Naoki Inoue Defeats Ryuya Fukuda, Defends RIZIN Bantamweight Title
Naoki Inoue continued his run at Super RIZIN.4, successfully defending his Bantamweight Title for the second time with a unanimous decision win over Ryuya Fukuda. The win marked Inoue’s fourth straight victory and further cemented his status as one of RIZIN’s more technical champions.
Official Result: Naoki Inoue def. Ryuya Fukuda via Unanimous DEC
The opening round saw a measured pace and a good start for Inoue, who landed the cleaner and more effective strikes. In Round 2, Inoue dropped Fukuda with a stiff jab and looked in full control until a counter from Fukuda wobbled him at the midpoint of the round.
That moment may have backfired for Fukuda, who started overswinging on his strikes in search of a knockout. Inoue capitalized, using his composure and sharp counters to regain control. He also began to land his rear high kick with increasing accuracy which halted the movement of Fukuda.
Fukuda came out aggressive in Round 3, likely spurred on by his corner knowing he was down in the judges eyes, but his urgency left him open to more clean counters and stiff jabs from the Champion. Inoue stayed disciplined and tactical to close out the fight, while landing some great strikes.
In the end, the judges awarded Naoki Inoue a clear unanimous decision, extending his win streak and keeping the RIZIN Bantamweight Title firmly in his grasp.
