RIZIN Fighting Federation concluded its doubleheader with a bang Sunday as lightweight champion Roberto Satoshi got his revenge in Tokyo, Japan.
Set to rematch Johnny Case in the main event of RIZIN 35, the only man to ever beat him in MMA, the jiu-jitsu ace stood and traded for a minute before shooting for a takedown and working for a submission, but Case successfully escaped. Satoshi immediately took Case’s head on his feet, and set up an inverted triangular choke that locked Case into a trap.
Satoshi is now 14-1 in MMA with his past four wins coming by way of submission with triangle chokes.
JUST LIKE THAT@ToshiJJ gets the tap in the very 1st round
AND STILL
[(#RIZIN35 | Watch on @livenowglobal–https://t.co/6gKrHxMVSe)] pic.twitter.com/GAqnNgEJjd
— RIZIN FF English (@rizin_English) April 17, 2022
“One of the things that motivated me the most before this fight was the fact that my opponent said I have no heart, and I wanted to prove that’s not true,” Satoshi said after the victory. “I wanna prove to the world the strength we have in Japan and RIZIN.”
The two other title bouts also featured rematches in Juntaro Ushiku vs. Yutaka Saito and Seika Izawa vs. Ayaka Hamasaki. Ushiku was close to eliminating Saito via a head kick. However, the challenger survived, and continued fighting hard, winning a close fight. Izawa also nearly finished her opponent in the second, but this time defeated Hamasaki via decision.
MASSIVE HEAD KICK BY THE CHAMP@kinnikun0228 follows up with a guillotine
[(#RIZIN35 | Watch on @livenowglobal–https://t.co/6gKrHxMVSe)] pic.twitter.com/uj7XY9e3fK
— RIZIN FF English (@rizin_English) April 17, 2022
HOW DID SHE ESCAPE? @starflower2525 slides out of an extremely tight armbar from the Champion, @kk331ayaka
[(#RIZIN35 | Watch on @livenowglobal–https://t.co/6gKrHxMVSe)] pic.twitter.com/C8FSGfepHx
— RIZIN FF English (@rizin_English) April 17, 2022
The show also featured Tsuyoshi KOSaka’s retirement fight. Almost 30 years after his first appearance inside a MMA ring in 1994 and 77 fights later, Kosaka hung up his gloves following a massive first-round knockout over MMA debutant Mikio Ueda.
UNBELIEVABLE
Tsuyoshi Kosaka knocks out Ueda COLD in Round 1
[(#RIZIN35 | Watch on @livenowglobal–https://t.co/6gKrHxMVSe)] pic.twitter.com/ab9j6cDZxf
— RIZIN FF English (@rizin_English) April 17, 2022
The early portion of the card had two fighters taking out their opponents with submissions. Koji Takeda was put to bed by Spike Carlyle in the second stanza. Vugar Karamov then finished Taichi Nakajima in two minutes with a triangle choke.
OUT COLD.
Spike Carlyle (@AlphaGingermma) puts Takeda out with a guillotine in Round 2.
[(#RIZIN35 | Watch on @livenowglobal–https://t.co/6gKrHxMVSe)] pic.twitter.com/53rkQjfXE3
— RIZIN FF English (@rizin_English) April 17, 2022
OUT COLD @vugar_karamov with the instant triangle choke after a scramble.
[(#RIZIN35 | Watch on @livenowglobal –https://t.co/4N5jJnoT5j)] pic.twitter.com/d27XS3vK9d
— RIZIN FF English (@rizin_English) April 17, 2022
Check the complete RIZIN 35 results below.
Roberto Satoshi def. Johnny Case via submission (inverted triangle choke) – Round 1, 3:32
Juntaro Ushiku def. Yutaka Saito via unanimous decision
Seika Izawa def. Ayaka Hamasaki via unanimous decision
Tsuyoshi Kosaka def. Mikio Ueda via KO – Round 1, 2:05
Kanna Asakura def. Satomi Takano via unanimous decision
Spike Carlyle def. Koji Takeda via submission (guillotine choke) – Round 2, 1:35
Shoma Shibisai def. Rihards Bigis via TKO – Round 1, 1:36
Yuki Motoya def. Alan Yamaniha via unanimous decision
Vugar Karamov def. Taichi Nakajima via submission (triangle choke) – Round 1, 2:00
Kyle Aguon def. Takahiro Ashida via unanimous decision
