Young Fighter Akimoto Beats Veteran Kleber Koike at RIZIN.54
Listen to the story
A big fight happened at RIZIN.54. This is a mixed martial arts event in Japan. It was fight number 10 on the card.
Akimoto Gouma fought Kleber Koike. Akimoto is only 20 years old. Kleber Koike is an older, more experienced fighter.
Akimoto won the fight. He fights in the featherweight class. This means fighters have a similar body weight.
After the fight, Kleber Koike said something nice. He said his face was very swollen. He said this had never happened before.
People now say Akimoto is one of the best fighters in the featherweight class. Many people call him a treasure for the sport.
In another fight on the same card, a former champion lost. He was too heavy before the fight. This is called a weight miss.
Vocabulary15 words
- fight
- when two people compete using their bodies
- mixed martial arts
- a sport with many fighting styles together
- experienced
- having done something many times before
- featherweight
- a fighting group for lighter fighters
- treasure
- something or someone very special and valuable
- champion
- the best fighter or winner
- weight miss
- when a fighter is too heavy for the rules
- event
- a big planned happening
- card
- the list of fights in one show
- swollen
- bigger than normal because of an injury
- class
- a group with the same weight limit
- sport
- a physical game or competition
- praised
- said good things about someone
- veteran
- a person with a lot of experience
- beat
- won against someone
Quiz
Answer key
1. Akimoto Gouma 2. 20 3. It was very swollen, like never before
Fill-in-the-blank listening
Play the audio again and fill in the missing words as you listen.
A big _____ happened at RIZIN.54. This is a mixed martial arts _____ in Japan. It was fight number 10 on the card.
Akimoto Gouma fought Kleber Koike. Akimoto is only _____ years old. Kleber Koike is an older, more _____ fighter.
Akimoto _____ the fight. He fights in the _____ class.
After the fight, Kleber Koike said something nice. He said his face was very _____. He said this had never happened before.
People now say Akimoto is one of the best fighters in the featherweight class. Many people call him a _____ for the sport.
In another fight on the same card, a former _____ lost. He was too heavy before the fight.