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GLADIATOR 036 – Japan’s regional MMA scene continues to produce fighters who rarely receive the international attention given to athletes competing in RIZIN or ONE Championship. GLADIATOR is one of the promotions helping bridge that gap, and its upcoming GLADIATOR 036 event is packed with fighters looking to take the next step in their careers.
The event takes place on September 20 at 176BOX in Toyonaka, Osaka, with the main card featuring a flyweight title fight between Kento Imai and NavE. The promotion has also booked an important strawweight matchup between unbeaten Japanese prospect Yusuke Moroi and South Korea’s Min Su Kwon.
Kento Imai Faces NavE in Flyweight Title Fight
The biggest fight on the card sees current GLADIATOR flyweight champion Kento Imai defend his championship against former champion NavE. NavE brings considerable experience into the matchup, having originally made his professional debut under the GLADIATOR banner in 2012. He later competed for PANCRASE before returning to GLADIATOR and winning the promotion’s flyweight championship. However, this is not simply another title defense.
NavE has been away from MMA competition for approximately two and a half years and has confirmed that the fight will be the final bout of his career. His previous planned title opportunity was cancelled after he suffered a knee ligament injury during training. Imai, meanwhile, represents the newer generation. NavE himself acknowledged that Imai has developed considerably during the period he has been away from competition.
That makes the matchup an interesting meeting between experience and a champion who has had the opportunity to develop while his opponent was away from the cage.
Yusuke Moroi Has a Major Opportunity
One of the fighters who deserves more international attention is Yusuke Moroi. The Japanese strawweight has won four consecutive fights since making his professional debut in June 2025. His wrestling and ability to finish fights have quickly become defining parts of his game.
Moroi now faces South Korea’s Min Su Kwon in a three round strawweight contest. There is a major opportunity attached to the fight. GLADIATOR has officially designated the matchup as a next title shot decider, meaning the winner is expected to move into position for the promotion’s newly established strawweight championship. For Moroi, victory would represent a rapid rise after only a short professional career.
Min Su Kwon Brings the Korean Challenge
Kwon Min Su is one of the international fighters GLADIATOR has brought into its increasingly cross border matchmaking. The promotion has developed a reputation for bringing fighters from across Asia to Japan. GLADIATOR says its international expansion has included fighters from countries such as South Korea, Mongolia and the Philippines, with the promotion using international matchups as part of its push from the Kansai region toward the wider Asian MMA scene.
Kwon now has the opportunity to derail Moroi’s unbeaten run and put himself in position for a GLADIATOR title opportunity. The fight therefore carries significance beyond the individual records. It is also another example of the Japanese and Korean regional MMA scenes interacting with each other.
Takemu Kunito vs Shota Taguchi
Another fight worth following is the featherweight matchup between Takemu Kunito and Shota Taguchi. Neither fighter carries the same level of international recognition as athletes competing in RIZIN or ONE, which is precisely what makes regional events such as GLADIATOR important.
The three round fight gives both competitors a chance to establish themselves within GLADIATOR’s featherweight division and potentially move toward bigger opportunities.
A Deep Undercard of Japanese Prospects
GLADIATOR 036 is not dependent on its two biggest fights. The card features a large collection of two round fights involving Japanese fighters from different gyms and regional circuits.
Keigo Iwasaki meets Kaiyu Takeno at flyweight, while Hiromu Uenaga faces Aoto Horinouchi at bantamweight. Kazuma “Isshin” Tokuno takes on Yukimasa Ito in a lightweight bout, while Reito Shiokawa faces Shuma Kamei at flyweight.
At featherweight, Soma Yoshizawa faces Takayuki, while Sonomama Tanaka meets Masaki Matsumoto. The promotion has also booked strawweight action between Yuki Tanaka and Shingo Takigawa, as well as a bantamweight fight between Seina Yano and HIROTO.
GLADIATOR’s Role in Asian MMA
GLADIATOR’s importance goes beyond a single event. The promotion has operated under its current structure since 2016 and has positioned itself as a major MMA organization in Japan’s Kansai region. It has also developed relationships with other promotions and introduced international fighters to its events.
That makes GLADIATOR particularly interesting for fans searching for the next generation of Asian MMA talent.
While RIZIN and ONE provide the biggest platforms in the region, promotions such as GLADIATOR, DEEP, Shooto and PANCRASE remain important places to watch fighters before they reach those larger stages.
GLADIATOR 036 is another example of that pipeline in action. For Imai, it is a championship defense. For NavE, it is a final appearance. For Moroi and Kwon, it could determine the next strawweight title challenger. For the fighters further down the card, it is an opportunity to make their names known. And that is exactly what makes regional Japanese MMA worth following.
GLADIATOR 036 Full Fight Card
Kento Imai vs NavE
GLADIATOR Flyweight Championship, 5 rounds
Yusuke Moroi vs Min Su Kwon
Strawweight, 5 rounds, next title shot decider
Takemu Kunito vs Shota Taguchi
Featherweight, 5 rounds
Yuki Ueda vs Rider HIRO
Bantamweight, 5 rounds
Nachi Bakuon vs Mark Takahashi
Heavyweight, 2 rounds
Keigo Iwasaki vs Kaiyu Takeno
Flyweight, 2 rounds
Hiromu Uenaga vs Aoto Horinouchi
Bantamweight, 2 rounds
Kazuma “Isshin” Tokuno vs Yukimasa Ito
Lightweight, 2 rounds
Reito Shiokawa vs Shuma Kamei
Flyweight, 2 rounds
Soma Yoshizawa vs Takayuki
Featherweight, 2 rounds
Sonomama Tanaka vs Masaki Matsumoto
Featherweight, 2 rounds
Dangerous Daisuke vs Kosuke Kinoshita
Flyweight, 2 rounds
Yuki Tanaka vs Shingo Takigawa
Strawweight, 2 rounds
Seina Yano vs HIROTO
Bantamweight, 2 rounds
Jin Tanaka vs Kensuke Fujiwara
NGF Flyweight, 1 round
Ryoga Takahashi vs Ryoji Shimazaki
NGF Flyweight, 1 round
Masaya Fujitani vs Hikaru Sakihama
NGF Flyweight, 1 round
Ginjin Nakano vs Ryugo Yokota
NGF Bantamweight, 1 round
GLADIATOR 036 takes place on September 20, 2026, at 176BOX in Toyonaka, Osaka.
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