Combat Press Kickboxing Rankings: February 2022

As kickboxing continues to grow on a global scale with promotions like GLORY, K-1, ONE Championship, and more, fighters are constantly jockeying for position in the eyes (and rankings) of the media. Every month, Combat Press will compile kickboxing rankings for each weight class from heavyweight to strawweight, as well as the pound-for-pound rankings for both men and women.

Note: the numbers in parentheses represent the fighter’s ranking from the previous month.

1. Rico Verhoeven (1)
2. Antonio Plazibat (2)
3. Roman Kryklia (3)
4. Benjamin Adegbuyi (4)
5. Zabit Samedov (5)
6. Murat Aygün (6)
7. Tarik Khbabez (7)
8. Levi Rigters (8)
9. Nordine Mahieddine (9)
10. Rade Opačić (-)

Dropped from the rankings: Fabio Kwasi (10)

Rade Opačić makes his debut in the rankings following his second-round knockout against Albania’s Françesko Xhaja at ONE Championship: Only the Brave. The 26-year-old Serbian heavyweight earned his fourth straight finish in the promotion, which ties him with Sam-A Gaiyanghadao, Han Zihao, and Petchmorakot Petchyindee Academy for the all-time record under the ONE Super Series banner. He replaces Fabio Kwasi, who hasn’t fought since winning a one-night, eight-man heavyweight tournament nearly two years ago.

1. Artem Vakhitov (1)
2. Luis Tavares (2)
3. Sergej Maslobojev (3)
4. Donegi Abena (4)
5. Stéphane Susperregui (5)
6. Felipe Micheletti (6)
7. Ariel Machado (7)
8. Zinedine Hameur-Lain (8)
9. Danyo Ilunga (9)
10. Michael Duut (10)

There were no fighters in action during the month of January, so the rankings remain unchanged.

1. Donovan Wisse (1)
2. Yousri Belgaroui (2)
3. Artem Levin (3)
4. Hicham El Gaoui (4)
5. Ulric Bokeme (5)
6. César Almeida (6)
7. Sher Mamazulunov (7)
8. Maxim Vorovski (8)
9. Mohammed Ghaedibareh (9)
10. Khalid El Bakouri (10)

There were no fighters in action during the month of January, so the rankings remain unchanged.

1. Cédric Doumbé (1)
2. Regian Eersel (2)
3. Alim Nabiev (3)
4. Mohamed “Hamicha” Mezouari (4)
5. Nieky Holzken (5)
6. Dmitry Menshikov (6)
7. Endy Semeleer (7)
8. Jamie Bates (8)
9. Robin Ciric (9)
10. Yohan Lidon (10)

GLORY welterweight contender Dmitry Menshikov returned to the ring against Ismail Uzuner at Muay Thai Factory in Russia. The sixth-ranked welterweight earned his 25th career victory with an unanimous decision nod against his Turkish foe. He remains just outside of the top five despite his nearly five-year unbeaten run.

1. Superbon Banchamek (1)
2. Marat Grigorian (2)
3. Sitthichai Sitsongpeenong (3)
4. Giorgio Petrosyan (4)
5. Chingiz Allazov (6)
6. Davit Kiria (5)
7. Tayfun Özcan (7)
8. Tyjani Beztati (8)
9. Enriko Kehl (9)
10. Samy Sana (10)

Former top-ranked lightweight Sitthichai Sitsongpeenong continued his claim to move up the rankings with his second top-10 victory in back-to-back fights. The former top pound-for-pound king made it look easy against former GLORY champion Davit Kiria at ONE Championship: Only the Brave during the semifinals of the featherweight world grand prix. At the opposite end of the cage in the finals will be Chingiz Allazov, who earned his place after demolishing former Lion Fight champ “Smokin'” Jo Nattawut in the first round of their semifinal contest. Nattawut was a late replacement opponent because Marat Grigorian tested positive for COVID prior to the bout. The finals of the ONE featherweight grand prix will be held on Mar. 26, 2022, for the promotion’s tenth-anniversary show, ONE X.

1. Masaaki Noiri (1)
2. Jia Aoqi (2)
3. Jordann Pikeur (3)
4. Wang Pengfei (4)
5. Qiu Jianliang (5)
6. Liu Xiangming (6)
7. Tie Yinghua (7)
8. Rukiya Anpo (8)
9. Tawanchai P.K.Saenchaimuaythaigym (9)
10. Ji Xiang (10)

There were no fighters in action during the month of January, so the rankings remain unchanged.

1. Petchpanomrung Kiatmookao (1)
2. Hideaki Yamazaki (2)
3. Wei Rui (3)
4. Hiroki Akimoto (4)
5. Capitan Petchyindee (5)
6. Daizo Sasaki (6)
7. Aleksei Ulianov (7)
8. Meng Gaofeng (8)
9. Kevin VanNostrand (9)
10. Petchtanong Petchfergus (10)

Seventh-ranked Aleksei Ulianov eeked out a split decision against Romania’s Vlad Trif at Muay Thai Factory in Russia this past week. The decision was controversial with more than a few kickboxing pundits claiming Trif won the first and third rounds. Regardless of the contentious outcome, Ulianov remains ranked at seven.

1. Taio Asahisa (1)
2. Konnapar Weerasakreck (2)
3. Kento Haraguchi (3)
4. Koya Urabe (4)
5. Naoki Tanaka (5)
6. Dennis Wosik (6)
7. Zheng Jungfeng (7)
8. Jin Ying (8)
9. Zhu Shuai (9)
10. Shuji Kawarada (10)

There were no fighters in action during the month of January, so the rankings remain unchanged.

1. Takeru (1)
2. Leona Pettas (2)
3. Hirotaka Asahisa (3)
4. Ilias Ennahachi (4)
5. Yuta Murakoshi (5)
6. Chihiro Nakajima (-)
7. Tomoya Yokoyama (6)
8. Zhao Chongyang (7)
9. Zhao Boshi (8)
10. Zhang Lanpei (9)

Dropped from the rankings: Tatsuya Oiwa (10)

The bantamweight division featured one big change in the month of January following the Krush 60-kilogram championship touranment at Krush 133. Chihiro Nakajima debuts in the rankings following back-to-back wins during the one-night, four-man tournament. Nakajima started his night off with a first round knockout of Yutaka. Then, he earned his fourth straight victory, and the Krush title, with a decision victory over sixth-ranked Tomoya Yokoyama, who previously held a win over Nakajima. Yokoyama scored a second-round head kick stoppage against Naoki Yamamoto in his semifinal contest, which was his fifth straight win at the time.

1. Tenshin Nasukawa (1)
2. Gunji Taito (2)
3. Tatsuya Tsubakihara (3)
4. Takahito Niimi (4)
5. TOMA (5)
6. Masahide Kudo (6)
7. Ryoga Hirano (-)
8. Masaki Takeuchi (7)
9. Kaito (8)
10. Keisuke Monguchi (9)

Dropped from the rankings: Jawsuayai Sor.Dechaphan (10)

22-year-old Japanese prospect Ryoga Hirano made his debut in the Combat Press rankings with his upset decision victory over seventh-ranked Masaki Takeuchi at RISE 154. Hirano debuts at seven following his fifth win in his past six bouts.

1. Tenshin Nasukawa (1)
2. Masashi Kumura (2)
3. Masahiko Suzuki (5)
4. Akihiro Kaneko (3)
5. Shiro Matsumoto (4)
6. Rui Ebata (6)
7. Junki Sasaki (7)
8. Yugo Kato (9)
9. Riamu (8)
10. Yuki Kyotani (10)

Fifth-ranked Masahiko Suzuki scored a first-round knockout over Kengo to defend his RISE 55-kilogram title at RISE 154. The RISE champ earned his fifth win in his past six contests with his lone loss coming against top-ranked Tenshin Nasukawa. Yugo Kato earned his revenge against Keisuke Miyamoto to avenge his only loss in his past 13 fights at NO KICK NO LIFE. Kato moves up one spot in the rankings following his majority decision victory.

1. Kazuki Osaki (1)
2. Kazane (2)
3. Shiro Matsumoto (3)
4. Kodai Hirayama (4)
5. Jin Mandokoro (5)
6. Toma Kuroda (6)
7. Kazuki Miburo (7)
8. Koki Osaki (8)
9. Ryoga Terayama (9)
10. Toki Tamaru (10)

There were no fighters in action during the month of January, so the rankings remain unchanged.

1. Superbon Banchamek (1)
2. Tenshin Nasukawa (2)
3. Takeru (3)
4. Marat Grigorian (4)
5. Artem Vakhitov (5)
6. Giorgio Petrosyan (6)
7. Wei Rui (7)
8. Petchpanomrung Kiatmookao (8)
9. Rico Verhoeven (9)
10. Kazuki Osaki (10)/ Taio Asahisa (10)

There were no fighters in action during the month of January, so the rankings remain unchanged.

1. Anissa Meksen (1)
2. Tiffany van Soest (2)
3. Hinata Terayama (3)
4. Sarel de Jong (4)
5. Kotomi (5)
6. KANA (6)
7. Manazo Kobayashi (7)
8. Miho Takanashi (8)
9. Maurine Atef (9)
10. Janet Todd (10)

There were no fighters in action during the month of January, so the rankings remain unchanged.

---

Editor’s Note: Fighters are eligible to be ranked if they have competed in the last 24 months. Any fighter that chooses to switch weight classes will be ranked in their previous weight class until they have competed once in their new division.