Hiromasa Ougikubo is 38-years-old and has, once again, proven that age is just a number, by underscoring that he is one of the world’s elite flyweights. After capturing not just the Rizin flyweight belt but also winning at the RFF 125-pound grand prix, when asked what he would credit for his longevity in the sport where he still thrives at such a high level, Ougikubo said [via Bowks Talking Bouts],
“Changing and adjusting my training based off of my age. I think that’s the secret to longevity…. Yeah, so for an example, my sparring sessions on fight camp have went down significantly. Like almost under half compared to when I was younger. So with that said, the wear and tear and damage in my body is not that significant. There is no build up from practice and sparring. I stretch my body out a lot.”
Ougikubo was also previously the Rizin bantamweight Grand Prix champion in 2021. When asked how much of a capstone achievement it is to have won RFF Grand Prix championships in multiple weight divisions, Ougikubo stated [via Bowks Talking Bouts],
“Yeah, so back in 2021, when I won the bantamweight Grand Prix, you know, bantamweight is not my weight class, you know. For me to be able to win significant titles in my weight class is something that kind of [solidifies] what I have been doing throughout my career. I would say concludes something.”
“Rizin flyweight division is no less than the UFC’s flyweight division”, per Hiromasa Ougikubo
While playfully referencing that he proposed to his partner after the 2021 Rizin Fighting Federation GP win, and how that component was absent from his RFF NYE 2025 grand prix victory, Ougikubo quipped [via Bowks Talking Bouts],
“Yeah, so there wasn’t a proposal at the end like last time, of course. But I really wanted to bring my family into the ring after the fight but that didn’t happen. But for me that fight, the final, the fight against [Yuki] Motoya, I think it was a great fight. We were able to bring it all. We showed it all, we went head to head, toe to toe.”
“We gave it all and I think it was a great fight that; we fought our spirits off. Being able to win such a tough, gritty fight, that itself means a lot to me. But, you know, more so being able to get that belt around my waist, that meant more than anything.”
With 125 pounds being his more natural weight category, getting to be part of another great New Year’s Eve show that has such a rich tradition over the years in Japan, and speaking to the idea that this must have been a massive moment for him on that kind of a big stage, Ougikubo said [via Bowks Talking Bouts],
“Yeah, obviously it was a great moment and it was a great accomplishment. My goal for me going forward is that I want to continue to raise the value of this Rizin flyweight belt, you know. My goal is to make Rizin’s flyweight division something that can go head to head against the UFC flyweight division, you know. That’s my goal as a champion. So, you know, I want to make people understand and know that the level of competition in the Rizin flyweight division is no less than the UFC’s flyweight division.”