Umeno Adds Grappling Threats to Beat Ashizawa at RIZIN
Genji Umeno defeated Ryusei Ashizawa by unanimous decision at RIZIN.51 on September 28, 2025, in Nagoya, Japan. Their bantamweight MMA bout went three rounds, with all three judges favoring Umeno.
Elbows and submissions complicate the exchanges
Ashizawa advanced with hooks early, but Umeno answered with straight punches. When the action moved into a clinch, Umeno used his balance and positioning to reach mount. Ashizawa reversed the position, only to find himself defending a triangle choke.
Umeno also threatened from behind and landed an elbow as Ashizawa turned to face him. The exchanges showed that the contest involved more than a straightforward striking duel.
Umeno keeps finding answers
In the second round, Umeno continued landing elbows as Ashizawa came forward. He also attempted a front choke after another grappling exchange, but Ashizawa escaped. No submission or stoppage ended the fight. Umeno instead secured the unanimous decision after the full three-round distance, adding a clear result to a matchup featuring both striking and grappling threats.
Umeno’s grappling gave the fight a different shape each time Ashizawa reversed or escaped. He moved from mount to submission attempts, then returned to striking and elbows when Ashizawa defended. Neither man finished the other, so the judges evaluated the full three-round contest and unanimously favored Umeno.
Sources
Tags: Boxing, Combat Sports
