Sabatello Survives Sato’s Fire to Take RIZIN Split Decision
Danny Sabatello defeated Shoko Sato by split decision at RIZIN.51 on September 28, 2025, in Nagoya, Japan. The bantamweight matchup lasted three rounds, with two judges favoring Sabatello and one choosing Sato.
Sato makes the opening round dangerous
Sato caught a kick, completed a takedown and attacked as Sabatello tried to recover. Sabatello answered with wrestling of his own, but Sato repeatedly broke free and made the entries difficult with strikes.
Sabatello maintained his pace in the second round. He moved behind Sato and lifted him for takedowns, continuing to reattach when Sato stood. Late in the round, he established a stronger spell of ground control and added punches.
Wrestling keeps Sabatello in the contest
The final round again saw Sato trying to escape and land as Sabatello changed levels. Sabatello repeatedly connected his striking exchanges to takedown attempts. The divided verdict reflected a competitive fight, with Sabatello’s sustained wrestling ultimately securing the win.
Sato’s early takedown created the most immediate danger, but Sabatello recovered and spent more time building offense through wrestling later in the fight. The split cards reflect that the judges viewed the close contest differently. Two favored Sabatello’s sustained work, enough to advance him from the second round of the Grand Prix.
