Karshyga Dautbek, coming off four wins in Japan, emphasized the legitimacy of his grappling-heavy strategy against YA-MAN. He expressed strong confidence ahead of his RIZIN.50 bout with Chihiro Suzuki, and also revealed that he’s considering a move down to bantamweight in pursuit of a future title shot.
See original article here: https://mmaplanet.jp/194383
In 2024, Dautbek secured four wins in Japan and now faces the biggest fight of his career. Known for his powerful striking, his win over YA-MAN on New Year’s Eve via takedown and top control raised questions among some fans, even though it was a dominant victory.
But for Dautbek, using takedowns is natural—he approaches MMA with a mindset that prioritizes survival just as much as winning. His psychological approach to fighting reflects that balance. Interestingly, talk of him moving down to bantamweight for a future title challenge has surfaced as well. Dautbek's foundation and core as an MMA fighter differ from that of Japanese fighters—he exudes a calm, wild confidence.
—Thank you for doing this interview. Are you currently in Thailand? (Interview conducted on March 15th.)
"I'm in Shymkent, my hometown in Kazakhstan. I train at Turan Orda Gym, and my teammates are here as well."
—So you’re not finishing camp at Tiger Muay Thai this time?
"About a month before heading to Japan, I can’t train elsewhere because I need to get my visa. By the time my passport comes back, there’s no time left—it wouldn’t make sense to go to Thailand then. In Shymkent, I mainly train at Turan Orda Gym, but I also do some boxing at other gyms. My boxing coach is one of the best in Kazakhstan—he’s competed in the Olympics and has been national champion multiple times. Murat Yastanov from Turan Orda is always in my corner for my fights in RIZIN."
—It makes sense, though it must be frustrating. Thailand is only two hours behind Japan and much closer by plane.
"I’ve already been to Japan five times, but from Kazakhstan, you need to allow for at least a full day. I go from Shymkent to Almaty, then fly to Japan via China or Korea. For my last fight, I drove two hours from Shymkent to Tashkent in Uzbekistan and flew to Japan via Korea. Including layovers, it takes about 20 to 24 hours."
—That sounds exhausting. And this time the event is in Takamatsu, so you’ll still have to travel after arriving in Japan. I really respect your dedication.
"Thank you, I appreciate that. Even going from Thailand to Japan means adjusting for the time difference between Kazakhstan and Thailand, then Thailand to Japan. It might actually be better to go directly from Kazakhstan."
—How do you feel now heading into your fight with Chihiro Suzuki?
"The most important part of my camp is done. Now I’m tapering and adjusting my training as I prepare to fly to Japan."
—Let’s talk about your New Year’s Eve fight against YA-MAN. How satisfied were you with that win?
"I was honored to be part of such a spectacular New Year’s show. The scale was on another level. I was happy to fight someone like YA-MAN on such a stage. I believe that victory brought me closer to the RIZIN title."
—You switched from striking to takedowns and top control in that fight.
"We fought an MMA fight. Wrestling is part of MMA. It’s only natural to use the techniques that are effective at the time. My condition wasn’t perfect in that match, so I did what I needed to do to secure the win."
—Still, some people think you were losing the striking exchanges.
"You think I was losing the striking? That’s what people are saying? I think I landed more in the stand-up too. Even if RIZIN booked a boxing match between me and YA-MAN, I’d still win. No problem at all."
—Given that, Suzuki’s camp may now be more prepared for grappling exchanges than before.
"His background is kickboxing, and I know he’s the champion. But we’ll find out whose striking is better on March 30th. I’ve never doubted my own striking.
"Chihiro Suzuki has a high fight IQ and is clever with takedown defense. His striking is better than his grappling or ground game. Some people question his ground skills because he lost to Kleber Koike, but Kleber is one of the top grapplers in RIZIN.
"No matter how much you prepare, anything can happen in a fight. Judging Suzuki based on one loss isn’t fair. He was the champion in RIZIN—a promotion where it’s not easy to reach the top. He’s undoubtedly one of Japan’s best fighters. But I’m ready—mentally, physically, and tactically—to beat him and rise to the top. That’s why I’m expecting to face the best version of Chihiro."
—If you win this fight, it puts you in line for a title shot. But fans also want entertaining fights.
"I’ve never had a boring fight. I always bring exciting fights for the fans. And this one will show that I deserve a title shot."
—The RIZIN title you’re chasing will be defended on May 4th, when champion Kleber Koike faces challenger Razhabali Shaidulloev. Can you give us your prediction?
"Razhabali is from Kyrgyzstan, so he’s like a brother to me as a fellow Central Asian. I believe he’ll win and become champion."
—So if he wins, the belt you’re chasing will be held by a 'brother' of yours.
"Right now, I’m focused on the fight with Chihiro Suzuki, so I don’t want to talk too much about what comes next. I have my fight, and Rajabali has his. But I could also drop down to bantamweight and aim for a title there."
—Wow, so a move to bantamweight is on the table too! But first, you’ve got Suzuki ahead of you. Do you have a message for the fans in Japan?
"Thanks to everyone’s support, I’ve been able to keep fighting in Japan. My next fight will be a Fight of the Year contender. Thank you always for cheering me on."
