Higashi fought at the '2017 Lethwei Grand Prix in Japan" event under Lethwei rules, and faced a technical Burmese prospect in Tun Twin Moe. Having a good first round, Higashi went on the front foot,  controlling the ring and applying an aggressive wrestling clinch and takedown game to stifle his Burmese foe's outside striking.  

Although Higashi would show a strong fighting spirit with plentiful ring confidence and grit, as the fight progressed Twin Moe began to take the lead with his accumilation of landed strikes, technical striking ability, and anti-grappling defense. For every slam and clinch success, it seemed the Burmese man would become more determined to put the MMA fighter down with a knockout.

The well-conditioned Higashi would throw few kicks or knees, mainly bursting foreward with flurries of explosive punches at a time, while also looking for good clinch or takedown opportunities. 

Despite almost collapsing and being dropped several times throughout the fight - Higashi pushed on and after 5 gruelling rounds the contest was declared a draw. 

At the ending the exhausted but elated Japanese fighter limped across the ring and celebrated his achieving a moral victory, with his face beaten bloody and his left leg almost half purple from being pulverised with inside and outside low-kicks.