Mei Miyamoto has established herself as the standout female kickboxer of 2025 after capturing the RISE Mini Flyweight title and maintaining an undefeated record through three consecutive victories against elite competition.
Combat Press 2025 Kickboxing Awards: Female Fighter of the Year – Mei Miyamoto
A new year is here, and that means it’s time for Combat Press to take a look back at the best of kickboxing in 2025. In the coming days, Combat Press will announce its award winners in multiple categories, covering everything from the action in the ring to the biggest stories surrounding the sport.
The 27-year-old Tokyo native started the year with a statement performance against South Korea’s Minju Cha at RISE 185 on January 25. Miyamoto delivered a clean sweep on the scorecards, winning every single round across all three judges’ cards in a unanimous decision. The win positioned her for a title shot after extending her professional record to 5-0.
Four months later, Miyamoto delivered the defining performance of her career at RISE Fire Ball in Nagoya on May 11. She challenged Arina Kobayashi, the reigning RISE Queen Mini Flyweight champion and Combat Press’s 2023 Female Fighter of the Year. The championship bout went the full five rounds before requiring an extension round, where Miyamoto ultimately secured a unanimous decision to capture the title. The fight drew attention as one of the best women’s kickboxing matches of 2025, with observers noting it showcased both fighters’ skills.
Miyamoto, on October 19 at RISE 192, faced South Korea’s Ko Yuna. While Yuna missed weight at the initial weigh-in and faced a two-point deduction plus 30 percent purse forfeiture, Miyamoto remained professional and won by unanimous decision to secure her third victory of the calendar year. The win pushed her professional kickboxing record to 7-0.
Her path to kickboxing ability traces back to an accomplished amateur boxing career. Miyamoto won the 2019 Japanese Women’s National Championships in the bantamweight division while attending Nippon Sport Science University, becoming the first woman from Mie Prefecture to claim a national amateur boxing title. She practiced karate through elementary and middle school before taking up boxing at Hisai High School.
Since transitioning to professional kickboxing in May 2023 under the KRAZY BEE team banner, Miyamoto has remained undefeated.
The three victories against Cha, Kobayashi, and Yuna represent a complete campaign at the championship level. Miyamoto dethroned a former Female Fighter of the Year, defended against international competition, and maintained technical precision across 15 rounds of championship-level kickboxing without suffering a single defeat. That combination of quality opposition, title acquisition, and sustained excellence makes a compelling case for recognition as the 2025 female kickboxer of the year.