Unbeaten Shaidullaev outpoints McKee to become double champion at Super Rizin 5

Rajabali Shaidullaev cemented his status as one of MMA’s most compelling unbeaten fighters by defeating A.J. McKee via unanimous decision in the Super Rizin 5 main event at Kyocera Dome Osaka on Saturday. The Kyrgyz standout retained his Rizin Fighting Federation featherweight title and simultaneously captured the Professional Fighters League championship at 145 pounds, moving to a perfect 20-0 record.

The fight was far from straightforward. McKee landed a sharp counter one-two in the opening seconds that knocked Shaidullaev off balance, but the champion recovered immediately, slamming McKee to the canvas and working short elbows and punches while pinning him against the bottom rope. McKee responded with an upkick to the face, yet Shaidullaev pressed on, eventually passing to side control and opening a cut near McKee’s right eye.

A notable milestone arrived in the third round — the first time in Shaidullaev’s professional career he had been taken that deep into a fight. He showed no fatigue, landing an overhand right and following with a takedown. McKee briefly took Shaidullaev’s back during a scramble and secured a late takedown to close the round, but all three judges scored the contest 30-27 for the champion.

After the final bell, Shaidullaev addressed the crowd and revealed he has one fight remaining on his current Rizin contract. Kyoma Akimoto then entered the ring and formally requested the chance to be his next — and potentially final — Rizin title challenger. Both Shaidullaev and Rizin CEO Nobuyuki Sakakibara appeared open to the matchup, with a possible New Year’s Eve date under consideration.

In the lightweight co-main event, Rizin star Mikuru Asakura survived a relentless submission assault from veteran grappler Shinya Aoki before finishing him by knockout in the first round. Aoki, competing for Rizin for the first time since the promotion’s inaugural event in December 2015, pulled guard immediately and threatened with a triangle choke, a rear-naked choke, and an armbar in quick succession. Asakura escaped each attempt and, once upright, ended the fight with the first clean punch he landed.