
Shutaro Debana vs. Yuji Ephoeviga
Shooto Lightweight Championship
Lightweight (155 lbs)|5R

🇯🇵Yuji Yannick Ephoeviga
12-2 / Age 26 / 175cm
Reach 192cm / 1連敗
VS
🇯🇵Shutaro Debana
11-7 / Age 41 / 180cm
2連敗

Finish Stats
* Includes both professional and amateur records
Win Methods
Yuji Yannick Ephoeviga
Shutaro Debana
* Includes both professional and amateur records
Recent Fights
Yuji Yannick Ephoeviga
Shutaro Debana
* Includes both professional and amateur records
Yuji Yannick Ephoeviga
Yuji Yannick Ephoeviga is a Japanese mixed martial artist competing in the lightweight division with a professional record of 12 wins and 2 losses. Standing 175cm tall with an impressive 192cm reach, he is known for his technical grappling and submission skills. In his most recent outing in January 2026, he faced Gwan Woo Lim at Shooto 2026 Vol.1. Prior to that, he secured a unanimous decision victory over Kieran Joblin and a rear-naked choke submission against Toshihiro Shimizu.
Shutaro Debana
Shutaro Debana, widely known by his ring name "Captain☆Africa," is a Japanese mixed martial artist competing in the lightweight division. With a professional record of 11 wins and 7 losses, he is known for his exceptional grappling base, particularly in Sambo. He has competed across major organizations such as Shooto, ROAD FC, and RIZIN. His recent performances include a submission victory over Nobumitsu Osawa via V Cross Armlock and an armbar win against Sang Kwon Han.
Following a grueling victory in the ROAD FC Global Tournament quarterfinals in June 2023, Debana shared a touching moment of sportsmanship. He revealed that his opponent, Park Hae-jin, sent him a respectful direct message in Japanese to congratulate him. Debana praised Park as a true sportsman and a "gentleman" for their hard-fought battle and the mutual respect they shared after the final bell.
Flyweight (125 lbs)|3R

🇯🇵Yuto Sekiguchi
17-11-6 / Age 28 / 168cm
1連敗
VS
🇯🇵Yusaku Nakamura
20-10-1 / Age 39 / 165cm
3連勝

Finish Stats
* Includes both professional and amateur records
Win Methods
Yuto Sekiguchi
Yusaku Nakamura
* Includes both professional and amateur records
Recent Fights
Yuto Sekiguchi
Yusaku Nakamura
* Includes both professional and amateur records
Yuto Sekiguchi
Yuto Sekiguchi is a professional mixed martial artist from Japan competing in the flyweight division, where he has compiled a record of 17 wins, 11 losses, and 6 draws. Competing primarily in Shooto, he is known for a versatile fighting style featuring both technical grappling and striking. His recent performances include a submission victory over Shuto Aki to win the world title, followed by wins against Hayato Ishii, Shingo Yakul, and Nobutaka Naito.
Sekiguchi demonstrated the spirit of martial arts respect following a scheduled bout with Jo Arai. Despite the match being affected by circumstances, Sekiguchi shared that the two met at the weigh-ins, where Arai apologized for the fight issues and Sekiguchi congratulated him on the birth of his child, calling him a "nice guy."
Yusaku Nakamura
Yusaku Nakamura is a Japanese flyweight fighter with a 20-10-1 record, competing in RIZIN and Shooto. A master of Nihon Kempo, his style is defined by explosive, straight-line striking and unique movement. He is currently on a three-fight winning streak, most recently securing a unanimous decision over Daichi Mizuta at Shooto 2025 Vol.10, following decision victories against Arman Ashimov at RIZIN LANDMARK 9 and Hiroya at RIZIN LANDMARK 6.
Nakamura often uses the hashtag "Naniwa Kempo that never fails" (referencing a famous Japanese comedy phrase) to showcase his Osaka roots and entertaining personality. In March 2024, he demonstrated great competitive spirit at RIZIN LANDMARK 9, choosing to proceed with a fight against Arman Ashimov despite his opponent missing weight by 2.4kg, and subsequently won a dominant unanimous decision.
Atomweight (108 lbs)|2R
Finish Stats
* Includes both professional and amateur records
Win Methods
Aya Murakami
Chiyo Takamoto
* Includes both professional and amateur records
Recent Fights
Aya Murakami
Chiyo Takamoto
* Includes both professional and amateur records
Aya Murakami
Aya Murakami is a Japanese atomweight fighter with a 10-3-0 professional record. Standing 150cm tall, she has competed extensively in DEEP JEWELS and Shooto, building a reputation as a dangerous submission specialist with a strong background in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. Her recent performances include a unanimous decision victory over Mio Shimaya and a second-round armbar submission of Tomoe Katayama, showcasing her grappling technicality and consistent growth.
Preparing for an upcoming fight on March 29, Murakami has been sharing her rigorous training journey with her followers, including intense practice sessions and weight cutting. She recently refreshed her look with her signature bright pink hair and expressed her excitement for a post-fight celebration with fans, showing her dedication to both her athletic preparation and her community of supporters.
Chiyo Takamoto
Chiyo Takamoto is a strawweight MMA fighter from Japan with a professional record of 2-3-3. Competing primarily in Shooto and the Shooto Colors series, she has established herself as a resilient competitor. She is currently on a two-fight winning streak, most recently securing a second-round TKO victory over Erika Gibo in January 2026. Prior to this, she earned a majority draw against Tomoe Katayama and a unanimous decision victory over Mio Shimaya.
Shooto Vacant Atomweight Championship
Atomweight (105 lbs)|5R
Finish Stats
* Includes both professional and amateur records
Win Methods
Miku Nakamura
Hikaru Aono
* Includes both professional and amateur records
Recent Fights
Miku Nakamura
Hikaru Aono
* Includes both professional and amateur records
Miku Nakamura
Miku Nakamura is a Japanese MMA fighter competing in the Atomweight division with a professional record of 9 wins and 7 losses. Known for her technical striking and evolving submission game, she competes primarily in Shooto. In her most recent outing in September 2025, she secured a dramatic second-round armbar victory over Hikaru Aono. This followed a title challenge against Chihiro Sawada and a string of victories over Mayu Kawanishi, Hisae Watanabe, and Haruna Kato.
Hikaru Aono
Hikaru Aono is a Japanese atomweight mixed martial artist with a professional record of 13 wins and 8 losses. Competing primarily in DEEP JEWELS and Shooto, she is recognized for her elite grappling base and relentless wrestling pressure. In her most recent outing in January 2026, she secured a first-round victory over Shiho Fukai via armlock. This followed a competitive stretch where she earned unanimous decision wins against Saki Kitamura, Sadae Suzumura, and SAAYA.
Middleweight (185 lbs)|3R
Finish Stats
* Includes both professional and amateur records
Win Methods
Taiga Iwasaki
Henry
* Includes both professional and amateur records
Recent Fights
Taiga Iwasaki
Henry
* Includes both professional and amateur records
Taiga Iwasaki
Taiga Iwasaki is a Japanese middleweight fighter with a professional record of 10 wins and 2 losses. Standing 6 feet 1 inch tall, he is known for his background in Kudo and his versatile skill set in Shooto and international competition. In his most recent bout at Shooto 2025 Vol.7, he secured a second-round submission victory over Bum Seok Jang. This followed a competitive appearance on Dana White's Contender Series in 2024 and a unanimous decision win against Eun Soo Kim in 2023.
Henry
Henry is an undefeated American mixed martial artist competing in the 185 lb division with a professional record of 3-0-0. Known for his effective grappling and submission skills, he has secured back-to-back rear naked choke victories. In his most recent outing on December 20, 2025, he defeated Minechika Matsumoto via first-round submission. This followed a unanimous decision victory over Ernie Preciado in September 2025 and a second-round submission of Jay McCrary in March 2025.
Middleweight (185 lbs)|3R
Finish Stats
* Includes both professional and amateur records
Win Methods
Samon
Yuji Arai
* Includes both professional and amateur records
Recent Fights
Samon
Yuji Arai
* Includes both professional and amateur records
Samon
Record: 1-0-0 Organization: Shooto Fighting Style: Mixed Martial Arts (Grappling/Ground & Pound focus) Samon is a Japanese middleweight mixed martial artist competing in the Shooto organization. He made a successful professional debut at Shooto Torao 36 on July 13, 2025, where he secured a victory over Philip Soko Chakanuka. He won the match via TKO in the first round using ground and pound, a performance that earned him the 2025 Shooto Middleweight Rookie of the Year title.
Yuji Arai
Yuji Arai is a veteran Japanese middleweight mixed martial artist with a professional record of 6 wins and 10 losses. Standing 6'0" tall, he has primarily competed in prominent Japanese organizations such as Pancrase and Fighting NEXUS. In his most recent outing in November 2025, he faced Ikkei Nagamura, losing via unanimous decision. Prior to that, he secured back-to-back victories, including a unanimous decision over Kazuki Okamura and a second-round armlock submission against Akira Hirata.
Flyweight (125 lbs)|3R
Finish Stats
* Includes both professional and amateur records
Win Methods
Seiya Sugimoto
Hiroki Takaoka
* Includes both professional and amateur records
Recent Fights
Seiya Sugimoto
Hiroki Takaoka
* Includes both professional and amateur records
Seiya Sugimoto
Seiya Sugimoto is a Japanese flyweight fighter competing in Shooto with a professional record of 5 wins, 1 loss, and 1 draw. Standing 170cm, he is currently on a dominant five-fight unbeaten streak characterized by rapid finishes. In his most recent outing at Shooto 2025 Vol.10, he secured a first-round victory over Soichiro Umekawa via ground and pound. This followed a 25-second knockout of Soma Yamamoto and a lightning-fast 12-second stoppage against Yo Otake earlier in 2025.
Hiroki Takaoka
Hiroki Takaoka is a Japanese flyweight mixed martial artist with a professional record of 12 wins, 10 losses, and 6 draws. Competing primarily in Shooto, he is known for a resilient fighting style and strong grappling skills. In his most recent bout at Shooto Force 22 in October 2025, he secured a second-round victory via rear naked choke against Yo Otake. This followed a busy 2025 campaign where he also earned a submission win at RIZIN 50.
Bantamweight (135 lbs)|3R
Finish Stats
* Includes both professional and amateur records
Win Methods
Goki Nakano
Kosei Sugino
* Includes both professional and amateur records
Recent Fights
Goki Nakano
Kosei Sugino
* Includes both professional and amateur records
Goki Nakano
三重県出身、2000年生まれのプロシューター。身長170cm。修斗バンタム級を主戦場とし、粘り強いグラップリングと、サークリングを駆使した精度の高い打撃を武器とする。プロ戦績は4勝3敗。2024年7月の瀬戸口烈戦、2025年3月の松下祐介戦をいずれも判定で制すと、同年7月には青柳洸志から2RにパウンドでTKO勝利を収め、現在3連勝と勢いに乗っている。
Kosei Sugino
Kosei Sugino is an undefeated Japanese bantamweight prospect competing in Shooto with a professional record of 4 wins and 0 losses. Standing 170cm tall, he has quickly made a name for himself as a rising talent in the organization. His most recent performance was a clinical 41-second knockout victory over Zahid Ahmad in September 2025. This followed a string of decisive unanimous and majority decision wins against Haruki Kawakita, Tomoya Hirakawa, and Shota Tanii.
Flyweight (125 lbs)|3R
Finish Stats
* Includes both professional and amateur records
Win Methods
Takehiro Nakaike
* Includes both professional and amateur records
Recent Fights
Takehiro Nakaike
* Includes both professional and amateur records
Zahid Ahmad
Record: 0-2-0 Organization: Shooto / Breakthrough Combat Style: Striker (Kickboxing base) Nationality: Indonesia Zahid Ahmad is an Indonesian flyweight competitor who transitions between kickboxing and mixed martial arts. He is known for an aggressive, striking-oriented style, having built a kickboxing record of 7-1 (4 KOs) prior to his professional MMA debut. He stepped into MMA on short notice at Breakthrough Combat 04 in May 2025, where he pushed Sora Yamasaki to a unanimous decision. He most recently competed at Shooto 2025 Vol.8 in September 2025 against Kosei Sugino.
Takehiro Nakaike
Takehiro Nakaike is a Japanese mixed martial artist competing in the Flyweight division for Shooto. Born on April 23, 2007, he has quickly established himself as a rising prospect with a professional record of 6-1-0. Known for his aggressive finishing ability, his recent performances include a first-round ground and pound victory over Arashi Okada in May 2025 and a guillotine choke submission against Yosuke Shimoda in March 2025.
Flyweight (125 lbs)|3R
Finish Stats
* Includes both professional and amateur records
Win Methods
Kaito Shibayama
Arashi Okada
* Includes both professional and amateur records
Recent Fights
Kaito Shibayama
Arashi Okada
* Includes both professional and amateur records
Kaito Shibayama
Kaito Shibayama is a Japanese flyweight competitor with a professional MMA record of 4 wins and 2 losses. Standing 170cm tall, he competes primarily in the Shooto organization. Shibayama is known for his dangerous submission game, particularly his proficiency with chokes. His recent competitive run includes a first-round guillotine choke victory over Sota Miura and consecutive rear naked choke wins against Shogo Shinzato and Ryuhei Sakai.
Arashi Okada
Arashi Okada is a Japanese flyweight competitor in Shooto with a professional record of 5 wins and 1 loss. Standing 169cm tall, he has established himself as a resilient tactician, with the majority of his victories coming via decision. He is currently on a two-fight winning streak, most recently securing a unanimous decision victory over Mutsutaro Osorezan in November 2025, which followed another unanimous decision win against Yuhei Koga in September 2025.