Following his knockout victory over then-Bellator champion Patricio Pitbull in a non-title fight in July 2023, RIZIN fighter Chihiro Suzuki anticipates a boost in his own fame as Pitbull makes his mark in the UFC.
Pitbull, a former two-division Bellator titleholder with a victory over Suzuki`s rival Kleber Koike, is set to debut in the UFC on April 12 against Yair Rodriguez at UFC 314 in a potential title contention eliminator. Meanwhile, Suzuki is preparing for his RIZIN 50 bout against Karshyga Dautbek this Sunday and is optimistic about Pitbull`s future in the UFC.
“I’m confident he will achieve great things,” Suzuki stated in an interview with MMA Fighting. “His UFC career will be very successful. He has an impressive record and numerous accomplishments, including championships in two divisions. While I defeated him that night, I simply performed better at that moment. I am certain he will be successful in the UFC.”
Suzuki has built a strong record in RIZIN, with 8 wins, 2 losses, 1 no-contest, and title victories over Masanori Kanehara and Vugar Karamov.
“It’s natural that my reputation improves as Pitbull achieves more wins,” Suzuki explained. “His success on a larger platform increases my own value. This is common in all competitive sports. I hope this happens, and if he becomes a UFC champion, I believe I will deserve a rematch.”
RIZIN has seen other fighters transition to the UFC, such as Kai Asakura`s challenge for the UFC flyweight title against Alexandre Pantoja in 2024. Rumors also suggest Kyoji Horiguchi might return to the UFC. Suzuki is open to a UFC move in the future if it benefits all parties involved.
“It depends on the RIZIN fans,” Suzuki commented. “If they want to see me compete in the UFC, I would consider it. However, if RIZIN fans prefer me to stay and fight in RIZIN, that’s what I will do. I am happy to remain here.”
Suzuki`s immediate focus is his upcoming fight against Dautbek and he predicts a first-round knockout victory.
“My confidence comes from past success,” Suzuki said. “I have already knocked out a world champion, Pitbull, which is very reassuring. I accomplished something many couldn`t, and that fuels my confidence. Having done it once, I know I can repeat it.”
Suzuki recently lost his 145-pound title to Koike in December after a hard-fought three-round battle. He acknowledged learning about “the depth of the ground game” in that fight. To improve his overall MMA skills, Suzuki has even started training with Koike`s team in Japan, alongside Koike and Roberto Satoshi.
“To defeat the new champion, Kleber, I realized I needed to learn from him,” Suzuki explained. “Learning from the champion is the best way to beat the champion. Having not lost in a while, my immediate thought was to regain that victory and improve. Learning from the person who defeated me seemed like the most effective way to progress.”
“I wanted to improve, and learning from my defeater seemed like the most direct route. He identified and exploited my weaknesses, so learning from him appeared to be the best way to elevate my game to the next level.”
Suzuki hasn`t ruled out a trilogy fight with Koike in the future, but only after they defend the RIZIN featherweight division from “international invaders.”
“Initially, I had no concerns about fighting him after training together,” Suzuki said. “My plan was to learn from him and eventually defeat him. However, training together has changed my perspective. I now prefer not to fight him unless absolutely necessary. It will take a few more fights to earn a title shot, and if Kleber remains champion then, and a fight is required, I will fight him.”
“But now, as training partners, we have bonded,” he continued. “We share a common goal: the RIZIN featherweight division is being challenged by many tough international fighters. We have aligned to defend against these international fighters who are trying to take over. We will both fight off these invaders, and if we must eventually fight each other, it will be as good sportsmen. Realistically, I don’t want to fight him right now.”
“If a fight becomes necessary, I believe we can showcase the beauty of true sportsmanship. We can compete with respect and demonstrate martial arts skills. Modern MMA often focuses on trash talk and animosity, but there`s a different, more respectful side to MMA that we can display. When the time comes to fight Kleber, I believe we can show the beauty of real sport.”
Wesley Dunham 
Marcus Blakely