It’s never a good idea to go to the mat with reigning RIZIN lightweight champion Roberto Satoshi Souza. In…
It’s never a good idea to go to the mat with reigning RIZIN lightweight champion Roberto Satoshi Souza.
In the first of three world title tilts at RIZIN’s massive New Year’s Eve event inside the legendary Saitama Super Arena, Souza put his gold on the line against 20-win veteran Vugar Karamov.
It took Souza less than a round to score the 17th finish of his career, catching Karamov with a slick triangle choke and forcing him to tap out with only 15 seconds left in the round.
Official Result: Roberto Satoshi Souza def. Vugar Karamov via submission (triangle choke) in Round 1 to retain the RIZIN lightweight championship.
With the win, Souza extended his unbeaten streak to three under the RIZIN banner and maintained his incredible 94% finish rate. Overall, the BJJ black belt is 18-3 in his mixed martial arts career with 11 of his wins coming by way of submission and another six via KO.
Check out highlights from Roberto Satoshi Souza vs. Vugar Karamov at rIZIN 49:
Go to the ground with Roberto Satoshi Souza at your own peril. He retains his lightweight title with yet another submission win, this time of former featherweight champ Vugar Karamov. #RIZIN_Decade (Footage courtesy of RIZIN FF/RIZIN.tv) pic.twitter.com/nkueB3RtPu
DOMINANTE! O Brasileiro Roberto Satoshi Souza vence a promessa Azeri e ex-campeão peso-leve Vugar Karamov por finalização no primeiro round e mantem o cinturão peso-leve do Rizin.
It’s never a good idea to go to the mat with reigning RIZIN lightweight champion Roberto Satoshi Souza. In…
It’s never a good idea to go to the mat with reigning RIZIN lightweight champion Roberto Satoshi Souza.
In the first of three world title tilts at RIZIN’s massive New Year’s Eve event inside the legendary Saitama Super Arena, Souza put his gold on the line against 20-win veteran Vugar Karamov.
It took Souza less than a round to score the 17th finish of his career, catching Karamov with a slick triangle choke and forcing him to tap out with only 15 seconds left in the round.
Official Result: Roberto Satoshi Souza def. Vugar Karamov via submission (triangle choke) in Round 1 to retain the RIZIN lightweight championship.
With the win, Souza extended his unbeaten streak to three under the RIZIN banner and maintained his incredible 94% finish rate. Overall, the BJJ black belt is 18-3 in his mixed martial arts career with 11 of his wins coming by way of submission and another six via KO.
Check out highlights from Roberto Satoshi Souza vs. Vugar Karamov at rIZIN 49:
Go to the ground with Roberto Satoshi Souza at your own peril. He retains his lightweight title with yet another submission win, this time of former featherweight champ Vugar Karamov. #RIZIN_Decade (Footage courtesy of RIZIN FF/RIZIN.tv) pic.twitter.com/nkueB3RtPu
DOMINANTE! O Brasileiro Roberto Satoshi Souza vence a promessa Azeri e ex-campeão peso-leve Vugar Karamov por finalização no primeiro round e mantem o cinturão peso-leve do Rizin.
The upcoming Rizin MMA match between Roberto de Souza and Vugar Karamov is set to take place on December…
The upcoming Rizin MMA match between Roberto de Souza and Vugar Karamov is set to take place on December 31, 2024, as part of the RIZIN 49, AKA RIZIN DECADE, event. This lightweight bout carries significant stakes, as it will be a title fight for the Rizin Lightweight Championship currently held by de Souza.
Roberto de Souza vs. Vugar Karamov
Roberto de Souza is a 35-year-old Japanese-Brazilian fighter with an impressive background in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. Born in Sao Paulo, Brazil, de Souza began his martial arts journey at a young age under the guidance of his father, a judo instructor. He has achieved great success in BJJ, winning multiple championships including world titles in various belt levels. De Souza is known for his exceptional grappling skills and submission power, with many of his MMA victories coming by way of submission.
Roberto de Souza is slightly favored to win the fight. His odds are listed at -125, which implies a 55.56% chance of victory. This means that a bettor would need to wager $125 to win $100 if de Souza emerges victorious. Vugar Karamov, on the other hand, is the slight underdog with odds of -105. This translates to a 51.22% implied probability of winning. You can play the odds at ICE Casino right here.
A $105 bet on Karamov would yield $100 in profit if he wins the fight. The close odds suggest that bookmakers and bettors view this as a competitive matchup, with de Souza having a small edge in this Tokyo matchup.
Vugar “Vugi” Karamov, on the other hand, is a 32-year-old fighter from Azerbaijan with a diverse martial arts background. He has experience in judo, wushu sanda, and combat sambo, and is notably a former Islamic Wushu Championship winner. Karamov is moving up to the lightweight division for this fight, having previously competed as a featherweight where he briefly held the Rizin Featherweight Championship. He is known for his powerful striking and strong core physique.
This match-up presents an intriguing clash of styles. Roberto de Souza’s world-class grappling and submission skills will be pitted against Karamov’s striking power and diverse martial arts background. The fight also represents a significant opportunity for Karamov, who is looking to become a two-division champion by moving up in weight to challenge for the lightweight title.
For de Souza, this will be another chance to defend his Rizin lightweight championship and further cement his status as one of Rizin’s top fighters. His most recent title defense was a successful one, winning by TKO against Luiz Gustavo in September 2024.
Given the fighters’ backgrounds and recent performances, fans can expect an exciting contest that could potentially showcase high-level grappling from de Souza and powerful striking from Karamov. The outcome of this fight will have significant implications for the Rizin lightweight division and could potentially set up future cross-promotional opportunities.
The upcoming Rizin MMA match between Roberto de Souza and Vugar Karamov is set to take place on December…