Tony Laramie makes Rizin history in bloody split decision at Rizin 55

Canadian Tony Laramie became the first non-Japanese flyweight champion

Rizin Fighting Federation history with a split decision win Makoto Takahashi at Reason 55 on Sunday in Chiba, Japan. Laramie outlasted Takahashi in a bloody back-and-forth main event.

Laramie (14-3, 5-1 Rizin) was knocked down by a right uppercut within 30 seconds, but he turned the tide with a takedown and threatened Takahashi (23-6-1, 1 NC; 9-5 Rizin) with two back naked choke attempts. Defending champion “Shinryu” released his neck and knees and stomped on Laramie’s face as the challenger chased the hold. Takahashi grabbed Laramie’s leg and took him on his back after the second round of a positional battle. Laramie shook Takahashi off and went after a rear naked choke, but Takahashi turned to his guard and cut him with an elbow above the left eye in the final seconds.

Tony Laramie defeated Makoto Takahashi to become Rizin’s first non-Japanese flyweight champion

Laramie took another cut from the elbow along the hairline in the final round. Blood poured onto the canvas, due to which the district doctor had time to inspect the cut. Laramie asked to continue and was allowed to do so. He held Takahashi down for the remaining two minutes and landed a right hand. Two judges scored the fight 29-28 for Laramie, while the third scored it 29-28 for Takahashi. If his injuries heal in time, Laramie could make his first title defense in a rematch on New Year’s Eve This is Yukiwho defeated him in March 2025. Kyrgyz prospect in the co-tournament Yrysbek Tilenov (9-1, 2-0 Rizin) earned the New Year’s Eve bantamweight title by defeating the former champion Naoki Inoue
(21-6, 10-4 Rizin) by unanimous decision. Tilenov used side kicks to keep Inoue at bay before taking it back. Inoue repeatedly stood up as Tilenov tripped and interrupted him. Inoue landed a left hook late in the opening round, but Tilenov responded with a four-punch combination that sent him into the ropes and down as time expired.

Tilenov took Inoue to his back again in the second round, but Inoue got to his feet and knocked him down with punches. Just as the momentum seemed to shift, Tilenov recovered, took Inoue down and tried to brake the backhand and crank the neck. Neither landed anything of note in the final round until Inoue connected with a combination in the middle. Tilenov then dropped him and spent the next two minutes landing hammer fists. Inoue suffered a significant cut next to his right eye in the final bout. Tilenov challenges Danny Sabatello for the bantamweight title next month in Nagoya.

Former title challenger Ryuya Fukuda (27-10-1, 5-2 Rizin) survived a late scare to earn a unanimous decision over the Road FC champ Soo Chul Kim (24-10-1, 1 NC; 3-4 Rizin) bantamweight. Fukuda was the aggressor and the more effective boxer in the opening round, while Kim found success with side kicks to the thigh and body. In the second round, Fukuda continued to land better shots and Kimi’s jabs did little to slow his offense.

Fukuda attacked Kim’s body with left hooks and straight lefts to his face in the final round. He staggered Kim with an uppercut and a flurry of punches in the corner, but Kim survived. Just as Fukuda looked close to the finish, Kim landed one of the spinning elbows he had been trying throughout the fight. Fukuda stumbled into the ropes but regained control and survived another reverse elbow in the closing seconds. All three judges scored the fight for Fukuda.

Jinnosuke Kashimura (13-6, 3-2 Rizin) bounced back from his unsuccessful July bantamweight title run with a dramatic submission victory Take Shinobu
(8-7, 7-7 Rizin). Kashimura opened with a counter knee to the face and a strong punch combination. Ota continued to press forward, but Kashimura got the better of it and knocked him over the right eye just before the first round bell.

After a slower start to the second round, Kashimura Ota rocked with punches and a bloody nose with jabs after two minutes. Ota ended up getting a takedown, blood pouring down Kashimura’s chest and neck. Kashimura unsuccessfully tried to pull the guard in the last round, but Ota stood over him and delivered a heel kick to the nose. As Ota settled into his guard, Kashimura secured a bottomless choke on Ezekiel without a gi, forcing the tap at 1:51 of the 3rd round. The unusual ending produced a performance of the year contender and capped off one of Kashimura’s best performances.

For the second fight in a row, Kaleo Meheula (6-4, 2 NC; 0-0, 2 NC Rizin) lost a potential win due to weight loss. Meheula stopped Kazuki Aimoto (10-0, 1 NC; 0-0, 1 NC Rizin) was late in the second round, but the result was recorded as a contest as Meheula failed to make the featherweight limit.

Meheula hurt Aimoto with two right hands on the ground early in the fight. Aimoto regained his feet, then attacked Meheula’s left leg with an inverted heel hook and a kneebar. Meheula escaped, stomped on Aimoto’s face and received more punches and elbows. He escaped a guillotine choke in the second round and landed elbows from top position until Aimoto reversed him with a grapevine sweep. The fighters stood up in one minute and Aimoto lunged for Meheula’s leg. His kneebar attempt failed, allowing Meheula to unload with strikes until a stoppage at 4:58 of round 2.

In the last fight before the break, the former Rizin champion
Juntaro Ushiku (23-12, 4-4 Rizin) earned a unanimous decision
Kaiwen Li (17-9, 1-2 Rizin) at featherweight. Ushiku knocked Li off balance with left hooks twice in the opening round, though neither had a clear lead. Ushiku jumped on Li’s back in the second round and dragged him to the mat. He scored two more takedowns in the final round, using the second to land elbows to Li’s nose and forehead. A bloodied Li reached the final bell, but all three judges favored Ushiku.

Nurkhan Zhumagazy (12-1, 3-0 Rizin) edged closer to a lightweight title shot with a first-round TKO win Kyung Pyo Kim (15-6, 4-2 Rizin). After an early clash in the corner, Zhumagazy countered Kim’s jabs and advances with jabs and left hooks. He forced Kim to his knees against the ropes and landed more than 30 unanswered punches before a stoppage at 3:34 of the 1st round.

A late addition to the map, Samoa’s Mac Papalii
(3:0, 1:0 Rizin) rallied to stop a seven-minute penalty Yukinori Akazawa (8-7, 1 NC; 0-1 Rizin) in their heavyweight bout. Akazawa immediately took down Papalii and spent almost the entire first round hitting from half guard. Papalii grabbed the top rope to avoid a pinfall in the second round, but Akazawa eventually landed him.

Akazawa’s decision to try to hold on to the toe proved costly, allowing Papalii to land a right hand. Akazawa got to his feet but staggered around the ring as Papalii continued to connect. He collapsed under the blows, causing a stoppage at 2:15 of the 2nd round.

Reigning Fighting Nexus Featherweight Champion Say Min Kim (8-1, 1-0 Rizin) became the second stoppage fighter Hiroaki Suzuki (7-7, 7-7 Rizin) by shots. “Chiharu” dropped Suzuki early and took a knee as they got to their feet. Suzuki withstood the onslaught and found success with jabs and kicks later in the round.

Suzuki continued to attack Kim’s left leg in the second round, slowing him down. Kim responded with jabs that bloodied Suzuki’s nose before taking him down. Suzuki covered as Kim posed for a takedown and Kim followed with unanswered elbows until a stoppage at 4:41 of the 2nd round.

Decorated kickboxer Tsukasa Mizoguchi (5-0, 1-0 Rizin) needed just 22 seconds to win in his promotional debut. Taichi Nakajima (19-15, 2-4 Rizin) unconscious. Mizoguchi knocked Nakajima off balance with a kick, landed on his back and secured a rear naked choke.

Former Pancras Lightweight Champion Tatsuya Saika (15-8, 2-4 Rizin) won a short and action-packed fight Daigo Kuramoto (8-4, 1 NC; 0-2 Rizin). Saika dropped Kuramoto with a three-punch combo, then rocked him with a grounded knee. Despite injuring his own knee on the kick, Saika followed with punches until the fight was stopped at 1:38 of the 1st round. After that, he needed the help of the cornermen to stand up.

Pancras Eminent Takumi Hamada (8-0, 1 NC; 1-0 Rizin) started his Rizin career with a late knockout Sho Sekihara (14-6, 1-1 Rizin) at flyweight. Sekihara outclassed Hamada in the jab, taking multiple backs and controlling stretches on the ground. Hamada hurt Sekihara with a right hook in the second round, but Sekihara recovered and took the back again. After regaining his feet, Hamada inflicted more damage on Sekihara’s nose with his fists.

Hamada almost finished with a rear naked choke in the last round, but Sekihara escaped and hit the midguard until the last 15 seconds. Hamada then picked Sekihara up and pinned him before ending the 3rd round with strikes at 4:56.

Flyweight veteran Rikiya Matsuzawa (15-13, 1-0 Rizin) opened the middle portion of the card with a lopsided unanimous decision. Rio Kimura
(2-2, 1 NC; 0-1 Rizin). Matsuzawa grounded Kimura in all three rounds and spent the first 10 minutes working while holding a scarf. He couldn’t secure the submission, but landed a flurry of punches in the final round to secure a dominant victory.

In early pre-action, slight outlook Yajuro Yamasaki (4-0, 1-0 Rizin) remained undefeated while braking
Jake Wilkins (6-5, 0-2 Rizin) by knees and punches at 4:58 of the 1st round. Saw Thwee Waw Thaunt (2-1, 1-0 Rizin) def Shunya Inoue (0-1, 0-1 Rizin) by unanimous decision and Masachika Takahashi (4-0, 1-0 Rizin) knockout Naohiro Matsumoto (8-8-1, 0-1 Rizin) with knees and punches in 25 seconds.