RIZIN Fighters Generate Social Buzz

- Flyweight fighter Yuki Ito is scheduled to compete at RIZIN 52 on March 7, 2026, where he will face Carlos Mota. Ito's professional record stands at 17 wins and 5 losses. - Kyoma Akimoto, who fights in the featherweight division, holds a professional MMA record of 11 wins and 1 loss, with a high percentage of his victories (54.5%) coming by way of knockout. - The term "bachi bachi" used by Akimoto translates to a crackling or buzzing sound, often used in a fighting context to describe an intense, striking-heavy affair. - The Kimura lock, a type of double wristlock submission, gained its name in the jiu-jitsu community after a famous 1951 match in Brazil. The technique itself, however, existed in Judo as "gyaku ude-garami" and in catch wrestling. - The historic match took place on October 23, 1951, at Maracanã Stadium in front of approximately 20,000 spectators, including the president of Brazil. - Japanese Judoka Masahiko Kimura defeated Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu co-founder Hélio Gracie by technical submission in the second round. Kimura applied the gyaku ude-garami, and Gracie's corner threw in the towel after his arm was broken because he refused to submit. - Despite the loss, Hélio Gracie's performance was seen as a testament to his and his style's resilience, as he withstood numerous throws from the larger Kimura before being submitted. - The legacy of this match is significant in combat sports, symbolizing a key moment in the development and divergence of Judo and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, and solidifying the Kimura lock's place in the modern MMA arsenal.