Mikio Ueda Knocks Out Shoma Shibisai at RIZIN

Mikio Ueda knocked out Shoma Shibisai with a standing kick at 1:03 of Round 1 in a RIZIN heavyweight Grand Prix quarterfinal on May 4, 2025.

Ueda advances with an early finish

Ueda advanced to the semifinal at Super RIZIN 4 on July 27, where Alexander Soldatkin stopped him with ground strikes at 3:05 of Round 2. Soldatkin moved on to face Marek Samociuk in the final and won the tournament at RIZIN 51.

Soldatkin ends the run

Ueda’s first-round finish was one of the opening-round results that shaped the bracket. The later semifinal and final outcomes completed the 2025 Grand Prix.

Ueda’s quick finish was important in a tournament where each fighter needed three wins to take the championship. The kick ended Shibisai’s attempt to use his heavyweight experience and immediately put Ueda into a semifinal against Soldatkin. The semifinal was more difficult: Soldatkin advanced with ground strikes before winning the final against Samociuk. Shibisai had been a veteran of the RIZIN heavyweight scene, making Ueda’s early finish a notable result in a bracket with several established names.

Related reporting and sources: Wrestling · Combat Sports · https://www.mmausa.net/rizin/