Rizin Combating Federation delivered an unbelievable night time of fights and three championship bouts to shut 2024 with its conventional New 12 months’s Eve card on the Saitama Tremendous Area in Saitama, Japan.
Chihiro Suzuki entered the ring to defend his featherweight throne in a rematch towards Kleber Koike, and the duo engaged in a bloody 15-minute conflict that lasted till after midnight. Koike, who tapped Suzuki in three minutes after they first fought however had the win robotically overturned to no-contest resulting from his weight miss, had the mount within the opening spherical, however Suzuki defended effectively the assaults, together with heel kicks to the face.
The Brazilian modified methods within the second spherical, marching ahead to take Suzuki to the bottom. The Japanese bought again to his toes a number of occasions, however Koike ultimately had him on the bottom and mounted, going for a triangle choke and mounted neck crank that had Suzuki working onerous to flee.
The clock hit midnight, and 2025 started whereas Koike and Suzuki ready for the ultimate spherical. Suzuki returned aggressively to open a deep minimize on Koike’s brow, and the bloody challenger went for the end and locked in a deep triangle armbar that slipped away. Koike once more bought the mount and landed heavy punches and elbows till time ran out. In the long run, Koike regained the featherweight title by way of unanimous resolution.
The co-main occasion noticed Nkazimulo Zulu shock Kyoji Horiguchi a pair occasions, rocking and even dropping the flyweight champion, however not sufficient to steal the title. Horiguchi labored on takedowns early in spherical one however couldn’t safe the end, and Zulu surprised him with a left hand when again on the toes. Horiguchi responded by dropping Zulu with a proper hand to the pinnacle.
As spherical two began, Zulu shot for a takedown and Horiguchi reversed to remain on high till the ultimate minute, after they returned to their toes, when Zulu once more surprised him. Horiguchi went again for the ultimate spherical and utterly dominated Zulu on the wrestling division, touchdown heavy floor and pound to win a unanimous resolution.
Roberto Satoshi efficiently defended his light-weight championship with a flawless efficiency towards a harmful Vugar Karamov. The Brazilian jiu-jitsu ace took Karamov down and performed guard lengthy sufficient to lock a decent triangle choke and power the previous 145-pound champion to faucet with 15 seconds left within the opening spherical. Satoshi has now 11 wins in 12 Rizin appearances, together with 10 stoppages.
Japan’s nice and No. 12 ranked pound-for-pound fighter Seika Izawa walked by way of short-notice alternative Lucia Apdelgarim in a non-title match. Izawa wasted no time taking Apdelgarim to the bottom and going for the end, switching forwards and backwards between triangle chokes and armbars. The stoppage solely got here when she mixed each to power Apdelgarim to faucet.
Seika Izawa is a PROBLEM on the bottom, forces the faucet from an outmatched Lucia Apdelgarim. Izawa improves to 15-0, says she desires to face worldwide expertise. #RIZIN_Decade (Footage courtesy of RIZIN FF/RIZIN.television) pic.twitter.com/DOZ3Re64Qg
— Cageside Press (@Cagesidepress) December 31, 2024
The primary card opener noticed Yuki Motoya enter the ring for his fiftieth skilled battle and defeat Kyoma Akimoto to a hard-fought resolution and earn a shot at Rizin bantamweight champion Naoki Inoue. Rizin founder Nobuyuki Sakakibara introduced the title bout rematch will happen March 31 in Kagawa, Japan. Inoue beat Motoya again in 2020 by way of first-round submission.
Click on right here for full Rizin Decade outcomes.
