A fighter set to challenge for the RIZIN bantamweight title against Danny Sabatello has revealed he was at a supermarket in America when the offer arrived, describing the moment as so shocking it gave him goosebumps — though he accepted immediately. He acknowledged that going toe-to-toe with Sabatello in a straight exchange is not a battle he expects to win.
A challenger for the RIZIN bantamweight title has opened up about the moment he received the offer to fight Danny Sabatello, describing how the call caught him completely off guard while he was shopping at a supermarket in the United States. Despite the shock, he accepted without hesitation, though he was candid in admitting that standing in front of Sabatello and trading strikes in a straight exchange is not a fight he expects to win.
Sabatello, known as the Italian Gangster, holds a record of nine wins and one loss and competes at bantamweight out of American Top Team. The 33-year-old American stands five-foot-ten with a 71-inch reach and fights out of an orthodox stance. His game is built around a well-rounded attack that blends striking with persistent wrestling pressure, averaging three takedowns per 15 minutes alongside one submission attempt in the same period. His striking accuracy sits at an impressive 57 percent, underlining the kind of precision that his challenger has openly acknowledged could be a problem if the fight becomes a standing exchange.
Why it matters
- Sabatello's title defense adds another layer of high-stakes competition to RIZIN's bantamweight division.
- The challenger's candid self-assessment signals he is likely to pursue a tactical approach rather than a straight striking contest.
- Style matchup carries intrigue given Sabatello's accuracy and wrestling base versus an opponent who has already signaled where he believes the danger lies.
