Manel Kape Stops Kai Asakura In The Second Round, Becomes New RIZIN Bantamweight Champion

Manel Kape won the vacant RIZIN Bantamweight Championship in the main event of RIZIN 20, stopping Kai Asakura early in the second round with punches. Kape became champion at Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan.

Kape dropped Asakura with punches early in the second round, continuing with punches on the ground until referee Jason Herzog called a halt to the competition.

The original plan for New Year’s Eve was for Kai Asakura to challenge Kyoji Horiguchi for his Bantamweight belt. Horiguchi pulled from the fight and vacated his belt after being sidelined by a torn ACL.

Right after winning the fight, Kape went over to Horiguchi at ringside and kissed him on the forehead.

In the co-main event of the evening, Tenshin Nasukawa stopped Rui Ebata in under a round in a kickboxing bout.

Full coverage of the event can be found here.

RIZIN 20 Live Coverage

The tradition of New Year’s Eve MMA continues this year, with RIZIN presenting “RIZIN 20.” The show includes numerous championship fights, and the final two rounds of a grand prix. In the main event, Kai Asakura and Manel Kape battle to become the second RIZIN Bantamweight Champion.

Follow the live blog throughout the night for updates of the happenings at Saitama Super Arena.

RIZIN 20 starts at 1:00 AM EST, being broadcasted internationally on FITE.TV.

Quick Results:

Bout 1: Tofiq Musayev def. Johnny Case via TKO (RD 1)

Bout 2: Patricky Pitbull def. Luiz Gustavo via TKO (RD 1)

Bout 3: Miyuu Yamamoto def. AMP The Rocket via Unanimous Decision

Bout 4: Taiju Shiratori def. Taiga via Doctor’s Stoppage (Cut) (RD 2)

Bout 5: Patrick Mix def. Yuki Motoya via Submission (Guillotine Choke) (RD 1)

Bout 6: Jake Heun def. Satoshi Ishii via TKO (RD 1)

Bout 7: Hiromasa Ogikubo def. Shintaro Ishiwatari via Split Decision

Bout 8: Simon Biyong def. Vitaly Shemetov via TKO (Tap Out) (RD 2)

Bout 9: Jiri Prochazka def. C.B. Dollaway via KO (RD 1)

Bout 10: Tofiq Musayev def. Patricky Pitbull via Unanimous Decision

Bout 11: RENA def. Lindsey VanZandt via Corner Stoppage (RD 3)

Bout 12: Mikuru Asakura def. John Macapa via Unanimous Decision

Bout 13: Seo Hee Ham def. Ayaka Hamasaki via Split Decision

Bout 14: Tenshin Nasukawa def. Rui Ebata via TKO (RD 1)

Bout 15: Manel Kape def. Kai Asakura via TKO (RD 2)

Bout 1: Johnny Case (27-6-1) vs. Tofiq Musayev (16-3) (Lightweight Grand Prix Semi-Final)

The broadcast of RIZIN 20 started with their usual ceremonies. They played a video package that started by showing the struggles of many fighters in the promotion this year. They then introduced all of the fighters in the main fights. After that, everyone was introduced by Lenne Hardt on-stage.

The first two fights on the card were the lightweight grand prix semi-finals. This first bout saw Johnny Case challenge Azerbaijan’s Tofiq Musayev. Both fighters were given flowers before their fight. Musayev was counter-striking early on in the first round. Case landed a good head kick in the second minute. Case was hurt by two hooks in the third minute. While retreating, Case landed a takedown on Musayev. They got back up, where Musayev hurt Case with more punches. Musayev dropped Case and then finished him with ground and pound to win the fight. Staying fresh for his next fight later in the night, Tofiq Musyaev won in a quick fight.

Bout 2: Patricky Pitbull (22-8) vs. Luiz Gustavo (10-1) (Lightweight Grand Prix Semi-Final)

To find the opponent of Tofiq Musayev, Patricky Pitbull fought Luiz Gustavo in an all-Brazilian matchup. Pitbull came into this event representing Bellator. Gustavo refused to fist-bump Pitbull when they met in the middle of the ring before the fight. Pitbull dropped Gustavo with punches in the opening seconds. He kept on him with punches and connected with a soccer kick before the referee stepped in to end it. Similar to Tofiq Musayev’s performance, Patricky Pitbull moved on to the second round without taking any significant damage.

Bout 3: Miyuu Yamamoto (5-4) vs. AMP The Rocket (4-2) (108 lbs)

In the first of many women’s MMA fights of the evening, Krazy Bee’s “Queen Bee” Miyuu Yamamoto returns to fight Thailand prospect AMP The Rocket. Rocket landed a leg kick early on which connected well. Yamamoto landed a good elbow in the clinch. In another clinch, Yamamoto landed a takedown. Yamamoto landed some strikes from the top position. With a minute left in the round, the referee stood them up due to inactivity on the ground. Rocket kept connecting with the leg kicks.

Yamamoto got a takedown in the opening moments of the second round. She landed a few strikes on the ground before they got back up. Yamamoto got in the pocket and landed a combination of punches. Yamamoto got another takedown with over two minutes to go. Yamamoto was in control on the ground until the final moments of the fight.

In-between rounds, former RIZIN and Bellator Bantamweight Champion Kyoji Horiguchi was shown in the crowd. Rocket landed a good teep kick early in the final round. Yamamoto got yet another takedown after a minute of the round. While holding one of Rocket’s arms in a crucifix, Yamamoto rained down punches. From side position, she landed knees to the head. Yamamoto went into full guard, continuing with periodic punches. They got up, but Yamamoto threw Rocket back down with a minute left in the fight. Yamamoto scored many knees to the body and head on the ground. She tried for an armbar as the time ran out in the second round. When going to the scorecards, Miyuu Yamamoto won via unanimous decision.

Bout 4: Taiju Shiratori vs. Taiga (137 lbs) (Kickboxing Rules)

The first kickboxing fight on the show saw a rematch between Taiju Shiratori and Taiga. Their first meeting was at RIZIN 19, where Shiratori won, although Taiga scored a late knockdown to make it a closer affair than people expected. Tenshin Nasukawa was sitting ringside in support of Shiratori. They traded leg kicks to start the first round. The round in general was a feeling out process, with not many punches connected. Shiratori got wobbled by a leg kick in the final minute of the round. Shiratori threw a combination of punches, which made Taiga tell him to throw some more.

Shiratori threw a good combination with punches and a knee to the body in the second round. He was stringing together combinations frequently. Shiratori landed two knees late in the round, including one in the clinch which cut Taiga above the left eyebrow. They traded hard hooks as the round ended. The doctor checked Taiga out in-between rounds and deemed him not able to continue. Despite getting another win on his record, Taiju Shiratori failed to get a satisfying win over Taiga yet again. After the fight, Shiratori asked for a promotion versus promotion show next year involving kickboxing promotions RIZIN, RISE and K-1.

Bout 5: Yuki Motoya (23-7) vs. Patrick Mix (12-0) (135 lbs)

The first Bellator versus RIZIN fight of the evening saw undefeated fighter Patrick Mix take the trip to Japan to face Yuki Motoya. Mix was very amped up before the fight. Mix tried for a takedown in the opening seconds of the fight. Motoya got back up moments later. Mix got another takedown. Mix put in a guillotine choke that had Motoya stuck. The referee eventually came in to stop the bout, giving Mix a quick win. Extending his undefeated record, Patrick Mix caught Yuki Motoya early.

Bout 6: Jake Heun (14-9) vs. Satoshi Ishii (22-10-1) (230 lbs)

The next fight saw light heavyweights Jake Heun and Satoshi Ishii face off. This was Ishii’s first fight since competing in the 2019 PFL season. Heun did a walkout to “Another One Bites The Dust” by Queen. Ishii tried for a single-leg takedown in the first minute. He didn’t get it, but got a hold of Heun’s back. Heun did an impressive roll to get out of the hold. Heun went back to coming forward with punches. Heun landed a clean uppercut which snapped Ishii’s head back. Ishii got clipped and dropped by punches. The referee stopped the fight on the ground. With a dominant performance, Jake Heun continued to rise his stock in RIZIN. After the fight, he called for a championship fight.

Bout 7: Shintaro Ishiwatari (26-7-4) vs. Hiromasa Ogikubo (19-4-2) (135 lbs)

Before the intermission, Invicta Strawweight Champion Kanako Murata came to the ring. She talked about winning the belt in Invicta earlier this year. After the break, we had a high-level bantamweight battle between Shintaro Ishiwatari and Hiromasa Ogikubo. Ogikubo caught a leg kick in the first minute, landing a punch before scoring a takedown. While his head was being held by Ishiwatari, Ogikubo landed some strikes in top position. They got up, with Ogikubo holding Ishiwatari up against the ropes. They eventually returned to stand-up striking. Ishiwatari scored a good jab. They had these moments where they would both trade wild swings. Throughout the round Ishiwatari was connecting well with his jabs. They were in an exchange as the bell went, forcing the referee to intervene.

The two fighters had another back-and-forth exchange of blows at the start of the second round. Ogibuko had a good two-punch combo halfway through the round. Ogikubo got a takedown with a minute and a half left in the round. They got up around 10 seconds after. Ishiwatari got hit with a shot in the final minute of the round that seemingly hurt him. Ogikubo didn’t really try to follow up on that. He tried for another takedown, although Ishiwatari kept it on the feet. Ogikubo landed good hooks as the round ended.

Ogikubo shot for another takedown as the third round started. While Ishiwatari was standing on his hands and had his legs held, Ogikubo threw a kick to the head. Unique use of the soccer kick rules. They got back up, with Ishiwatari getting a takedown and top position on the ground. They got back up with three minutes left in the round. Ogikubo was coming forward with punches. They were both swinging wildly. This continued for minutes somehow. The crowd was eating up the striking battle. Ishiwatari started to bleed from the nose. They were fighting from such a close distance. Ishiwatari got a takedown in the final 30 seconds of the round, although they got back up for the final 10 seconds of the round. The fight went the distance with the judges being needed to find a winner. While it was a split decision, it was Hiromasa Ogikubo who walked away with the win. Ishiwatari seemed heartbroken by this.

Bout 8: Vitaly Shemetov (23-10) vs. Simon Biyong (6-1) (205 lbs)

In the next fight, Vitaly Shemetov searched for his first RIZIN victory against the debuting Simon Biyong. Shemetov fell early in the fight from trying a flying knee. Shemetov had fast hands. Biyong caught Shemetov when he came in for a punch. He put Shemetov against the ropes, eventually getting a takedown. Shemetov tried for an armbar, with Biyong landing knees to the body while fighting it off. He eventually escaped it, taking Shemetov’s back. Shemetov turned to his back, with Biyong taking half guard in top position. He threw strikes from the position. A cut above Shemetov’s left eye began to bleed. Another cut was open on the right side of Shemetov’s forehead from a knee. Biyong picked up the pace of punches in the final seconds of the round.

Before the second round started, a doctor checked the cuts on Shemetov’s head. After the check-up, the fight resumed. Biyong caught Shemetov again in the first seconds of the round, getting another takedown. Finding success with it in the first round, Buyong returned to ground and pound immediately. Shemetov’s cuts got opened more. Biyong continued with strikes until Shemetov tapped out. Dominant in his RIZIN debut, Simon Biyong made a good case for being invited yet again in the future.

Bout 9: Jiri Prochazka (25-3-1) vs. CB Dollaway (17-9) (RIZIN Light Heavyweight Championship)

The first championship fight of the evening saw Jiri Prochazka attempt to make the first defence of his RIZIN Light Heavyweight Championship against former UFC fighter C.B. Dollaway. Worth noting that Dollaway was wearing shoes in this fight. Dollaway was throwing good leg kicks early on. Prochazka caught a kick in the second minute, trying for a takedown although they returned to striking quickly after. Dollaway was dropped by a left hook in the second minute that gave Prochazka the win. Dollaway was hit so hard that he bounced on the mat. Making the first defence of his RIZIN Light Heavyweight Championship, Jiri Prochazka stopped C.B. Dollaway within a round.

Bout 10: Tofiq Musayev (17-3) vs. Patricky Pitbull (23-8) (Lightweight Grand Prix Grand Final)

In the final fight before the intermission, Tofiq Musayev and Patricky Pitbull returned to find the winner of the Lightweight Grand Prix. The first minute of the fight was pretty inactive. Pitbull connected with a right hand in the second minute. He got a jab too in a different exchange moments later. Pitbull landed many leg kicks throughout the rest of the round. Musayev had his own good combination of punches in the fourth minute. With a minute left in the fight, chaos ensued. Both fighters threw numerous punches, with Pitbull slipping at one point. Musayev tried for a takedown, but it was Pitbull who ended up on top on the ground. He did some ground and pound, also throwing a head kick as Musayev got up. Musayev got a takedown in the final seconds, doing some ground and pound, including one that went after the bell.

Musayev caught a leg kick at the start of the second round. He threw Pitbull to the ground, although he got up right after. They returned to striking. Pitbull landed a good right straight counter-punch. Musayev tried for a takedown, with Pitbull being thrown out of the ring while resisting takedown. Pitbull seemingly hurt his left shoulder in the process. Musayev’s corner was given a yellow card. The two fighters hugged then resumed competition. Musayev tried for another takedown, but Pitbull stopped it. Musayev got a takedown from catching another kick. He did strikes while on Pitbull’s back. Pitbull got back up, although Musayev kept on him. They went back to the ground where Musayev continued with the striking. They got up again in the final 10 seconds of the round, with Musayev throwing a good combination of punches.

In the first minute of the final round, both fighters traded hard punches. Musayev landed a good trip takedown. Pitbull dropped in the third minute of the fight after being hit with a clean combination of punches. Musayev took top position on the ground. They got back up with over a minute left in the fight. Musayev landed another group of fourth punches to a retreating Pitbull. Pitbull went into a body lock in the corner. Musayev landed a knee in the clinch. Pitbull did some foot stomps and a knee to the clinch before the round ended. The winner of the Lightweight Grand Prix was left to the judges to decide. Consulting the scorecards, all three judges picked Tofiq Musayev as the winner of the fight.

Before the next intermission, RIZIN CEO Nobuyuki Sakakibara came to the ring to talk to the crowd. He emphasized that when they go live on Fuji TV they need good ratings.

Next, Kyoji Horiguchi came into the ring to speak. He apologized to those who bought tickets in anticipation of seeing him fight.

The broadcast went to an intermission before the final five fights of the evening.

Bout 11: Lindsey VanZandt (7-2) vs. RENA (9-3) (112 lbs)

Returning from the break, RENA fought Lindsey VanZandt in a rematch from Bellator 222. In their first meeting, RENA was put unconscious by a rear naked choke in the first round. RENA’s usual walkout theme was performed live by rap group Asia Engineer. VanZandt tried for a flying knee at the very start but didn’t land it. VanZandt got a takedown after a minute of stand-up. She threw strikes from top position. In the fourth minute of the fight, VanZandt connected with some good hammerfist strikes. She went into side control, where RENA flipped the situation and took top position. RENA landed knees and elbows to the head from side position. They returned to stand-up for the final 30 seconds of the first round. RENA landed a good right straight. VanZandt shot for another takedown but didn’t get it before the round ended.

RENA got some good punches in to open the second round. VanZandt tried for a takedown in the second minute, although didn’t get it. RENA landed a knee to the head while defending the takedown. VanZandt dropped to her back after RENA threw a combination of punches. She tried again for a takedown, failing to do so. RENA shot for a takedown, where VanZandt hopped on RENA’s back. She tried for an armbar. Now on her back, VanZandt put in a triangle choke. She landed elbows to the head while still holding the choke. RENA endured the choke until the round ended.

VanZandt shot for another takedown to start the third round. RENA was able to flatten out and avoid the takedown. She held VanZant to the ground and landed knees. VanZandt got on her back, letting RENA take side control on the ground. RENA transitioned into north-south, where VanZandt started to throw knees to the head. RENA tried for a kimura, pulling on VanZandt’s arm for a long time. VanZandt eventually escaped the hold, and they got back up. They went back down to the ground where RENA was in side control again. She flipped into north-south position and started to throw many hard punches to the body. They got back up with a minute and a half left in the round. RENA landed some punches, then VanZandt went back onto the ground. RENA was in top position with a minute to go. She threw a flurry of punches from above. RENA kept on going with the punches until VanZandt’s corner gave up. In an emotional win for RENA, she avenged her loss to Lindsey VanZandt from earlier this year. In an emotional post-fight interview, RENA mentioned that she recently lost a close friend.

Bout 12: Mikuru Asakura (11-1) vs. John Macapa (23-4-2) (145 lbs)

The first of the two Asakura brothers to step in the ring this evening was Mikuru Asakura. In another RIZIN versus Bellator fight, Asakura fought John Macapa. The first minute or so of the fight was slow, as both fighters were being cautious. Asakura threw a flying knee and two punches in the fourth minute of the round. Asakura caught a leg kick and possibly tried for a takedown with it, but Macapa escaped.

Asakura had a good two punches in the second round, getting close by faking a kick. He was catching lots of kicks throughout the fight. Macapa shot for a single leg takedown in the third minute of the round, although Asakura escaped the attempt quickly. In stand-up, they were both trading punches. Both fighters arguably got shook by certain strikes in this round. In the final minute of the round, Asakura landed a right hand which wobbled Macapa again.

Macapa caught a kick early on, going forward with punches as Asakura tripped. Macapa put on a body lock, trying for a takedown. He got Asakura to his knees, although that’s all he got before they stood back up. Asakura was landing more frequently with punches in this round. Macapa was coming forward and throwing lots, but it felt like Asakura was landing the more significant strikes. Macapa tried for another takedown, although Asakura couldn’t stay on the ground for long. Asakura landed a good knee to the head in the final minute. Macapa was smiling while starting down Asakura in the final seconds. They traded blows as the final round ran out of time. When going to the scorecards, all three judges gave the win to Mikuru Asakura.

Bout 13: Ayaka Hamasaki (19-2) vs. Seo Hee Ham (22-8) (RIZIN Super Atomweight Championship)

The next fight saw Ayaka Hamasaki put her RIZIN Super Atomweight Championship on the line against Seo Hee Ham. This fight was arguably the battle to find the best atomweight fighter in the world. Hamasaki came forward with punches right off the bat. Ham tried to respond with punches, but Hamasaki was doing better at the start. The speed of the fight slowed down after the initial flurry. They went back to fast-paced punching a minute and a half into the fight. Both fighters ate the punches, never getting dropped or shook by them. Hamasaki’s jabs were consistently connecting. Both fighters had their moments in stand-up.

Ham’s face was showing more damage than Hamasaki heading into the second round. Hamasaki swept Ham in the first minute of the second round. Ham did upkicks to Hamasaki. In the bottom position, Ham tried for a triangle choke. Hamasaki went from standing to on her knees while still in the choke. Ham threw elbows from the bottom position. This continued for minutes. They slowly shifted outside of the ring, but were dragged back in eventually. The round ended in this position.

Ham landed a good left hand early in the final round. Hamasaki started to bleed from the nose. Hamasaki was backing up, getting hit by lots of punches. They went into a body lock up against the ropes. Hamasaki eventually landed a trip takedown with just over two minutes to go in the fight. Hamasaki threw lots of punches from top position. Ham eventually started to answer back with hammerfist strikes from the bottom position. They got up in the last few seconds in the fight. The fight went all 15 minutes, depending on the judges to decide who walks away with the belt. When finally going to the scorecards, there was a split decision. The third and deciding judge gave the fight to Seo Hee Ham, making her the new RIZIN Super Atomweight Champion.

Bout 14: Tenshin Nasukawa vs. Rui Ebata (Kickboxing Bout) (Special Rules)

The co-main event of the evening saw Tenshin Nasukawa face Rui Ebata in a kickboxing bout. Nasukawa was connecting more in the first round. A teep kick from Nasukawa kicked Ebata’s muthpeice out. A left hook dropped Ebata with a minute to go in the first round. He got his mouthguard put back in when he got back up. He continued to eat punches when the fight resumed. Nasukawa dropped him with more punches. Ebata got up and was able to continue the fight. They resumed with 30 seconds to go. He threw a spinning kick to start. Cornering Ebata, Nasukawa threw a punch and then threw down Ebata, making the referee stop the fight. Proving he is dangerous yet again, Tenshin Nasukawa disposed of Rui Ebata in under three minutes.

Bout 15: Kai Asakura (14-1) vs.Manel Kape (14-4) (RIZIN Bantamweight Championship)

Finally, in the main event of the evening, Kai Asakura and Manel Kape fought for the vacant RIZIN Bantamweight Championship. On his way to the ring, Kape hoisted the bantamweight belt which was displayed on the ramp. Kape was wearing shoes in this bout. Kape shot for a takedown after a minute of stand-up, although Asakura didn’t allow it. Asakura got tagged by a shot in the second minute. Kape was scoring more shots than Asakura. Kape did a good combination of a body kick and then a right hook in the fourth minute. Asakura had good punches in the final minute of the fight. Kape threw a combination then tried again for a takedown. He did not succeed. Kape landed a spinning back fist in the final seconds of the round.

Asakura got dropped by a punch early in the second round. Asakura recovered and got back to his feet but fell again moments later. Kape kept with ground and pound until the referee stepped in and ended it. Kape ran over to Kyoji Horiguchi immediately and kissed him on the head. In a surprising turn of events over the past few months, Manel Kape defeated Kai Asakura to become the RIZIN Bantamweight Champion.

RIZIN 20 Full Preview

The tradition of New Year’s Eve mixed-martial-arts will be continued on Tuesday, with RIZIN hosting RIZIN 20. The stacked card has the absence of the promotion’s biggest star, Kyoji Horiguchi, who is currently healing a torn ACL. He gave up his Bantamweight Championship, freeing it up to find a new champion on this card.

With a grand prix, three championship bouts and much more, there’s a lot of storylines to discuss heading into the evening at Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan. The show will air via internet pay-per-view on FITE TV, with the broadcast starting at 1AM EST.

Bout 1: Johnny Case (27-6-1) vs. Tofiq Musaev (16-3) (Lightweight Grand Prix Semi-Final)

The first two fights of the evening will be the semi-finals of the RIZIN Lightweight Grand Prix. The winners of those fights will fight again later on that card to find the winner. The first of two fights is between Johnny Case and Tofiq Musaev. Both fighters have a similar recent story, as they both debuted on RIZIN’s New Year’s Eve card last year. They have went undefeated since, wit a record of 3-0 in the past year. Case stopped Roberto de Souza with punches to pass the first round of the tournament. Musaev prevailed over Damien Brown via stoppage as well to move on.

Bout 2: Patricky Pitbull (22-8) vs. Luiz Gustavo (10-1) (Lightweight Grand Prix Semi-Final)

The other half of the lightweight grand prix sees an all-Brazilian matchup. Bellator’s Patricky Pitbull will face Luiz Gustavo. Pitbull is riding a six-fight win streak, with many of those being in Bellator. His most recent win however, was a quick victory over Tatsuya Kawajiri. On that same card, Gustavo beat Hiroto Uesako to move on to the semi-finals. Gustavo entered RIZIN in 2018, stopping Yusuke Yachi with a brutal knockout. He then took his first loss as a pro to Mikuru Asakura at RIZIN 15.

Bout 3: Miyuu Yamamoto (5-4) vs. AMP The Rocket (4-2) (108 lbs)

The first women’s fight of the evening is between “Queen Bee” Miyuu Yamamoto and AMP The Rocket. Yamamoto is now a veteran of the RIZIN promotion, fighting with them since 2016. She is notably from the Krazy Bee gym, and is the sister of the late Kid Yamamoto. She most recently lost to Seo Hee Ham, being stopped in the second round with strikes. AMP The Rocket is a prospect coming out of DEEP Jewels. In the biggest challenge yet of her career, Rocket fell to Ayaka Hamasaki in the first round at RIZIN 18. Still young in her career, she has all of her wins (and losses) via stoppage.

Bout 4: Taiju Shiratori vs. Taiga (137 lbs) (Kickboxing Rules)

In the first of many rematches on this card, Taiju Shiratori will go up against Taiga in a kickboxing bout. Their first meeting came at RIZIN 19. Shiratori found himself in trouble late, being dropped by a perfectly timed overhand right. After their close meeting at the last event, they will run it back on this card.

Bout 5: Yuki Motoya (23-7) vs. Patrick Mix (12-0) (135 lbs)

In one of the many Bellator versus RIZIN fights this week, undefeated Patrick Mix will go up against Yuki Motoya. Mix has fought twice in Bellator, both first round wins via submission. Motoya is an experienced fighter from DEEP Impact. He is currently on a two-fight winning streak, recently getting a split decision loss to Hiromasa Ogikubo.

Bout 6: Jake Heun (14-9) vs. Satoshi Ishii (22-10-1) (230 lbs)

RIZIN’s Jake Heun will welcome back Satoshi Ishii in the next fight. Heun has become a frequent fighter in RIZIN, debuting at RIZIN 13, and fighting twice more since then. He recently stopped Vitaly Shemetov due to a cut at RIZIN 17. Ishii is fresh out of competing in the second season of the PFL. He finished with a 1-2 record, losing to Denis Goltsov in the quarter-finals of the light heavyweight division.

Bout 7: Shintaro Ishiwatari (26-7-4) vs. Hiromasa Ogikubo (19-4-2) (135 lbs)

In the seventh fight of the evening, Shintaro Ishiwatari and Hiromasa Ogikubo compete in what will likely decide who’s next in line for a Bantamweight Championship shot. Ishiwatari lost to former champ Kyoji Horiguchi in 2017. He returned to action in mid 2019, taking out Ulka Sasaki with a second-round north-south choke. Ogikubo has also lost to Horiguchi in the past. This year he has won twice, more notably over Yuki Motoya at RIZIN 17.

Bout 8: Vitaly Shemetov (23-10) vs. Simon Biyong (6-1) (205 lbs)

After a cut made him lose in his RIZIN debut to Jake Heun, Vitaly Shemetov gets a second shot at Japanese stardom, this time against debuting Simon Biyong. Shemetov went viral ahead of his RIZIN 17 fight, clamouring for a fight in the promotion for months upon months. Biyong’s most notable win in his early career was a second round stoppage victory over Quinton Roussow at EFC Worldwide 82. EFC is recognized as the top MMA promotion in South Africa.

Bout 9: Jiri Prochazka (25-3-1) vs. CB Dollaway (17-9) (RIZIN Light Heavyweight Championship)

In the first of three championship bouts of the evening, Jiri Prochazka will attempt to make his first defence of his RIZIN Light Heavyweight Championship against former-UFC veteran C.B. Dollaway. Dollaway fought 20 times in the UFC, with his first fight in the promotion dating back to 2008. In the summer of 2019, Dollaway was flagged by USADA for a banned substance, suspending him until December of 2020. Prochazka first captured the Light Heavyweight Championship by defeating Bellator’s King Mo at RIZIN 15. He has since defeated Fabio Maldonado in a non-championship bout.

Further reading: From pig stem cells to Jiri Prochazka’s punches: C.B. Dollaway ready to go old-school in Rizin

Bout 10: RIZIN Lightweight Grand Prix Grand Final

Before the intermission, the grand final for the Lightweight Grand Prix will take place.

Bout 11: Lindsey VanZandt (7-2) vs. RENA (9-3) (112 lbs)

After the break, RIZIN will present their five final big matches. The first of the few is a rematch between Lindsey VanZandt and RENA. VanZandt first beat RENA in June, choking her out in the first round at Bellator 222. The fight was RENA’s debut outside of Japan. VanZandt has competed in Invicta FC and Bellator in the past. RENA bounced back from the loss at RIZIN 19, stopping Alexandra Alvare in 20 seconds. The fight is taking place at the catchweight of 112 pounds, a weight class that RENA has stayed at after falling ill trying to make the 105-pound weight limit at RIZIN 14.

Further reading: Lindsey VanZandt Interview: Unfamiliar Land, Familiar Foe

Bout 12: Mikuru Asakura (11-1) vs. John Macapa (23-4-2) (145 lbs)

The final Bellator versus RIZIN matchup of the night will be between Mikuru Asakura and John Macapa. Asakura has had a flawless past year, winning at RIZIN 15 and more notably RIZIN 17, where he main evented Saitama Super Arena. Asakura has had an eventful 2019 outside of the ring, becoming Youtube famous. Last month he garnered six-million views on his channel for a one-round grudge match against fellow MMA fighter and Youtuber Atsushi Saito. Macapa turned around a three-fight losing streak this year, beating Kevin Croom and more-recently Ashleigh Grimshaw

Bout 13: Ayaka Hamasaki (19-2) vs. Seo Hee Ham (22-8) (RIZIN Super Atomweight Championship)

The next fight sees arguably the top two atomweights in the world square off. RIZIN’s champion, Ayaka Hamasaki, puts her belt on the line against Korea’s Seo Hee Ham. Hamasaki is the only RIZIN Champion that has defended her belt. Since winning it against Kanna Asakura at RIZIN 14, she has went on to beat Jinh Yu Frey in a rematch and AMP The Rocket. Ham made her RIZIN debut late this year at RIZIN 17, stopping DEEP Jewels Champion Tomo Maesawa in under a round. She then beat Miyuu Yamamoto in under two rounds at RIZIN 19, quickly solidifying her as the next in line for a title shot.

Further Reading: The Last, And Lightest Superfight of 2019

Bout 14: Tenshin Nasukawa vs. Rui Ebata (Kickboxing Bout) (Special Rules)

The co-main event of the show will see RIZIN’s kickboxing ace Tenshin Nasukawa face Rui Ebata. Last New Year’s Eve, Nasukawa saw the biggest challenge of his career, facing Floyd Mayweather in a three-round exhibition boxing match. Three rounds weren’t needed however, as Mayweather scored three knockdowns in the first round before Nasukawa’s corner ended it. He has since returned to kickboxing, winning five fights this year, including a tournament in his home promotion RISE Kickboxing. Ebata is older and more experienced, with 41 wins as a pro. He has won 11 in a row, with the streak starting back in 2016. Many critics argue this is the first big challenge for Nasukawa in a while.

Bout 15: Kai Asakura (14-1) vs.Manel Kape (14-4) (RIZIN Bantamweight Championship)

The main event of RIZIN 20 is for the vacant RIZIN Bantamweight Championship. The fight will see Kai Asakura face Manel Kape in a rematch from 2018. Asakura was originally meant to face Kyoji Horiguchi on New Year’s Eve, although injury made Horiguchi withdraw. Asakura defeated Horiguchi in a huge upset at RIZIN 18, stopping him in just over a minute. He then went through Ulka Sasaki at RIZIN 19, breaking his jaw in the first minute of action.

In their first matchup, Asakura won, albeit by a split decision. Kape has won three and lost one since then. All three of his wins were via stoppage. Kape trains out of the recognized gym AKA Thailand.

Asakura’s backstory is interesting, coming up with Mikuru Asakura in a troubled childhood. Both of the brothers first gained relevance by fighting in the promotion “The Outsider,” which attempted to take troubled people off of the streets. Similar to his brother, Asakura has also found recent Youtube fame, famous for dressing up as a stereotypical nerd despite his exceptional athletic ability.

Further Reading: Are RIZIN’s brutal brothers its next native stars?

News broke earlier this week that RIZIN’s first 2020 event will be RIZIN 21, at Hamamatsu Arena in Hamamatsu, Japan. The event will be the promotion’s debut in the area. It also breaks their pattern of schedule in past years which saw the promotion take a break for a few months after it’s New Year’s Eve show.

Kai Asakura Finds New Opponent In Manel Kape, And Other Additions To RIZIN 20

Another pack of fights were announced for RIZIN 20, including a new bantamweight championship matchup.

Set for New Year’s Eve at Saitama Super Arena, Kai Asakura will now face Manel Kape for the promotion’s vacant Bantamweight Championship. The fight is a rematch, as Asakura previously defeated Kape via decision in 2018.

Kyoji Horiguchi was originally meant to defend his bantamweight belt against Asakura, although injury forced him to pull out and vacate his belt.

Former UFC fighter C.B. Dollaway will make his RIZIN debut in a light heavyweight championship bout against promotional veteran Jiri Prochazka. The fight will end Dollaway’s decade long tenure in the UFC.

Fresh out of participating in the 2019 PFL season, Satoshi Ishii will face Jake Heun. Although previously being under the PFL/WSOF banner as well, Heun never collided with Ishii. Heun is on a two-fight winning streak, recently defeating Vitaly Shemetov due to a cut at RIZIN 17.

Also added to the card was a clash of two highly ranked JMMA fighters in Hiromasa Ogikubo and Shintaro Ishiwatari. Both coming off of wins from RIZIN 17, the matchup is one that could determine who is next for a bantamweight title shot.

Vitaly Shemetov will make his second appearance in RIZIN on New Year’s Eve, welcoming Cameroon fighter Simon Biyong to the promotion. As previously mentioned, Shemetov lost to Heun in his promotional debut.

The day before, a rematch between RENA and Lindsey VanZandt was announced at a Shoot Boxing event.

Here’s the full card for RIZIN 20 as of right now:

Ayaka Hamasaki (19-2) vs. Seo Hee Ham (22-8) (RIZIN Super Atomweight Championship)
Kai Asakura (14-1) vs. Manel Kape (14-4) (RIZIN Vacant Bantamweight Championship)
Jiri Prochazka (25-3-1) vs. C.B. Dollaway (17-9) (RIZIN Light Heavyweight Championship)
RIZIN Lightweight GP Grand Final
Johnny Case (27-6-1) vs. Tofiq Musaev (16-3) (RIZIN Lightweight GP Semi-Final)
Patricky Pitbull (22-8) vs. Luiz Gustavo (10-1) (RIZIN Lightweight GP Semi-Final)
Yuki Motoya (23-7) vs. Patrick Mix (12-0) (135 lbs)
Mikuru Asakura (11-1) vs. John Teixeira (146 lbs)
Lindsey VanZandt (7-2) vs. RENA (9-3) (112 lbs)
Vitaly Shemetov (23-10) vs. Simon Biyong (6-1) (205 lbs)
Jake Heun (14-9) vs. Satoshi Ishii (22-10-1) (231 lbs)
Shintaro Ishiwatari (26-7-4) vs. Hiromasa Ogikubo (19-4-2) (134 lbs)

RIZIN 18 Live Report

RIZIN wrapped up it’s action-packed summer of shows on Sunday, with RIZIN 18. The show had many of it’s big names like Kyoji Horiguchi, Kanna Asakura and Ayaka Hamasaki along with many other big names. The show also had a big focus on kickboxing, with many bouts under the ruleset throughout the show. In the promotions return to Nagoya, the show had lots of big matches. Follow along throughout the evening (or morning, depending on what timezone you’re in) for updates.

All MMA fights on this card have elbows allowed in them, as opposed to previous cards which had some fights without elbows allowed.

Bout 1: Uchu Sakurai (4-1) vs. Ryuji Horio (19-9-2) (Kickboxing Rules) (126 lbs)

Before the first fight, RIZIN had their usual fighter introductions. There was no large pyro since they’re in a venue with no real stage. Just like last time RIZIN was in Nagoya, there was a visible amount of empty seats in the venue. The first fight on the card was a kickboxing match between Uchu Sakurai and Ryuji Horio. It’s worth noting that Sakurai is 16 years old. Sakurai was getting most of the offence in through the first round. Horio was rocked in the end of the round, getting hit with a combination of strikes which made him stay put in guard until the round ended. He was hit with a knee to the head, then hit with punches after. Horio had a better second round, putting Sakurai in a corner and throwing lots of punches. There was a pause in the third round as seemingly Sakurai’s mouthguard wasn’t put back in in-between rounds. Sakurai was put in the corner and getting absolutely pummeled. He was given a standing 10 count with 30 seconds left. Sensing blood in the water, Horio kept coming forward. He couldn’t land another knockdown before the fight ran out of time. All three judges gave the fight to Ryuji Horio, earning his 20th professional win.

Bout 2: Kazuki Osaki (24-5-2 1 NC) vs. Shota Takiya (32-13) (Kickboxing Rules) (117 lbs)

The second match was a kickboxing battle, with two experienced kickboxers in Kazuki Osaki and Shota Takiya facing off. Takiya is apparently a big Dragon Ball fan, wanting to be a real-life Goku. Osaki was coming into this fight with more of a muay thai stance, versus the karate stance of Takiya. Both guys started really trading hard punches as the first round was in its final minute. Whenever they clinched up, Osaki would try to throw Takiya down. As the second round was concluding, Takiya was dropped by a combination of punches. He got back up and had an intense exchange with Osaki as the round ended. Takiya was completely defensive in the final round, with Osaki teeing off. Osaki was dropped yet again, this time in the final round from a right hook. Going to decision, Kazuki Osaki took the unanimous decision victory.

Bout 3: Tabatha Watkins (3-2) vs. AI (3-0) (MMA Rules) (108 lbs)

In the first MMA fight of the night, Krazy Bee prospect AI faced Tabatha Watkins. In the first minute of the fight, AI landed a takedown. Watkins put in an armbar which was very tight. AI stood up and started landing stomps to the head while in the move. AI eventually got out of the armbar, and tried landing strikes from above. On the ground in the second round, Watkins put in another armbar which was tight. There was a hand motion from AI which made it look like she tapped. Although it was either never seen, or it was just not considered a tap. AI got out of it, and almost found herself in a triangle choke but escaped it and moved into a north south. From that position, AI landed knees to the head. In side position, AI did knees to the mid-section. She also threw elbows to the body. Before the final round, Kanako Murata was spotted in the crowd. In the final round, AI had Watkins on the ground and threw strikes from above. AI dove down into side position again, throwing knees to the head. She threw tons of elbows to the head. Watkins started to bleed heavily. AI started to throw hammerfist punches, with it looking scary for Watkins for a second. The fight went the distance. While Watkins had two rounds with near finished, AI did a lot of damage in the final round, which is important since RIZIN doesn’t use the 10 point must system, but instead scores a fight altogether. The decision was unanimous, with all three judges giving AI the win.

Bout 4: Yutaro Muramoto (6-4-2) vs. Takaki Soya (10-4-1) (MMA Rules) (130 lbs)

The next fight had the RIZIN debut of Yutaro Muramoto versus Takaki Soya, who got a brutal victory two shows ago. Right off the bat, Muramoto tried for a jumping knee. It missed, making them go to the ground for a few moments before returning to stand-up. Muramoto had a takedown blocked by Soya. Muramoto was dropped by a right hook when they were trading punches halfway through the round. The fight went to the ground, with Muramoto landing punches from top position. In-between rounds, Yuki Motoya was spotted in the crowd. They traded punches in the second round, with Soya landing real good punches. After he strung together enough strikes, the referee stepped in and ended the fight. Another impressive win from Soya comes this summer.

Bout 5: Justin Scoggins (11-6) vs. Kazuma Sone (23-18-1) (134 lbs)

In a clash between two fighters on a multiple fight losing streak, Justin Scoggins fought Kazuma Sone. Scoggins lost his RIZIN debut on New Year’s Eve, coming from the UFC before then. Sone has lost in Shooto, also losing in Nagoya last year at RIZIN 12. When they faced off in the ring before the fight started, Scoggins had his fists up and looked intense. The English commentary mentioned numerous times on the broadcast that a 135 pound tournament could happen soon. The first round of this fight had close stand-up action, with both fighters landing good shots. In the second round, Scoggins clipped Sone with a right hook. Sone gave up his back after coming forward trying something, but got back to stand-up. A big cut around Sone’s right eye opened up in the second round. In the third round, Scoggins was confident, taunting frequently. Scoggins dropped Sone again with punches. The fight went all three rounds, and while Sone stayed in it until the end, Scoggins was clearly the better fighter. All three judges gave the fight to Justin Scoggins, who was confident way before his name was called. Scoggins got his first win since 2016, and his first win in RIZIN.

Bout 6: Yves Landu (15-7) vs. Hiroto Uesako (17-7) (157 lbs)

Before the next fight, the broadcast told us that this was a qualifier for the RIZIN Lightweight GP. From France, Yves Landu face Hiroto Uesako, who has found success on the Japanese regional circuit. Landu had athletic tape around his left shoulder and arm. Landu slipped after throwing a punch, which made Uesako throw a knee. Landu scored a takedown, They got up and went into a clinch up against the ropes/corner. Uesako did a judo throw, then tried for a kick which Landu caught. On the ground, Lando threw a few elbows as the round ended. Before the second round, Roberto Satoshi Souza was shown in the audience. Landu had a good start to the second round, throwing tons of punches and kicks including a switch kick. His movement shows that he’s very light on his feet. Uesako took top position on the ground and held it for a large amount of the round. He threw tons of punches, with the referee eventually ending the bout. While the punches weren’t hard, Landu was stuck in his position for quite some time.

Bout 7: Jarred Brooks (14-2) vs. Haruo Ochi (19-7-2) (117 lbs)

Jarred Brooks, who has the nickname “The Monkey God,” came out with a monkey mask, throwing bananas into the crowd. In his RIZIN debut, he faced Haruo Ochi, who sent Mitsuhisa Sunabe into the shadow realm back in the Fall at RIZIN 13. Right off the bat, Brooks landed a takedown. The fighters clashed heads, which made Ochi’s forehead cut open horribly. The fight was ruled a no-contest, with both fighters being visibly frustrated with the outcome.

Bout 8: Alesha Zappitella (5-1 1 NC) vs. Kanna Asakura (14-4) (108 lbs)

In the final fight before the intermission, Kanna Asakura attempted to bounce back from her loss against Miyuu Yamamoto, facing Alesha Zappitella, who has fought in the American Women’s promotion Invicta many times. Tenshin Nasukawa was shown sitting at ringside for this fight. Early in the fight, Zappitella was throwing hard punches. Asakura tried for a takedown but it was stopped in the first minute. Asakura was coming in with good shots. While Zappatella did a good job at defending takedowns throughout the round, Asakura kept landing good shots. In the second round, Zappitella scored a takedown, although most of the round stayed in stand-up. Zappitella took down Asakura in the final round and threw a short flurry of punches. They were both landing solid punches in the final round. Zappitella was walking around the edges of the ring. Zappitella tried for a single leg takedown in the final seconds of the fight which was landed. Zappitella’s corner was very confident as the fight ended. The judges had a split decision, with the third and final judge giving the fight to Kanna Asakura. Nasukawa looked happy at ringside, which is fitting since it was also his birthday.

Bout 9: Danilo Zanolini (41-12) vs. John Wayne Parr (99-33-1) (Kickboxing Rules) (165 lbs)

After the intermission, Tenshin Nasukawa came to the ring to speak. He talked about his September 16 fight in RISE, competing in the finals of a Grand Prix. He said he will return to RIZIN once the tournament is over. He also talked about how he is happy that it is his birthday. The next fight was a big one, as kickboxing legend John Wayne Parr looked for his 100th professional win against Danilo Zanolini. Parr walked out to Old Town Road. The first round had a ton of low kicks from both fighters. Parr got a cut on the left side of his head before round one ended. Zanolini was doing well throughout the first two rounds, although they could go either way. Zanolini was warned to not land elbows. Keeping a fast tempo through all three rounds, this fight was a close one to call. The fight went the distance, with both fighters putting on a close performance. The decision was a split decision, with Danilo Zanolini getting the win. John Wayne Parr was unable to earn his 100th pro career win.

Bout 10: Takeya Mizugaki (23-13-2) vs. Manel Kape (13-4) (MMA Rules) (134 lbs)

Shifting back to MMA for the rest of the night, the first match was Takeya Mizugaki versus Manel Kape. Mizugaki is a very experienced fighter, competing in the UFC up until 2017, being with them since 2011. Also, he competed in WEC from 2009 to 2010. Kape is a veteran of RIZIN, attempting to bounce back from a loss against Seiichiro Ito. Kape wore shoes and socks for this fight, making him the first person to do so on this show. After a minute of striking from both fighters, a pause came after Mizugaki was hit in the groin. Halfway through the round, Kape started to showboat, throwing slaps and fancy kicks behind the other leg. As the round ended, Kape did the pose that Tenshin Nasukawa often does. There were many times in the round where both fighters threw numerous punch combos. Just over a minute into the second round, Kape landed a right hook which gave him the win. He didn’t have to land another punch before the referee intervened. He mocked Nasukawa’s stance once again after the fight. After the fight, he called out Kyoji Horiguchi. Also, Kape claimed he is the most pretty boy fighter in Japan.

Bout 11: Trent Girdham (11-2) vs. Victor Henry (18-4) (MMA Rules) (134 lbs)

In the next fight, DEEP Bantamweight Champion Victor Henry challenged Trent Girdham. Both fighters made their RIZIN debut with this fight. There was a pause in the first round was Henry was kicked in the groin. With two minutes left in the round, Henry had Girdham retreating due to shots. A trip attempt by Girdham was defended, staying in standing clinch. Girdham threw down Henry and took his back. When they stood back up, Henry had a great combination of strikes and then scored a takedown as the round ended. Henry got hit in the groin again in the second round. Girdham was given another warning. A minute later it was Girdham who got hit with a low kick, cause another pause. Henry landed a takedown but Girdham reversed it. Girdham was in control for most of the time on the ground. Henry got a takedown as the second round closed out. Unfortunately, at the start of the final round, Girdham was hit in the round while throwing a spinning back kick. When they resumed, Henry took top position on the ground. Henry tried for a triangle choke on Girdham’s back, making him tap out. Right after he won, Victor Henry put on Zumba pants.

Bout 12: AMP The Rocket (3-1) vs. Ayaka Hamasaki (18-2) (MMA Rules) (108 lbs)

In the co-main event, Suwanan Boonsorn, also known as AMP The Rocket made her RIZIN debut against Ayaka Hamasaki. The commentary team said AMP has a muay thai record of 74-4. She came out sporting DEEP Jewels merch. Hamasaki has the RIZIN Super Atomweight Championship, although she is not defending it in this contest. Flowers were given to both fighters before the bout started. AMP landed a takedown in the first few seconds of the right. Hamasaki tried for a kimura while AMP was on her back. That didn’t work. AMP tried for a rear naked choke. It stayed on the chin of Hamasaki, never getting below that. AMP transitioned into a head and arm lock. Hamasaki was able to take mount, flipping around the position. Hamasaki put in an armbar, making AMP tap out in the first round.

Bout 13: Kai Asakura (12-1) vs. Kyoji Horiguchi (28-2) (MMA Rules) (134 lbs)

In the main event of the evening, Kai Asakura challenged the king of RIZIN, Kyoji Horiguchi. Mikuru Asakura, who won just a few weeks ago against Yusuke Yachi, was in the corner of his brother. In the first minute of the fight, Horiguchi was rocked by a right hook. Retreating, Horiguchi was hit with more punches, especially another right hook which dropped him and ended the fight. The crowd erupted, as this was a big upset. This ended Horiguchi’s 13 MMA fight winning streak, which goes into the last fights of his UFC run. The fight was not for Horiguchi’s RIZIN or Bellator Championships, but the victory certainly puts him in line for a shot.

RIZIN 14 Preview

With their traditional New Year’s Eve event this year, RIZIN is putting a focus on the North American market. There are three main ways that they are doing this: by having lots of recent UFC fighters in action, by having a collaboration fight with Bellator Champion Darrion Caldwell, and by giving young kickboxer Tenshin Nasukawa fight in an exhibition boxing match against Floyd Mayweather. The initial promotion of this event had a bump in the road, as after an initial press conference, Mayweather took to Instagram to say that he was mislead and that he has backed out of the bout. Since then things have seemingly been worked out between the boxer and the promoter Nobuyuki Sakakibara, since the fight is back on.

The official ruleset will be pure boxing, with no scorecards after the scheduled three rounds. The fight will also not affect anyone’s professional records. Nasukawa, the undefeated kickboxer, showed up in Nevada for on open workout at Mayweather’s gym earlier this month. This will be the second fight in a row for Tenshin where he is fighting a crossover bout. In September he battle RIZIN’s MMA star Kyoji Horiguchi in a kickboxing match. Nasukawa trained in Nevada leading up to this fight with boxer Jorge Linares.

There are two championship bouts on this card, with the biggest one being between Darrion Caldwell and Kyoji Horiguchi. Caldwell is a champion in Bellator, but won’t be defending his belt. Instead, he will face Horiguchi for the inaugural RIZIN Bantamweight Championship. The fight is expected to be only the start of a collaboration between the two promotions. Horiguchi has been undefeated in MMA since joining RIZIN. Putting that together with his final UFC fights, he is currently on a 10 fight win streak.

The biggest women’s fight on the card is Kanna Asakura defending her RIZIN Atomweight Championship against Ayaka Hamasaki. Hamasaki is 2-0 after making the move from Invicta to RIZIN. Asakura’s first title fight was against RENA, who she also defeated once before. Hamasaki’s last win was against Mina Kurobe, who was at the time the DEEP Jewels Atomweight Champion. The story going into that RIZIN 13 fight was it was two champions (Kurobe had her DEEP JEWELS belt and Hamasaki was a former Invicta champion) fighting, with the winner challenging Asakura.

After Norifumi “KID” Yamamoto unfortunately passed away in September, three Krazy Bee fighters were booked on this show. One of the fighters was Yusuke Yachi, who was highlighted on RIZIN’s web-docuseries “RIZIN Confessions.” On the show it was shown that Yachi is on a road to redemption. Before fighting in RIZIN he spent time in Shooto and Pancrase. From 2016 to 2018 Yachi was on a tear, getting five wins with three of them being first round stoppages. His momentum was halted at RIZIN 12 when he lost to Luis Gustavo. Part of his loss came because of his long hair getting in his eyes during the fight. On the web series he teased that he might go bald for NYE. He is set to face Johnny Case, who had a short stint in PFL after being released from the UFC.

Norifumi’s sister, Miyuu Yamamoto is also in action. The wrestler only delved into MMA in 2016, currently holding an even record of 3-3. She is set to face Mika Nagano, who is a veteran of the DEEP JEWELS promotion, making her RIZIN debut. Her son, Erson Yamamoto is scheduled to make his return to MMA after a round one loss to Manel Kape back in 2017. He looks to break even with his pro MMA record when he challenges Kazuyuki Miyata. Miyata is also coming off a long layoff, with his last fight being in 2016, defeating Andy Souwer in the first round of a Bushido Rules fight.

On the card there are three fights where RIZIN is feeding fighters to the promotions talent. These three bouts are an attempt to put RENA, Gabi Garcia and Shinju Nozawa-Auclair into the spotlight. In RENA’s case, her fight is a way to bounce back from the two losses she received from Kanna Asakura in her last two RIZIN fights. She is matched up against Samantha Jean-Francois, who has a professional record of 3-5-0. Nozawa-Auclair is clearly being built up as a star in the promotion since her mother, Naoko Nozawa is a well known Japanese comedian. In her first two RIZIN bouts she got first round Armbar victories, with one of the wins avenging her only amateur MMA loss. She fights Justyna Zofia Haba. Haba hasn’t had a professional MMA fight, and had her one amateur win back in 2014. Now longtime RIZIN fighter Gabi Garcia returns after a Road FC win back in the Spring. She fights Barbara Nepomuceno, a kickboxer making her MMA debut.

Former UFC fighter Damien Brown will be welcomed into the promotion by Daron Cruickshank. Also a former UFC competitor, Cruickshank has made himself known in RIZIN as a fighter who doesn’t rely on scorecards to win the bout. Currently on a four fight winning streak, Cruickshank has a 6-2 record in the promotion, all via stoppage. Brown’s run in UFC ended after he lost three fights in a row, exiting the promotion with a 2-4 record.

In a similar situation, former UFC Flyweight Ulka Sasaki will make his RIZIN debut against young fighter Manel Kape. Kape is currently bouncing back from two losses in a row, as he put on a dominant performance against Yusaku Nakamura at RIZIN 13. At age 25 he seems like a young prospect for the promotion. Sasaki had a 50/50 sort of run in the UFC, with his last fight being just last month against Alexandre Pantoja at Fight Night 140.

The fight between Nobumitsu Osawa and Tofik Masaev will be a battle of the newcomers. Osawa has been a fighter for the Shooto promotion for all of his career, and comes into RIZIN on a three fight win streak. Masaev is a fighter with an impressive 13-3 record, which has been collected from fights in China, Turkey and Azerbaijan, among other places.

For a couple of years now, Yuki Motoya has went back and forth between RIZIN and his main promotion DEEP. Currently on a four fight win streak, including one of them being at RIZIN 12, he will face Justin Scoggins. Scoggins is, like many people on this card, a former UFC fighter coming into the promotion. He had a three fight losing streak in the UFC, with one of those losses coming from the previously mentioned Ulka Sasaki.

Back in 2015 Jiri Prochazka joined RIZIN. Since then he has been a regular for the promotion, only losing one of his nine fights. He is currently on a six fight winning streak and is set to battle Brandon Halsey, who competed in PFL Season 1.

The prequel to the evening’s events, “RIZIN Heisei’s Last Yarennoka!,” kicks off in the late evening on the west. The headliner for that show is veteran fighters Tatsuya Kawajiri and Satoru Kitaoka. In Japan the show will be televised on Fuji TV, and in the rest of the world it can be seen via purchase on FITE TV. The 14 fight show is one that will be the main focus of the MMA world before we all say goodbye to 2018, and welcome the new year.