Rizin returns this weekend with their first show in the Hokkaido region, Rizin 43. From the Makomanai Ice Arena in Sapporo, Rizin 43 will once again be broadcast on FITE internationally. If you happen to live in Japan, the show will be available for free on YouTube.
At first glance, the card on paper shows a lack of star power. Most of the fighters involved would be unknown to some of the most hardcore JMMA fans. Nevertheless, there are plenty of stylistic matchups that stick out as fun and compelling fights.
Let’s look ahead at what’s to come this weekend.
✈️#RIZIN43✈️
📝#FIGHTORDER👑 RIZIN Featherweight Championship Match 👑@KoikeKleber 🆚 Chihiro Suzuki
📡 PPV available on @FiteTV [ https://t.co/538zJfYlrK ]
📅6/24 (Sat) 12:00am CT start~
*Opening fight starts at 10:30pm CT Friday evening
🏟 Makomanai Sekisui Heim Ice Arena pic.twitter.com/t3wcdRazrI— RIZIN FF English (@rizin_English) June 19, 2023
Kleber Koike vs Chihiro Suzuki
Kleber Koike defends his featherweight title for the first time against the young upstart crossover fighter Chihiro Suzuki. Photo courtesy of Rizin FF.
Kleber Koike (31-6-1) has dominated almost all of his Rizin matches since coming over from KSW. He has the most dangerous grappling in the division, with an astounding 27 submission wins. He’s very crafty and will trick his opponents into going into the ground. If that doesn’t work, he will force the opposition down with a strong guard pull.
6⃣ wins.
6⃣ submissions.
Will it be lucky number 7 in the RIZIN ring when Featherweight Champion @KoikeKleber makes his first defense against rising contender Chihiro Suzuki?
[ #RIZIN43 | 6/24 12:00am CT | @FiteTV | PPV link in bio ] pic.twitter.com/VO0hvcuDa1
— RIZIN FF English (@rizin_English) June 21, 2023
Chihiro Suzuki (10-3) has been the unsung hero of Rizin since debuting in the pandemic era. Despite losing in his Rizin debut, he has since gone on an undefeated streak in both MMA and kickboxing. Though he is a kickboxer primarily, he has adapted to high-level MMA defeating such opponents as Ren Hiramoto, Kyohei Hagiwara, and Masakazu Imanari.
Oshima vs Salt
This fight qualifies as a legitimate women’s freakshow fight. Photo courtesy of Rizin FF.
Saori Oshima (11-3) is one of the smallest competitors in women’s Japanese MMA. Despite her slight stature at just under five feet tall, she has defeated some of the best at atomweight including Kanna Asakura, Miyuu Yamamoto, and Moeri Suda. She has some of the strongest judo in her division and uses that base to keep her opponents from gaining any advantageous position.
Salt (3-2) is still a newcomer to MMA. However, she overcame her lack of her experience by becoming Pancrase strawweight champion, having beaten fan favorite Karen twice. She is still a relative unknown in terms of her fighting style but relies mostly on keeping the fighting standing and closing the distance in the clinch.
Oshima, a fighter at microweight and atomweight is moving up two weight classes to take on a fighter who fights at strawweight. Skill should not be an issue, but if she can overcome Salt’s size in the strawweight division, she could add another name to her growing resume.
Hideki “Shrek” Sekine vs Mikio Ueda
The veteran Hideki “Shrek” Sekine takes on newcomer Mikio Ueda. Photo courtesy of Rizin FF.
Hideki “Shrek” Sekine (12-6) is one of the most fun fighters to watch in Rizin. Despite being an undersized heavyweight, 49-years-old, and a very clumsy fighter, he has the classic babyface pro wrestler aesthetic to him. He loves to use strength and throw German suplexes during his fight, and thus is able to win the live fans over time and time again.
This will be Mikio Ueda’s (1-1) third fight in his pro career. Training out of the famed Brave Gym, Ueda is a karate champion and infamously competed in a 100-man kumite, with the doctor intervening after the 60th match.
For his third fight, Ueda is getting a very tough opponent in Sekine. Will he be able to best the formidable veteran or will “Shrek” make him regret invading his MMA swamp?
Rizin 43 will be available on Fite.TV for $19.99 at 1 am EST/10pm PST.
Full Card
Kleber Koike (c) vs Chihiro Suzuki for the Rizin featherweight championship
Yusuke Yachi vs Zach Zane
Hideki “Shrek” Sekine vs Mikio Ueda
Hiroaki Suzuki vs Taisei Nishitani
Genji Umeno vs Hiroki Suzuki (kickboxing)
Minoru Kimura vs Daryl Lokoku (kickboxing)
Yuta Kubo vs Karate Kinoshita
Saori Oshima vs Salt
Suguru Nii vs Tateo Iida
Tetsuya Seki vs Raiki Endo
Trent Girdham vs Joji Goto
Marina Kumagai vs Aoi Kuriyama
Kensei Yamakawa vs Ryoga Hirano (kickboxing)
Toshiki Watanabe vs Kento Azumi
Daiki Maruyama vs Suguru Hayasaka
Aito vs Ryuya Koide (kickboxing)
Syouki Hoshikubo vs Ganbare! Furukawakun (kickboxing)
