Kleber Koike and Patricky Pitbull will compete on the identical occasion Sunday morning in Japan, sharing the Tremendous RIZIN 4 card in Saitama, and RIZIN made certain to keep away from extra drama between them.
Pitbull signed with the promotion after parting methods with PFL and can make his debut as a full-time RIZIN fighter two years after they each had a locker room brawl throughout Tremendous RIZIN 2.
On July 29, 2023, Patricky knocked out Koike’s teammate Roberto Satoshi. The next evening, his brother Patricio Pitbull — who held a previous win over Koike — was completed by Chihiro Suzuki. Patricky and Koike had an altercation proper outdoors the ring, and Pitbull staff accused Koike of invading his locker room and kicking Patricky from behind later that evening.
Koike confirmed the locker room brawl in a dialog with MMA Combating on the time, blaming Pitbull’s translator for inflicting rift by mistranslating his phrases. Ultimately, Koike mentioned “they began the struggle and I defended myself.”
Kleber Koike despatched me this video of Patricky Pitbull pushing him ringside at Tremendous RIZIN 2, proper after Suzuki knocked out Patricio pic.twitter.com/wrlvY0lcNK
— Guilherme Cruz (@guicruzzz) August 2, 2023
Years later, and now sharing the identical card with Koike headlining the present in a rematch with Mikuru Asakura and Pitbull battling Shunta Nomura, they advised MMA Combating that RIZIN particularly requested them to not create any drama earlier than, throughout or after the occasion on the Saitama Tremendous Enviornment.
“The very first thing they requested me when signing the contract was, ‘Don’t begin a brawl with Kleber,’” Pitbull mentioned. “Don’t go after him, don’t tease him. I mentioned, ‘Okay, inform him to remain cool and I’ll keep cool. But when he teases me or comes after me, I received’t maintain again. I don’t get attacked without cost.’ … I joke that that was the primary clause on the contract [laughed]. I don’t need to converse to him. I solely have respect for Roberto Satoshi, a really well mannered household man, very similar to me. However Kleber, no contact, no discuss.”
Koike confirmed he was requested the identical factor going into Tremendous RIZIN 4, and mentioned it’s all water below the bridge now.
“I’ve nothing in opposition to them,” Koike mentioned. “It’s previously. We have now to remain centered on doing our job. I don’t need to lose focus due to a brawl. I’m an expert and I rely on this work. What occurred, occurred. I don’t need to create any extra hassle as a result of that’s already introduced me sufficient hassle. I misplaced sponsors, I misplaced a misplaced due to that mess.
“Perhaps [brawls] promote for the struggle group in Brazil, in the US, however I dwell right here. I depend on sponsorships, and I’ve misplaced sponsors. That’s not good for me right here, and RIZIN requested me. ‘You may harm different folks. 5 minutes there can harm harmless folks and destroy your lives, so watch out.’ They usually’re not unsuitable, proper?”
Each Brazilians enter the occasion with their again in opposition to the wall, too. Koike misplaced his featherweight belt in a 62-second knockout defeat to Razhabali Shaydullaev this previous Could, and Pitbull has to snap a three-fight dropping skid.
“I’ve to be one hundred pc centered on this struggle. I must win this struggle,” mentioned Koike, a former KSW and RIZIN champion who turns 36 in October. “I do know my profession is nearing its finish. I nonetheless have wooden to burn, however I’ve to remain centered on what I wanna do. I don’t have time for errors. I’ve to benefit from the alternatives, and that’s all I believe proper now.”
Pitbull, nonetheless, mentioned he would like to have the possibility to place his arms on Koike for a sanctioned struggle contained in the RIZIN ring.
“Perhaps in the future they throw me his head,” Pitbull mentioned. “I believe they’re defending him an excessive amount of [laughs]. I’d go down [to a] catchweight, 145, no matter they need. However [RIZIN] say they don’t need that, go away him alone, don’t mess with him. Cool, no drawback. I nonetheless have him caught [in my throat]. I’m not one to carry grudges, however I’ll management myself, I’ll respect the group, I’ll respect the game. However like I mentioned, if he comes joking… I might actually need to struggle him, however I don’t assume the group needs that. It appears that evidently they’re fully uninterested.”
