Rui Okubo


Rui Okubo is a Japanese kickboxer. He is the former Krush champions#Krush Flyweight Championship|Krush Flyweight (-51kg) champion] and the List of [K-1 champions#K-1 World Tournament Champions|2024 K-1 Super bantamweight (-55 kg) World Tournament] runner-up.
As of April 2024 he was the 10th ranked strawweight kickboxer in the world by Combat Press.

Biography and career

Krush

As an amateur Okubo amassed a record of 145 wins, 18 losses, 3 draws and captured over 40 titles. During 2021, his last year of competition before turning professional, Okubo won the two most prestigious titles of Japanese amateur kickboxing, the Japan Cup in March and the K-1 Koshien tournament in August. He won four fights in one day during both tournaments. His Koshien success secured him a professional debut with the K-1 promotion. He was awarded the Best Amateur Athlete Award at the 2021 K-1 Awards Show.
Okubo made his professional debut on February 27, 2022, at K-1 World GP 2022 Japan against Shohei Nishibayashi. He won the fight by unanimous decision.
For his second professional fight, Okubo was invited on the exceptional card THE MATCH 2022 at the Tokyo Dome, on June 19, 2022, where he faced Ryujin Nasukawa, the younger brother of the card headlining star Tenshin Nasukawa. Okubo won the fight by unanimous decision.

Krush Flyweight champion

On September 24, 2022, Okubo took part in a 4-man tournament at Krush 141 with the inaugural Krush Flyweight (-51kg) title at stake. In the semifinals he rematched Shohei Nishibayashi and defeated him once again by unanimous decision. Okubo advanced to the final where he faced Daina. The fight was declared a draw after 3 rounds and went to an extension round which Okubo won by split decision to capture the inaugural title.
Okubo vacated his Krush flyweight title on April 14, 2023, in order to move up in weight. Okubo made his debut at 53 kg on June 3, 2023, at K-1 World GP 2023 in Yokohama against Ryunosuke Saito. He lost the fight by extension round decision.
On October 21, 2023, Okubo returned to krush to face Eito Kurokawa at Krush 154. He won the fight by unanimous decision.

K-1

Rui Okubo faced Kazuki Miburo at K-1 World MAX 2024 - World Tournament Opening Round on March 20, 2024. He won the fight by unanimous decision.
Okubo was announced as being part of an 8-man world tournament in the 55 kg division that would see its first round take place on July 7, 2024, at K-1 World MAX 2024 - World Championship Tournament Final. Okubo faced Zhao Zhengdong in the tournament quarterfinals at K-1 World MAX 2024 on July 7, 2024. He won the fight by unanimous decision, with two scorecards of 30–29 and one scorecard of 30–28 in his favor. Okubo faced the two-time K-1 super bantamweight title challenger Masashi Kumura in the final four of the tournament, which was held at K-1 World MAX 2024 on September 29, 2024. He won the fight by unanimous decision, with all three judges awarding him a 30–29 scorecard. Okubo faced the reigning K-1 super bantamweight champion Akihiro Kaneko in the tournament finals. He lost the fight by a second-round knockout.
Okubo faced the reigning Krush Super Bantamweight (-55kg) champion Riamu Sera in a non-title bout at K-1 World Grand Prix 2024 Final on December 14, 2025. He won the fight by unanimous decision, with three scorecards of 30—29 in his favor.
Okubo moved up in weight in order to face Koshiro Takemi in a -58 kg catchweight bout at K-1 World MAX 2025 on February 9, 2025. He won the fight by a third-round knockout, the first stoppage victory of his career.
Okuba faced Shion in a -56 kg catchweight bout at K-1 Dontaku on July 13, 2025. He won the fight by a first-round technical knockout.
Okubo faced Wu Yutong at K-1 World MAX 2025 - 70kg World Championship Tournament Final on November 15, 2025. He won the fight by a first-round knockout.
Okubo challenged the K-1 Super Bantamweight champion Akihiro Kaneko at K-1 World GP 2026 -90kg World Tournament on February 8, 2026.

Titles and accomplishments

Professional

Awards

Fight record

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