Akihiro Gono

(born October 7, 1974) is a Japanese mixed martial artist currently competing in the Lightweight division. A professional competitor since 1994, he is best known for his clever and deceptive fighting style, and for his flashy ring entrances. Gono has competed for the UFC, PRIDE Fighting Championships, Pancrase, the World Series of Fighting, DEEP, World Victory Road, Shooto, Bellator, and also participated in the Dynamite!! 2009 event.

Mixed martial arts career Shooto and Pancrase Akihiro Gono began fighting mixed martial arts in 1994, competing in the Lumax Cup tournaments as a Sambo and Karate representative. He got a win over Kazunari Murakami via head kick, but lost to him in their rematch the next year. Gono originally debuted in Fighting Network Rings's undercard, but he moved to Shooto after the Lumax Cup. His run there was uneventful, although he drew Jutaro Nakao and led Matt Hughes to a decision in his first years. 2000 would be his breakout year, winning against veteran Masanori Suda, against Ivan Salaverry via spinning kick and drawing with Murilo "Ninja" Rua.

Gono left Shooto for Pancrase in 2001 and became a member of Sanae Kikuta's Grabaka team. He again showed improvement, beating twice renowned Keiichiro Yamamiya and Chris Haseman and having a spirited match with Yuki Kondo, as well as a draw with Chael Sonnen. He stopped fighting for Pancrase in 2005 in order to focus in PRIDE Fighting Championships, though still as a Grabaka member.

PRIDE Fighting Championships He began fighting in PRIDE Bushido with Bushido 2 in 2004, facing Murilo's brother Maurício "Shogun" Rua. Gono avoided Rua's first flurries with an elusive style, throwing Rua to the mat twice, but he was knocked out via punches and kicks when Rua finally caught him. However, Akihiro recovered from his defeat at his next event, facing Gracie family member Rodrigo Gracie. The match was heated, as Rodrigo had submitted Gono's fellow shooter Hayato Sakurai in his debut while Gono had defeated Cesar Gracie's student Tim McKenzie back in Pancrase. During the match, Gono traded strikes with Gracie and was taken down and pressed at the first round, but he came back at the second, stopping takedowns and capitalizing with strikes, including a head stomp which bloodied Gracie.

In September 2005, Akihiro took part in the PRIDE Welterweight Grand Prix. He became controversial for criticizing Ryo Chonan and Masanori Suda's performances and right to fight in the tournament, somewhat they called off on him back. At the first round, Gono won an upset over Daniel Acacio, showing one more time his ability to avoid damage in stand-up and counterattack. The same night, at the second round, he faced Dan Henderson, suffering an accidental headbutt before losing the match by KO.

In 2006, Gono returned to PRIDE, this time playing a new character, DJ Gozma, a parody of Japanese musician DJ OZMA. His entrances involved Gono wearing a vintage suit, including shoes and an orange wig, and accompanied by oddly-dressed male dancers while the song age♂age♂EVERY☆Night by DJ OZMA played in the background. Also, when the fighters were introduced in the ring, Gono would drop his suit's pants to reveal zebra stripped fighting briefs.

He participated in the next edition of the Welterweight Grand Prix, defeating Cuban Olympic judoka Hector Lombard on the first round. Characteristically, Gono avoided the damage from Lombard's aggressive initial combinations and countered him with hard punches, keeping his hands unorthodoxly low and throwing spinning backfists. His next round match would be against Gegard Mousasi, which he won again, deflecting his attacks and working an armbar for the tap out. However, Gono was eliminated at the semifinals by Denis Kang.

Gono's last apparition in Pride was at Shockwave 2006, fighting a revenge match with Yuki Kondo which came from their Pancrase days. Despite injuring his hand earlier in the match, Gono won the match by unanimous decision.

Ultimate Fighting Championship Gono defeated Tamdan McCrory at UFC 78, by submission due to an Armbar at 3:19 of the second round. It was reported (first by Dave Meltzer) that he came out to his usual entrance with his DJ GOZMA persona.

Gono then took on Dan Hardy at UFC 89, but suffered defeat via split decision. Gono was left swollen and bloodied by several of Hardy's left hooks. Gono rocked Hardy on more than one occasion. In the third round Gono pushed Hardy to the canvas, and subsequently landed an illegal knee to the face of the downed fighter.

Bellator and first retirement After losing to Michael Chandler at Bellator 67 on May 4, 2012, Gono announced his first retirement from MMA.

Return to MMA Just under a year after he announced his retirement, Gono returned to MMA when he faced Taisuke Okuno at DEEP: 62nd Impact on April 26, 2013. He lost the fight by KO. Gono then fought to a draw against Yuki Okano at DEEP – Cage Impact 2013 on November 24, 2013.

Training and fighting in Brazil After training for months in Brazil at Oxygym in the city of Gramado, Gono back to action facing Brazilian prospect Eduardo Garvon at The Hill Fighters 1 in his Brazilian home-town city of Gramado. Gono had problems in the standup fight against the taller Brazilian, but seconds away for the end of the fight, Gono submitted Garvon via technical submission (arm-triangle choke).

He won his second fight in Brazil at The Hill Fighters 2 against André de Jesus via split decision.

Kickboxing He lost to Bovy Sor Udomson via TKO (referee stoppage) in round one at Shootboxing 2012: Act 4 on September 17, 2012, in Tokyo, Japan, failing to qualify for the 2012 S-Cup.

He lost to Satoru Suzuki by TKO at the end of round one in a reserve bout at the Shoot Boxing World Tournament 2012 in Tokyo, Japan on November 17, 2012.

Mixed martial arts record Win

Yuki Kondo Decision (unanimous) DEEP 127 Impact

Tokyo, Japan Win

Tetsuya Izuchi Decision (unanimous) GLEAT ver.MEGA

Tokyo, Japan Loss

Yuki Kondo Decision (unanimous) Pancrase: 305

Tokyo, Japan Loss

Adriano Balby Decision (split) Rebel FC 7: Fight for Honour

Shanghai, China Win

Kyohei Wakimoto Decision (split) Pancrase: 293

Tokyo, Japan Return to Welterweight. Loss

Akira Okada Decision (unanimous) Pancrase: 290

Tokyo, Japan Loss

Killys Mota TKO (punches) Fight 2 Night 2

Foz do Iguaçu, Brazil Win

Akhmat Akhmedov Decision (split) Real Fight Championship 5

Tokyo, Japan Loss

Miroslav Strbak KO (punches) WSOF Global Championship 2

Tokyo, Japan Win

Andre de Jesus Decision (split) THF: The Hill Fighters 2

Gramado, Brazil Win

Eduardo Garvon Technical Submission (arm-triangle choke) THF: The Hill Fighters 1

Gramado, Brazil Return to Lightweight. Draw

Yuki Okano Draw (split) DEEP: Cage Impact 2013

Tokyo, Japan Welterweight bout. Loss

Taisuke Okuno KO (punch) DEEP: 62nd Impact

Tokyo, Japan Welterweight bout. Loss

Michael Chandler TKO (punches) Bellator 67

Rama, Ontario, Canada Announced retirement at the post-fight press conference. Loss

Daisuke Nakamura Decision (unanimous) DEEP – 57th Impact

Tokyo, Japan Welterweight bout. Loss

Jadamba Narantungalag Decision (unanimous) World Victory Road Presents: Sengoku Raiden Championships 14

Tokyo, Japan Lightweight debut. Win

Diego Gonzalez Decision (unanimous) World Victory Road Presents: Sengoku Raiden Championships 12

Tokyo, Japan Win

Hayato Sakurai Submission (armbar) Dynamite!! The Power of Courage 2009

Saitama, Saitama, Japan Win

Yoon Young Kim Decision (unanimous) World Victory Road Presents: Sengoku 11

Tokyo, Japan Loss

Dan Hornbuckle KO (head kick) World Victory Road Presents: Sengoku 9

Saitama, Saitama, Japan Loss

Jon Fitch Decision (unanimous) UFC 94

Las Vegas, Nevada, United States Loss

Dan Hardy Decision (split) UFC 89

Birmingham, England Win

Tamdan McCrory Submission (armbar) UFC 78

Newark, United States Returned to Welterweight; won Submission of the Night honors. Win

Yuki Kondo Decision (split) PRIDE FC: Shockwave 2006

Saitama, Japan Loss

Denis Kang Decision (unanimous) PRIDE: Bushido 13

Yokohama, Japan PRIDE 2006 Welterweight (83 kg) Grand Prix Semifinal. Win

Gegard Mousasi Submission (armbar) PRIDE: Bushido 12

Nagoya, Japan PRIDE 2006 Welterweight (83 kg) Grand Prix Quarterfinal. Win

Hector Lombard Decision (unanimous) PRIDE: Bushido 11

Saitama, Japan PRIDE 2006 Welterweight (83 kg) Grand Prix Opening Round. Win

Dae Won Kim Submission (armbar) PRIDE: Bushido 10

Tokyo, Japan Loss

Dan Henderson KO (punch) PRIDE Bushido 9

Tokyo, Japan PRIDE 2005 Welterweight (83 kg) Grand Prix Semifinal. Win

Daniel Acacio Decision (unanimous) PRIDE Bushido 9

Tokyo, Japan PRIDE 2005 Welterweight (83 kg) Grand Prix Opening Round. Win

Crosley Gracie Decision PRIDE Bushido 7

Tokyo, Japan Win

Tim McKenzie TKO (punches) Pancrase: Brave 10

Urayasu, Chiba, Japan Win

Tsuyoshi Kurihara KO (punch) Pancrase: Brave 6

Tokyo, Japan Loss

Maurício Rua TKO (soccer kick) PRIDE Bushido 2

Yokohama, Japan Middleweight (93 kg) bout. Win

Nilson de Castro Decision (unanimous) Pancrase: Hybrid 10

Tokyo, Japan Win

Daisuke Watanabe KO (punch) Pancrase: Hybrid 9

Tokyo, Japan Win

Nilson de Castro DQ (groin strike) Pancrase: 10th Anniversary Show

Tokyo, Japan Win

Flavio Luiz Moura Decision (majority) Pancrase: Hybrid 5

Tokyo, Japan Win

Chris Haseman Decision (majority) ZST 2: The Battle Field 2

Tokyo, Japan Heavyweight bout. Draw

Chael Sonnen Draw Pancrase: Hybrid 2

Tokyo, Japan Win

Keiichiro Yamamiya TKO (punches) Pancrase: Spirit 9

Tokyo, Japan Draw

Osami Shibuya Draw Pancrase: Spirit 6

Tokyo, Japan Win

Kousei Kubota Decision (unanimous) Pancrase: Spirit 4

Tokyo, Japan Loss

Yuki Kondo TKO (corner stoppage) Pancrase: Proof 7

Tokyo, Japan Win

Keiichiro Yamamiya Decision (unanimous) Pancrase: Proof 6

Tokyo, Japan Draw

Dustin Denes Draw DEEP: 2nd Impact

Tokyo, Japan Win

Daisuke Watanabe TKO (doctor stoppage) Pancrase: Proof 4

Tokyo, Japan Draw

Murilo Rua Draw Shooto: To The Top 4

Tokyo, Japan Win

Ivan Salaverry KO (spinning back kick) Shooto: To The Top 1

Tokyo, Japan Win

Masanori Suda Decision (unanimous) Shooto: R.E.A.D. 12

Tokyo, Japan Win

Andy Wang Decision (unanimous) Shooto: R.E.A.D. 5

Tokyo, Japan Draw

Larry Papadopoulos Decision (draw) Shooto: R.E.A.D. 1

Tokyo, Japan Loss

Lance Gibson Decision (majority) SB 13: SuperBrawl 13

Honolulu, Hawaii, United States Loss

Matt Hughes Decision (unanimous) Shooto: 10th Anniversary Event

Yokohama, Kanagawa, Japan Draw

Marcos da Silva Draw Shooto: Devilock Fighters

Tokyo, Japan Win

Adriano de Souza Submission (armbar) Shooto: Las Grandes Viajes 6

Tokyo, Japan Win

Matt Rocca Submission (armbar) Shooto: Shoot the Shooto XX

Tokyo, Japan Loss

Larry Papadopoulos Decision (split) Shooto: Reconquista 4

Tokyo, Japan Draw

Jutaro Nakao Draw Shooto: Gig

Yokohama, Kanagawa, Japan Win

Tsunemichi Nagano Decision (unanimous) Daidojuku: WARS 4

Tokyo, Japan Win

Masato Fujiwara Decision (unanimous) Shooto: Reconquista 1

Tokyo, Japan Loss

Kazuhiro Kusayanagi Submission (armbar) Shooto: Let's Get Lost

Japan Win

Masanori Suda Submission (rear-naked choke) Shooto: Free Fight Kawasaki

Japan Loss

Todd Bjornethun Submission (armbar) Shooto: Vale Tudo Junction 3

Japan Loss

Kazunari Murakami Decision Lumax Cup: Tournament of J '96

Japan Win

Yasushi Warita Submission (Achilles lock) Lumax Cup: Tournament of J '96

Japan Win

Tatsuharu Doi Decision (majority) Daidojuku: WARS 3

Japan Loss

Egan Inoue Submission (armbar) Lumax Cup: Tournament of J '95

Japan Win

Kazunari Murakami KO (head kick) Lumax Cup: Tournament of J '95

Japan Loss

Yasunori Okuda Submission (toe hold) Lumax Cup: Tournament of J '94

Japan Mixed rules Win

Tomoki Kanuka TKO (strikes) RINGS: Battle Genesis Vol.4

Nagoya, Japan

Submission grappling record Result Opponent Method Event Date Round Time