Danilo Zanolini (born 29 July 1980) is a Brazilian professional kickboxer who has competed primarily in the welterweight division of Japanese promotions such as RISE and Rizin Fighting Federation. He is a former champion in multiple organizations, holding the RISE Welterweight title, the HEAT Middleweight (Kick) title, and the International Sport Karate Association (ISKA) Super‑Welterweight World K‑1 championship.
Early life and background
Zanolini was born in Curitiba, Brazil. Details of his early training are limited, but he later relocated to Nagoya, Japan, where he trained at Shimura Dojo under an orthodox stance.
Kickboxing career
HEAT promotion
Zanolini won the vacant HEAT Kick Middleweight title on 14 March 2010 by defeating Fapicart RS Promotion via second‑round knockout. He successfully defended this belt four times, with notable defenses against Ok Dong‑ju (April 2014) and Baek Man‑sung (March 2015). His final HEAT title defense came against Li Ji Hoon on 15 July 2017, after which he announced his retirement.
RISE
In November 2013 Zanolini captured the inaugural RISE Welterweight championship by defeating Taiki Watanabe via majority decision. He defended the belt several times, including a disqualification win over Yuichiro Nagashima (July 2014) and a unanimous‑decision victory in a rematch against Kenta Yamada (July 2015).
ISKA
Zanolini claimed the ISKA Super Welterweight World K‑1 title on 29 November 2015, knocking out Philippe Salmon in the first round.
Rizin Fighting Federation
He made his debut with Rizin at its inaugural event on 17 April 2016, scoring a technical knockout over Norihisa Amimoto. Subsequent notable bouts include a split‑decision win against John Wayne Parr at RIZIN 18 (August 2019).
Retirement and return
Following his July 2017 retirement announcement, Zanolini returned to competition in September 2018 after a fire destroyed his gym in Brazil, prompting him to fight for financial recovery. He won the comeback bout against Go Woo Yong by second‑round knockout.
Personal life
Zanolini resides in Nagoya, Japan, and continues to be involved with Shimura Dojo. His career reflects a bridge between Brazilian martial arts roots and the Japanese kickboxing circuit.
Championships and accomplishments
- RISE Welterweight Champion (inaugural) – 2013
- HEAT Middleweight Kick Champion – 2010–2017 (four successful defenses)
- ISKA Super Welterweight World K‑1 Champion – 2015
Zanolini’s professional record, as documented by reputable sports databases, stands at approximately 57 fights with 43 wins (20 by knockout) and 14 losses (4 by knockout).