Mikuru Asakura is among the greatest stars in Japanese MMA in recent times, and Kleber Koike desires to as soon as once more destroy his evening at RIZIN.
The Brazilian fighter, though a former champion in KSW, was not a identified commodity when he joined RIZIN in 2020. Asakura, already 8-1 within the promotion on the time, was left unconscious when he met the jiu-jitsu ace in the principle occasion of RIZIN 28 on the iconic Tokyo Dome.
They may meet once more 4 years later, headlining Tremendous RIZIN 4 on Sunday morning in Saitama. Koike feels he has gone from being unknown to a bit missed after struggling a knockout defeat in his most up-to-date bout, when he misplaced the featherweight title to Razhabali Shaydullaev in Could.
“[Asakura] has at all times requested to struggle me,” Koike advised MMA Combating. “And since we fought on the identical evening, and I used to be knocked out and he received, he went to the [RIZIN] workplace and requested for this struggle possibly pondering I’m on a low, and he can use that to his benefit. I believe he’ll include that technique since I used to be knocked out, he’ll attempt to assault me there pondering I’m extra fragile.”
Koike received three in a row earlier than dropping the belt, together with a fast submission over Juan Archuleta and a three-round struggle towards Chihiro Suzuki. Asakura received 4 of six MMA bouts because the Koike match, and even shared the ring with boxing legend Floyd Mayweather Jr. for an exhibition in 2022, and now seems for redemption after ending Suzuki to go 18-5 as an expert.
“4 years in the past, Asakura was beating all people and I used to be a no person,” Koike mentioned. “I used to be only a man coming to the promotion. I used to be a champion in Europe however wasn’t identified in Japan. Informal followers, nobody knew who I used to be. He had extra to lose as a result of he was the person, he had the title, and that’s what occurred. I sort of blemished his legacy.
“I requested for him since day one and folks mentioned we weren’t on the identical stage. Regardless that I used to be a champion in Europe, they mentioned I used to be a can. ‘You’re not on the identical stage,’ they mentioned. They gave us the principle occasion on Tokyo Dome, the primary occasion there in 15 years, and it was all due to him. The sponsors who paid for the entire thing had been additionally sponsoring him. It was all for him to win, and I went there and stole the present. And it received’t be any completely different this time.
“4 years later, and he’s nonetheless Asakura, a well-known man, however I’m the No. 1 within the division, a two-time champion, and he’s by no means had the belt. I’m the one with extra wins within the division. If I win, I’m combating for the belt once more. If he beats me, he goes for the belt and leaves me behind, so loads has modified. He’s nonetheless Asakura, however I’ve the duty now. I’ve the larger obligation [to win] now.”
Koike mentioned the one purpose he agreed to such a brief turnaround, lower than three months after a 62-second knockout loss, was the promise that he would get one other crack on the belt with a win.
“It’s going to be a tough struggle as a result of it’s about who desires it extra,” Koike mentioned. “I don’t count on this to be a really technical struggle, and it received’t go all three rounds. It’s a battle of types. He’ll come to knock me out, I’m certain of that, and I’m going to catch him. I assure it received’t go three rounds. I harm his legacy and he desires payback, he desires to exit on high, and I need to beat him similar to I did final time. He’s the person, he’s the star, and he’s the one I’m beating. First I’ll beat him, after which I’ll take into consideration the title.”
