Kaiwen Li “The Underdog (nicknamed "the Chinese Takanori Gomi")”
Featherweight (66kg) · China · RIZIN
Ten years of freestyle wrestling from age eight underpin an aggressive, forward-pressing striking game; 10 of his 16 wins are finishes (9 KO, 1 submission).
Winning ONE's featherweight Beijing tournament in December 2014 with two wins in a single night.
Record & stats
| Division | Featherweight (66kg) |
|---|---|
| Categories | MMA |
| Promotion | RIZIN |
| Nationality | China |
| Born | Hunan, China |
| Team | Haosheng Fight Gym |
| Pro debut | 2014 |
| Height | 175cm5′9″ |
| Age | 30 |
| KO rate | 65% |
| Status | Active |
How the wins come
65% Finish rate- 10 KO/TKO · 59%
- 1 Submission · 6%
- 6 Decision · 35%
Recent results
- Wvs Arata MizunoKaiwen Li stops Mizuno with a left hook and follow-up hammerfists, R1 4:27
Auto-linked from KIAI's event coverage — updated as fights are decided.
Titles & honors
- ONE featherweight Beijing tournament winner (December 2014)
Biography
Kaiwen Li is a Chinese featherweight with a record of 16-8 (as of August 11, 2026, before RIZIN.54). The 30-year-old faces Arata Mizuno at RIZIN.54 in his second RIZIN appearance.
Born October 16, 1995 in Hunan, China, Li stands 175cm and fights out of Haosheng Fight Gym. His heavily tattooed appearance and aggressive striking have earned him the nickname "the Chinese Takanori Gomi"; his ring name is "The Underdog."
Fighting style
Li wrestled for ten years from the age of eight, winning multiple Hunan provincial freestyle tournaments. On top of that base he presses forward with strikes: 10 of his 16 wins are finishes (9 KO, 1 submission).
Career
Li switched to MMA at 18 and turned pro in 2014, winning ONE's featherweight Beijing tournament that December with two wins in a single night, then spent years fighting mainly in ONE. From 2023 he entered Road to UFC Season 2 and reached the final — beating Koya Kanda by decision in the semifinal — but lost to Yi Zha by first-round armbar in the February 2024 final, missing out on a UFC contract. In the 2025 Season 4 he reached the semifinals again, stopping Dong Hyun Seo by TKO in the quarterfinal before a decision loss. He made his RIZIN debut at RIZIN.53 on May 10, 2026, losing to Ryo Takagi by first-round KO.
RIZIN.54
Li faces Arata Mizuno in bout 1 of RIZIN.54 (featherweight, 66.0kg contract / RIZIN MMA rules, 5 min x 3 rounds) on August 11, 2026 at TOYOTA ARENA TOKYO — his first fight back, three months after the RIZIN.53 loss.
Main sources: RIZIN official site, Sherdog, Tapology, BoutReview. Figures as of August 11, 2026 (before RIZIN.54).
--- RIZIN.54 result (updated 2026-08-11): He beat Arata Mizuno — left hook and follow-up hammerfists (W TKO R1 4:27). Full card results: RIZIN 54 results.
Fight history
- WArata MizunoW TKO R1 4:27
- LRyo TakagiL KO R1
- LYi ZhaL SUB R1 (armbar)
FAQ
- What is Kaiwen Li's record?
- 16-8 as of August 11, 2026, before RIZIN.54. His wins break down as 9 KO, 1 submission and 6 decisions.
- How tall is Kaiwen Li?
- 175cm. A featherweight from Hunan, China, fighting out of Haosheng Fight Gym.
- When is Kaiwen Li's next fight?
- No next fight announced as of August 11, 2026. He most recently won against Arata Mizuno at RIZIN.54 on August 11, 2026.
- Why is Kaiwen Li called 'the Chinese Takanori Gomi'?
- The nickname comes from his heavily tattooed appearance and aggressive striking style. His ring name is 'The Underdog.'