Yoshiro Maeda

is a Japanese mixed martial artist who currently competes in DEEP's flyweight division, and formerly fought in DEEP's bantamweight division, the latter of which he is a former champion, recently losing the title to Daiki Hata who is still the reigning champion. With a professional career spanning 10 years, Maeda has competed in notable Japanese promotions such as Pancrase, PRIDE FC and DREAM, as well as the WEC in America.

Mixed martial arts career

Early career Going 0–1–2 as an amateur in 2002, Maeda made his professional debut in 2003 with a second round technical submission of Shigeyuki Umeki. Between his pro debut and 2005, Maeda racked a record of 17–2–1, with wins coming under the Pancrase and DEEP banners.

World Extreme Cagefighting Following a drop in weight to the bantamweight division, Maeda debuted in the WEC with a first-round KO due to a kick to the body against King of the Cage champion, Charlie Valencia. With this win, Maeda was given a title shot against bantamweight champion, Miguel Torres. In a back and forth battle, both men landed hard shots on the feet and exchanged submission attempts on the ground. Maeda would lose due to doctor stoppage in the third round due to severe swelling of his right eye. The fight earned Fight of the Night honors.

Maeda would then face BJJ black belt, Rani Yahya, in a catchweight bout of 137 pounds at WEC 36. Maeda lost by submission due to a guillotine choke in the first round. Following this loss, Maeda would be released from his WEC contract after going 1–2 in the promotion.

DREAM In his first bout under the DREAM banner, Maeda defeated Micah Miller by unanimous decision. Followed by a controversial first-round KO loss to Hiroyuki Takaya, he rebounded with a win over former WEC champion Chase Beebe. Once again, Maeda would lose by KO, this time to former WEC champion Cole Escovedo. Maeda is 0-4 within DREAM since his loss to Escovedo in 2010.

World Victory Road Yoshiro Maeda fought former Sengoku featherweight champion, Masanori Kanehara, in December 2010. Maeda won by first-round TKO.

Championships and accomplishments

Mixed martial arts Deep Deep Bantamweight Championship (one time; former) One successful title defense 2005 Deep Bantamweight Championship Tournament Runner Up Pancrase King of Pancrase Featherweight Championship (one time; former) One successful title defense 2006 King of Pancrase Featherweight Championship Tournament Winner 2003 Pancrase Neo Blood Featherweight Tournament Winner MMA Fighting 2008 #2 Ranked UFC Fight of the Year

Mixed martial arts record Win

Sanou Yokouchi Submission (rear-naked choke) Rizin 50

Takamatsu, Japan Win

Mitsuhisa Sunabe Decision (unanimous) Rizin 32

Okinawa, Japan Loss

Tatsuro Taira Technical Submission (rear-naked choke) Shooto 2021 Vol.2

Tokyo, Japan Loss

Ryuya Fukuda TKO (Punches) Shooto 2020 Vol.4

Osaka, Japan Win

Payoongsak Singchalad Submission (rear-naked choke) DEEP & Pancrase: Osaka Tournament 2019

Osaka, Japan Win

Koki Naito Decision (split) Shooto: 30th Anniversary Tour 5th Round

Osaka, Japan Loss

Kiyotaka Shimizu TKO (punches) Shooto 1/27 at Korakuen Hall

Tokyo, Japan Win

Tadaaki Yamamoto Decision (unanimous) Shooto in Osaka 2018

Osaka, Japan Win

Kim Young-han KO (punches) Shooto in Osaka 2017

Osaka, Japan Loss

Hayato Ishii Decision (unanimous) Shooto 1/29

Tokyo, Japan Win

Kosuke Suzuki Submission (rear-naked choke) Shooto: Mobstyles Presents Fight & Mosh

Urayasu, Japan Win

Takaki Soya Decision (unanimous) Vale Tudo Japan 7th

Urayasu, Japan Win

Kentaro Watanabe Decision (unanimous) Vale Tudo Japan in Osaka

Osaka, Japan Win

Haruo Ochi Decision (majority) DEEP DREAM Impact 2014: Omisoka Special

Saitama, Japan Loss

Yuki Motoya Submission (armbar) DEEP 67 Impact

Tokyo, Japan Loss

Ryuichi Miki Decision (unanimous) Vale Tudo Japan 4th

Tokyo, Japan Draw

Mamoru Yamaguchi Draw (majority) DEEP: Tribe Tokyo Fight

Tokyo, Japan Loss

Daiki Hata TKO (punches) DEEP 62 Impact

Tokyo, Japan Loss

Bibiano Fernandes Technical Submission (triangle choke) Dream 18

Tokyo, Japan Win

Tatsumitsu Wada Submission (rear-naked choke) DEEP 59 Impact

Tokyo, Japan Win

Takafumi Otsuka Submission (rear-naked choke) DEEP 57 Impact

Tokyo, Japan Loss

Hiroshi Nakamura Decision (majority) DEEP: Cage Impact 2011 in Tokyo, 2nd Round

Tokyo, Japan Loss

Hideo Tokoro TKO (corner stoppage) Dream: Fight for Japan!

Saitama, Saitama, Japan Win

Masanori Kanehara TKO (punches) World Victory Road Presents: Soul of Fight

Tokyo, Japan Win

Takafumi Otsuka Decision (majority) DEEP 50 Impact

Tokyo, Japan Loss

Kenji Osawa Decision (split) Dream 14

Saitama, Saitama, Japan Loss

Cole Escovedo KO (head kick) Dream 13

Yokohama, Japan Win

Chase Beebe Submission (rear-naked choke) Dream 12

Osaka, Japan Win

Kleber Koike Erbst DQ (knee to groin) DEEP: Osaka Impact

Osaka, Japan Loss

Hiroyuki Takaya TKO (punches) Dream 9

Yokohama, Japan Win

Micah Miller Decision (unanimous) Dream 7

Saitama, Japan Loss

Rani Yahya Submission (guillotine choke) WEC 36

Hollywood, Florida, United States Loss

Miguel Torres TKO (doctor stoppage) WEC 34

Sacramento, California, United States Win

Charlie Valencia KO (kick to the body) WEC 32

Rio Rancho, New Mexico, United States Draw

Kim Jong-man Draw (unanimous) DEEP: Protect Impact 2007

Osaka, Japan Win

Johnny Frachey TKO (kicks and punches) Pancrase: Rising 6

Tokyo, Japan Win

Danny Batten Decision (unanimous) Pancrase: Rising 4

Tokyo, Japan Win

Manabu Inoue TKO (punches) Pancrase: Rising 1

Osaka, Japan Loss

Joe Pearson Submission (guillotine choke) Pride Bushido 13

Yokohama, Japan Win

Daiki Hata Decision (split) Pancrase: Blow 6

Yokohama, Japan Win

Atsushi Yamamoto KO (flying knee) Pancrase: Blow 5

Tokyo, Japan Loss

Daiki Hata TKO (punches) Pancrase: Blow 2

Osaka, Japan Loss

Masakazu Imanari Submission (toe hold)

Win

Muangfahlek Kiatwichian KO (punches and soccer kick)

Win

Tomomi Iwama KO (head kick) DEEP 21 Impact

Tokyo, Japan Win

Miki Shida KO (punches) Pancrase: Spiral 7

Osaka, Japan Win

Colin Mannsur TKO (punches) Pancrase: Spiral 6

Tokyo, Japan Loss

Charles Bennett KO (punch) Pride Bushido 7

Osaka, Japan Win

Takumi Murata Submission (armbar) Pancrase: Spiral 3

Osaka, Japan Draw

Masakazu Imanari Draw (majority) DEEP 18 Impact

Tokyo, Japan Win

Minoru Tsuiki KO (punch and head kick) Pancrase: Brave 12

Tokyo, Japan Win

Fredson Paixão Decision (unanimous) Pancrase: Brave 7

Osaka, Japan Win

Isamu Sugiuchi KO (punch) Pancrase: Brave 5

Tokyo, Japan Win

Hiroshi Umemura Submission (armbar) DEEP 14 Impact

Osaka, Japan Win

Alexandre Freitas TKO (flying knee and punches) Pancrase: Brave 2

Osaka, Japan Win

Baret Yoshida KO (punches) Pancrase: Hybrid 10

Tokyo, Japan Win

Satoshi Watanabe Decision (unanimous) Pancrase: Hybrid 8

Osaka, Japan Win

Miki Shida Decision (unanimous) Pancrase: 2003 Neo-Blood Tournament 2

Tokyo, Japan Win

Takahiro Sanehara TKO (punches) Pancrase: 2003 Neo Blood Tournament 1

Tokyo, Japan Win

Shinya Sato Decision (majority) Pancrase: Hybrid 7

Osaka, Japan Win

Mitsuhisa Sunabe Decision (unanimous) Pancrase: Hybrid 5

Yokohama, Japan Win

Shigeyuki Umeki Technical Submission (rear-naked choke) Pancrase: Hybrid 2

Osaka, Japan

Mixed martial arts exhibition record Draw

Yasunori Yamada Draw (time limit) Pancrase - Spirit 6

Osaka, Japan Draw

Mikio Takeuchi Draw (time limit) Pancrase - Spirit 4

Osaka, Japan