The MMA debut of Taisei Sakuraba was short but memorable for fans of old school Japanese MMA.
With his father, the legendary PRIDE veteran and UFC Hall of Famer Kazushi Sakuraba, in his corner, “Saku Jr.” faced off against the experienced Yusuke Yachi during Rizin Decade on December 31st in Saitama. In a stunning turn of events, he secured a quick victory that surprised the MMA world.
Yachi, a former RIZIN title contender, engaged in a flurry of head kicks with Sakuraba at the start of the featherweight bout. When Yachi caught a kick from the young fighter, he was unprepared for the immediate left hand strike to the head that followed, knocking him to the ground. Sakuraba continued the assault until the referee intervened.
With this win, Sakuraba now holds a professional MMA record of 1-0, putting an end to Yachi’s four-fight winning streak in RIZIN.
Witness the finish in the video below, and for full Rizin Decade results, click here.
There’s going to be some talk of the quick stoppage, but that isn’t on Taisei Sakuraba. THAT is how you make your debut against a 40+ fight veteran. Mere seconds. The legacy continues! #RIZIN_Decade (footage courtesy of RIZIN FF/RIZIN.tv) pic.twitter.com/bQyAc6pTnj
— Cageside Press (@Cagesidepress) December 31, 2024