, as he floored the journeyman with a right hook at the 2:10 minute mark of the opening round.
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Masaaki Noiri faced the undefeated Krush Welterweight champion Ayinta Ali in the penultimate bout of the tournament.
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Masaaki Noiri needed just 92 seconds to knock Ayinta down twice for a technical knockout victory.
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Masaaki Noiri faced the former K-1 Super Lightweight champion Rukiya Anpo in the finals of the one-day tournament.
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Masaaki Noiri was booked to face Kona Kato at K-1: K'Festa 5 on April 3,2022, in a non-title bout.
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Masaaki Noiri won the fight by second-round knockout, after knocking Kato down once in the previous round.
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Masaaki Noiri faced the former Shoot boxing Super Lightweight champion and the 2018 SHOOT BOXING S-Cup World Tournament winner Kaito Ono at The Match 2022 on June 19,2022.
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Masaaki Noiri lost the fight by an extra round unanimous decision.
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Masaaki Noiri faced the 148-fight veteran Dzhabar Askerov at K-1 World GP 2023: K'Festa 6 on March 12,2023.
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Masaaki Noiri faced the reigning SUPERKOMBAT Middleweight Champion Amansio Paraschiv in a catchweight bout at K-1 World GP 2023 on July 17,2023.
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Masaaki Noiri won the fight by a first-round body-kick knockout.
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Masaaki Noiri announced his departure from K-1 on March 27,2024.
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Masaaki Noiri made his promotional debut against Sitthichai Sitsongpeenong on June 8,2024, at ONE 167.
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Masaaki Noiri was scheduled to face Youssef Challouki on December 20,2024, at ONE Friday Fights 92.
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Masaaki Noiri faced Shakir Al-Tekreeti on January 24,2025, at ONE 170.
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Masaaki Noiri won the fight via knockout in the round two.
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Masaaki Noiri won the fight via technical knockout in round three upset.