Rizin’s final show of the year Rizin 49: Decade is set to go down later today at the Saitama Super Arena. The show is going to feature 21 matches (17 with MMA rules, three with kickboxing rules, and one exhibition standing rules bout).
Three of the main card matches will feature title defenses.
Rizin 49: Decade Title Matches
The first of those three fights will see Rizin lightweight champion Roberto “Satoshi” de Souza (17-3) taking on former Rizin featherweight champion Vugar Karamov (20-5). This will be his fourth defense.
The co-main event of Rizin 49: Decade will see former Bellator and Rizin bantamweight champion Kyoji Horiguchi (33-5, 1 NC) make his first defense of the Rizin flyweight championship. He takes on South Africa’s Nkazimulo Zulu (16-6-1) who is the EFC flyweight champion.
The main event of Rizin 49: Decade will see featherweight champion Chihiro Suzuki (13-3, 1 NC) try to take back a loss (that was turned into a no-contest) from the jiu-jitsu demon Kleber Koike (33-7-1, 1 NC). Their first fight Koike missed weight and he submitted Suzuki with an armbar. As Koike was champion at the time, Rizin rules dictate if you miss weight and win, it is deemed a no contest.
Suzuki’s rise in Rizin is something out of a movie that can inspire many people.
Other Matches On Rizin 49: Decade
Some of the other marquee matches will feature former UFC fighter Jose “Shorty” Torres (12-3-1) taking on former CFFC flyweight champion Makoto “Shinryu” (18-3-1, 1 NC). Throwing himself directly into fire just like his dad, Taisei Sakuraba (debut), son of MMA legend Kazushi, will take on Rizin journeyman Yusuke Yachi (27-14).
There will also be the finals of the Rizin Koshien Tournament. A tournament that looks to find young and talented MMA fighters in high school. The two finalists, 18-year-old Sanou Yokouchi (0-1 AMMY) will take on 16-year-old Kenshin Saito (debut).
Of course, it wouldn’t be a Rizin card if there was an absurd freakshow fight. The main event of the Rizin Bangaichi portion will feature former K-1 champion Rukiya Anpo taking on K-1 cruiserweight Sina Karimian in a Rizin special standing bout rules. Anpo weighed in at 179 lbs. Karimian weighed in at 215 lbs.
How to Watch
We have written a handy guide on the ways to watch Rizin 49: Decade. You can see the guide here. You can also see the different times that the show will air courtesy of Rizin’s English Twitter account.
For anyone outside Japan, you’re going to want to go to Rizin.tv to watch. English commentary by Michael Schiavello and Damien Brown will be provided and both will be ringside.
#RIZIN_DECADE
#RIZIN49
#FIGHTORDER Official Bout Order Announced
Featherweight Title Match
⑭ Chihiro SuzukiKleber Koike
⑬ Kyoji Horiguchi
⑫ Roberto "Satoshi" Souza— RIZIN.tv (@RIZINTV_) December 25, 2024
Rizin 49: Decade Results
Show start: (11 pm ET/8 pm PT, Rizin.tv)
Rizin 49: Decade Main Event: Kleber Koike def. Chihiro Suzuki (c) via unanimous decision to become the new Rizin featherweight champion
Co-Main Event: Kyoji Horiguchi (c) def. Nkazimulo Zulu via unanimous decision to retain the Rizin flyweight championship
Roberto Satoshi de Souza (c) def. Vugar Karamov via submission (triangle choke) to in Round 1 to retain the Rizin lightweight championship
Seika Izawa def. Lucia Apdelgarim (non-title match) via submission (armbar) in Round 1
Yuki Motoya def. Kyoma Akimoto via unanimous decision
Razhabali Shaydullaev def. Yuta Kubo via TKO (punches) in 2:30 of Round 2
Karshyga Dautbek def. YA-MAN via unanimous decision
Ryuya Fukuda def. Ryusei Ashizawa via TKO (punches) in 54 seconds of Round 1
Mikio Ueda def. Tae-in Kim via TKO (knee) in Round 3
Jose Torres def. Makoto Shinryu via split decision
Taisei Sakuraba def. Yusuke Yachi via KO (punch) in 26 seconds of Round 1
Koji Takeda def. Suguru Nii via unanimous technical decision in 4:09 of Round 3
Ed Polo King def. Takakenshin via TKO (punches) in 3:22 of Round 1
Genji Umeno def. Taiga via unanimous decision
Sanou Yokouchi def. Kenshin Saito (RIZIN Koshien Final) via submission (rear-naked choke) in 3:03 of Round 1
Rukiya Anpo def. Sina Karimian (Standing Rules Bout 2 min x 6R) via unanimous decision (60-54, 60-54, 60-54)
Sho Patrick Usami def. Issa Hosokawa (OFG Kickboxing) via TKO (body punch) in 2:59 of Round 2
Tatsuki Shinotsuka def. Aoi Noda (OFG Kickboxing) via TKO (3 Knockdowns) in 2:07 of Round 1
Daichi Tomizawa def. Kota Miura (Special MMA rules 5 min x 2 R) via KO (knee) in 1:53 of Round 1
Taio Asahisa def. YURA (Kickboxing) via unanimous decision (28-25, 28-25, 28-25)
Hyuma Yasui def. Kurobarakun (Hiroaki Suzuki) via unanimous decision
Hiroto Gomyo def. Koki “Playboi” Akada via split decision
