Gustavo Outpoints Horie, Imanari Submits Majima at Rizin ‘Landmark Vol. 8’

🇧🇷Luiz Gustavo keeps his win streak alive!

Title shot soon?... 👀

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Brazilian standout Luiz Gustavo notched his sixth Rizin Fighting Federation victory in a thrilling lightweight main event on Saturday at Rizin “Landmark Vol. 8” in Saga, Japan. Gustavo overcame a strong second round from opponent Yoshinori Horie and prevailed via unanimous decision.

Early in the opening round, Gustavo (14-2, 6-2 Rizin) scored with a head kick that seemed to land with full force, but Horie (13-5, 4-2 Rizin) barely flinched and he continued to press forward. The fighters exchanged leg kicks and a welt began to form on Gustavo’s left calf. He dropped Horie with a left hook late in the round, however, and Horie stood and responded with an elbow at the bell.

The second round was dominated by Horie, who took Gustavo down and kept him pinned on the mat while punching from top position. Gustavo rallied in the final stanza, however, and he rocked Horie multiple times with punching flurries. With one minute remaining, Gustavo dropped Horie with a right hook and he closed out the fight with hammerfists.

All three judges scored the action-packed fight in favor of Gustavo, who has won four straight fights in Rizin since returning to the promotion in April 2022. He has now put himself in contention for a future shot at the Rizin lightweight title.

😬FROM THE JAWS OF DEFEAT!

Masakazu Imanari almost took his opponent's arm home with him 😱

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In the featherweight co-main event, 48-year-old grappling wizard Masakazu Imanari (40-22-2, 2-2 Rizin) stepped in on short notice and submitted Kazumasa Majima (16-5, 2-4 Rizin) with a lightning-fast armbar at the 1:37 mark of Round 2.

The first round was largely controlled by Imanari from bottom position. He attempted heel hooks and a kneebar early on and then attacked with slashing elbow strikes while preventing Majima from mounting any offense. That changed in a hurry in the second round and Majima battered Imanari with elbows that nearly ended the fight. Just as he appeared to be on the brink of defeat, Imanari threw up his legs and trapped Majima in an armbar that forced Majima to immediately tap out.

🛎️RIGHT AT THE BELL!

🇯🇵Yusuke Yachi scores a submission win in the 2nd round!

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A lightweight bout between Yusuke Yachi (26-13, 10-7 Rizin) and Rikuto Shirakawa (11-9-1, 3-3 Rizin) got off to a slow start, but things picked up as the fight progressed. Shirakawa had some early striking success, but his output slowed way down and Yachi began to land counter combinations that shifted the momentum.

Yachi controlled the entire second round in the clinch and against the base of the cage after taking Shirakawa down. He transitioned to Shirakawa’s back and locked on a tight face crank across Shirakawa’s chin. Yachi’s forearm was never below the chin for a rear-naked choke, but the sheer pressure on Shirakawa’s jaw was still enough to render him unconscious.

The bell sounded to end the round, but referee Akira Shibata recognized that Shirakawa had gone out and he waved off the fight. The official time of the technical submission stoppage came at 5:00 of Round 2.

Out of nowhere!

🇯🇵Saori Oshima gets the tap in the 2nd round!

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Rounding out the four-fight main card, former Deep Jewels champion Saori Oshima (13-4, 4-0 Rizin) stepped in for injured teammate Ayaka Hamasaki and scored a second-round submission victory over recent Rizin title challenger Claire Lopez (8-6, 1-2 Rizin) in a 108-pound women’s super atomweight contest.

Oshima scored three takedowns and attempted a rolling kimura in the opening frame, but Lopez escaped to her feet and she kicked at a downed Oshima’s legs. Late in the round, Lopez reversed a scarf hold armlock attempt from Oshima and wound up on top again.

Lopez tagged Oshima with some hard punches on the feet in the second round and Oshima seemed like she might be fading until she got Lopez down into another scarf hold armlock attempt. Lopez immediately swept again, but this time Oshima went belly-down with an armbar and Lopez tapped out. The finish came at the 3:18 mark of Round 2. Following her win, Oshima politely requested a shot at the Rizin FF women’s super atomweight title that is currently held by undefeated champion Seika Izawa.

Earlier on the card, Hiroaki Suzuki (4-3, 4-3 Rizin) used a soccer kick and punches to score a TKO victory over Takahiro Ashida (24-14-2, 2-4 Rizin) at the 4:29 mark of Round 1 at featherweight; Daichi Abe (13-7, 4-2 Rizin) knocked out Kota Shirakawa (5-5, 0-1 Rizin) with a brutal right hook at the 1:35 mark of Round 1 in the lone welterweight bout on the card; and Road to UFC veteran Shohei Nose (12-4-2, 1-0 Rizin) steamrolled Kenta Takizawa (13-11, 3-6 Rizin) before finishing him with elbows at the 2:48 mark of Round 2 in bantamweight action.

Rounding out the MMA results, Yuki Ito (16-5, 6-1 Rizin) won a three-round unanimous decision over Masatoshi Ueda (20-10-3, 0-1 Rizin) at flyweight; Ryuhei Sakai (3-1, 1-0 Rizin) eked out a split-decision win against Ryoga Fukuchi (3-6, 0-1 Rizin) in a two-round catchweight bout at 132 pounds; and bantamweight Daiki Yahiro (5-2, 1-0 Rizin) won his Rizin debut by submitting Yuto Araki (1-1, 0-1 Rizin) with a rear-naked choke at the 2:36 mark of Round 1.

In kickboxing bouts, Takumi Terada defeated Takekiyo Tominaga via TKO (three knockdowns) at the 1:54 mark of Round 1 in 128-pound action; Reito Bravely knocked out Kyohei Furumura with a left cross at the 1:49 mark of Round 1 in a 138-pound contest; Rikito won his 138-pound bout against Hannya Hashimoto via unanimous decision; and Satoshi Katashima opened up the card at 117 pounds with a majority decision win against Keito Ishigo.