Yang vs Kuramoto

Who won Yang vs Kuramoto?

Kazuma Kuramoto beat Ji Yong Yang by split decision in their 3 round contest during the main card of RIZIN 46, on Monday 29th April 2024 at Tokyo Ariake Arena in Tokyo.

The scorecards were announced in favor of the winner Kazuma Kuramoto.

The fight was scheduled to take place over 3 rounds in the Bantamweight division, which meant the weight limit was 135 pounds (9.6 stone or 61.2 KG).

Yang vs Kuramoto stats

Ji Yong Yang stepped into the octagon with an undefeated record of 4 wins, zero losses and 0 draws, 1 of those wins coming by the way of knock out and 2 by submission.

Kazuma Kuramoto made his way to the cage with a record of 9 wins, 4 losses and 0 draws, 6 of those wins coming by knock out.

This was Ji Yong Yang's 3rd fight in Rizin, having made his debut for the promotion in 2022. Kazuma Kuramoto marked his 7th fight for them, having made his own debut for the promotion in 2020.

Ji Yong Yang's Rizin record stood at 2-1-0, while Kazuma Kuramoto's came in at 4-3-0.

The stats suggested Kuramoto had a massive power advantage over Yang, boasting a 67% knock out percentage over Yang's 25%.

If the fight went to the ground, their records suggested Yang had a massive advantage over Kuramoto, boasting a 50% submission rate over Kuramoto's 0%.

Ji Yong Yang was the younger man by 38 years, at years old.

Yang was the less experienced professional fighter, having had 9 fewer fights, and made his debut in 2020, 2 years and 4 months later than Kuramoto, whose first professional fight was in 2018. He had fought 5 less professional rounds, 22 to Kuramoto's 27.

Yang vs Kuramoto form

Kuramoto had beaten 2 of his last 5 opponents, stopping 1 of them, going the distance once.

In his last fight leading up to this contest, he had lost to Shinobu Ota at RIZIN LANDMARK 5 in YOYOGI on 30th April 2023 by knockout in the 1st round at Yoyogi National Stadium, Shibuya, Japan.

Previous to that, he had been beaten by Yuki Motoya at RIZIN LANDMARK Vol.4 on 6th November 2022 by unanimous decision in their 3 round contest at Dolphins Arena, Nagoya.

Going into that contest, he had won against Mamoru Uoi at RIZIN LANDMARK Vol.3 on 5th May 2022 by unanimous decision in their 3 round contest at Undisclosed.

Before that, he had beaten Kenji Kato at RIZIN Trigger 2nd on 23rd February 2022 by knockout in the 1st round at Ecopa Arena, Shizuoka, Japan.

He had been defeated by Alan Yoshihiro Yamaniha at RIZIN 29 on 27th June 2021 by unanimous decision in their 3 round contest at Maruzen Intec Arena Osaka(丸善インテックアリーナ大阪), Osaka.

Activity check

Yang's last 2 fights had come over a period of 2 years, 8 months and 25 days, meaning he had been fighting on average every 1 year, 4 months and 14 days. In those fights, he fought a total of 5 rounds, meaning that they had lasted 2.5 rounds on average.

Kuramoto's last 5 fights had come over a period of 3 years and 9 months, meaning he had been fighting on average every 9 months. In those fights, he fought a total of 11 rounds, meaning that they had lasted 2.2 rounds on average.

What were the odds on Yang vs Kuramoto?

Ji Yong Yang was a 2/5 (-250) favourite going into the contest, while Kazuma Kuramoto made his way into the ring at 7/4 (+180) with oddsmakers.