Rizin knockout sumo wrestler
Tsuyoshi Sudario.
Photo by Rizin / Twitter
  • Tsuyoshi Sudario scored the fastest knockout in Rizin FF history Sunday.
  • A former sumo wrestler, Sudario is unbeaten in pro MMA after only making his Rizin debut last year.
  • Sudario had to lose 110-pounds from his sumo days as he was too big for the upper heavyweight limit.
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A sumo wrestler called Tsuyoshi Sudario set an MMA record after scoring an eight-second knockout at the Rizin FF 27 event at the Nippon Gaishi Hall in Aichi, Japan, on March 21.

The 23-year-old Japanese fighter achieved the second-highest sumo rank as a Juryo, and won a Makushita championship – the third-highest rank.

He was forced to retire from the sport in 2019 after allegations of assault, and in 2020 he started training as a mixed martial artist.

Because of upper-limit weight restrictions, Sudario had to lose 110-pounds before he could make his debut as a heavyweight at the Rizin 24 event in September 2020.

Sudario beat Dylan James in his MMA debut via doctor stoppage in the first round, and then defeated Ikuhisa Minowa with leg kicks and a punch at the Rizin 26 event in December.

He fought MMA for the third time Sunday and secured his third successive first-round finish as he demonstrated concussive power with his fists.

Straight from the opening bell Sudario pummelled his opponent Kazushi Miyamoto, leading the referee to call off the fight in mere seconds.

Sudario kept swinging, with the ref eventually forced to literally drag him off his opponent.

Though the Rizin social media account credited the finish to have occurred by the six-second mark, it has been recognized as an eight-second knockout.

Watch it right here:

Ayaka Hamasaki out-pointed Kanna Asakura in the main event - a bout that had the Rizin FF atomweight championship title on the line.

Elsewhere on the card, Roberto de Souza submitted Kazuki Tokudome with a triangle choke.

Sudario's win saw him advance his pro MMA record to three wins (three knockouts). He remains unbeaten.

Read the original article on Insider