Luis Gustavo becomes new RIZIN lightweight champion with first-round knockout

Luis Gustavo captured the RIZIN lightweight championship by defeating Ilkhom Nazimov via first-round knockout at RIZIN 53. The event featured multiple bouts including a special rules stand-up only, no weight limit fight between Ren Hiramoto and Koji Tanaka that ended in a draw. Ryo Takagi scored a first-round knockout over Kaiven Lee. Other notable results included Shinobu Ota submitting Yuto Hokamura with an arm triangle in round two, Keito Oyama defeating Katie Perez by unanimous decision, and multiple submission victories throughout the card. The event showcased both MMA and kickboxing matchups.