Two Bellator vs. RIZIN Fights Announced For RIZIN 20

Two Bellator versus RIZIN matchups were announced for RIZIN’s New Year’s Eve show on Thursday at a press conference. The announcement was one of the many at the event, including fights on the Bellator Japan card and Kyoji Horiguchi’s injury.

RIZIN’s Yuki Motoya will face Patrick Mix on the RIZIN 20 card in a bantamweight fight. Motoya recently lost to Hiromasa Ogiukubo at RIZIN 17 via decision. Mix is undefeated as a pro and has fought twice in Bellator since debuting earlier this year. Mix’s last seven wins have come via stoppage.

Also added to RIZIN 20 was Mikuru Asakura versus John Macapa. Asakura is currently on a six-fight tear, recently defeating Yusuke Yachi at RIZIN 17. Macapa snapped a 2018 three-fight losing streak earlier this year, defeating Kevin Croom then defeating Ashleigh Grimshaw two months ago.

Here’s how RIZIN 20 looks so far:

Lightweight Grand Prix Grand Final
Ayaka Hamasaki (19-2) vs. Seo Hee Ham (22-8)
Johnny Case (27-6-1) vs. Tofiq Musaev (16-3) (Lightweight GP Semi-Final)
Patricky Pitbull (22-8) vs. Luiz Gustavo (10-1) (Lightweight GP Semi-Final)
Yuki Motoya (23-7) vs. Patrick Mix (12-0)
Mikuru Asakura (11-1) vs. John Macapa (23-4-2)

Kyoji Horiguchi Out of RIZIN 20 Matchup Against Kai Asakura

Kyoji Horiguchi has been pulled from his New Year’s Eve fight against Kai Asakura due to injury, per a press conference on Thursday. It was reported that Horiguchi tore his ACL.

RIZIN says they will announce another main event soon.

Photos surfaced earlier in the week of Kyoji Horiguchi in a wheelchair with a bandage on his right knee.

The fight was set to be a rematch between the two after Asakura earned a first round stoppage win in a non-championship affair.

Additional Bouts Added To Bellator Japan

Along with the Bellator versus RIZIN fights that were added to Bellator Japan, a few other matchups were also announced on Thursday in Japan.

Set for Bellator Japan is a rematch between strawweight Haruo Ochi and Jarred Brooks. The two were set to face off at RIZIN 19, but a head collision ended the fight in under a minute. They will have a second chance to compete for the linear strawweight championship at Bellator Japan. Brooks picked up a win against Victor Altamirano in October at a Michigan local event.

Also set for Bellator Japan is Yusuke Yachi facing Hiroto Uesako. Yachi has been a big name is RIZIN despite not winning in his last three fights. Uesako is also trying to get back in the win column after losing to Luiz Gustavo at RIZIN 19.

While not billed as a RIZIN versus Bellator fight, former RIZIN fighter Ryuichiro Sumimura will face Jon Tuck on the show. Sumimura returned to MMA after a 14-month absence to get a win on a DEEP Impact show in October. Tuck was set to make his Bellator debut back in September, but his opponent, Brandon Girtz pulled out due to injury.

Bellator Japan will also see Krazy Bee Gym’s “Princess Bee” AI face RIZIN fighter Andy Nguyen. Nguyen is 1-2 in RIZIN, recently facing Miyuu Yamamoto at RIZIN 13.

Here’s how Bellator Japan looks so far:

Fedor Emelianenko (38-6) vs. Rampage Jackson (38-13)
Benson Henderson (28-8) vs. Michael Chandler (19-5)
Lorenz Larkin (21-7) vs. Keita Nakamura (35-10-2)
Ilara Joanne (9-4) vs. Kana Watanabe (8-0-1)
Goiti Yamauchi (24-4) vs. Daron Cruickshank (22-12)
Haruo Ochi (19-7-2) vs. Jarred Brooks (15-2)
Ryuichiro Sumimura (14-7) vs. Jon Tuck (10-5)
AI (5-1) vs. Andy Nguyen (6-8)
Yusuke Yachi (20-9) vs. Hiroto Uesako (16-8)

Jairzinho Rozenstruik Finishes Andrei Arlovski In 29 Seconds on UFC 244 Prelims

Jairzinho Rozenstruik extended his undefeated record on Saturday, defeating Andrei Arlovski in 29 seconds on the preliminary card of UFC 244.

Rozenstruik got his win in no time, rushing his opponent with strikes. He landed a counter left hook which dropped Arlovski, giving him a walk-off victory.

The win not only continues his career-long undefeated record, but continues his UFC-long run of victories via finishing his opponent.

Rozenstruik fought once in RIZIN, defeating Andrey Kovalev at RIZIN 10. He was signed to a UFC contract after getting another win on the regional level.

The loss puts Arlovski at 1-3 1 NC in his last five outings, and 3-6 1 NC in his last 10.

This article is part of a series of coverage called the “JMMA Tracker.” The series keeps track of Japanese MMA fighter’s activities in other promotions around the world.

Kanako Murata Claims Invicta Strawweight Championship In Decision Victory

Kanako Murata prevailed in a five-round battle on Friday against Emily Ducote for the Invicta Strawweight Championship.

Going all 25 minutes of the fight, the fighters relied on scorecards to determine a winner. In a split decision, Murata walked away as the new champion (48-47 Murata, 48-47 Ducote & 49-46 Murata).

The championship was vacant before, as previous champion Brianna van Buren had dropped the belt to sign with the UFC.

Murata made her Invicta debut in June, defeating Liana Pirosin via rear naked choke. She had previously fought in JMMA promotions RIZIN, DEEP, Pancrase and Shoot Boxing.

This article is part of a series of coverage called the “JMMA Tracker.” The series keeps track of Japanese MMA fighter’s activities in other promotions around the world.

Jarred Brooks Gets First Win Since UFC Run, Submitting Victor Altamirano

One-time RIZIN and Pancrase fighter Jarred Brooks picked up a second-round rear naked choke win over Victor Altamirano on Wednesday in Southgate, Michigan, USA.

After a dominant first round, Brooks closed the show with a rear naked choke. The win was the co-main event of the WXC 83: Warrior Wednesday 8 card.

“Man this win means so much to me… This past year and a half I’ve had so much happen to me,” said Brooks after his victory.

The fight was a return to the flyweight division after Brooks’ last fight was a strawweight bout. That fight, which was his RIZIN debut against Haruo Ochi ended in a no-contest after an accidental headbutt 10 seconds in.

The loss was the first of Altamirano’s professional career, being undefeated in his pro run in LFA prior to this fight.

In the main event of the show, Eric Shelton defeated Jesse Bazzi via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27 & 29-28). Shelton’s win was his first since his departure from the UFC earlier this year.

This article is part of a series of coverage called the “JMMA Tracker.” The series keeps track of Japanese MMA fighters wherever they go around the world.

Loma Lookboonmee Has Successful UFC Debut In Singapore

One-time Pancrase fighter Loma Lookboonmee got her first UFC win on Saturday, defeating Aleksandra Albu on the undercard of UFC Fight Night Singapore. Lookboonmee also made history as the first fighter from Thailand to sign with the UFC.

Lookboonmee fought for three rounds against Albu, out-striking the Russian fighter. When going to the scorecards, Lookboonmee was favoured on two of the three scorecards, giving her the win (30-27 Lookboonmee, 29-28 Albu & 30-29 Lookboonmee).

Lookboonmee improved to 4-1 as a professional. Her three wins came from fighting in Pancrase and Invicta FC. Her singular loss came to RIZIN and DEEP JEWELS fighter Suwanan Boonsorn, A.K.A AMP The Rocket. Boonsorn recently got a first-round victory at DEEP JEWELS 26.

The fight was the first strawweight fight for Lookboonmee, who had previously fought at atomweight throughout her career.

This article is part of a series of coverage called the “JMMA Tracker.” The series keeps track of Japanese MMA fighter’s activities in other promotions around the world.

Phil Davis Finishes Karl Albrektsson On Bellator 231 Main Card

RIZIN alumnus Karl Albrektsson suffered a loss to Phil Davis at Bellator 231 on Friday Night. It took Davis under three rounds to finish the Swedish fighter.

Davis landed ground and pound from top position until the referee finally stepped in and ended the bout.

“I want another light heavyweight tournament,” said Davis after his victory.

The first round of the fight saw both fighters have a good striking battle, along with a takedown from Davis. The first moment of brilliance from Davis came halfway through the second round, landing an overhand right which floored Albrektsson.

In the main event of the evening saw Frank Mir defeat Roy Nelson via decision in a rematch from 2011. The loss was Nelson’s fourth in a row, making his record 1-5 since exiting the UFC. On the flipside, Mir broke his previous four-fight losing streak.

This article is part of a series of coverage called the “JMMA Tracker.” The series keeps track of Japanese MMA fighter’s activities in other promotions around the world.

Benson Henderson vs. Michael Chandler 2 Added to Bellator Japan

A rematch between Benson Henderson and Michael Chandler was announced to be the co-main event of Bellator Japan, which takes place at Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan on December 29th.

Henderson and Chandler first met in 2016 at Bellator 165. Chandler prevailed that evening, getting a split decision win after five rounds of competition.

Chandler recently dropped the Bellator Lightweight Championship to Patricio Pitbull, getting finished in just over a minute. The loss ended his thrid reign as the promotion’s 155 pound champ.

Henderson is currently on a four-fight winning streak, picking up a win most recently against Myles Jury in September.

The main event of Bellator Japan is set to be Fedor Emelianenko versus Quinton “Rampage” Jackson. The event will be co-promoted with Japanese MMA promotion RIZIN Fighting Federation.

Dana White Claims BJ Penn “Won’t Fight (In The UFC) Again”

A week after video was released of BJ Penn getting in two physical altercations in public, UFC President Dana White claimed: “He won’t fight again.”

Two videos were released in July of Penn recently fighting in bars/clubs, with one of the clips clearly showing the MMA fighter getting knocked out by punches.

“BJ needs to focus on his personal life and get himself together,” said Dana White, when asked about the situation in an ESPN interview on Thursday.

Penn has been involved in other controversies this year as an ex-partner of his filed a restraining order, also accusing him of physical and sexual abuse.

The 40-year-old fighter holds a 16-14-2 record in MMA, making his professional debut at UFC 31 in 2001. He is currently on a seven-fight losing streak, recently losing to Clay Guida at UFC 237 in May.