Akihiro Gono
 |
Name | Akihiro Gono |
| Nickname | The Japanese Sensation | |
| Association | N/A | |
| Weight Class | Welterweight (170 lbs.) / Lightweight (155 lbs.) | |
| Height | 5' 9" (175 cm) | |
| Style | Kickboxing | |
| Birth Date | October 7, 1974 | |
| Fighting Out Of | Nakano, Tokyo, Japan | |
| Country | Japan | |
| Akihiro Gono Pictures | Official Website |
Akihiro "The Japanese Sensation" Gono is a Japanese mixed martial artist who currently fights as a Lightweight, though he previously fought much of his career as a Welterweight. He is best known for his clever and deceptive fighting style, and for his flashy ring entrances. His fighting style is characterized by skillfully avoiding strikes, using fast counter punches and generally getting the opponent to fight his way. He fought for the UFC, but was released after his second loss in a row. After being dropped from the UFC, Gono signed with Sengoku, returning to Japan.
Contents |
Professional Record
| Record | 32 - 18 - 7 (Win – Loss – Draw) |
| Wins | 7 (T)KOs 8 Submissions 16 Decisions 1 Other |
| Losses | 5 (T)KOs 4 Submissions 9 Decisions |
| Result | Opponent | Method | Event Title | Date | Round | Time | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Loss | Michael Chandler | TKO (Punches) | BFC: Bellator Fighting Championships 67 | 5/4/2012 | 1 | 0:56 | Non-title Bout |
| Loss | Daisuke Nakamura | Decision (Unanimous) | Deep: 57 Impact | 2/18/2012 | 3 | 5:00 | |
| Loss | Jadamba Narantungalag | Decision (Unanimous) | World Victory Road Presents: Sengoku Raiden Championship 14 | 8/22/2010 | 3 | 5:00 | Lightweight debut |
| Win | Diego Gonzalez | Decision (Unanimous) | World Victory Road Presents: Sengoku Raiden Championship 12 | 3/07/2010 | 3 | 5:00 | |
| Win | Hayato Sakurai | Submission (Armbar) | FieLDS Dynamite!! 2009 | 12/31/2009 | 2 | 3:56 | |
| Win | Yoon Young Kim | Decision (Unanimous) | World Victory Road Presents: Sengoku 11 | 11/07/2009 | 3 | 5:00 | |
| Loss | Dan Hornbuckle | KO (Head Kick) | World Victory Road Presents: Sengoku 9 | 8/02/2009 | 3 | 2:50 | |
| Loss | Jon Fitch | Decision (Unanimous) | UFC 94: St. Pierre vs. Penn 2 | 1/31/2009 | 3 | 5:00 | After his second loss, Gono was released from the UFC |
| Loss | Dan Hardy | Decision (Split) | UFC 89: Bisping vs. Leben | 10/18/2008 | 3 | 5:00 | |
| Win | Tamdan McCrory | Submission (Armbar) | UFC 78: Validation | 11/17/2007 | 2 | 3:19 | UFC debut; Won Submission of the Night Honors |
| Win | Yuki Kondo | Decision (Split) | PRIDE Shockwave 2006 | 12/31/2006 | 2 | 5:00 | |
| Loss | Denis Kang | Decision (Unanimous) | PRIDE Bushido 13 | 11/05/2006 | 2 | 5:00 | PRIDE 2006 Welterweight Grand Prix Semifinals |
| Win | Gegard Mousasi | Submission (Armbar) | PRIDE Bushido 12 | 8/26/2006 | 2 | 4:24 | PRIDE 2006 Welterweight Grand Prix Quarterfinals |
| Win | Hector Lombard | Decision (Unanimous) | PRIDE Bushido 11 | 6/04/2006 | 2 | 5:00 | PRIDE 2006 Welterweight Grand Prix Opening Round |
| Win | Dae Won Kim | Submission (Armbar) | PRIDE Bushido 10 | 4/02/2006 | 1 | 9:00 | |
| Loss | Dan Henderson | KO (Punch) | PRIDE Bushido 9 | 9/25/2005 | 1 | 7:58 | |
| Win | Daniel Acacio | Decision (Unanimous) | PRIDE Bushido 9 | 9/25/2005 | 2 | 5:00 | |
| Win | Crosley Gracie | Decision (Unanimous) | PRIDE Bushido 7 | 5/22/2005 | 2 | 5:00 | |
| Win | Tim McKenzie | TKO (Punches) | Pancrase: Brave 10 | 11/07/2004 | 2 | 2:53 | |
| Win | Tsuyoshi Kurihara | KO (Punch) | Pancrase: Brave 6 | 6/22/2004 | 1 | 2:15 | |
| Loss | Mauricio Rua | TKO (Soccer Kicks) | PRIDE Bushido 2 | 2/15/2004 | 1 | 9:04 | |
| Win | Nilson de Castro | Decision (Unanimous) | Pancrase: Hybrid 10 | 11/30/2003 | 3 | 5:00 | |
| Win | Daisuke Watanabe | KO (Punch) | Pancrase: Hybrid 9 | 10/31/2003 | 2 | 3:49 | |
| Win | Nilson de Castro | DQ (Groin Strike) | Pancrase: 10th Anniversary Show | 8/31/2003 | 1 | 0:29 | |
| Win | Flavio Luiz Moura | Decision (Majority) | Pancrase: Hybrid 5 | 5/18/2003 | 2 | 5:00 | |
| Win | Chris Haseman | Decision (Majority) | ZST: The Battle Field 2 | 3/09/2003 | 2 | 5:00 | |
| Draw | Chael Sonnen | Draw | Pancrase: Hybrid 2 | 2/16/2003 | 2 | 5:00 | |
| Win | Keiichiro Yamamiya | TKO (Punches) | Pancrase: Spirit 9 | 12/21/2002 | 3 | 3:49 | |
| Draw | Osami Shibuya | Draw | Pancrase: Spirit 6 | 8/25/2002 | 3 | 5:00 | |
| Win | Kousei Kubota | Decision (Unanimous) | Pancrase: Spirit 4 | 5/11/2002 | 3 | 5:00 | |
| Loss | Yuki Kondo | TKO (Corner Stoppage) | Pancrase: Proof 7 | 12/01/2001 | 3 | 0:52 | |
| Win | Keiichiro Yamamiya | Decision (Unanimous) | Pancrase: Proof 6 | 10/30/2001 | 3 | 5:00 | |
| Draw | Dustin Denes | Draw | DEEP: 2nd Impact | 8/18/2001 | 3 | 5:00 | |
| Win | Daisuke Watanabe | TKO (Doctor Stoppage) | Pancrase: Proof 4 | 6/26/2001 | 2 | 0:52 | |
| Draw | Murilo Rua | Draw | Shooto: To the Top 4 | 5/01/2001 | 3 | 5:00 | |
| Win | Ivan Salaverry | KO (Spinning Back Kick) | Shooto: To the Top 1 | 1/19/2001 | 1 | 3:06 | |
| Win | Masanori Suda | Decision (Unanimous) | Shooto: R.E.A.D. 12 | 11/12/2000 | 3 | 5:00 | |
| Win | Andy Wang | Decision (Unanimous) | Shooto: R.E.A.D. 5 | 5/22/2000 | 3 | 5:00 | |
| Draw | Larry Papadopoulos | Draw | Shooto: R.E.A.D. 1 | 1/14/2000 | 3 | 5:00 | |
| Loss | Lance Gibson | Decision (Majority) | SB 13: SuperBrawl 13 | 9/07/1999 | 3 | 5:00 | |
| Loss | Matt Hughes | Decision (Unanimous) | Shooto: 10th Anniversary Event | 5/29/1999 | 3 | 5:00 | |
| Draw | Marcos da Silva | Draw | Shooto: Devilock Fighters | 1/15/1999 | 3 | 5:00 | |
| Win | Adriano de Souza | Submission (Armbar) | Shooto: Las Grandes Viajes 6 | 11/27/1998 | 1 | 2:46 | |
| Win | Matt Rocca | Submission (Armbar) | Shooto: Shoot the Shooto XX | 4/26/1998 | 1 | 3:12 | |
| Loss | Larry Papadopoulos | Decision (Split) | Shooto: Reconquista 4 | 10/12/1997 | 3 | 5:00 | |
| Draw | Jutaro Nakao | Draw | Shooto: GIG | 6/25/1997 | 3 | 5:00 | |
| Win | Tsunemichi Nagano | Decision (Unanimous) | Daidojuku: WARS 4 | 3/11/1997 | 5 | 3:00 | |
| Win | Masato Fujiwara | Decision (Unanimous) | Shooto: Reconquista 1 | 1/18/1997 | 4 | 3:00 | |
| Loss | Kazuhiro Kusayanagi | Submission (Armbar) | Shooto: Let's Get Lost | 10/04/1996 | 4 | 2:52 | |
| Win | Masanori Suda | Submission (Rear Naked Choke) | Shooto: Free Fight Kawasaki | 7/28/1996 | 4 | 0:33 | |
| Loss | Todd Bjornethun | Submission (Armbar) | Shooto: Vale Tudo Junction 3 | 5/07/1996 | 3 | 1:12 | |
| Loss | Kazunari Murakami | Decision | Lumax Cup: Tournament of J '96 | 3/30/1996 | 2 | 3:00 | |
| Win | Yasushi Warita | Submission (Achilles Lock) | Lumax Cup: Tournament of J '96 | 3/30/1996 | 1 | 0:54 | |
| Win | Tatsuharu Doi | Decision (Majority) | Daidojuku: WARS 3 | 2/17/1996 | 2 | 3:00 | |
| Loss | Egan Inoue | Submission (Armbar) | Lumax Cup: Tournament of J '95 | 10/13/1995 | 1 | 1:33 | |
| Win | Kazunari Murakami | KO (Kick) | Lumax Cup: Tournament of J '95 | 10/13/1995 | 1 | 2:25 | |
| Loss | Yasunori Okuda | Submission (Toe Hold) | Lumax Cup: Tournament of J '94 | 4/23/1994 | 1 | 1:51 | |
Biography
Akihiro Gono began fighting mixed martial arts in 1994, beginning with the Lumax Cup: Tournament of Japan '94. He would go on to fight in the Shooto organization, as well as Pancrase. He began fighting in PRIDE Bushido with Bushido 2 in 2004.
Mixed Martial Arts Career
Gono holds wins over such fighters as Gegard Mousasi, Yuki Kondo, Ivan Salaverry, Crosley Gracie, Daniel Acacio, and Dae Won Kim. He has also fought many tough opponents, with losses to such fighters as Mauricio Rua, Dan Henderson, Matt Hughes, and Yuki Kondo.
Gono began making his ring entrances in Pride FC more elaborate in 2006 with the creation of a character, DJ Gozma (a parody of Japanese musician DJ OZMA). The entrances have involved Gono wearing a vintage suit, including shoes, an orange wig, and accompanied by oddly dressed male dancers while the song age♂age♂EVERY☆Night by DJ OZMA plays in the background. Also, when the fighters are introduced in the ring, Gono drops his suit's pants to reveal zebra stripped fighting briefs.
UFC Career
Gono defeated Tamdan McCrory at UFC 78, by verbal 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. He also won the Submission of the Night Honors.
Gono then took on Dan Hardy at UFC 89, but suffered defeat via Split Decision. Gono was left swollen and bloody 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 while there landed an illegal knee to the face of the downed fighter. Causing the fight to be stopped for a lengthy period. Hardy recovered and went on to win the split decision. The judges saw the bout 29-28 (twice) for Hardy, and 29-28 for Gono.
Gono then lost to Jon Fitch in a preliminary bout at UFC 94: St. Pierre vs. Penn 2.
At the end of March 2009, Gono was released from his contract with the UFC. It came to light that after he was released, he began talks with Sengoku.
Sengoku Career
Returning back to Japan, Gono signed with Sengoku, and made his debut at Sengoku: Ninth Battle on August 2, 2009. Gono fought Dan Hornbuckle, who defeated him with a vicious head kick at 2:50 of the third round.
Hoping to finally get back on the winning track, Gono faced Yoon Young Kim on November 7, 2009 at Sengoku: Eleventh Battle, finally picking up a win, earning a unanimous decision.
Gono returned to action on December 31, 2009 at FieLDS Dynamite!! 2009 where he faced off against Japanese legend Hayato Sakurai. He shocked the crowd with not only an impressive entrance, but with and impressive fight, catching Sakurai in an Armbar in the second round.
In Gono's next outing with Sengoku he faced Swedish M-1 veteran Diego Gonzalez on March 6, 2010. The bout took place at Sengoku: Twelfth Battle. The action was tight throughout the three-round affair, but the hometown fighter earned the nod, wining the Decision (Unanimous).
Gono next decided to drop down to compete at Lightweight (155 lbs.). His debut took place on August 22, 2010 at World Victory Road Presents: Sengoku Raiden Championship 14 against little known Mongolian martial artist and K-1 veteran Jadamba Narantungalag. Narantungalag simply outworked and out-maneuvered his veteran opponent and eventually scored a unanimous-decision win with rare 30-28, 30-29 and 30-28 scores. Unable to mount much of an offense, Gono repeatedly was taken to the mat, took punishment from the clinch, saw his kicks easily checked, and then fought off submission attempts late in the fight.
Ranks and Titles
Amateur
- 3-time champion in All-Japan Martial Arts Championship
Professional
- Champion in Japanese National Kickboxing Championship
- PRIDE Grand Prix 3rd place in 2005 (Welterweight)
- PRIDE Grand Prix 3rd place in 2006 (Welterweight)
