The Japan-based martial arts event, RIZIN, held its first overseas competition on November 4, 2023 (Saturday) at the National Gymnastics Arena in Baku, Azerbaijan. This historic event, named RIZIN LANDMARK 7 in Azerbaijan, drew attention not only from local fans but also from people all around the world.

In the main event of the competition, a battle in the ‘RIZIN Featherweight’ was unfolded with Chihiro Suzuki defeating Vugar Karamov. This victory led him to be crowned the featherweight champion. Moreover, Musaev also overwhelmed Koji Takeda, triumphing with a 3R TKO victory.

There was a constant mix of anticipation and tension due to this being the first overseas event, and every single match turned out to be a fierce battle. Notably, the heavyweight fighters reminded us once again of the power and skills of the assembled warriors.

However, throughout the Azerbaijan event, not only these matches but also the passion and fighting spirit of the challengers of each match came through. The success of the event is likely to become a springboard for RIZIN’s future global expansion, and a driving force for challenging higher peaks.

All the matches at the RIZIN LANDMARK 7 in Azerbaijan started at 10 pm Japan time, leading to a long day for sports fans. However, as a result, combat sports fans around the world were able to enjoy heated battles at a different time slot than usual from a global perspective.

RIZIN, having overcome the hurdle of the first overseas match and achieved success, is expected to continue to contribute significantly to the development of martial arts events both domestically and internationally. We can’t take our eyes off the future developments of RIZIN until the day when up-and-coming athletes get even more glory.