Fight sports activities is full of many Cinderella tales. Everybody likes to cheer an underdog who climbs the proverbial later to a championship. Japan has a historical past of cheering on individuals who have that yamato-damashii (“Japanese spirit). On November 4, Chihiro Suzuki (12-3, 1 NC), a fighter that followers of Rizin didn’t suppose can be a champion, achieved the inconceivable. He turned not solely the Rizin featherweight champion however concurrently held a kickboxing championship. Right here’s the story of his journey to turning into a uncommon two-sport champion.
Biography
Born Could 14, 1999, in Mitaka, a neighborhood in Tokyo, the 24-year-old Suzuki didn’t have a straightforward time rising up. Born a “hafu,” (half-Japanese, half-foreigner), he’s of combined race that features Peruvian, Spanish, and Russian. Not trying like the opposite children rising up, he was bullied rather a lot. Different college students instructed him “Return to your nation,” “Why can’t you communicate Japanese,” and “Don’t contact me” he recalled in a earlier interview.
His dad signed him up for karate lessons in order that he may defend himself from the cruel faculty setting. Whereas in junior highschool, he made the swap to MMA. That swap would develop into a life-changing expertise for him.
MMA Debut
Chihiro Suzuki (third from left) gained the 2016 RIZIN FF novice cup. Picture courtesy of Rizin FF.
After coaching two occasions per week at a rural dojo, Suzuki entered the RIZIN FF Novice MMA 2016 Cup within the flyweight division. He gained this main novice struggle and this is able to open doorways to his professional debut in Pancrase in February 2017.
His first two fights have been highlight-worthy wins. He gained each by KO/TKO, along with his second pro-fight win coming in at 8 seconds.
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Neo Blood Event
Chihiro Suzuki beat 3 opponents to win the Pancrase Neo Blood Flyweight Event.
The 17-year-old Suzuki was chosen to take part in Pancrase’s prestigious Neo Blood match. The match has seen winners and rivals go on to large issues in MMA. Taking over 3 rivals in 2018, he beat all of them (together with future Pancrase flyweight champion Satoru Enomoto). Suzuki’s MMA profession trajectory was heading in a constructive path.
Weight Reducing Points
At Pancrase 302, Suzuki was scheduled to tackle Tatsuyuki Nakamura. Nonetheless, on the weigh-ins, he missed by over 6 lbs. Suzuki was visibly distraught and ashamed on the large weight miss. The struggle was canceled. “The day earlier than the weigh-in, I collapsed from dehydration,” he mentioned in a earlier interview. “I couldn’t lose any weight, so I took laxatives twice to get every thing out, after which I ran, however I couldn’t sweat in any respect.” He additionally revealed that weight-cutting prompted him to develop bulimia. “After a match, regardless of how a lot I ate, I couldn’t really feel full, so I ate 5 or 6 bento lunches till I felt sick.”
A New Path
Suzuki’s weight miss left him with embarrassment. He was attacked on social media as an “unprofessional fighter” and the negativity prompted him to have extreme melancholy. The chairman of his gymnasium, Crosspoint Kichioji, Genki Yamaguchi, made a suggestion to Suzuki to compete in kickboxing. “It’s essential to seek out someplace that fits the fighter,” Yamaguchi mentioned in a earlier interview. Yamaguchi elaborated that being allowed to solely use punches and kicks may very well be a bonus for the heavy fingers of Suzuki.
The Street to Kickboxing Champion
Suzuki simply acclimated to kickboxing. Preventing underneath conventional kickboxing guidelines, Shootboxing, and Muay Thai, he misplaced just one struggle whereas competing full-time within the sport. Certainly one of his largest wins got here when he defeated present Okay-1 star Yuki Yoza in a tricky back-and-forth struggle. He cemented his legacy as a top-ranked kickboxer when he defeated Keijiro Miyakoshi by TKO in 42 seconds within the first spherical to turn out to be the primary KNOCK OUT Black Tremendous Light-weight Champion. The itch to do MMA nonetheless hadn’t left the younger Suzuki and he would make his return shortly.
MMA Return
Suzuki was set to make his return to MMA at Rizin 30 as a featherweight. He can be taking over the veteran Shoji. What ought to’ve been a layup for the youthful and hungrier Suzuki, turned out to be an enormous wake-up name. Suzuki was knocked out in 20 seconds within the first spherical.
Devasted and dejected by the loss, he couldn’t maintain again his emotions. “I shouldn’t have misplaced,” he mentioned after the struggle. “I’m going to revisit my ideas and begin over.” However virtually like a premonition, his opponent Shoji talked to him after the struggle with some sage recommendation. “You may be main the trade at some point so imagine in your self,” the veteran instructed Suzuki.
MMA Comeback
Regardless of his loss occurring in September, Suzuki instantly returned to struggle in November at Rizin Set off 1. He took on one other up-and-comer, Sora Yamamoto. He managed to not solely outstrike Yamamoto, but in addition out grapple the grappler.
He would struggle a complete of 5 occasions in 2022. He fought in 4 MMA fights and 1 kickboxing match. He gained all of them. 2022 would even be the yr he bought his largest win when he beat the trash-talking unhealthy boy Ren Hiramoto. Earlier than their struggle Hiramoto verbally attacked Suzuki, calling him “boring.” Of their struggle, Suzuki handily beat Hiramoto on the ft, leaving his face all battered and bruised.
In the identical yr, he took a last-minute struggle in opposition to leglock legend Masakazu Imanari. Regardless of Imanari making use of a leg lock at one level and injuring Suzuki, he nonetheless got here out the winner. His final win of 2022 noticed him get rocked and on the verge of being probably knocked out by Yoshiki Nakahara. Suzuki gritted his tooth and survived the onslaught and got here again to knockout Nakahara with a 1-2 combo.
The First Championship Alternative
Although Rizin doesn’t have public rankings, it couldn’t be denied that Suzuki ought to someday face then featherweight champion Kleber Koike. Koike, one of the harmful submission fighters, had all 6 of his Rizin wins by submission. When the 2 would lastly conflict, it might definitely be the hardest opponent Suzuki had confronted since returning to MMA.
The 2 have been scheduled to face one another with with Koike placing the belt on the road at Rizin 43. However a fighter would miss weight. It wasn’t Suzuki. It was Koike. In a primary for Rizin, a champion didn’t make weight. Officers stripped Koike of the title with the settlement being that solely Suzuki can be eligible for the title. If Koike gained, his win can be overturned to a no contest.
The 2 met in the principle occasion and in virtually 3 minutes, Koike submitted Suzuki by armbar within the first spherical. Suzuki left the ring, unable to carry again the emotion of the loss. He collapsed on his knees, crying and hitting the bottom along with his fist. “I’ll begin over once more,” he mentioned after the struggle. “I wish to turn out to be the champion. that doesn’t change. I’ll win ultimately. That’s what my life is about.”
The KO Heard Across the World
If there’s one man who you’ll be able to name to struggle on quick discover, it’s Suzuki. Tremendous Rizin 2, one in every of Rizin’s largest reveals of the yr had seen some hiccups and last-minute modifications. To make up for it, Rizin CEO Nobuyuki Sakakibara added yet another struggle the week of the present. Bellator featherweight champion Patricio Pitbull versus Chihiro Suzuki in a non-title struggle. Many ignored Suzuki for good purpose. Pitbull was a champion and thought of top-of-the-line on the planet.
When the 2 met within the ring, Suzuki bought two liver kicks on Pitbull. Suzuki cornered Pitbull to the ropes and hit the Brazilian with an overhand proper that surprised him after which a devastating proper cross that knocked Pitbull out chilly for the time in his profession. The group erupted in fervor. Suzuki’s former opponent Kleber Koike jumped from his chair and clapped. Takanori Gomi’s eyes have been teary.
“I’m not going to neglect this second,” Suzuki mentioned after the struggle. “That is going to alter the world large time.” And for him, it might change.
Two Sport Champion
Suzuki had performed the inconceivable as soon as once more in beating Pitbull. When the playing cards usually are not in his favor, he manages to defy the percentages. The short-notice win netted him one other probability to turn out to be champion. Suzuki can be heading into enemy territory the place he would tackle then-champion Vugar Karamov in Rizin’s first worldwide present in Azerbaijan.
Karamov had run by means of virtually all of his opponents in Rizin. He effortlessly submitted Mikuru Asakura to win the vacant featherweight title on the identical present that Suzuki bought his unimaginable KO over Pitbull. Suzuki would as soon as once more should deal with not solely a robust grappler, however a robust striker as effectively.
Throughout the struggle, Karamov simply took down Suzuki with a single leg. Suzuki held off Karamov from passing his guard. As Karamov stood up, Suzuki nonetheless on the bottom, threw a strong wheel kick that instantly despatched Karamov into one other realm. Karamov collapsed on Suzuki who delivered a speedy collection of punches earlier than the referee lastly realized Karamov was knockout chilly.
“I’m the champion,” Suzuki screamed in celebration on the highest of the cage. As soon as once more, the “hafu” from Mitaka proved to doubters that he’s the actual deal. “Heck yeah! My dream! Lastly, I wished this for therefore lengthy preventing with 2 swords,” Suzuki mentioned after the struggle. “An energetic kickboxing champion and an energetic MMA champion on the identical time. That’s the very best feeling.”
What’s Subsequent
Suzuki will make his first protection as champion as he takes on the veteran Masanori Kanehara at Rizin 46. Picture courtesy of Rizin FF.
Suzuki will make his first protection as champion on Monday, April 29 in Japan at Rizin 46. He’ll tackle the veteran grappler Masanori Kanehara. Kanehara since transferring as much as featherweight has gone undefeated in Rizin. A kind of wins is over former champion Kleber Koike who surprisingly was out-grappled by the previous UFC fighter. Kanehara has additionally proven he’s not afraid to strike when within the stand-up. Can Suzuki as soon as once more knock down the wall of adversity? Or will he succumb to a different veteran’s elite sport? Within the newest Rizin Confessions video, Suzuki mentioned he’s popping out with a e book. One of many chapters is known as “After Pushing Your self to the Restrict, You Can Nonetheless Push Your self Tougher.” That’s been the story of his life and can probably be the story of this struggle.
You may catch Chihiro Suzuki defending the featherweight championship in opposition to Masanori Kanehara at Rizin 46 at 1:30 a.m. ET/10:30 p.m. PT with English commentary on Rizin’s streaming service, Rizin.television.
