Daichi Abe

Daichi Abe
Daichi Abe
Born	Niigata Prefecture, Japan
Occupation	Mixed martial artist
Years active	2016–present
Known for	Welterweight King of Pancrase, DEEP Welterweight Champion, UFC competitor

Adapted from the English Wikipedia article Daichi Abe, available under CC BY-SA 4.0Updated 1 December 2025

is a Japanese mixed martial artist who competes in the Welterweight category. He previously held the DEEP Welterweight Championship title. Turning professional in 2016, Abe has fought in the Ultimate Fighting Championship and also earned the distinction of being the Welterweight King of Pancrase.

Background

Originating from Niigata Prefecture, Japan, Abe began practicing martial arts at the age of eight, starting with Judo, where he achieved the status of Junior Judo National Champion. During his teenage years, he expanded his skills by training in boxing and kickboxing, capturing the 2011 Rising Rookies Heavyweight Cup and securing the 2014 J-Network Light Heavyweight championship. Before switching to mixed martial arts in 2016, he amassed a kickboxing record of 14 wins and 10 losses, including seven victories by knockout, and made his professional MMA debut with Pancrase.

Early career

Abe's professional MMA debut took place on April 24, 2016, against Ryosuke Igarashi at Pancrase 277, where he achieved a technical knockout just 24 seconds into the opening round. Within five months, he recorded three additional wins under the Pancrase banner and earned a title opportunity against Hiromitsu Miura for the Welterweight King of Pancrase belt. Abe secured victory via second-round technical knockout. After compiling an undefeated 5–0 record, he relinquished the title one month later upon signing with the UFC.

Ultimate Fighting Championship

Abe made his UFC debut on September 22, 2017, at UFC Fight Night: Saint Preux vs. Okami, facing off against Hyun Gyu Lim and winning by unanimous decision.

He next competed against Luke Jumeau on February 10, 2018, at UFC 221, suffering a unanimous decision loss.

On June 23, 2018, at UFC Fight Night: Cowboy vs. Edwards, Abe faced Li Jingliang and was defeated by unanimous decision.

In October 2018, Abe was released from his UFC contract.

ONE Championship

In 2018, Daichi Abe signed with ONE Championship and was scheduled to compete against former welterweight title contender Luís Santos at ONE Championship: Pursuit of Greatness on October 26, 2018. He was defeated via first-round technical knockout.

Abe then fought Ev Ting at ONE Championship: Masters of Destiny on July 12, 2019, losing by rear naked choke submission.

Return to regional circuit

Returning to regional competition, Abe faced Yoichiro Sato at DEEP 95 on August 23, 2020, earning a split decision victory.

He headlined DEEP 98 against Yuta Watanabe on November 1, 2020, winning by technical knockout in the first round.

At DEEP 100 on February 21, 2021, Abe contested Gota Yamashita for the interim DEEP Welterweight Championship and captured the interim title via first-round TKO due to injury; he was subsequently elevated to undisputed champion status.

During Rizin 31 - Yokohama on October 24, 2021, Abe was submitted by Akira Okada with a north–south choke in round two.

He then faced Kiichi Kunimoto at Rizin 34 – Osaka on March 20, 2022, achieving a unanimous decision win.

Abe secured a second-round knockout victory over Marcos Yoshio de Souza at Rizin 37 on July 31, 2022, following a powerful right hook combined with a contentious soccer kick.

On October 23, 2022, at Rizin 39, Abe controlled the bout against Yukinari Tamura en route to a unanimous decision win.

At DEEP 112 on February 11, 2023, Abe lost his DEEP Welterweight Championship title to Shingo Suzuki via guillotine choke in the second round.

He competed against Igor Tanabe at Super Rizin 2 on July 30, 2023, suffering a first-round heel hook submission defeat.

Abe rebounded impressively at Rizin Landmark 8 on February 24, 2024, knocking out Kota Ossman in the opening round.

Most recently, Abe was submitted in the first round by Ibuki Shimada at DEEP 120 on July 14, 2024.

Mixed martial arts

Pancrase
- Welterweight King of Pancrase (held title once; former champion) against Hiromitsu Miura
DEEP
- DEEP Welterweight Champion (one-time titleholder; former)

Professional mixed martial arts record

|align=center |12–7 
|Igor Tanabe 
|Submission (inverted heel hook) 
|Bellator MMA x Rizin 2 
| 
|align=center |1 
|align=center |4:34 
|Saitama, Japan 
|

|- |- |Loss

|align=center |12–6 
|Shingo Suzuki 
|Submission (guillotine choke) 
|DEEP 112 Impact 
| 
|align=center |2  
|align=center |2:05  
|Tokyo, Japan  
|

|- |- |Win

|align=center |12–5  
|Yukinari Tamura  
|Decision (unanimous)  
|2022 in Rizin Fighting Federation#Rizin 39  
|  
|align=center |3  
|align=center |5:00  
|Fukuoka, Japan  
|

|- |- |Win

|align=center |11–5  
|Marcos Yoshio de Souza  
|KO (punch and soccer kick)  
|2022 in Rizin Fighting Federation#Rizin 37 - Saitama  
|  
|align=center |2  
|align=center |3:02  
|Saitama, Japan  
|

|- |- |- Win

  | align=center   |10–5  
  | Kiichi Kunimoto  
  | Decision (unanimous)  
  | 2022 in Rizin Fighting Federation#Rizin 34 – Osaka  
  |
 	|(3 rounds, 5 minutes each)   
 	|(Osaka, Japan)   
 	|

|- |- Loss

  	|(9–5)   
  	|(Akira Okada)   
  	|(Submission - north-south choke)   
  	|(Rizin 31 - Yokohama, Oct.24, 2021)   
  	|(Round 2, 4:34)   
  	|(Yokohama, Japan)   
  	|

|- |- Win

  	|(9–4)   
  	|(Gota Yamashita)   
  	|(TKO - finger injury)   
  	|(DEEP 100 Impact, Feb.21, 2021)   
  	|(Round 1, 2:34)   
  	|(Tokyo, Japan)   
  	|

|- |- Win

  	|(8–4)   
  	|(Yuta Watanabe)   
  	|(TKO - punches)   
  	|(DEEP 98 Impact, Nov.1, 2020)   
  	|(Round 1, 4:17)   
  	|(Tokyo, Japan)   
  	|

|- |- Win

  	|(7–4)    
  	|(Yoichiro Sato)    
  	|(Decision - split)    
  	|(DEEP 95 Impact, Aug.23, 2020)    
  	|(3 rounds, 5 minutes each)    
  	|(Tokyo, Japan)    
  	|

|- |- Loss

  	|(6–4)    
  	|(Ev Ting)    
  	|(Submission - rear-naked choke)    
  	|(ONE: Masters of Destiny, Jul.12,2019 )    
  	|(Round 2,4:44 )    
  	|(Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia )    
  	|

|- |- Loss

  	|(6–3 )    
  	|(Luís Santos )    
  	|(KO - body kick )    
  	|(ONE: Pursuit of Greatness , Oct.26 ,2018 )    
  	|(Round1 ,0:33 )    
  	|(Yangon , Myanmar )    
  	|

|- |- Loss

    (6–2 )     
    (Li Jingliang )     
    (Decision - unanimous )     
    (UFC Fight Night: Cowboy vs. Edwards , Jun.23 ,2018 )     
    (3 rounds ,5 minutes each )     
    (Kallang , Singapore )     
    |

|- |- Loss

    (6–1 )     
    (Luke Jumeau )     
    (Decision - unanimous )     
    (UFC221 , Feb.10 ,2018 )     
    (3 rounds ,5 minutes each )     
    (Perth , Australia )     
    |

|- |- Win

    (6–0 )      
    (Lim Hyun-gyu )      
    (Decision - unanimous )      
    (UFC Fight Night: Saint Preux vs. Okami , Sep.22 ,2017 )      
    (3 rounds ,5 minutes each )      
    (Saitama , Japan )      
    |

|- |- Win

    (5–0 )      
    (Hiromitsu Miura )      
    (TKO - punches )      
    (Pancrase288 , Jul.02 ,2017 )      
    (Round2 ,0:26 )      
    (Tokyo , Japan )      
    |

|- |- Win

     (4–0 )       
     (Bryson Kamaka )       
     (KO - punches )       
     (Capone's Productions: Mid-Pac , Feb.17 ,2017 )
     (Round1 ,0:35 )
     (Waipahu, Hawaii, United States)
     |

|- |- Win

     (3–0 )
     (Kenta Takagi)
     (Decision - unanimous)
     (Pancrase282)
     ()
     |
     |
     (Tokyo, Japan)
     |

|- |- Win

     (2–0 )
     (Yuta Nakamura)
     (KO - punch)
     (Pancrase280)
     ()
     |
     |
     (Tokyo, Japan)
     |

|- |- Win

     (1–0 )
     (Ryosuke Igarashi)
     (TKO - punches)
     (Pancrase277)
     ()
     |
     |
     (Tokyo, Japan)
     |

External links

Background

Early career

Ultimate Fighting Championship

ONE Championship

Return to regional circuit

Mixed martial arts

Professional mixed martial arts record

See also

External links

Related profiles