Former kickboxer Ryusei Ashizawa had a rough start to his mixed martial arts (MMA) career at RIZIN Fighting Federation’s New Year’s Eve fight card.
Kickboxer-turned-MMA fighter Ryusei Ashizawa was knocked out by Olympic silver medalist Shinobu Ota at RIZIN 45 on Saturday, December 30, 2023. Ota used a dulce choke to put Ashizawa to sleep, securing an easy victory in the famous Saitama Super Arena in Saitama Prefecture.
Watch the video below to see the unbelievable finish!
The fight was completely one-sided, pitting an Olympic wrestler against a kickboxer making his MMA debut. Ota dominated from the start, quickly taking down Ashizawa and maintaining control until he applied the fight-ending dulce choke, with the referee failing to notice that Ashizawa was unconscious.
It’s worth noting that Ashizawa was wearing UFC Venom shorts during the bout.
Ota, aged 30, bounced back from a previous loss to secure the victory. He previously won a silver medal in Greco-Roman wrestling at the 2016 Olympics and then transitioned to MMA, where he currently holds a 5-3 record.
Ashizawa, aged 28, has been a professional kickboxer since 2012, amassing a record of 25 wins, 14 losses, and 1 draw. It’s clear that he needs to work on his takedown defense, especially when facing opponents with Olympic wrestling credentials.
RIZIN 45’s main event will feature a rematch between former UFC and Bellator fighters Kyoji Horiguchi and Makoto Shinryu, who will battle for the inaugural RIZIN Flyweight Championship. The two fighters previously faced off in July at Bellator MMA vs RIZIN 2, but the fight was declared a no contest after 25 seconds due to an accidental eye poke.
For more highlights from RIZIN 45, visit MMAMAnia.com!
