Kotaro Shimano
Kotaro Shimano (born 8 June 1992) is a Japanese kickboxer, fighting out of Futtsu, Japan. He is the former Krush Super Featherweight champion. As of 1 August 2020, he is ranked the #9 flyweight in the world by Combat Press. He first entered the rankings in May 2019. Kickboxing career. Shimano enjoyed one of the best runs of his career in 2014, when he went on a five fight winning streak, including a first round TKO of Leona Pettas. This run earned a chance to fight Hirotaka Urabe for the Krush Super Featherweight title. He failed to capture  the title, as Urabe won a unanimous decision. He lost three of his next four fights, before entering the 2016 K-1 Super Featherweight Grand Prix. He managed a TKO win against Hitoshi Aketo in the quarterfinal, but lost by TKO to Koya Urabe in the semifinals. In July 2016, Shimano fought Motoki for the MA Japan Kick Super Featherweight title. He won the fight by unanimous decision. He would lose two of his next three fights, before successfully defending the MA Japan title, with a second round KO of Ryoji Washio. Shimano fought Masanobu Goshu for the Krush Super Featherweight  title at Krush 89. He won the fight by unanimous decision. After defeating Rungphet Wor Rungniran, Shimano was scheduled to defend his Krush title for the first time at Krush 96, when he faced Tatsuya Oiwa. The fight went into an extra round, after which Shimano won a decision. Shimano was scheduled to defend his Krush title for the second time against Yuma Saikyo at Krush 99. Saikyo won the fight by unanimous decision. During the MA Japan Kick - Soeno Dojo 50th Anniversary event, Shimano was scheduled to fight Tapejyun Saichan for the WMAF World Super Featherweight title. He won  the fight by a split decision, after an extra round was fought. He would follow this up with a second win with MA Japan, as he scored a knockout over Woo Seung Beom. Shimano extended his winning streak to four, with a unanimous decision win against Satoru Nariai, and a TKO win against Junpei Sano. He was scheduled to fight Ryusei Ashizawa at K-1 World GP 2020 in Tokyo. Ashizawa won the fight by TKO in the second round after a back and forth round, during which both Ashizawa and Shimano were knocked down. He won a unanimous decision against  Yuki Miwa at K-1 World GP 2021: K’Festa 4 Day.2. Shimano was afterwards scheduled to fight Sano Tenma at . Shimano was scheduled to face Hirotaka Urabe in a 61kg catchweight bout at K-1 World GP 2022 Japan on February 27, 2022. He won the fight by a third-round knockout, flooring Urabe with a right cross. Professional kickboxing record. ! style=background:white | ! style=background:white | ! style=background:white | ! style=background:white | ! style=background:white | ! style=background:white | ! style=background:white |