Naoki Tanaka “The Joker”
Featherweight (69kg catchweight at RIZIN.54) · Japan · RIZIN
Striking built on a RISE lightweight title reign (19-9 in kickboxing, 10 KOs); all three of his MMA wins are finishes (2 KO/TKO, 1 submission).
First-round TKO (3:37) of Kuroi (黒井海成) at RIZIN LANDMARK 14 in SENDAI on 6 June 2026 — a comeback from a deep armbar attempt.
Record & stats
| Division | Featherweight (69kg catchweight at RIZIN.54) |
|---|---|
| Categories | MMA |
| Promotion | RIZIN |
| Nationality | Japan |
| Born | Koto, Tokyo, Japan |
| Team | FIGHTER'S FLOW |
| Pro debut | 2025-05-05 |
| Height | 175cm5′9″ |
| Age | 34 |
| KO rate | 100% |
| Status | Active |
How the wins come
100% Finish rate- 3 KO/TKO · 75%
- 1 Submission · 25%
Titles & honors
- 7th RISE lightweight champion (kickboxing)
- Suk Wankinton-certified super lightweight champion (kickboxing)
Biography
Naoki Tanaka (born 24 June 1992, FIGHTER'S FLOW), who fights under the ring name Naoki, is the 7th RISE lightweight champion turned MMA fighter, with a 3-2 pro MMA record (2 KO/TKO, 1 submission). As of the start of RIZIN.54 on 11 August 2026 he is on a two-fight winning streak, and he faces Issa Hosokawa in Bout 2 at a 69kg catchweight.
Fighting style
He stands 175cm and goes by the nickname "The Joker". In kickboxing he won the 7th RISE lightweight title and the Suk Wankinton-certified super lightweight title, compiling a 19-9 record with 10 KOs. He came up through RISE — not BreakingDown — and has fought under the name Naoki since his kickboxing days. All three of his MMA wins are finishes (2 KO/TKO, 1 submission).
Career
Born in Koto, Tokyo. He made his MMA debut on 5 May 2025 at DEEP 125 IMPACT with a first-round KO of Okuyama (奥山貴大). He then dropped a 0-3 decision to Takahiro Ashida at Cho RIZIN.4 in July 2025 and was knocked out by a left hook at 0:27 of round one by Mitsui (三井俊希) at DEEP 128 on 2 November 2025. In 2026 he has won twice: a rear-naked choke of Karate Kinoshita at 0:22 of round one at DEEP 130 on 20 March, and a first-round TKO (3:37) of Kuroi (黒井海成) at RIZIN LANDMARK 14 in SENDAI on 6 June — a comeback from a deep armbar attempt.
RIZIN.54
He meets Issa Hosokawa — who makes his pro MMA debut in this fight — in Bout 2 at a 69kg catchweight. For Naoki it is his sixth MMA fight and his third RIZIN-related appearance. He made the official weigh-in at 68.90kg.
Main sources: Wikipedia, Tapology, MMAPLANET, Gong Kakutogi, RIZIN official (weigh-in). Figures as of 11 August 2026, before the start of RIZIN.54.
--- RIZIN.54 result (updated 2026-08-11): He beat Issa Hosokawa — doctor's stoppage (W TKO R2 (doctor's stoppage)). Full card results: RIZIN 54 results.
Fight history
- WIssa HosokawaW TKO R2 (doctor's stoppage)
- W黒井海成 (Kuroi)W TKO R1
- W木下カラテ (Karate Kinoshita)W SUB R1
- L三井俊希 (Mitsui)L KO R1
- W奥山貴大 (Okuyama)W KO R1
FAQ
- What is Naoki Tanaka's record?
- 3-2 in pro MMA as of 11 August 2026 (before the start of RIZIN.54) — 2 wins by KO/TKO and 1 by submission, with all three wins coming by finish. He is on a two-fight winning streak in 2026.
- How tall is Naoki Tanaka?
- He is 175cm tall. He made the official RIZIN.54 weigh-in (69kg catchweight) at 68.90kg.
- When is Naoki Tanaka's next fight?
- No next fight announced as of August 11, 2026. He most recently won against Issa Hosokawa at RIZIN.54 on August 11, 2026.
- What did Naoki Tanaka achieve in kickboxing?
- He was the 7th RISE lightweight champion and the Suk Wankinton-certified super lightweight champion, with a kickboxing record of 19-9 (10 KOs). He made his MMA debut at DEEP 125 on 5 May 2025.