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Ren Hiramoto returned from a two-year absence to edge Karshyga Dautbek by split decision at Super RIZIN 5 on Thursday in Osaka. The featherweight bout went the full three rounds at Kyocera Dome Osaka, with two judges backing Hiramoto and one scoring the fight for Dautbek. The result gave Hiramoto his first win since his July 2024 decision over Mikuru Asakura. Dautbek entered on a 10-fight winning streak and repeatedly forced the Japanese striker to defend takedowns, but Hiramoto found enough offense on the feet to take the divided verdict. Watch the official fight highlights below: Hiramoto Survived Dautbek’s Wrestling Pressure Dautbek established the physical terms early. The Kazakh fighter connected with a left hook, changed levels and spent long stretches pressing Hiramoto toward the ropes. Hiramoto stayed composed underneath the pressure and worked back to open space instead of accepting a prolonged ground exchange. Hiramoto changed his stance more often in Round 2 and attacked the lead leg with calf kicks. He also used front kicks to slow Dautbek’s entries. Dautbek continued to clinch and pursue takedowns, leaving the judges to weigh his control against Hiramoto’s cleaner strikes. The same contrast defined the final round. Dautbek secured more takedown and control time, while Hiramoto landed a jumping kick and a left hook during the standing exchanges. The close round produced a split decision rather than a unanimous score. Hiramoto Targeted A New Year’s Eve Return Speaking in Japanese after the verdict, Hiramoto treated the win as a step toward another appearance before the end of 2026. “Victory is a given. Next, I’ll come back even stronger, and I’ll return on New Year’s Eve. I don’t care who the opponent is,” Hiramoto said in remarks translated from Japanese. Hiramoto’s return added another result to a card led by the RIZIN and PFL featherweight title fight. RIZIN also announced Sergio Pettis against Joji Goto for PFL Dubai, extending the promotion’s cross-promotional schedule beyond Osaka. Earlier at Super RIZIN 5, Roberto Satoshi Souza submitted Shunta Nomura in the second round. Yutaka Saito also stopped YA-MAN, giving the event multiple finishes before Hiramoto and Dautbek went to the scorecards.