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RIZIN LANDMARK 16 delivered an important night for Japanese MMA, with several emerging fighters picking up impressive victories at the Happiness Arena in Nagasaki on October 3.
While Yoshinori Horie’s second round stoppage of Sho Patrick Usami was the headline result, the card also showcased a group of Japanese fighters who could become increasingly important to RIZIN’s future.
Among them, Seiya Inoue and Kyohei Takagi stood out with emphatic stoppages, while Hyuma Yasui produced a dominant decision win against an experienced international opponent.
Seiya Inoue Delivers One of the Night’s Best Performances
The biggest statement from the younger generation came from Seiya Inoue, who stopped Ryusei Ashizawa with just four seconds remaining in the opening round.
The bantamweight fight quickly turned into a wild striking battle. Inoue repeatedly found success with his left hand and eventually dropped Ashizawa multiple times before the referee stepped in at 4:56 of Round 1. The fight was particularly impressive because both men had moments of success. Ashizawa managed to score a knockdown of his own, but Inoue recovered and continued attacking until he finally forced the stoppage.
The victory moves Inoue to 2 – 1 in RIZIN, and the 25 year old now has back to back wins inside the promotion. With his aggressive style and willingness to exchange, Inoue could become an interesting name to watch in RIZIN’s bantamweight division.
Hidetaka Arato Continues His Perfect 2026
Another Japanese prospect who strengthened his position was Kyohei Takagi. The flyweight prospect stopped veteran Masatoshi Ueda by TKO at 3:26 of Round 1, using ground and pound after taking Ueda down.
Takagi initially showed confidence in the striking exchanges before choosing to take the fight to the ground. Once there, he repeatedly attacked with punches, hammerfists and knees until the referee stopped the contest.
The victory improved Takagi’s RIZIN record to 3 – 0, while he is now 5 – 0 in 2026. That unbeaten run makes Takagi one of the more interesting young fighters currently developing inside the Japanese promotion. A move toward tougher opposition could be next as RIZIN looks to establish the next generation of Japanese flyweights.
Hyuma Yasui Passes a Tough Test
Hyuma Yasui also earned an important victory, defeating Ryan Cafaro by unanimous decision. All three judges scored the featherweight fight 30 – 27 for Yasui, who used his grappling throughout the contest to control the experienced American.
Yasui repeatedly took Cafaro down and threatened with submissions, including an inverted triangle, rear naked choke and arm triangle. Cafaro survived several dangerous positions, but Yasui’s control and wrestling were enough to secure a clear decision victory.
The result is particularly valuable because Cafaro entered the fight with considerable grappling experience and had previously won inside RIZIN. Yasui now owns a 5 – 1 professional record and a 2 – 1 record in RIZIN, giving the Japanese featherweight another important step forward.
Yoshinori Horie Still Leads the Way
The biggest Japanese victory of the night belonged to Yoshinori Horie, although he is already an established RIZIN contender rather than a prospect.
The former lightweight title challenger stopped Sho Patrick Usami at 3:37 of Round 2 with an elbow and follow up punches. Horie has now won back to back fights in 2026 after previously defeating Patricky Freire at RIZIN LANDMARK 13. The victory could put Horie back into the lightweight title conversation, particularly given his experience against the division’s leading names.
Japan’s Next Generation Is Taking Shape
RIZIN LANDMARK 16 was not simply another event on the Japanese MMA calendar. It provided a useful snapshot of several fighters who could become important figures for the promotion over the coming years.
Inoue showed explosive finishing ability at bantamweight. Takagi continued his perfect 2026 campaign at flyweight. Yasui demonstrated that his grappling can carry him through difficult fights against experienced opposition.
Horie, meanwhile, reminded everyone that Japan’s established stars remain capable of producing major performances. With RIZIN continuing to develop Japanese talent alongside international fighters, Inoue, Takagi and Yasui are names worth following closely after RIZIN LANDMARK 16.
RIZIN LANDMARK 16 Results
• Yoshinori Horie vs. Sho Patrick Usami: Horie WIN, TKO, Round 2, 3:37
• Viktor Kolesnik vs. Koyomi Matsushima: Kolesnik WIN, TKO, Round 2, 0:20
• Hyuma Yasui vs. Ryan Cafaro: Yasui WIN, unanimous decision
• Keito Oyama vs. Noeru Narita: Oyama WIN, split decision
• Kyohei Takagi vs. Masatoshi Ueda: Takagi WIN, TKO, Round 1, 3:26
• Seiya Inoue vs. Ryusei Ashizawa: Inoue WIN, TKO, Round 1, 4:56
• Hidetaka Arato vs. Ken Hasegawa: Arato WIN, unanimous decision
• Alan Yamaniha vs. Seigo Yamamoto: Yamaniha WIN, submission, Round 1, 3:00
• Kohei Sugiyama vs. Kaito Oda: Sugiyama WIN, split decision
• Ryota Oki vs. Daisuke Okumiya: Oki WIN, TKO, Round 1, 4:47
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