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Kota “Star” Abe has taken a major step towards establishing himself as one of Japan’s rising mixed martial arts talents after earning a US$100,000 ONE Championship main-roster contract with a devastating first-round stoppage at ONE SAMURAI 4.
The 28-year-old Japanese lightweight delivered a statement performance against compatriot Shozo “Great Teacher” Isojima at Tokyo’s Ariake Arena on October 17, 2026. Abe needed just 94 seconds to secure the victory, flooring Isojima with a looping right hand before finishing the contest with further punches.
The result was more than another win on his record. It gave Abe a major career opportunity and the chance to compete regularly on ONE Championship’s global stage.
But who is Kota Abe, how did he reach this point, and what makes his rise worth following?
Who is Kota Abe?
Kota Abe is a Japanese mixed martial artist who competes in the lightweight division and represents Tribe Tokyo MMA. Nicknamed “Star,” he has built his career through Japan’s regional MMA circuit before earning opportunities with ONE Championship.
Born on January 29, 1998, Abe was 28 years old when he secured his latest victory. His development has followed a familiar route for Japanese prospects: competing in domestic promotions, gaining experience against regional opposition and using decisive performances to attract attention from a larger organisation.
Abe’s record before ONE SAMURAI 4 stood at 6-1, according to available fighter records. His victories had come through knockouts, technical knockouts and submissions, highlighting a finishing-oriented approach rather than a reliance on judges’ scorecards.
His record includes appearances for promotions such as Fighting NEXUS, GLADIATOR, HEAT and DEEP. These competitions gave him experience against a variety of opponents before he began making inroads into ONE Championship.
From Japan’s regional circuit to ONE Championship
Abe’s path to the main roster was built over several years rather than through a single breakthrough performance.
He began accumulating professional experience in Japan in 2022, earning an early stoppage victory against Toya Mochizuki at Fighting NEXUS. He subsequently recorded finishes against Kengo Hashimoto and Tsubasa Morii, demonstrating his ability to end fights with both striking and submissions.
His career also included a submission victory over Chang Woo Ma at HEAT 55 in October 2024. However, Abe suffered a setback later that year when Kohei Kadono stopped him by knockout at DEEP Osaka Impact.
That defeat was an important reminder that his development was not entirely straightforward. Like many fighters climbing through regional promotions, Abe had to recover from losses while continuing to improve his game. He returned to winning ways in September 2025, stopping Sione Veikoso at TTF Challenge 11. That performance helped him rebuild momentum and move towards another opportunity on a bigger stage.
The next significant milestone arrived in April 2026, when Abe defeated Hero Marco Manguray by knockout at ONE Friday Fights 150.
That victory marked his arrival on ONE’s weekly event circuit, where fighters compete for victories, recognition and potential opportunities to secure contracts with the promotion’s main roster. Abe subsequently received another opportunity at ONE SAMURAI 4 in Tokyo. This time, he delivered a finish that earned him a six-figure contract.
How Kota Abe knocked out Shozo Isojima
Abe faced Shozo Isojima in a lightweight MMA contest at ONE SAMURAI 4, an event staged at Ariake Arena on October 17.
The Japanese fighter wasted little time establishing himself. He opened with a looping right hand that sent Isojima to the canvas, immediately following up with ground-and-pound in an attempt to finish the contest. Isojima managed to scramble back to his feet, briefly giving himself another opportunity to recover. However, Abe continued attacking and landed another right hand that sent his opponent down again.
The referee intervened at 1:34 of the opening round, awarding Abe a technical knockout victory.
The finish showcased two important aspects of his game: his ability to generate power with his right hand and his willingness to follow a hurt opponent to the ground rather than allow him time to recover.
The victory moved Abe’s professional record to 7-1, according to ONE Championship’s event report, with every one of his seven victories coming by way of a finish.
For a developing lightweight, that is a significant statistic. It suggests that Abe has consistently found ways to end fights rather than simply accumulate decisions. However, his next challenge will be demonstrating that he can maintain this finishing ability against increasingly experienced opposition on the main roster.
Kota Abe earns a $100,000 ONE Championship contract
Following his victory over Isojima, Abe was awarded a US$100,000 main-roster contract with ONE Championship. The deal represents a substantial opportunity for a fighter who has spent much of his career competing in Japan’s regional promotions. It provides a route towards more regular appearances on ONE’s international platform and potentially higher-profile matchups.
The contract should not automatically be interpreted as a guaranteed US$100,000 salary or as confirmation that Abe received the entire amount immediately. ONE describes these awards as main-roster contracts, and the precise contractual terms have not been publicly detailed in the available announcement.
Nevertheless, the financial milestone is significant. Abe has moved from building his reputation on smaller Japanese cards to securing a contract with one of the world’s leading martial arts organisations.
His victory also illustrates the role that ONE Friday Fights and the ONE SAMURAI series can play in showcasing Japanese talent. A fighter can use appearances on these events to demonstrate his abilities before a larger audience and potentially earn a more permanent place on the roster.
What makes Kota Abe an interesting prospect?
One of the biggest reasons to watch Kota Abe is his finishing ability. With seven professional victories reportedly coming by knockout, technical knockout or submission, the Japanese lightweight has shown that he can end fights rather than rely on the judges. His 94-second stoppage of Shozo Isojima at ONE SAMURAI 4 was another example of that approach, as Abe capitalised on his opponent’s vulnerability and secured the finish in the opening round.
Abe’s experience across Japan’s regional MMA circuit is another important part of his development. Competing for promotions such as Fighting NEXUS, GLADIATOR, HEAT and DEEP has given him opportunities to test himself against different opponents before reaching ONE Championship. That journey has included setbacks as well as victories, including a knockout loss to Kohei Kadono in 2024. His subsequent return to winning ways suggests resilience, although the level of competition he faces on ONE’s main roster will provide a more meaningful test of his progress.
His ability to combine striking power with submission skills also makes his game worth following. Abe has recorded finishes through different methods, giving future opponents more than one threat to prepare for. Against Isojima, his right hand created the opening for the stoppage, and he continued attacking when his opponent attempted to recover. Maintaining that aggression while improving his defence and decision-making will be important as he faces more experienced fighters.
What comes next for Kota Abe?
The Japanese lightweight will now have an opportunity to establish himself on the promotion’s main roster, where the competition includes experienced fighters from Japan, Southeast Asia and other major MMA markets.
Abe’s immediate objective should be to build on the momentum from his victory without rushing into a matchup beyond his current level. A carefully selected opponent would allow him to demonstrate whether his finishing ability translates against more experienced competition.
The lightweight division offers numerous potential matchups, but no specific opponent should be treated as confirmed until ONE makes an announcement.
For now, Abe can celebrate a major career milestone. He entered ONE SAMURAI 4 as a developing Japanese prospect and left Tokyo with a first-round knockout, an improved 7-1 record and a US$100,000 main-roster contract.
His journey is far from complete, but the victory has given him a much bigger stage on which to continue it.
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