Masanori Kanehara

is a Japanese mixed martial artist currently competing the Bantamweight division in DEEP and Rizin FF. A professional competitor since 2003, Kanehara has formerly competed for World Victory Road, K-1, the UFC, Pancrase, ZST, and also made an appearance at Dynamite!! 2009. Kanehara is the 2009 Sengoku Featherweight Grand Prix Champion and inaugural Sengoku Featherweight Champion.

Mixed martial arts career Early career Kanehara made his professional mixed martial arts debut in 2003, and compiled a record of 13–6–5 before being signed by World Victory Road. Kanehara lost via KO in the first round.

Post-Sengoku After the demise of Sengoku, Kanehara compiled a record of 7–2 which included a 21-second knockout of Joe Pearson at Pancrase 252.

Ultimate Fighting Championship In July 2014, it was announced that Kanehara had signed with the UFC. Kanehara was briefly linked to a bout with Urijah Faber on September 20, 2014, at UFC Fight Night 52. However, before the bout was officially announced, Faber was removed and Kanehara instead faced Alex Caceres. He was successful in his debut winning via unanimous decision.

Kanehara was expected to face Rani Yahya on June 27, 2015, at UFC Fight Night 70. However, as the event approached, several international fighters experienced travel restrictions due to technical issues within the Bureau of Consular Affairs division of the U.S. State Department which produces travel visas. The issue lead to a major altering of the card as multiple fights were postponed. Yahya/Kanehara eventually took place on July 15, 2015, at UFC Fight Night 71. Kanehara lost the fight by split decision.

Kanehara faced Michael McDonald on January 2, 2016, at UFC 195. After a dominant first round and catching McDonald with an arm triangle in round two, McDonald slipped out and found a choke of his own. Kanehara lost the fight via submission in the second round and was subsequently released from the promotion following the loss.

Post-UFC career After the release from the UFC, Kanehara returned to Deep and was expected to face Roman Alvarez in his promotional debut at Deep Cage Impact 2016: DEEP vs. WSOF-GC on December 17, 2016. Alvarez was replaced by Charlie Alaniz, whom Kanehara won via first-round doctor stoppage.

Next he faced Jomhod Chuwattana at DEEP Hachioji Chojin Matsuri 2018 on April 1, 2020. Kanehara won the fight via submission in the first round.

After the two victories in a row, Kanehara signed with Rizin FF and made his promotional debut against Victor Henry at Rizin 21 – Hamamatsu on February 22, 2020. Kanehara lost the fight via second-round knockout.

Kanehara faced Takahiro Ashida at Rizin 31 - Yokohama on October 24, 2021. He won the bout via TKO in the second round.

Kanehara was booked to face Kazumasa Majima on April 16, 2022, at Rizin Trigger 3. He won the fight by a third-round technical knockout.

Kanehara faced Sora Yamamoto at Rizin Landmark 5 on April 29, 2023, winning the fight by unanimous decision.

Kanehara faced Kleber Koike Erbst at Rizin 44 on September 24, 2023, winning the bout via unanimous decision using his wrestling to nullify Kleber's BJJ skills.

Kanehara faced reigning champion Chihiro Suzuki for the Rizin Featherweight Championship at Rizin 46 on April 29, 2024. He lost the bout by a first-round technical knockout.

Championships and Accomplishments Sengoku Sengoku Featherweight Championship (1 Time, First) 2009 Sengoku Featherweight Grand Prix Winner

Mixed martial arts record Loss

YA-MAN KO (punches) Super Rizin 4

Saitama, Japan Loss

Chihiro Suzuki TKO (punches) Rizin 46

Tokyo, Japan Win

Kleber Koike Erbst Decision (unanimous) Rizin 44

Saitama, Japan Win

Sora Yamamoto Decision (unanimous) Rizin Landmark 5

Tokyo, Japan Win

Kazumasa Majima TKO (punches) Rizin Trigger 3

Chōfu, Japan Win

Takahiro Ashida TKO (punches and elbows) Rizin 31

Yokohama, Japan Loss

Victor Henry TKO (punches) Rizin 21

Hamamatsu, Japan Win

Jomhod Chuwattana Submission (arm-triangle choke) DEEP Hachioji Chojin Matsuri 2018

Tokyo, Japan Win

Charlie Alaniz TKO (doctor stoppage) DEEP Cage Impact 2016

Tokyo, Japan Loss

Michael McDonald Submission (rear-naked choke) UFC 195

Las Vegas, Nevada, United States Loss

Rani Yahya Decision (split) UFC Fight Night: Mir vs. Duffee

San Diego, California, United States Win

Alex Caceres Decision (unanimous) UFC Fight Night: Hunt vs. Nelson

Saitama, Japan Loss

Toshiaki Kitada DQ (fighter thrown from ring) DEEP 66 Impact

Tokyo, Japan Win

Joe Pearson KO (punch) Pancrase 252

Yokohama, Japan Win

Wade Choate Submission (arm-triangle choke) DEEP 62 Impact

Tokyo, Japan Win

Tom McKenna KO (punch to the body) DEEP: Haleo Impact

Tokyo, Japan Win

Tony Reyes TKO (punches) DEEP Tokyo Impact 2012

Tokyo, Japan Win

Jake Hattan Submission (rear-naked choke) HEAT 22

Tokyo, Japan Win

Brady Harrison Submission (rear-naked choke) Xplode Fight Series: Hillside Havoc

Valley Center, California, United States Loss

Rasul Mirzaev TKO (punches) Fight Nights: Battle of Moscow 4

Moscow, Russia Win

Motoshi Miyaji KO (punches) Pancrase: Impressive Tour 5

Tokyo, Japan Loss

Yoshiro Maeda TKO (punches) World Victory Road Presents: Soul of Fight

Tokyo, Japan Loss

Marlon Sandro KO (punch) World Victory Road Presents: Sengoku 13

Tokyo, Japan Win

Norifumi Yamamoto Decision (unanimous) Dynamite!! 2009

Saitama, Japan Win

Michihiro Omigawa Decision (split)

Loss

Hatsu Hioki Decision (unanimous)

Win

Jung Chan-sung Decision (unanimous) World Victory Road Presents: Sengoku 8

Tokyo, Japan Win

Kim Jong-man Decision (unanimous) World Victory Road Presents: Sengoku 7

Tokyo, Japan Win

Kenji Arai KO (punches) Pancrase: Changing Tour 1

Tokyo, Japan Loss

Takafumi Otsuka Decision (split) DEEP 38 Impact

Tokyo, Japan Win

Isamu Sugiuchi KO (punches) Fighting Network ZST: Battle Hazard 03

Tokyo, Japan Loss

Erikas Petraitis Decision (unanimous) Shooto Lithuania: Bushido 2008

Vilnius, Lithuania Win

Shunichi Shimizu Submission (armbar) Fighting Network ZST 16

Tokyo, Japan Draw

Naoyuki Kotani Draw (time limit) Fighting Network ZST 15

Tokyo, Japan Win

Yoichiro Karsuyama Submission (rear-naked choke) Fighting Network ZST 14

Tokyo, Japan Loss

Tashiro Nishiuchi KO (head kick and punch) Fighting Network ZST 13

Tokyo, Japan Win

Arunas Jurgelenas Submission (choke) Shooto Estonia: Bushido

Tallinn, Estonia Win

Tetsu Suzuki Decision (majority) K-1 Hero's 8

Nagoya, Japan Win

Shinya Sato Submission (armbar) Fighting Network ZST 12

Tokyo, Japan Win

Taro Himura Submission (armbar) Fighting Network ZST: Swat! 08

Tokyo, Japan Win

Kenichi Ito KO (punch) Fighting Network ZST: Swat! 07

Tokyo, Japan Draw

Hiroyuki Ota Draw (time limit) Fighting Network ZST: Swat! 06

Tokyo, Japan Win

Hisashi Hiyama Submission (armbar) Fighting Network ZST: Swat! 05

Tokyo, Japan Win

Toshiyuki Saito TKO (knee) Fighting Network ZST: Swat! 04

Tokyo, Japan Loss

Shinya Sato Submission (kimura) Fighting Network ZST 8

Tokyo, Japan Draw

Norimasa Isozaki Draw (time limit) ZST: Battle Hazard 2

Tokyo, Japan Draw

Hiroyuki Ota Draw (time limit) Fighting Network ZST: Swat! 02

Tokyo, Japan Draw

Masayuki Okude Draw (time limit) Fighting Network ZST: Swat! 01

Tokyo, Japan