Shaydullaev Blasts Through Kolesnik in RIZIN Title Defense
Rajabali Shaydullaev needed just 33 seconds to defend his featherweight championship against Viktor Kolesnik at RIZIN.51 on September 28, 2025, at IG Arena in Nagoya, Japan. The champion won by first-round TKO after a knockdown and ground punches prompted the referee to intervene.
A title defense that exploded immediately
The featherweight title fight was scheduled for three five-minute rounds at 66 kilograms. Shaydullaev made that potential distance irrelevant almost immediately, turning the opening exchanges into a finishing opportunity before Kolesnik could establish a sustained rhythm.
RIZIN’s official account describes Shaydullaev advancing despite giving away height. He read Kolesnik’s low kick and put together a left hook and right straight to score the knockdown. He followed his opponent down rather than allowing a recovery, secured position with his right arm and delivered repeated left-handed punches.
Kolesnik could not escape the follow-up attack, and the referee stopped the contest. The official result was TKO from ground punches at 0:33 of round one. The decisive sequence was the combination of the initial knockdown and the immediate pressure that followed it.
The champion’s reaction
Speaking afterward in an interview published by RIZIN, Shaydullaev said he had prepared to finish in the second round but was pleased to get the job done much earlier. He described coming to Japan with the intention of winning and said he preferred to answer his opponent’s pre-fight comments inside the ring.
The victory was his first defense of the featherweight title. At the time of the post-fight interview, he said he expected another defense on New Year’s Eve; that was his stated expectation after this bout rather than a booking announced in this report.
Two champions, two fast finishes
Shaydullaev’s finish was part of a card that also featured a rapid lightweight title defense. In the main event, Roberto Satoshi de Souza submitted Yoshinori Horie with a rear-naked choke at 1:40 of the first round. Both champions retained their belts, with their challengers unable to take either title fight beyond the opening round.
