Okuyama’s Armbar Turns the Tables on Yamato at RIZIN
Takahiro Okuyama submitted Tetsuya Yamato with an armbar at 4:10 of round one at RIZIN.51 on September 28, 2025, in Nagoya, Japan. Their featherweight MMA matchup ended on the ground after an opening exchange of kicks and punches.
A takedown changes the direction
Okuyama began with jabs and calf kicks, while Yamato avoided some attacks and returned kicks of his own. Okuyama then changed levels, completed a takedown and advanced into mount.
From that position, he attacked with elbows, punches and hammerfists. Yamato created a scramble and looked for a leg attack, but Okuyama withdrew his leg before the position could turn against him.
Submission follows positional control
Okuyama reestablished control and transitioned from an arm-lock attack into the finishing armbar. The tap ended the contest before a second round was needed. In his post-fight remarks, Okuyama welcomed the opportunity to return to RIZIN in Nagoya and expressed his determination to improve and compete there again.
The scramble showed the risk on both sides: Yamato briefly pursued a leg attack, but Okuyama freed his leg and recovered top position. From mount he landed strikes, then transitioned to the armbar that ended the fight. The finish came at 4:10 of the first round, before Yamato could reset after the failed leg attack.
