Katsunori Kikuno
Introduction  is a Japanese mixed martial artist. He was the former DEEP Lightweight Champion.
Background Kikuno started his martial arts training with judo when he was in high school, and was able to take third place in the Kyushu 66 kg tournament and first in Kagoshima Prefecture 66 kg tournament. After graduating from high school Kikuno took up Kyokushin Karate where he took first in the all Kyushu Tournament and a best 16 spot in the middle division of an All-Japan Tournament, Kikuno was trained under Hitoshi Kiyama. He joined Tsuyoshi Kohsaka’s A-Square MMA team in 2004 and began his career in 2005.
Mixed martial arts ===Deep===Kikuno made his professional mixed martial arts debut in Japanese promotion DEEP's Future King Tournament 2005 defeating Hitoki Tsuti via doctor stoppage and Masashi Takeda via knockout.At the 2009 DEEP Lightweight Tournament Kikuno became champion after defeating Koichiro Matsumoto via knockout.===Dream===Kikuno signed with the DREAM promotion after becoming DEEP Lightweight Champion and made his debut against Andre Dida at Dream 10 on July 20, 2009.Kikuno defeated Dida via a flurry of punches, winning his DREAM debut.===Ultimate Fighting Championship===Kikuno faced Quinn Mulhern on January 4, 2014, at UFC Fight Night 34.He won the fight via unanimous decision.In his second fight with the promotion, Kikuno faced Tony Ferguson on May 24, 2014, at UFC 173.He lost the fight via knockout in the first round.Kikuno faced Sam Sicilia at UFC Fight Night 52 on September 20, 2014.He won the fight via submission in the second round.Kikuno faced Kevin Souza on March 21, 2015, at UFC Fight Night 62.He lost the fight via knockout in the first round.Kikuno faced Diego Brandão on September 27, 2015, at UFC Fight Night 75.He lost the fight via technical knockout in the first round and was subsequently released from the promotion.
Championships and accomplishments *'''DEEP'''**DEEP Lightweight Championship (One time)**One successful title defense**DEEP Lightweight Championship Tournament Winner**2005 DEEP Future King Tournament Winner
Mixed martial arts record  Win 24–8–2 Takuya Oyama TKO (punches) DEEP- 76 Impact 24:46 Tokyo, JapanLoss 23–8–2 Diego Brandão TKO (punches) UFC Fight Night: Barnett vs. Nelson 10:28 Saitama, Japan  Loss 23–7–2 Kevin Souza KO (punch) UFC Fight Night: Maia vs. LaFlare 11:31 Rio de Janeiro, Brazil Win 23–6–2 Sam Sicilia Submission (rear-naked choke) UFC Fight Night: Hunt vs. Nelson  2 1:38 Saitama, Japan  Loss 22–6–2 Tony Ferguson KO (punch) UFC 173  1 4:06 Las Vegas, Nevada, United States  Win 22–5–2 Quinn Mulhern Decision (unanimous) UFC Fight Night: Saffiedine vs. Lim  3 5:00 Marina Bay, Singapore  Win 21–5–2 Yong Jae Lee Submission (rear-naked choke) Deep: 63 Impact  1 4:12 Tokyo, Japan  Win 20–5–2 Jutaro Nakao KO (punch) Deep: Cage Impact 2013  1 1:07 Tokyo, Japan  Win 19–5–2 Takafumi Ito KO (palm strike) U-Spirits Again  1 0:29 Tokyo, Japan  Win 18–5–2 Luiz Andrade I KO (punch) Deep: Cage Impact 2012 in Tokyo: Semifinals  1 0:08 Tokyo, Japan  Win 17–5–2 Yasuaki Kishimoto Decision (unanimous) Deep: 60 Impact  3 5:00 Tokyo, Japan  Loss 16–5–2 Satoru Kitaoka Decision (unanimous) Deep: 58 Impact  3 5:00 Tokyo, Japan  Win 16–4–2 Kwang Hee Lee TKO (punches) Deep: Cage Impact 2011 in Tokyo, 1st Round  1 4:59 Tokyo, Japan  Loss 15–4–2 Mizuto Hirota Decision (unanimous) Deep: 55 Impact  3 5:00 Tokyo, Japan  Win 15–3–2 Daisuke Nakamura Decision (unanimous) Dream: Fight for Japan! 3 5:00 Tokyo, Japan  Win 14–3–2 Nobuhiro Obiya Decision (split) Deep: 50 Impact  3 5:00 Tokyo, Japan  Loss 13–3–2 Gesias Cavalcante Decision (split) Dream 15  2 5:00 Saitama, Japan  Win 13–2–2 Kuniyoshi Hironaka KO (punch) Dream 13  1 1:26 Yokohama, Japan  Loss 12–2–2 Eddie Alvarez Submission (arm-triangle choke) Dream 12  2 3:42 Osaka, Japan  Win 12–1–2 Andre Amade TKO (punches) Dream 10  1 3:47 Saitama, Japan  Win 11–1–2 Koichiro Matsumoto KO (punch) Deep: 41 Impact  1 4:32 Tokyo, Japan  Win 10–1–2 Jung Bu-Kyung TKO (body kick and soccer kicks) Deep: 40 Impact  1 4:15 Tokyo, Japan  Win 9–1–2 Jang Yong Kim Decision (unanimous) Deep: 39 Impact  2 5:00 Tokyo, Japan  Win 8–1–2 Yoshihiro Tomioka TKO (punches) Deep: 37 Impact  2 2:34 Tokyo, Japan  Win 7–1–2 Seigo Inoue Decision (unanimous) Deep: 35 Impact  2 5:00 Tokyo, Japan  Win 6–1–2 Takuhiro Kamikozono Decision (majority) Deep: 29 Impact  2 5:00 Tokyo, Japan  Win 5–1–2 Hiroki Nagaoka Decision (majority) Deep: 27 Impact  2 5:00 Tokyo, Japan  Win 4–1–2 Hiroshi Kobayashi Submission (rear-naked choke) Deep: 26 Impact  1 3:26 Tokyo, Japan  Draw 3–1–2 Luiz Andrade I Draw Deep: clubDeep Tokyo  2 5:00 Tokyo, Japan  Win 3–1–1 Ichiro Kojima TKO (punches) ZST: Swat! 5  1 1:18 Tokyo, Japan  Loss 2–1–1 Yukinari Tamura Decision (unanimous) Deep: 23 Impact  2 5:00 Tokyo, Japan  Win 2–0–1 Masashi Takeda KO (punch) Deep: Future King Tournament 2005  1 2:30 Tokyo, Japan  Win 1–0–1 Hitoki Tsuti TKO (doctor stoppage) Deep: Future King Tournament 2005  1 5:00 Tokyo, Japan  Draw 0–0–1 Junpei Chikano Draw ZST 8  1 5:00 Tokyo, Japan ===Mixed martial arts exhibition record=== Win 1–0 Yuichiro Nagashima TKO (punches) Fight For Japan: Genki Desu Ka Omisoka 2011  2 2:34 Chuo-ku, Saitama City, Japan
See also * List of current UFC fighters* List of male mixed martial artists
References
External links * *