Erika (kickboxer)
Japanese kickboxer
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Erika Gibo (Japanese: 宜保枝里香, Gibo Erika; born February 6, 1990), more popularly known by her ring name erika♡, is a Japanese mixed martial artist and former professional kickboxer. She is the former RISE Women's Mini Flyweight champion.
| erika♡ | |
|---|---|
| Born | Erika Gibo February 6, 1990 Naha, Japan |
| Native name | 宜保枝里香 |
| Nickname | Miko no Heroine |
| Nationality | Japanese |
| Height | 161 cm (5 ft 3+1⁄2 in) |
| Weight | 49 kg (108 lb; 7 st 10 lb) |
| Style | Kickboxing |
| Stance | Southpaw |
| Fighting out of | Tomari, Japan |
| Team | SHINE Okinawa (kickboxing) THE BLACKBELT JAPAN (MMA) |
| Years active | 2018–2024 |
| Kickboxing record | |
| Total | 16 |
| Wins | 13 |
| By knockout | 3 |
| Losses | 3 |
| By knockout | 1 |
| Mixed martial arts record | |
| Total | 4 |
| Wins | 2 |
| Losses | 1 |
| By knockout | 1 |
| Draws | 1 |
Between November 2023 and December 2024, she was ranked as a top ten women's strawweight kickboxer in the world according to Beyond Kick.[1][2]
Kickboxing career
Early career
erika made her professional debut against Chizuru Nanase at Tenkaichi 92 on November 25, 2018. She won the fight by unanimous decision.[3] erika won all five of her fights in the next two years, amassing an undefeated 5–0 win streak, most notably overcoming Koto Hiraoka at REBELS 65 on August 30, 2020.[4][5][6]
erika faced the RISE Women's Mini Flyweight (–49 kg) champion in the quarterfinals of the RISE "Queen of Queens" tournament, held at RISE DEAD OR ALIVE 2020 Yokohama. She lost the fight by a clear unanimous decision.[7][8]
erika faced MARI in an NJKF Atomweight title eliminator bout at DEEP☆KICK 48 on December 12, 2020. She won the fight by unanimous decision.[9] erika then challenged Momoka Mandokoro for the NJKF Minerva Atomweight (–46 kg) Championship at DEEP☆KICK Minerva Osaka Tournament on January 30, 2021. She won the fight by unanimous decision.[10]
erika made her KNOCK OUT debut against Shoko at KNOCK OUT-EX vol.2 on June 12, 2021. She won the fight by unanimous decision, with three scorecards of 30–27.[11] erika returned to NJKF to face Ayaka in a non-title bout at NJKF 2021 3rd on September 19, 2021.[12] She won the fight by unanimous decision, with three scorecards of 30–28.[13]
RISE
Move up in weight
erika moved up to mini-flyweight, following her final fight under the NJKF banner, and was scheduled to face AKARI at RISE 153 on December 12, 2021.[14] The fight was ruled a draw by unanimous decision after the first three rounds were contested. erika was awarded a unanimous decision win after an extra fourth round was fought.[15]
erika, at the time the #1 ranked RISE mini flyweight contender, was booked to face the #3 ranked contender Wakana Miyazaki at RISE Girls Power 6 on February 12, 2022.[16] She lost the fight by majority decision, with scores of 29–28, 29–27 and 28–28.[17]
Mini flyweight champion
On March 25, 2023, it was announced that a mini flyweight tournament would be held to crown a new RISE champion, as the reigning RISE Women's Mini Flyweight (–49 kg) champion Hinata Terayama had vacated her title. erika was booked to face Moe Okura in the tournament semifinals, which were held on April 24, 2023.[18] She won the fight by a second-round knockout.[19] erika faced the one-time RISE Mini Flyweight title challenger AKARI in the tournament finals at RISE 159 on June 24, 2023.[20] She won the fight by unanimous decision, with scores of 50–48, 49–47 and 50–46. erika became the first Okinawa-born champion in RISE history.[21]
erika faced Byun Bo-Kyeong at Tenkaichi 97 on August 20, 2023, following a 14-month absence from professional competition.[22] She won the fight by unanimous decision, with three scorecards of 30–26, having dropped Bo-Kyeong in the second round.[23]
erika made her first RISE Women's Mini Flyweight title defense against the one-time RISE Women's Atomweight title challenger Arina Kobayashi at RISE 173 on November 18, 2023.[24] She lost the fight by a second-round technical knockout.[25]
On October 7, 2024, erika announced her retirement as kickboxer.[26]
Mixed martial arts career
Shooto
erika made her professional debut against Haruka Yoshinari at Shooto Colors vol.4 on December 15, 2024. She won the fight by unanimous decision.[27]
erika faced the former Jewels Microweight champion Aya Murakami at Shooto 2025 Vol.4 on May 18, 2025.[28] She won the fight by majority decision.[29]
erika faced Mio Shimaya in the opening round of the 2025 Shooto Infinity League at Professional Shooto 2025 Vol.6 on July 21, 2025.[30]
erika faced Chiyo Takamoto in the second round of the 2025 Shooto Infinity League at Shooto Colors Vol.6 on January 18, 2026. She lost the fight by a second-round knockout.[31]
Championships and accomplishments
Kickboxing
- New Japan Kickboxing Federation
- 2021 NJKF Minerva Atomweight (–46 kg) Championship
- RISE
- 2022 RISE Women's Mini Flyweight (–49 kg) Tournament Winner
- 2022 RISE Women's Mini Flyweight (–49 kg) Championship
Mixed martial arts
Amateur
Mixed martial arts record
| 4 matches | 2 wins | 1 loss |
| By knockout | 0 | 1 |
| By decision | 2 | 0 |
| Draws | 1 | |
| Res. | Record | Opponent | Method | Event | Date | Round | Time | Location | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Loss | 2–1–1 | Chiyo Takamoto | KO (slam) | Shooto Colors Vol.6 | January 18, 2026 | 2 | 0:36 | Tokyo, Japan | |
| Draw | 2–0–1 | Mio Shimaya | Draw (majority) | Shooto 2025 Vol.6 | July 21, 2025 | 2 | 5:00 | Tokyo, Japan | |
| Win | 2–0 | Aya Murakami | Decision (majority) | Shooto 2025 Vol.4 | May 18, 2025 | 2 | 5:00 | Tokyo, Japan | Super Atomweight debut. |
| Win | 1–0 | Haruka Yoshinari | Decision (unanimous) | Shooto Colors vol.4 | December 15, 2024 | 2 | 5:00 | Tokyo, Japan | Strawweight debut. |
| Amateur record breakdown | ||
| 1 match | 1 win | 0 losses |
| By knockout | 1 | 0 |
| Res. | Record | Opponent | Method | Event | Date | Round | Time | Location | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Win | 1–0 | Gianna Giaimi | TKO (punches) | 2024 Shooto All Japan Amateur Championship | 6 October 2024 | 1 | 1:16 | Odawara, Japan | Won 2024 Shooto All Japan Amateur Flyweight title |
Kickboxing record
| 13 wins (2 (T)KOs), 3 losses, 0 draws | ||||||||
| Date | Result | Opponent | Event | Location | Method | Round | Time | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023-11-18 | Loss |  Arina Kobayashi | RISE 173 | Tokyo, Japan | KO (punches) | 2 | 0:11 | |
| Loses the RISE Women's Mini Flyweight (–49 kg) Championship. | ||||||||
| 2023-08-20 | Win |  Byun Bo-Kyeong | Tenkaichi 97 | Okinawa, Japan | Decision (unanimous) | 3 | 3:00 | |
| 2022-06-24 | Win | AKARI | RISE 159 | Tokyo, Japan | Decision (unanimous) | 5 | 3:00 | |
| Wins the RISE Women's Mini Flyweight (–49 kg) Championship. | ||||||||
| 2022-05-24 | Win | Moe Okura | RISE 157 - Mini Flyweight Championship Tournament Semifinals | Tokyo, Japan | KO (left knee) | 2 | 2:42 | |
| 2022-02-12 | Loss | Wakana Miyazaki | RISE Girls Power 6 | Tokyo, Japan | Decision (Majority) | 3 | 3:00 | |
| 2021-12-12 | Win | AKARI | RISE 153 | Tokyo, Japan | Ext.R. Decision (unanimous) | 4 | 3:00 | |
| 2021-09-19 | Win | Ayaka | NJKF 2021 3rd | Tokyo, Japan | Decision (unanimous) | 3 | 2:00 | |
| 2021-06-12 | Win | Shoko JSK | KNOCK OUT-EX vol.2 | Tokyo, Japan | Decision (unanimous) | 3 | 3:00 | |
| 2021-01-30 | Win | Momoka Mandokoro | DEEP☆KICK Minerva Osaka Tournament | Izumiōtsu, Japan | Decision (unanimous) | 5 | 2:00 | |
| Wins the NJKF Minerva Atomweight (–46 kg) Championship. | ||||||||
| 2020-12-12 | Win | MARI | DEEP☆KICK 48 | Izumiōtsu, Japan | Decision (majority) | 3 | 2:00 | |
| 2020-11-10 | Loss | Hinata Terayama | RISE DEAD OR ALIVE 2020 Yokohama, Tournament Quarterfinals | Yokohama, Japan | Decision (unanimous) | 3 | 3:00 | |
| 2020-08-30 | Win | Koto Hiraoka | REBELS 65 | Tokyo, Japan | Decision (unanimous) | 3 | 3:00 | |
| 2020-03-15 | Win | Ami | Tenkaichi 96 | Uechi, Japan | KO (knee to the body) | 1 | 1:22 | |
| 2020-01-26 | Win | Honoka | DUEL 20 | Tokyo, Japan | Decision (unanimous) | 3 | 3:00 | |
| 2019-10-20 | Win | Kana | MAGNUM 51 | Tokyo, Japan | TKO (three knockdowns) | 2 | 1:53 | |
| 2018-11-25 | Win | Chizuru Nanase | Tenkaichi 92 | Okinawa, Japan | Decision (unanimous) | 3 | 3:00 | |
| Legend: Win Loss Draw/no contest Notes | ||||||||