Kenta Iwamoto
Japanese black belt Kenta Iwamoto went from midnight park sessions during physics studies to three ADCC Trials wins and a trans-Pacific training network.
Biography
Sources for this profile
ONE Championship, “5 Things To Know About Kenta Iwamoto,” 28 March 2026(opens in a new tab)
Kenta Iwamoto is a Japanese grappler born and raised in Chiba Prefecture, Japan.
Where in the source: International upbringing section — Japanese identity and Chiba upbringing
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Iwamoto’s childhood also included periods in New Jersey in the early 2000s and Somerset, England, during high school before he returned to Japan.
Where in the source: International upbringing section — New Jersey and Somerset periods
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By 2026, Iwamoto was splitting his training between B-Team in Austin and IGLOO Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu in Japan, while also training with Jozef Chen at Chen’s gym in Shanghai.
Where in the source: Training section — B-Team, IGLOO and training with Chen at his Shanghai gym
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BJJ Heroes, “Kenta Iwamoto”(opens in a new tab)
Iwamoto began judo in junior high school and became a judo black belt; a jiu-jitsu instructional DVD borrowed to help his brother’s ground game prompted him to drill BJJ techniques, and at nineteen he moved to Tokyo for university and began formal jiu-jitsu training under Atsunori Hiruma.
Where in the source: Biography — junior-high judo, borrowed DVD and Tokyo move at nineteen
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After competing against Jozef Chen at the 2022 ADCC Trials, Iwamoto accepted Chen’s invitation to prepare at B-Team in Austin; he continued travelling between the United States and Japan before Yusuke Honma promoted him to black belt on 31 May 2023.
Where in the source: Biography — 2022 B-Team invitation, trans-Pacific training and 2023 promotion
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ONE Championship, “‘Driven By Curiosity’ – How Experimental Physics And Midnight BJJ Sessions Forged Kenta Iwamoto,” 5 April 2026(opens in a new tab)
While studying experimental physics for six years at Waseda University, Iwamoto and his teammates began laying mats in nearby Toyama Park in 2018, drilling material from online instruction late at night while he alternated between training and laboratory experiments.
Where in the source: Midnight Drills section — Waseda lab schedule and Toyama Park sessions from 2018
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After completing his physics education and publishing an academic paper, Iwamoto chose full-time grappling over a conventional job, describing curiosity and the desire to explore different positions and grappling styles as the link between his scientific and athletic work.
Where in the source: Curiosity and career-crossroads sections — physics, published paper and full-time choice
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ADCC, “ADCC Asia & Oceania Trial 2019”(opens in a new tab)
At the 2019 ADCC Asia & Oceania Trial in Tokyo, Iwamoto won the professional men’s under-66-kilogram division for Tri-Force Jiu-Jitsu Academy and qualified for the 2019 ADCC World Championship.
Where in the source: Official Results — Professional Male -66kg and championship qualifiers
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ADCC, “ADCC Oceania and Asian Trials 2022”(opens in a new tab)
Iwamoto won the professional men’s under-76.9-kilogram division for Igloo at the 2022 ADCC Oceania and Asian Trials.
Where in the source: 2022 Official Results — Professional Male -76.9kg, first place Kenta Iwamoto, Igloo
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ONE Championship, “ONE Fight Night 42: Results And Highlights For Every Match,” 11 April 2026(opens in a new tab)
Iwamoto made his ONE Championship submission-grappling debut at ONE Fight Night 42 in Bangkok in April 2026, losing a welterweight rematch with Dante Leon by unanimous decision.
Where in the source: Fight Card — Welterweight Submission Grappling, Leon defeats Iwamoto
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ADCC, “ADCC Asia & Oceania Championship 2023”(opens in a new tab)
Iwamoto won the professional men’s under-76.9-kilogram division for Igloo at the 2023 ADCC Asia & Oceania first qualifier in Singapore.
Where in the source: 2023 Official Results — Professional Male -76.9kg, first place Kenta Iwamoto, Igloo
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