Last weekend, Tokyo, Japan, was the host city for the GLORY 102 x RISE: Last Featherweight Standing event, a major collaboration in the world of kickboxing.
This marked the 11th event of the year organized by RISE, held in partnership with GLORY Kickboxing at Tokyo`s Ota City General Gymnasium. The exciting night featured two highly anticipated title fights and the concluding bouts of the opening round of the combined RISE x GLORY Last Featherweight Standing tournament.
Throughout the event, the tournament`s initial round concluded with several key matchups determining who would advance. Among the most notable outcomes, Chad Collins successfully defended his RISE Super Lightweight Title following a remarkable comeback performance against Kento Haraguchi.
In another significant title defense, Shiro secured a decisive victory over Masashi Kumura, thereby retaining his Bantamweight world title with a dominant display.
Adding to the excitement, Ryujin Nasukawa, brother of the renowned Tenshin Nasukawa, emerged victorious from a closely contested fight against Jin Mandokoro, extending his impressive winning streak to 13 bouts. Meanwhile, Taiju Shiratori quickly dispatched the UK`s Andy Turland, making swift work of his opponent.
Collins Turns the Tide
After a five-year wait, following their originally scheduled 2020 bout being canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Chadd “The Shark” Collins and Kento Haraguchi finally met in the ring at the RISE World Series in Tokyo, battling for the Super Lightweight title. Haraguchi initiated the fight with strong aggression, landing powerful body kicks in the opening round and even scoring a knockdown with a high kick. However, from the second round onwards, Collins dramatically shifted the momentum, taking control with relentless forward pressure that systematically wore down his challenger.
Following five rounds of intense action, Collins` impressive rally was rewarded with a split-decision victory, allowing him to successfully defend his hard-earned title.
Shiro Delivers a Masterclass Performance
In the main event of the evening, Shiro showcased a truly dominant performance against Masashi Kumura, controlling the bout from start to finish. He scored three significant knockdowns en route to a clear unanimous decision victory. Shiro maintained complete control over the pace and distance throughout the fight, making the contest appear effortless. His sharp timing and precise striking were on full display, securing him another convincing win and solidifying his reign.
Last Featherweight Standing Tournament Update
The Tokyo event also hosted the final four fights of the opening round of the RISE x GLORY Last Featherweight Standing tournament. On GLORY`s side of the bracket, Denis Wosik and the debuting Achraf Aasila both advanced to the next stage with dominant decision victories.
Meanwhile, on the RISE side, Japanese talents Yura Kono and Yutaro Asahi electrified the audience with impressive knockout finishes. These Japanese fighters will complete the RISE bracket, setting the stage for the highly anticipated upcoming Last 16 stage of the tournament.
GLORY 102 x RISE Tokyo Full Results:
- Shiro Matsumoto def. Masashi Kumura – Unanimous Decision – RISE Bantamweight Title
- Chadd Collins def. Kento Haraguchi – Split Decision – RISE Super Lightweight Title
- Ryujin Nasukawa def. Jin Mandokoro – Unanimous Decision
- Taiju Shiratori def. Andy Turland – KO in R1 at 1:53
- Denis Wosik def. Suarek – Unanimous Decision – Last Featherweight Standing | GLORY
- Yutaro Asahi def. Eduardo Catalin – KO in R3 at 2:28 – Last Featherweight Standing | RISE
- Achraf Aasila def. Lounis Saing – Unanimous Decision – Last Featherweight Standing | GLORY
- Yura Kono def. Dexiang Kong – KO in R1 at 1:33 – Last Featherweight Standing | RISE
Oliver Croft