Kleber Koike Reclaims Featherweight Title From Chihiro Suzuki in Bloody Brawl: RIZIN 49 Highlights

Kleber Koike Reclaims Featherweight Title From Chihiro Suzuki in Bloody Brawl: RIZIN 49 HighlightsKleber Koike reclaimed the RIZIN featherweight championship during the final fight of the promotion’s New Year’s Eve bash inside…

Kleber Koike Reclaims Featherweight Title From Chihiro Suzuki in Bloody Brawl: RIZIN 49 Highlights

Kleber Koike reclaimed the RIZIN featherweight championship during the final fight of the promotion’s New Year’s Eve bash inside the legendary Saitama Super Arena in Japan.

In June 2023, Koike was stripped of the featherweight crown after he failed to make weight for a title defense against Chihiro Suzuki at RIZIN 43. 18 months later, the two would run it back — this time with Suzuki sitting as the promotion’s reigning featherweight king.

It was a classic battle of striker vs. grappler as Suzuki looked to impose his will on the feel while Koike sought to dominate things on the mat. In the end, it was Koike who would leave The Land of the Rising Sun with RIZIN gold around his waist after dominating a majority of their exchanges on the mat.

Official Result: Kleber Koike def. Chihiro Suzuki via unanimous decision to win the RIZIN featherweight championship.

Interestingly, fans appeared to disagree with the judges. According to Verdict MMA, Suzuki won the fight by more than a full point, edging Koike in all three rounds.

With their first fight in June 2023 ending in a no-contest and this one coming with a hint of controversy, could a trilogy bout be in their future?

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Check out highlights from Chihiro Suzuki vs. Kleber Koike at RIZIN 49:

Kleber Koike Reclaims Featherweight Title From Chihiro Suzuki in Bloody Brawl: RIZIN 49 Highlights

Kleber Koike Reclaims Featherweight Title From Chihiro Suzuki in Bloody Brawl: RIZIN 49 HighlightsKleber Koike reclaimed the RIZIN featherweight championship during the final fight of the promotion’s New Year’s Eve bash inside…

Kleber Koike Reclaims Featherweight Title From Chihiro Suzuki in Bloody Brawl: RIZIN 49 Highlights

Kleber Koike reclaimed the RIZIN featherweight championship during the final fight of the promotion’s New Year’s Eve bash inside the legendary Saitama Super Arena in Japan.

In June 2023, Koike was stripped of the featherweight crown after he failed to make weight for a title defense against Chihiro Suzuki at RIZIN 43. 18 months later, the two would run it back — this time with Suzuki sitting as the promotion’s reigning featherweight king.

It was a classic battle of striker vs. grappler as Suzuki looked to impose his will on the feel while Koike sought to dominate things on the mat. In the end, it was Koike who would leave The Land of the Rising Sun with RIZIN gold around his waist after dominating a majority of their exchanges on the mat.

Official Result: Kleber Koike def. Chihiro Suzuki via unanimous decision to win the RIZIN featherweight championship.

Interestingly, fans appeared to disagree with the judges. According to Verdict MMA, Suzuki won the fight by more than a full point, edging Koike in all three rounds.

With their first fight in June 2023 ending in a no-contest and this one coming with a hint of controversy, could a trilogy bout be in their future?

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Check out highlights from Chihiro Suzuki vs. Kleber Koike at RIZIN 49:

Chihiro Suzuki vs. Kleber Koike Erbst – Odds and Match Preview

Chihiro Suzuki vs. Kleber Koike Erbst - Odds and Match PreviewThe upcoming Rizin MMA matchup between Chihiro Suzuki and Kleber Koike Erbst is set to headline Rizin’s New Year’s…

Chihiro Suzuki vs. Kleber Koike Erbst - Odds and Match Preview

The upcoming Rizin MMA matchup between Chihiro Suzuki and Kleber Koike Erbst is set to headline Rizin’s New Year’s Eve event, Rizin 49 “Decade,” on December 31, 2024, at the Saitama Super Arena in Japan. This highly anticipated bout is a rematch for the Rizin Featherweight Championship, with Suzuki defending his title against former champion Erbst.

Chihiro Suzuki vs. Kleber Koike

Chihiro Suzuki, the current Rizin Featherweight champion, is a 25-year-old Japanese fighter with a professional record of 13 wins and 3 losses. Known for his striking ability, Suzuki has a knockout ratio of 54% and has been on an impressive winning streak since capturing the title. He won the championship in November 2023 by defeating Vugar Karamov and has successfully defended it once against Masanori Kanehara.

Kleber Koike Erbst is currently the favorite to win the bout, with odds of 4/7 (-180). This translates to an implied probability of about 60% that Erbst will emerge victorious. Chihiro Suzuki, the current champion, is considered the underdog in this matchup, with odds of 13/10 (+130). These odds suggest that bookmakers give Suzuki approximately a 40% chance of winning. These are competitive odds and for those who enjoy gaming make sure to check out instant withdrawal online casino Australia right here.

Chihiro Suzuki

Kleber Koike Erbst, a 35-year-old Brazilian-born Japanese fighter, is a submission specialist. Erbst is a former Rizin Featherweight champion and has also held the KSW Featherweight title in the past. He is known for his exceptional grappling skills, with 29 of his wins coming by submission.

The stakes for this fight are high, as it’s not only a championship bout but also a rematch with a backstory. Their first encounter in June 2023 ended in controversy when Erbst missed weight and was stripped of the title. Although Erbst won the fight by submission, it was ruled a no-contest due to the weight miss.

This rematch gives both fighters a chance to settle the score definitively. This matchup presents an interesting clash of styles. Chihiro Suzuki’s striking-based approach will be pitted against Erbst’s submission-heavy grappling game. The outcome may well depend on who can impose their preferred fighting style on the other.

The fight is particularly significant as it headlines Rizin’s 10th-anniversary event, adding extra prestige and attention to an already high-stakes championship bout. For Suzuki, it’s an opportunity to cement his status as champion, while Erbst seeks to reclaim the title he once held.

RIZIN Decade: Chihiro Suzuki vs. Kleber Koike Title Match For New Year’s Eve Spectacular

Chihiro Suzuki Rizin DecadeChihiro Suzuki vs. Kleber Koike, the main event for RIZIN DECADE has been confirmed. A highly anticipated rematch for…

Chihiro Suzuki Rizin Decade

Chihiro Suzuki vs. Kleber Koike, the main event for RIZIN DECADE has been confirmed. A highly anticipated rematch for the RIZIN Featherweight Championship. Current champion Chihiro Suzuki will defend his title against former champion Kleber Koike Erbst.

RIZIN DECADE

RIZIN Fighting Federation is gearing up for a monumental event to cap off 2024, as the promotion celebrates its 10th New Year’s Eve spectacle since its inception in 2015. The organization recently held a press conference to unveil the first details of this year’s end-of-year extravaganza, dubbed “RIZIN DECADE” to commemorate the milestone. While the full details of RIZIN DECADE are yet to be finalized, the promotion has revealed that the event will be structured in three parts.

Chihiro Suzuki vs. Kleber Koike Erbst

Chihiro Suzuki claimed the featherweight title on November 4, 2023, and will be looking to make his first successful defense against Koike Erbst. The Brazilian-Japanese submission specialist Koike Erbst is known for his dangerous ground game and will be eager to reclaim the championship he lost due to weight-cutting issues in June 2023.

Chihiro Suzuki said:

“The main event on New Year’s Eve will be a defense match against Kleber. I’m going to bring down a huge bolt of lightning and make this the best New Year ever, so please support me. I’ll make sure to get back what I got last year.”

Chihiro Suzuki vs. Kleber Koike Erbst

RIZIN CEO Nobuyuki Sakakibara expressed his excitement for the upcoming event, promising fans a card worthy of the promotion’s 10th New Year’s Eve celebration. He said:

“And today, we announced the main event card for RIZIN DECADE! A rematch for the belt between champion Chihiro Suzuki and the strongest challenger, Kleber Koike, has been confirmed! Will it be Chihiro or Kleber who will be able to ring in the new year with the belt? I’m looking forward to it.”

rizin decade

Patricio Pitbull defeats Kleber Koike in unanimous decision all-Brazilian clash – Bellator vs. Rizin Highlights

Patricio Pitbull BellatorReigning Bellator MMA featherweight kingpin, Patricio Pitbull continues his dominant run in a gold laiden career, tonight defeating Rizin FF lightweight champion, Kleber Koike in a unanimous decision effort in the co-main event of Bellator MMA vs. Rizin in Japan. Pitbull, who now moves to an impressive 35-5 as a professional win his win over […]

Patricio Pitbull Bellator

Reigning Bellator MMA featherweight kingpin, Patricio Pitbull continues his dominant run in a gold laiden career, tonight defeating Rizin FF lightweight champion, Kleber Koike in a unanimous decision effort in the co-main event of Bellator MMA vs. Rizin in Japan.

Pitbull, who now moves to an impressive 35-5 as a professional win his win over Sao Paulo native, Koike, handed the former KSW gold holder a unanimous decision defeat in their non-title bout in Saitama.

The victory comes as Pitbull’s third on the bounce, having previously reclaimed the Bellator featherweight crown in a rematch win over A.J. McKee, before defending successfully against Adam Borics.

Landing the heavier strikes throughout the opening round, Pitbull was, however, landed on the canvas in the closing stages of the frame — with Koike executing a perfectly-timed judo hip toss.

However, it was Pitbull who emerged with the victory, securing a unanimous decision triumph, on a main card containing consecutive judging successes for Bellator so far.

Below, catch the highlights from Patricio Pitbull’s win over Kleber Koike