Rizin 55: Takahashi defends flyweight title against Laramie; Inoue-Tilenov is title eliminator

Rizin 55 now has two title threads. Makoto Takahashi defends the flyweight belt against Tony Laramie, while the Naoki Inoue vs. Yrysbek Tilenov fight decides who meets bantamweight champion Danny Sabatello next.

Takahashi won the title in June at Rizin Landmark 14 and is 26, a 5'4" Japanese fighter. Laramie also won on that card, according to Pos-Luta, and is trying to take the belt out of Japan. The main event is scheduled for three rounds. Fight times and the full running order have not yet been announced.

The eliminator carries the sharper story. Inoue is the former bantamweight champion. He won the belt in September 2024 by knocking out Kim Soo-chul, defended it twice in 2025 and lost it by decision to Sabatello at the turn of the year, per Pos-Luta. He beat Marcilio Alves at a PFL event in Belgium in May and says he accepted Rizin's request to prove himself in the promotion first. He called Tilenov's strength unusual and promised specific answers to it. Tilenov, a Kyrgyz fighter, debuted in July by stopping Ota in round two. Sabatello watched the workout from a distance and confirmed the fight, according to Pos-Luta.

The workout also gave the card its loudest exchange. Kashimura, the DEEP interim bantamweight champion, returns from his July knockout loss to Sabatello and faces Olympic silver medalist Ota, who lost to Tilenov in July. Ota promised to finish Kashimura in the first round, noting that Sabatello needed three. Kashimura said it would be his first striking-focused fight. Sabatello, on Zoom, warned he would fly to Tokyo and slap both men if the friendliness was real. The face-off ended in a handshake after Ota shoved Kashimura.

Watch for Sabatello. He has already beaten Inoue, Kashimura and Ota, and he will meet the Inoue-Tilenov winner.