RIZIN will crown a new flyweight champion in a 125-pound grand prix featuring 10 fighters, with the first round set for July 27 at Super RIZIN 4 in Japan, headlined by a rematch between Kleber Koike and Mikuru Asakura.
RIZIN is set to crown a new flyweight champion following Kyoji Horiguchi’s departure. They’ve announced ten fighters for the 125-pound grand prix.
The first round kicks off on July 27 in Japan during the Super RIZIN 4 event at Saitama Super Arena. Brackets aren’t out yet, but the lineup includes Jose Torres, Makoto Shinryu, and more.
Headlining Super RIZIN 4 is a rematch between Kleber Koike and Mikuru Asakura. Meanwhile, Naoki Inoue and Seika Izawa will defend their titles, and Patricky Pitbull returns against Shunta Nomura.
Jose Torres, a UFC veteran with a 13-4-1 record, joins the grand prix. He previously fought in RIZIN, winning against Makoto Shinryu, and now returns after a Brave CF loss.
Hiromasa Ougikubo, with a 27-8-2 record, is one of the most seasoned fighters at 38. He has past wins over John Dodson and even a victory on The Ultimate Fighter against Alexandre Pantoja.
Makoto Shinryu, holding a 19-4-1 record, recently beat Yuki Ito. He’s had two title shots against Horiguchi, losing once due to submission after a no-contest from an eye poke.
Yuki Ito (18-6) aims to bounce back after losing to Shinryu, which broke his five-fight win streak. He’s been impressive under the RIZIN banner with eight wins in ten fights.
Yuki Motoya, with a 37-13 record, has over 20 RIZIN appearances. He’s dropping to flyweight after a split decision loss to Naoki Inoue in a bantamweight title rematch.
Erson Yamamoto (5-7), nephew of Norifumi Yamamoto, has mostly fought under RIZIN. Despite early losses, he enters the tournament after a submission win over Daichi Tomizawa.
Alibek Gadzhammatov, undefeated at 5-0, made a strong RIZIN debut with a knockout win. The 23-year-old Dagestani has never gone to a decision.
Hiroya Kondo (11-13-1) has had a rocky career but enters the grand prix after consecutive wins, evening his RIZIN record to 3-3.
Nkazimulo Zulu (16-7-1), a former EFC champ, lost a tough decision to Horiguchi. Known as “Zulu Boy,” he has a high stoppage rate with equal knockouts and submissions.
Takaki Soya (13-6-1) faced John Dodson twice, winning their MMA bout after a bare-knuckle loss.
Exciting times ahead for RIZIN fans!