Kleber Koike Erbst wants Ren Hiramoto in the ring, and he went to X to say so in Japanese, tagging Hiramoto directly.
“平本蓮、お前ビビってんのか？ また隠れるのか？ また逃げるのか？” he wrote on X, before adding, “俺と戦いたくないって聞いたぞ。 口だけじゃなくて、男ならリングで勝負しろよ。”
In plain English, Koike asked Hiramoto whether he’s scared, whether he’s going to hide and run again, said he’d heard Hiramoto doesn’t want to fight him, and told him to stop talking and settle it in the ring like a man. That ducking accusation is Koike’s claim alone. Nothing in the available sources shows Hiramoto turning down a fight with him, and Hiramoto’s side hadn’t answered publicly in the material reviewed for this story.
View post on X
Mikuru Asakura quote-posted the callout with a four-word verdict that skipped the beef entirely: “日本語が急成長してる.” Roughly, his Japanese is growing fast. I love it. Somebody throws a gauntlet and Asakura reviews the grammar.
Who’s Calling Who
Koike is no random voice in the timeline. The São Paulo native, who moved to Japan at 14 and paid his early fight fees working construction and trash collection, is a former two-time RIZIN featherweight champion and a former KSW featherweight champion. He’s 35-10-1, fights out of Bonsai Jiu-Jitsu, and sits at No. 40 at featherweight in the Knockout Daily rankings. His last fight was August 11, 2026. The triangle choke is his favorite weapon, and he has finished opponents like Anzor Azhiev and Leszek Krakowski with it inside the first round.
Hiramoto, 28, competes at featherweight in RIZIN after a kickboxing career that started with a first-round left hook knockout at K-1 in January 2015. He reached the final of the 2016 Krush lightweight tournament and the 2017 K-1 lightweight tournament, finishing runner-up both times.
Why It Works as a Fight
On paper it’s the oldest puzzle in combat sports. Hiramoto built his name on hands, with knockdowns from the right straight and left hook all over his kickboxing résumé. Koike built his on getting people to the mat and wrapping his legs around their necks. Same division, same promotion, opposite answers.
No bout has been announced, and nothing in the sources points to RIZIN being in talks. For now the ball sits with Hiramoto, who got tagged by name in a post that Asakura made sure more people saw. If Hiramoto answers, the reply had better be in Japanese at least as sharp as Koike’s, because the grading has apparently started.
