Roberto de Souza vs. Vugar Karamov
The upcoming Rizin MMA match between Roberto de Souza and Vugar Karamov is set to take place on December 31, 2024, as part of the RIZIN 49, AKA RIZIN DECADE, event. This lightweight bout carries significant stakes, as it will be a title fight for the Rizin Lightweight Championship currently held by de Souza.
Roberto de Souza vs. Vugar Karamov
Roberto de Souza is a 35-year-old Japanese-Brazilian fighter with an impressive background in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. Born in Sao Paulo, Brazil, de Souza began his martial arts journey at a young age under the guidance of his father, a judo instructor. He has achieved great success in BJJ, winning multiple championships including world titles in various belt levels. De Souza is known for his exceptional grappling skills and submission power, with many of his MMA victories coming by way of submission.
Roberto de Souza is slightly favored to win the fight. His odds are listed at -125, which implies a 55.56% chance of victory. This means that a bettor would need to wager $125 to win $100 if de Souza emerges victorious. Vugar Karamov, on the other hand, is the slight underdog with odds of -105. This translates to a 51.22% implied probability of winning. You can play the odds at ICE Casino right here.
A $105 bet on Karamov would yield $100 in profit if he wins the fight. The close odds suggest that bookmakers and bettors view this as a competitive matchup, with de Souza having a small edge in this Tokyo matchup.
Vugar “Vugi” Karamov, on the other hand, is a 32-year-old fighter from Azerbaijan with a diverse martial arts background. He has experience in judo, wushu sanda, and combat sambo, and is notably a former Islamic Wushu Championship winner. Karamov is moving up to the lightweight division for this fight, having previously competed as a featherweight where he briefly held the Rizin Featherweight Championship. He is known for his powerful striking and strong core physique.
This match-up presents an intriguing clash of styles. Roberto de Souza’s world-class grappling and submission skills will be pitted against Karamov’s striking power and diverse martial arts background. The fight also represents a significant opportunity for Karamov, who is looking to become a two-division champion by moving up in weight to challenge for the lightweight title.
For de Souza, this will be another chance to defend his Rizin lightweight championship and further cement his status as one of Rizin’s top fighters. His most recent title defense was a successful one, winning by TKO against Luiz Gustavo in September 2024.
Given the fighters’ backgrounds and recent performances, fans can expect an exciting contest that could potentially showcase high-level grappling from de Souza and powerful striking from Karamov. The outcome of this fight will have significant implications for the Rizin lightweight division and could potentially set up future cross-promotional opportunities.
