is a Japanese kickboxer, currently fighting in the featherweight division of K-1. He is the former K-1 featherweight champion, having held the title in 2021. As of July 2022, he is ranked the #3 Super Flyweight in the world by Combat Press. He's been ranked in the division's top ten since October 2020, peaking at #2. Kickboxing career Amateur career At the age of 13, Tsubakihara participated in the Kyoken Junior Kikcboxing tournament. He would win the Kyoken Middleweight title with decision victories over Taiga Imanaga and Taiki Kiyama in the semifinals and finals respectively. He would go on to defend his title three times, all three times against Taiga Imanaga. The first two title defenses ended in split decisions, after an extra round was fought, while Tsubakihara managed to defeat Imanaga by unanimous decision in his third title defense. Following his third title defense, Tsubakihara took part in the 2015 K-1 Challenge A-Class tournament, competing in the 60kg weight class. He won unanimous decisions against Akito Watanabe in the quarterfinals and Ruka Oonuki in the semifinals, and won the tournament with a majority decision against Tsubasa Okamoto in the finals. Two months later, Tsubakihara fought in a K-1 Koshien tournament, for the first time in his career. He won the first three fights of the tournament, most notably beating Taito Gunji by split decision after two additional rounds were fought, before losing a split decision in turn to Haruma Saikyo in the finals. Tsubakihara participated in the 2016 K-1 Koshien tournament. He fought the second round of the tournament, against Kaito Nagashima, on July 30, 2016, two months after making his professional debut at the age of 17. He won the first three bouts of the tournament against Nagashima, Souta Saito and Yuta Hayashi, but once again fell short in the finals, losing a unanimous decision to Taito Gunji. Tsubakihara was eligible to participate in the 2017 K-1 Koshien tournament as well. He managed to win the tournament in his third attempt, beating Toki Tamaru in the semifinals and Itsuki Kobori in the finals. Super Bantamweight career Early career Tsubakihara was scheduled to make his professional debut against Yuki Tanioka at HIGHSPEED EX, on May 22, 2016. He made his professional debut at 55kg. The fight ended in a draw. He notched his first professional victory against Tatsuya Izumi at ALL BOX WORLD 9th, winning the fight by a