RIZIN Fighting Federation closed out 2024 in a big way on New Year’s Eve.
Hosting a 22-fight card at the Saitama Super Arena entitled RIZIN Decade (a nod to the promotion’s 10th anniversary), the Japanese fight promotion put on the sort of New Year’s party only they could – with explosive action, wild actics, and high-stakes title fights all featured.
The antics included a ref being struck multiple times during the Rukiya Anpo boxing match, which saw him earn a clear unanimous decision over Sina Karimian, who held a serious size advantage. Chaos erupted late in the fight when Karimian fired off a spinning back fist; moments later, the ref was struck repeatedly (though accidentally), leading to security entering the ring – though the fight was allowed to continue shortly after.
What was going on here?!? A spinning back fist, and multiple blows landed on the ref… CHAOS!! #RIZIN_Decade (Footage courtesy of RIZIN FF/RIZIN.tv) pic.twitter.com/Sfo0m0CuPE
— Cageside Press (@Cagesidepress) December 31, 2024
The night’s first title fight saw lightweight gold on the line when Roberto Satoshi Souza faced off with former featherweight champ Vugar Karamov. The tone was set early with a takedown for Souza roughly 90 seconds in; that had Karamov scrambling but unable to escape back to his feet. Souza passed into side control, looking to create space, but Karamov then found his escape route and scrambled out.
After a bit of trading, and some back-and-forth grappling along the ropes, the next takedown actually came care of Karamov, who landed on top of the dangerous submission expert. Souza would throw up his legs, looking for a triangle, late in the round after a big punch from Karamov, and though it looked as if Vugar might make it out of the round, he was quickly forced to tap! The victory marked Souza’s fourth defense of the RIZIN lightweight title, which the Brazilian has held since its inception.
Go to the ground with Roberto Satoshi Souza at your own peril. He retains his lightweight title with yet another submission win, this time of former featherweight champ Vugar Karamov. #RIZIN_Decade (Footage courtesy of RIZIN FF/RIZIN.tv) pic.twitter.com/nkueB3RtPu
— Cageside Press (@Cagesidepress) December 31, 2024
Kyoji Horiguchi also retained his flyweight title in the RIZIN Decade co-main event. In a fight that was not without adversity for the champ, Horiguchi was able to impose his will on the ground, while holding his own enough on the feet to earn a unanimous decision win. A former bantamweight champ in both Bellator MMA and RIZIN, Horiguchi remains one of the most formidable fighters in the lighter weight classes, globally.
Capping off the night at RIZIN Decade, Kleber Koike faced Chihiro Suzuki in a rematch of a fight that saw him stripped of his featherweight title for missing weight. Suzuki had, in the interim, claimed gold himself, upping the stakes for this second encounter. However despite doing significant damage, opening up a cut on the challenger in the third round that seemed to spurt blood at times, Suzuki could not do enough to retain. All too often, he found himself caught in dangerous submission attempts, and while the bout went the distance, all three judges awarded it to Koike.
