Late night Japanese MMA time!
The RIZIN: “Landmark 5” card tonight (Sat., April 29, 2023) — coming to you live from the Yoyogi National Gymnasium, in Tokyo, Japan — promises to be face-kicking, family-friendly fun.
Let’s start with the names you and I are probably already familiar with: Rena Kubota, one of Japan’s most famous women’s kickboxers who left the sport with a stellar 35-5-1 record (per wikipedia), has racked up a 13-4 mixed martial arts (MMA) record so far and is taking on Bellator and Combate veteran, France’s Claire Lopez.
If you’ve followed the Floyd Mayweather Exhibition Tour, Mikuru Asakura is a name you know already. Victim to a second round technical knockout by the former boxing champion, the older brother of Kai Asakura is looking to keep his MMA win streak going to three as he takes on former Featherweight title challenger, Juntarou Ushiku.
To round out the preview, there’s going to be a Heavyweight banger midway through the card as Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) veteran, Roque Martinez, takes on former sumo star, Tsuyoshi Sudario. Sudario is looking to rebound after last year’s 1st round knockout loss to current Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) fighter Junior Tafa.
One thing worth noting for everyone, if you’re interested in buying this event, Fite.TV has bundled this event with the RIZIN 42 card that’s happening on May 6, 2023, in a two-for-one deal.
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— RIZIN FF OFFICIAL (@rizin_PR) April 28, 2023
RIZIN Landmark 5 Quick Results
145 lbs.: Mikuru Asakura def. Juntarou Ushiku — Decision (split)
145 lbs.: Yutaka Saito def. Ren Hiramoto — Decision (split)
145 lbs.: Masanori Kanehara def. Sora Yamamoto — Decision (unanimous)
155 lbs.: Luiz Gustavo def. Koji Takeda — Decision (split)
135 lbs.: Shinobu Ota def. Kazuma Kuramoto — KO (punch), 0:27 Rd. 1
265 lbs.: Tsuyoshi Sudario def. Roque Martinez — Decision (unanimous)
112 lbs.: Claire Lopez def. Rena Kubota — Submission (kneebar), 3:51 Rd. 3
108 lbs.: Kanna Asakura def. Mei Yamaguchi — Decision (unanimous)
155 lbs.: Ali Abdulkhalikov def. Tatsuya Saika — KO (punches), 3:30 Rd. 1
RIZIN Landmark 5 Play-By-Play Results
Juntarou Ushiku vs. Mikura Asakura
Round 1: Asakura in white, Ushiku in purple. Slow start as they feel each other out. Lefts from both men. Asakura surges forward and lands a left in a combination. Ushiku pulls guard off a clinch. Ushiku not really trying for anything other than a ref stand-up. Asakura content to throw rights to the body and get the stand up when the ref intervenes. Asakura stalking Ushiku as neither man is doing much here. Asakura misses a left, Ushiku misses a spinning elbow.
Round 2: Kick to the body by Asakura and a punch there as well seconds later. There’s a clinch and another guard pull Ushiku, this time in the middle of the cage. Rubber guard briefly. Not much happening other than some light GNP and Ushiku switching back and forth from rubber to closed guard. Finally we get a ref break again. Standing knee by Asakura. Ushiku looking for a trip, but Asakura maintaining his balance.
Round 3: I feel like I’m repeating myself, but a slow start to the round, then a clinch and a guard pull, followed by not much and a ref stand-up. Jabs from both men. Ushiku ducks under a strike and gets the takedown. Asakura is up, but has an Ushiku backpack on him right now. Asakura is able to spin backwards and has his back to the cage. Now we’ve got a ref break again. Two minutes left. Counter right by Asakura. Ushiku gets a hook to land. Left by Asakura as we’ve finally got some action. Asakura knees to the body, but that allows Ushiku to run a takedown. Ushiku gets a knee of his own as Asakura stands up, but we’ve got yet another guard pull. Ref breaks it up, but that’s all she wrote.
FINAL RESULTS: Mikura Asakura defeats Juntarou Ushiku, unanimous decision
Yutaka Saito vs. Ren Hiramoto
Round 1: Hiramoto in green, Saito in blue. Hiramoto with the middle-finger gun salute. Feeling out process lasts about a minute before Hiramoto hits an inside leg kick. Saito shoots for a takedown, settles for a clinch against the cage. Knees the thighs while looking for an opening. Hiramoto avoids an outside trip, but it still stuck. Saito gets the body lock and bodies Hiramoto down. Hiramoto posts and is back up immediately. Inside trip attempt fails – Hiramoto may have grabbed the cage to stay upright, I couldn’t see. Ref is letting them work here as we’re down to 90 seconds left in the same position. Another body lock and another takedown, but with zero control as Hiramoto pops up almost immediately and we’re returned to the fence. Saito with wrist control, back to kneeing the legs.
Round 2: Both men trying to get the other to go first here, and it’s a staring contest for the first minute. Finally a shot attempt by Saito, and it’s a replay of the first round right now. Hiramoto explodes and reverses free after a minute of that. Head kick attempt by Hiramoto is blocked, but still seemed damaging. Saito did not like this chin check and he goes for a takedown. Hiramoto reverses and he’s got the back of a standing Saito. Hiramoto gets in a few punches before Saito can break free. Counter left lands clean for Saito as does a follow-up right. Inside kick to the calf connects for Hiramoto.
Round 3: Two of those same kicks for Hiramoto to open. Saito checks the third. Hiramoto switches stances and kicks to the outside. Telegraphed shot by Saito gets stuffed, but it works enough for Saito to back Hiramoto to the cage fence. Hiramoto just chilling here and the ref has had enough of that, so we’re back to center-cage. Saito powers for a takedown and this one is better… gets a few seconds worth of control and a left fist to the face out of it before Hiramoto works up. Back up to the fence yet again and the ref isn’t letting it stall there. Saito with a looping left hook, Hiramoto with a powerful leg kick and then both stuffs a takedown AND stays off the cage. Both men looking a little desperate, as it’s a close fight. Nothing of note to end it.
FINAL RESULTS: Yutaka Saito defeats Ren Hiramoto, split decision
Masanori Kanehara vs. Sora Yamamoto
Round 1: Yamamoto in black, Kanehara in yellow. Yamamoto with a series of sporadic kicks, most of which miss, aside from a couple of outside leg kicks. Kanehara fires back with a left-right. Sora shoots and grabs a single before pulling guard. He tries a guillotine, but Kanehara gets out of it. Kanehara looking for an arm triangle. One minute to go before Masanori gives up on it. Kanehara with full mount. Yamamoto gets up and eats a cracking right hand with seconds left that sends him to the canvas – time runs out as Kanehara lands a flying double foot stomp!
Round 2: Kanehara with a glancing body kick. Yamamoto hits a jab, Kanehara replies a little later with a solid hook. Sora checks a kick this time. Lands a jab, eats a right. Kanehara connects with a left hand and a cracking calf kick. Yamamoto switching stances to avoid further damage to that lead leg. Sora circling, then plants his feet to throw a 1-2, but not with full power. Kanehara not respecting the punches. Yamamoto tries a rolling thunder, but misses. Calf kick drops Yamamoto at the bell.
Round 3: Yamamoto vaguely tried leaving his feet for a flying knee, but changed his mind at the last second and ate a right hand for his trouble. Kanehara with a counter right and that sends Sora to the floor. Yamamoto looking for a leg lock, but Kanehara winds up on top. Sora looking for a guillotine out of full guard. Kanehara pounding the rib cage as he ignores the half-hearted choke attempt. Finally Kanehara manages to clear the legs and winds up in mount. Arm triangle position again. Kanehara might get it here, but looks like he’s gonna run out of time. 10-second warning and Kanehara bails on the submission to get in some punches.
FINAL RESULTS: Masanori Kanehara defeats Sora Yamamoto, unanimous decision
Koji Takeda vs. Luiz Gustavo
Round 1: Takeda in purple, Gustavo in black. Takeda trips Gustavo during a kick attempt. Gustavo gets up, but Takeda holds onto the leg and sends the Brazilian back to the mat. Full guard for Gustavo. Takeda postures up briefly, does nothing with it, and maintains control. Gustavo opens his guard to get up, threatens a guillotine and uses it to knee Takeda and stand up. They’re back up. Gustavo with a body kick, but again, Takeda catches it and trips him. Gustavo tries an upkick, Takeda stomps him in response. Gustavo doesn’t accept being on his back and rolls up. They’re back up and keeping a high pace. Good right hand from Gustavo. 90 seconds left.
Standing elbow attempt by Luiz. Body kick from Takeda. 3-2 by Gustavo and the right hand part lands. Heavy calf kick, and even though that looked like Gustavo checked it a bit, that still thudded in. Left by Gustavo and Takeda surges forward into a double-leg. Gets the takedown and punches Gustavo as the bell rings.
Round 2: Takeda has a cut at the hairline, but the bleeding was stopped during the break. Gustavo starts the round looking like the Energizer bunny if that rabbit threw lefts and rights repeatedly. Koji with a body shot. Couple of kicks to Gustavo’s ankles. Gustavo with a flurry, but leaves himself wide open for a takedown. Half guard here as Takeda isn’t doing much with the top position. Gustavo tries a kimura sweep, Takeda scrambles back on top, but winds up in full guard. He’s using the lesser position to control less and swing more. Gustavo scrambles and manages to get Takeda on his back. He lets Koji stand.
One minute left. Takeda gets hit with a clean left hand and immediately clinches. Gustavo has his back to the chain links and is eating shoulder strikes, for whatever that does.
Round 3: Takeda hits an inside kick but gets a counter right to the jaw. Takeda bouncing and moving well still. Gustavo keeping his calm and poised to brawl when he can get in range. Both men land with their hands – an uppercut for Takeda, a hook by Gustavo. Left by Takeda, right by Gustavo. Luiz hits another right and Takeda works for another takedown. Can’t get it and we’ve got two minutes left. Hard leg kick to the inside of Gustavo’s thigh. He responds with a right-left-right. Takeda on his bike and circles off the cage. Two right hands by Gustavo. There’s a standing elbow and he just shoves Takeda down. He’s back up. Gustavo tries a jump knee, but Takeda evades it and clinches Gustavo.
FINAL RESULTS: Luiz Gustavo defeats Koji Takeda, split decision
Kazuma Kuramoto vs. Shinobu Ota
Round 1: Ota in gold, Kuramoto in black. Kuramoto with a low kick to start, Ota replies with one of his own. HOLY! Ota with an enormous right hand on the break that crumples Kuramoto! The ref is stopping it even before the follow-up can get underway!
FINAL RESULTS: Shinobu Ota defeats Kazuma Kuramoto via knockout (punch) at 0:27, round 1
Tsuyoshi Sudario vs. Roque Martinez
Round 1: Martinez in black, Sudario in red. Sudario jabs to the body and wings a right, then a left. Martinez backs him up to the cage, but eats a jab as Sudario fights his way off it. Sudario throws a body kick, but not high enough and we’ve got a break in the action as Roque recovers from the low blow. Good body left from Sudario. Martinez finally closes the distance and gets an elbow, followed by a nice right. Spinning back kick by the former sumo athlete to Martinez’s body. Sudario looking crisp so far, glances another spinning kick to the body. Martinez fails on a high kick and slips down. Sudario in half guard.
One minute left. Sudario gets mount with about 40 seconds left. Arm triangle attempt. Sudario leaves mount and starts wailing in strikes at the end. A series of elbows cuts Martinez.
Round 2: Both men trade leg kicks. Roque on the offensive, trying to get back into this fight. Sudario cracks in a good left hand that wobbles Martinez for a moment and re-opens the cut that Martinez’s corner managed to staunch during the break. A good hook has Martinez on skates and Sudario surges forward. He swings, then takes Martinez down. He’s on top, in half guard and is looking to punish here. Big right elbows and punches. Looking for an arm triangle. Switches to an Americana. Goes back to punching. Mount with a minute and a half left. Martinez tries to spin to his back, but can’t. More GNP from the man from Japan. Sudario moves to the side and slams some knees in. Four punches rain down. A stomp and a soccer kick to end it.
If this was the universal scoring system, an easy 10-8, maybe a 10-7
Round 3: Martinez still looking fresh enough for a man who got the stuffing beat out of him earlier, but gets taken down just seconds in off a blast double. Sudario is once again on top, in back mount. Switches to side control so he can get in some thudding knees. Right hands. Martinez turtles, trying to get back to his feet, but Sudario drags Martinez away from the cage and onto his back. Sudario is doing a smart job with his outside arms – whichever side he goes into side/half from, his top arm is the one punishing Martinez. Back to mount. Stands up at the end and throws some soccer kicks and stomps.
FINAL RESULTS: Tsuyoshi Sudario defeats Roque Martinez, unanimous decision
Rena Kubota vs. Claire Lopez
Round 1: Lopez in black, Rena in her customary red. Rena with a leg kick to start, Lopez responds with a cracking right hand, followed by a takedown. Rena not letting go of a guillotine attempt, despite Lopez being on the wrong side for a finish. Rena lets go, gets mounted, and promptly scrambles out of it. Lopez postures up, evades an upkick and lands a nice left hand before diving back down into guard. Two big elbows. Three, four, five (albeit softer). Lopez stands, but wades back down with strikes. Rena trying for an armbar, not getting it so far. Lopez soccer kicking Rena, who refuses to let go. She’s landing good damage, but is under constant threat. Finally, she clears the arm and back to a more standard GNP. Huge round for Lopez.
Round 2: Low kicks and a body jab to open up for Rena. Lopez lands the 2 off of a 3-2 attempt. Checks a kick, misses a big right. She looks noticeably slower right now. Still gets in a right hand. She shoots for a takedown and gets it, into full guard. Only 80 seconds into this 5-minute round. Rena with an elbow from the bottom. A bit of GNP by Lopez, as she stands. She’s moving slowly and that gives Rena time to move her legs into position for an armbar or triangle. Rena uses that attempt to sweep and get up. She eats a knee for her trouble. Left to the body by Rena and a right to the jaw from Lopez. Rena coming forward now, lands a combo. Rena kicking the calf of Lopez, but gets hit by an uppercut. Rena working the body of her fatigued opponent. Rena backs Lopez to the cage. They exchange clinch strikes, but Rena is getting the better of these exchanges now.
Round 3: Calf kicks and body punches are the recipe so far for Rena when it’s standing. Lopez looking a bit refreshed here at the start of this round – let’s see how long this lasts. Good teep by Rena. Body-head by Rena backs Lopez up. Lopez looks labored again just 90 seconds in. Rena stuffs a poor takedown attempt. Nice leg kick has Lopez limping a bit. Uppercut by Lopez. 90 seconds remain and the action has slogged. Rena hits a body kick, but Lopez powers forward into a takedown. She’s grapevined Rena’s leg with her own and manages to get a kneebar from it! Rena taps!
FINAL RESULTS: Claire Lopez defeats Rena via submission (kneebar) at 3:51, round 3
Kanna Asakura vs. Mei Yamaguchi
Round 1: Mei in black and gray, Kanna in black and orange. Slow feeling out process here. Kanna tosses out a 1-2 that doesn’t land. They clinch up. Mei has her back to the links, gets a forearm under the chin and reverses. Mei tossing in some right hands as she keeps Asakura up against the fence. Kanna looking for a hip toss, gets it, nearly gets swept, but does finish up on top. Full guard here. Mei tries to work in a butterfly and sweeps Kanna. Asakura holds on and pressures Mei to the fence as they’re back standing. Kanna tries for a couple of suplexes, but can’t get Mei down. Headlock and a hip toss gets Mei down again. Straight armbar attempt for Yamaguchi creates a scramble. Asakura stays plastered to Mei and manages to dump her to the mat as the round ends.
Round 2: Kanna gets hit with a right, lands a counter right. Looks like we got a clash of heads that stuns Kanna momentarily, but the ref didn’t see it and we’re fighting on. Great level change by Kanna who ducks under a swing and gets a great blast double. Passes to half. Full, half, full as we exchange passing and re-guarding. Mei gets to the cage and is looking to frame up, but her bottom leg isn’t in position yet. Mei works to stand, which leaves her face unguarded as Kanna takes a minute to punch her. Mei tries to break the grip, but gets rolled backwards. Mei trying for a bit of a calf slicer, but can’t get the position. Kanna clears it and is now attacking the back. She’s got back mount, and is looking for the neck. Back on top to land some GNP as the round ends.
Round 3: Asakura with a left, misses a takedown attempt. Kanna flurrying. Mei stands her ground after being stunned a bit and fires back. Kanna takes advantage of Mei’s planted feet and hits a takedown. “V.V.” Mei tries for that straight armlock again, and that makes Kanna back off, allowing her to stand up. Kanna clinches up with her immediately and within 5 seconds, drags Mei back down. Side control. Mei working to spin out, gets kneed to the head. Front headlock from Asakura and a couple knees as Mei stands up. Kanna clinches and tries another takedown. Can’t get it, breaks and they trade. Good punches land for Kanna, but instead of staying brawling, she lands another takedown and is on top in half guard.
Working for an arm triangle, and she’s in good position. Mei shrimps out and remains alive in this fight with under a minute to go. Kanna looking for an armbar, but can’t break the grip… does break the grip, but Mei defends with soccer kicks, and Kanna can’t get the finish before the bell.
FINAL RESULTS: Kanna Asakura defeats Mei “V.V.” Yamaguchi, unanimous decision
Tatsuya Saika vs Ali Abdulkhalikov
Round 1: Saika, the former Pancrase champ, is in brown and white trunks, Abdulkhalikov in blue and black. Ali with a low kick and a right hand to open up. Again hits the back of Saika’s lead left leg. Whiffs a big overhand, lands another kick. Saika with a combo. Abdulkhalikov catches a kick and takes Saika down. Good scramble, and Saika quickly uses the cage to wall-walk up. Counter right-left from Saika and another big right. Easily his best offense so far just past the halfway part of this round. Good jab by Tatsuya. Holy smokes, a huge 1-2 shatters Saika and he’s out. The follow-up shot on the ground wasn’t even needed, but Ali was too quick for the ref.
FINAL RESULTS: Ali Abdulkhalikov defeats Tatsuya Saika via knockout (punches) at 3:30, round 1
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