TOKYO –December 12th, 2017 – RIZIN Fighting Federation held a press conference announcing additional 4 bouts for the anticipated 3-day NYE extravaganza, a wide variety of fighters from JMMA veterans UFC veterans, Lethwei champions, Judo National Team members lined up in the press conference.

 

Kiichi Kunimoto (18-7-2-1) will be the 2nd UFC veteran on the RIZIN card after Takanori Gomi was announced to be fighting Yusuke Yachi. Strasser will be facing the now became RIZN’s gate keeper Satoru Kitaoka (40-15-9) at a 75kg catch weight. “I used to have some beef with Kitaoka, so I am very happy to get this opportunity, and I know that Gomi and Yachi are fighting at 72kg. I can work my way down to 72kg and make this division great, so I plan to beat Kitaoka and move on.” Kitaoka responded “I don’t remember anything,
it’s a fight, I don’t care about anything else.” Kitaoka will be going up 5kg to face the former UFC fighter, but looked determined to keep his character and performance at its
highest. The fight will be kicking off the 3 day extravaganza as chairman Nobuyuki Sakakibara has announced this fight to be the first fight for December 29th.
Hiroyuki Takaya (22-14-2) will be returning to the RIZIN after 2 years, his last appearance in RIZIN was a fun scrap against Daiki Hata, and freshly coming off of a spectacular knockout win against Hatsu Hioki in Pancrase. The Shooto and DREAM veteran will be facing a young Mongolian prospect Baataryn Azjavkhlan (2-2). Despite his lack of MMA experience the young prospect has been recommended by former Yokozuna Asashoryu for his significant accomplishments in wrestling and his grappling skills along with his warrior mentality. The first ever Mongolian fighter in RIZIN looks for the upset and a solid position in the roster.
RIZIN’s first attempt in holding a one night kickboxing tournament has been solidified with Tenshin Nasukawa getting an opponent through a public offering campaign. RIZIN FF asked the public for participants who would like to face the 19 year old Phenom, and Chairman Sakakibara announced that they have received more than 30 applicants, and
Yuta Hamamoto was one of the very first ones to have applied. Not to mention his significant accomplishments in the kick boxing world, he is also the first ever Japanese
Lethwei champion, the most brutal combat sport which allows the fighters to fight without gloves and allows elbows and head-butts. “I have been wanting to fight
Nasukawa for quite a while now, I have been calling him out and I do believe that I have what it takes to beat this kid. I have the heart of a warrior, and I will stand up no matter
how many times I get knocked down.” Said the highly motivated and Lethwei champion.
Nasukawa responded “It looks like he is super motivated to fight me, and I guess he is already expecting to be knocked down. Good luck to you. I’m going to do what I always
do and beat the guy put in front of me.” The winner of this bout will be facing the winner of KOP Mitsuhisa Sunabe vs Boxing elite Yamato Fujita. The kick boxing bouts will
consist in a 3 x 3 minute rounds with a “1 catch 1 attack” rules. Fighters will not be allowed to throw more than 1 blow in the clinch.
JMMA’s women’s pioneer Shizuka Sugiyama (15-4-1) will be facing a Judo elite and MMA newcomer Kana Wataabe (1-0) in a 57kg weight bout.

 

Confirmed fights:
[December 29th]
<Bantamweight GP Quarter Finals>
Ian McCall vs Manel Kape
Kyoji Horiguchi vs Gabriel Oliveira
Khalid Taha vs Takafumi Otsuka
Kevin Petshi vs Shintaro Ishiwatari
<Bantamweight GP reserve bout>
Anthony Birchak vs Jae Hoon Moon
<Super Fight>
Jiri Prochazka vs Karl Albrektsson
KING Reina vs Cindy Dandois
Seiichiro Ito vs Kai Asakura
Gabi Garcia vs Shinobu Kandori
Satoru Kitaoka vs Kiichi Kunimoto
Hiroyuki Takaya vs Baataryn Azjavkhaln
Shizuka Sugiyama vs Kana Watanabe
[December 31st]
<Bantamweight GP Semi Finals>
TBD vs TBD
TBD vs TBD
<Bantamweight GP Finals>
TBD vs TBD
<Women’s Super-Atom Weight GP Semi Finals>
RENA vs Irene Rivera
Maria Oliveira vs Kanna Asakura
<Women’s Super-Atom Weight GP Finals>
TBD vs TBD
<RIZIN Kick boxing tournament Semi Finals>
Yamato Fujita vs Mitsuhisa Sunabe
Tenshin Nasukawa vs Yuta Hamamoto
<RIZIN Kick boxing tournament Finals>
TBD vs TBD
<Super fight>
Mirko Crocop vs Tsuyoshi Kosaka
Shinju Auclair vs Chelsea Lagrasse
Takanori Gomi vs Yusuke Yachi

  
poster