Super RIZIN 5 showcased a highly anticipated featherweight title clash between RIZIN and PFL champions, with RIZIN ultimately claiming victory. Razhabali Shaydullaev, the reigning RIZIN featherweight titleholder, maintained his aggressive dominance against PFL’s A.J. McKee in front of nearly 50,000 fans at Osaka’s Kyocera Dome. Shaydullaev secured a unanimous decision win (30-27 across all judges), retaining his RIZIN belt and capturing the PFL featherweight championship.
The bout began with McKee landing a quick side kick and a surprising one-two combo that momentarily rocked Shaydullaev. In response, Shaydullaev performed an impressive slam not previously seen by McKee in MMA. From that point on, Shaydullaev imposed relentless top pressure, landing punches and elbows whenever possible throughout the round.
In the second round, McKee’s early jab and evasive head kicks were met by Shaydullaev’s aggressive takedown attempts. Despite some scrambles, McKee absorbed heavy shots on the mat and started showing signs of fatigue due to Shaydullaev’s intense pace. The champion’s ground attack caused a cut over McKee’s eye, and his knees found their mark, though McKee briefly attempted a guillotine choke which Shaydullaev skillfully defended.
The third round saw McKee trying to rally with fast punches and knees, but Shaydullaev steadily pressed forward, hinting at another potential slam but opting for calculated drag-downs. McKee managed to sneak to Shaydullaev’s back but failed to capitalize. As fatigue set in, McKee appeared resigned, glancing at the clock around the 90-second mark, when Shaydullaev took him down again to control the match until the final bell.
This was Shaydullaev’s first fight to go the distance and now sets him up for a major title defense on New Year’s Eve. After the fight, top contender Kyoma Akimoto immediately entered the ring, signaling a potential upcoming showdown. Shaydullaev also revealed he has just one fight left on his current RIZIN contract, adding intrigue to his future plans after securing a title from a second organization.
McKee’s loss ended his three-fight winning streak. The former Bellator featherweight kingpin has yet to reclaim a championship since Bellator dissolved its 145-pound division but remains a significant competitor in the PFL despite this defeat.
In the co-main event, MMA legend Shinya Aoki, who hadn’t fought in RIZIN since its debut event in 2015, made his farewell appearance. The 43-year-old suffered a brutal first-round knockout at the hands of featherweight star Mikuru Asakura.
Below are the full results from Super RIZIN 5:
- Featherweight title unification: Razhabali Shaydullaev (c) defeated A.J. McKee by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
- Lightweight: Mikuru Asakura knocked out Shinya Aoki (2:39, Round 1)
- Featherweight: Ren Hiramoto edged Karshyga Dautbek by split decision (29-28, 27-29, 29-28)
- Lightweight: Roberto “Satoshi” de Souza won over Shunta Nomura by unanimous decision (29-28 across all judges)
- Featherweight: Yutaka Saito beat “Ya-Man” Ren Sugiyama unanimously (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
- Featherweight: Vugar Karamov defeated Ryo Takagi unanimously (29-28, 30-27, 30-27)
- Super atomweight: Natasha Kuziutina submitted Rena Kubota via guillotine (3:14, Round 2)
- Lightweight kickboxing: Meison Hide Usami earned a unanimous decision victory over BeyNoah (30-25 on all cards)
Fan Take: This historic cross-promotional title bout between RIZIN and PFL has elevated the featherweight division to unprecedented heights, proving the immense value in inter-promotional matchups. Shaydullaev’s win not only consolidates his dominance but also could inspire more collaborative events, potentially reshaping the global MMA landscape for fans craving the best fights beyond organizational boundaries.
Source: sports.yahoo.com
