Yasuhiro Kido


Yasuhiro Kido is a Japanese kickboxer, currently competing in the lightweight division of Rizin Fighting Federation.
A professional competitor since 2003, he is the 2008 K-1 World MAX Japan tournament winner and the 2017 K-1 Super Welterweight Grand Prix runner-up. He is the former Krush Super Welterweight champion, having held the title from 2012 until 2014.

Kickboxing career

Background

Yasuhiro Kido was born in Kanagawa, Japan on December 25, 1982. When he was a junior high school student, he belonged to a track and field athletics team, and was training in sprinting. After graduation, he saw K-1 on television and joined Taniyama gym.
After graduation of Ishida high school, Kido entered at faculty of Physical Education at Kokushikan University. At that time, he joined its kickboxing team.
In 2001, he won the title of University Kickboxing Federation at welterweight. In 2002, he won the title of UKF again at middleweight. In 2003, he participated All Japan Shin-Karatedo Championship at middleweight. He won the 3rd place.
When he graduated university, he got license to be a teacher for junior high school and high school.

Early career

Kido made his professional debut against Tatsuro Irie at MAJKF "Explosion-3" on September 14, 2003. He won the fight by a second-round knockout. He would go on to amass a 5–0 record over the course of the next 13 months.
Kido was scheduled to face Koichi Kikuchi at R.I.S.E. "Dead or Alive Tournament '04" on October 31, 2004, in the quarterfinals of the super welterweight tournament. Kido lost the fight by a second-round knockout. He was knocked down with low kicks in both the first and second rounds, and was unable to stand up after the second low kick knockdown in the second round.
Kido was scheduled to face Tsurugi at Ikusa "YGZ04 Bird-Base" on March 12, 2005. He knocked Tsurugi down with a head kick at the very end of the first round. He continued pressuring in the second round, finally knocking Tsurugi out with a head kick at the 2:32 minute mark.
Kido was scheduled to face Yuya Yamamoto in the opening bout of K-1 World MAX 2005 World Tournament Open on May 4, 2005. Although Yamamoto entered the bout as the favorite, he had trouble dealing with Kido. In the last minute of the bout, Yamamoto managed to knock Kido down with a head kick. The automatic 10-8 round awarded to Yamamoto was reflected in the scorecards, as he won by unanimous decision, with scores of 29–28, 30-28 and 30–28.
Kido was scheduled to face Kenshi Toda at Ikusa GP -U60 Superstarz Tournament -Final Stage- on September 19, 2005. Kido combined lead leg middle and high kicks with knees and the second round, with Toda appearing unable to deal with them. Midway through the second round, Kido clinched Toda and landed several undefended knees, which forced his opponent's corner to throw in the towel.
Kido was scheduled to fight Hideki Mizutani in the quarterfinals of the RISE Welterweight Dead or Alive tournament, held at R.I.S.E. "Dead or Alive Tournament '05" on December 18, 2005. Although Kido appeared to be leading on the scorecards after the first two rounds, he lost by a come-from-behind head kick knockout, early on in the third round.
Kido was scheduled to face Zenmaru Hidari at W Capsule Vol.1 on January 28, 2006. He won the fight by unanimous decision, with scores of 30–28, 30-27 and 30–27.

MAJKF

Kido was scheduled to make his promotional debut with MAJKF against K.Lewis at MAJKF "Surpring 3rd" on April 29, 2006. The fight was ruled a majority draw after the first three rounds were contested, with one judge giving Kido a 30-29 scorecard. Lewis was awarded a unanimous decision, after an extra round was fought.
Kido was scheduled to face Matsuo Akamine at W Capsule on June 11, 2006. The fight was ruled a majority draw by technical decision, at the 2:11 minute mark of the second round. The two of them fought an immediate rematch at MAJKF "Surprising 6th" on August 6, 2006. Kido won the rematch by a third-round knockout, stopping Akamine with a head kick, 13 seconds into the round.

MAJKF Middleweight champion

Kido fought a rematch with K.Lewis for the vacant MAJKF Middleweight Championship at MAJKF "Surprising-8 MAJKF Festival All Title Matches" on December 3, 2006. Kido cut Lewis with an elbow in the fourth round, prompting the ringside doctor to stop the fight.
Kido made his return to K-1 at K-1 World MAX 2007 Japan Tournament on February 5, 2007, when he was scheduled to face Kenji Kawabata. Kido knocked Kawabata with a combination of a right straight and head kick in the first round. He continued pressuring after the fight resumed, knocking Kawabata with a right straight at the 2:26 minute mark.
Kido was scheduled to face Gōzō Mitsuyama at K-1 World MAX 2007 World Elite Showcase on April 4, 2007. He won the fight by unanimous decision, with scores of 30–28, 30-27 and 30–28.
Kido was scheduled to face Hiroki Shishido at MAJKF "Breakdown 5" on June 10, 2007. Kido appeared to be the physically more imposing competitor and won the fight by unanimous decision, with scores of 50–48, 49-47 and 50–47. He scored the sole knockdown of the fight in the second round, when he dropped Shishido with a knee.
Kido challenged the reigning M-1 Middleweight champion Shingo Garyu at M-1 "120th Anniversary of Japan-Thailand -Muay Thai Hearty Smiles-" on September 24, 2007. The second round proved to be Kido's most successful, as Kido managed to knock Garyu down with a right straight. Garyu was more successful in the other rounds and won the fight by unanimous decision, with two judges scoring the fight 49–48 in his favor, while the third judge awarded him a 49-47 scorecard.
Kido was scheduled to face Yasuhito Shirasu at MAJKF "Breakdown-8" on December 2, 2007. He won the fight by unanimous decision, with all three judges scoring the fight as 29–28 in his favor.

K-1 MAX

K-1 World MAX 2008

Kido participated in the K-1 World MAX 2008 Japan Tournament, held on February 2, 2008. He was scheduled to face Keiji Ozaki in the tournament quarterfinals. Kido won the fight by unanimous decision, with all three judges scoring the fight 30–28 in his favor. Advancing to the semifinals, Kido was scheduled to face Andy Ologun. He won the closely contested fight by unanimous decision, winning the third round on all three of the judges scorecards. Kido was scheduled to face Hayato in the tournament finals. He won the fight by a first-round knockout, dropping Hayato with a right straight, after both fighters knocked each other down.
Kido was scheduled to face Chi Bin Lim at K-1 World MAX 2008 World Championship Tournament Final 16 on April 9, 2008. He knocked Lim down with a knee strike 40 seconds into the first round. He was next scheduled to face Artur Kyshenko at K-1 World MAX 2008 World Championship Tournament Final 8 on July 7, 2008, with the winner earning his place in the 2008 K-1 MAX final tournament. Kyshenko won the fight by unanimous decision, with scores of 29–28, 30-28 and 30–28.
Although he was unable to earn his place in the tournament final, Kido was scheduled to face Albert Kraus in the tournament reserve fight, held at K-1 World MAX 2008 World Championship Tournament Final on October 1, 2008. He lost the fight by a second-round technical knockout.

K-1 World MAX 2009

Kido participated in the K-1 World MAX 2009 Japan Tournament, held on February 23, 2009. He was scheduled to face Hinata Watanabe in the tournament quarterfinals. Watanabe won the fight by unanimous decision. Kido nonetheless advanced to tournament semifinals, as Watanabe was unable to do so, and faced Taishin Kohiruimaki. Kohiruimaki won the fight by a second-round knockout.
Kido was scheduled to face Su Hwan Lee in the reserve of K-1 World MAX 2009 World Championship Tournament Final 16, held on April 21, 2009. He won the fight by unanimous decision. Kido next scheduled to fight Leroy Kaestner in the reserve fight of K-1 World MAX 2009 World Championship Tournament Final 8. He won the fight by a clear unanimous decision, with all three judges awarding him a 30－27 scorecard. His streak of fighting in reserve fights extended to K-1 World MAX 2009 World Championship Tournament Final as well, as he was scheduled to face Yoshihiro Sato. Sato won the fight by a second-round right hook knockout.

K-1 World MAX 2010

Kido was scheduled to face Ryuji in the quarterfinals of the K-1 World MAX 2010 -70kg Japan Tournament on March 27, 2010. Ryuji won the fight by majority decision, with scores of 29–28, 29-29 and 28–27. Ryuji knocked Kido down with a right straight in the first round, but appeared to slow down from the second round onward. Kido appeared close to getting a draw, but was deducted a point due to a low blow in the third round.
Kido was scheduled to face Vahid Roshani at K-1 World MAX 2010 -63kg Japan Tournament Final 16 on May 2, 2010. He lost the fight by unanimous decision.

BigBang

Kido was scheduled to make his BigBang debut against U-jung Kim at Big Bang 2 on July 31, 2010. He won the fight by a first-round knockout, stopping Kim with a head kick.
Kido was scheduled to fight a rematch with Shingo Garyu at Big Bang 3 on September 23, 2010. They previously fought at -1 "120th Anniversary of Japan-Thailand -Muay Thai Hearty Smiles-" on September 24, 2007, with Garyu winning by unanimous decision. Kido was more successful in the rematch, as he won the fight by unanimous decision, with all three judges scoring the bout 30–27 in his favor.
Kido was scheduled to face Takayoshi Kitayama at Big Bang 4 on February 5, 2011. Kido won the fight by a dominant unanimous decision, with scores of 29–28, 29-27 and 29–26. He was deducted a point in the second round, as he was holding Kitayama in the clinch while knocking him down with a knee strike.
Kido was scheduled to face Kazuki Hamazaki at Big Bang 5 on May 15, 2011. He thoroughly dominated Hamazaki and won the fight by a wide unanimous decision. Two of the judges scored the fight 30-26 for Kido, while the third judge scored the fight 30-24 for Kido.
Kido was scheduled to face Kenta Yamada in his return to K-1, in the quarterfinals of K-1 World MAX 2011 -70kg Japan Tournament Final on September 25, 2011. Kenta won the fight by unanimous decision.
Kido was scheduled to face Shintaro Matsukura at Big Bang 7 on December 11, 2011. He won the fight by a second-round spinning backfist knockout.
Kido was scheduled to face Man-Sun Baek at Big Bang 8 on February 25, 2012. Kido knocked Baek down twice in the first round, with a head kick and a right straight, before finally stopping him with a left straight at the 2:02 minute mark of the second round.