2018 in Rizin Fighting Federation

Background

Bantamweight Grand Prix Champion Kyoji Horiguchi was announced to take on fellow veteran Ian McCall in a much anticipated bout that failed to materialize during the New Years Event.^[3] Rounding off the marquee match-ups were the kickboxing phenomenon, Tenshin Nasukawa, taking on DEEP flyweight champion Yusaku Nakamura, and newly-crowned atomweight queen Kanna Asakura, who will face former King of the Cage atomweight champion Melissa Karagianis.

Yachi Yusuke will face off against UFC-vet Diego Nunes, and the Kunlun Fight strawweight champion Weili Zhang was supposed to face Kanako Murata. However, Zhang suffered an injury on her left shoulder during training and was forced to withdraw from the fight. She was replaced by the former TUF 23 cast member Lanchana Green.^[4] This event also saw the return of the former Invicta atomweight champion Ayaka Hamasaki, as well as up-and-coming prospects Manel Kape and Kai Asakura.^[5]

Results

Rizin 10
Weight Class				Method	Round	T.Time	Notes
Bantamweight 61 kg	Kyoji Horiguchi	def.	Ian McCall	KO (Punch)	1	0:09
Flyweight 57 kg	Tenshin Nasukawa	def.	Yusaku Nakamura	TKO (3 Knockdowns Rules)	2	4:42	Kickboxing Rules
Super Atomweight 49 kg	Kanna Asakura	def.	Melissa Karagianis	Decision (Unanimous)	3	15:00
Lightweight 70 kg	Yusuke Yachi	def.	Diego Nunes	Decision (Split)	3	15:00
Lightweight 70 kg	Daron Cruickshank	def.	Koshi Matsumoto	KO (Head Kick)	1	3:52
Strawweight 51.5 kg	Issei Ishii	def.	Daishin Sakai	Decision (Unanimous)	3	9:00	Kickboxing Rules
Catchweight 59 kg	Kai Asakura	def.	Manel Kape	Decision (Split)	3	15:00
Super Atomweight 49 kg	Ayaka Hamasaki	def.	Alyssa Garcia	Decision (Unanimous)	3	15:00
Heavyweight 120 kg	Ante Delija	def.	Ricardo Prasel	Decision (Unanimous)	3	15:00
Heavyweight 120 kg	Jair Rozenstruik	def.	Andrey Kovalev	Decision (Split)	3	15:00
Strawweight 53 kg	Kanako Murata	def.	Lanchana Green	Submission (Anaconda Choke)	1	4:54
Bantamweight 61 kg	Tomohiro Kitai	vs.	Kurogi Darvish	Draw (Split)	3	9:00	Kickboxing Rules

Background

After a 9-second knockout victory, Kyoji Horiguchi made a quick turnaround, in a long-awaited rematch against fellow Japanese champion Hiromasa Ogikubo.^[6] Ogikubo, the current Shooto bantamweight champion, has not lost since he last faced Horiguchi in 2013. Another rematch took place with Kanna Asakura taking on RENA, who she defeated in the final of the Atomweight Grand Prix.

Originally Mirko Cro Cop was scheduled for this event, however on May 21, 2018, while training for a bout in Bellator MMA against Roy Nelson, Crocop suffered multiple injuries to his left leg including an ACL tear, a partial MCL tear, and a LCL sprain. It was revealed that the recovery for these injuries would take a minimum of 5 months, and so he was ruled out of the event.^[7]

Originally a fight was set between Takanori Gomi and Andy Souwer. However, Souwer was forced to withdrawal due to signing a exclusive contract with ONE Championship. He was replaced by UFC veteran Melvin Guillard at a weight limit of 73.0kg. Guillard weighed in at 73.95kg, forcing the bout to be contested at a catchweight.

Originally a fight was set between Kai Asakura and Topnoi Tiger Muay Thai. However, Asakura was pulled from the event due to a knee injury and replaced by former Tenkaichi Champion Tadaaki Yamamoto

Originally a fight was set between Rin Nakai and Shizuka Sugiyama. However, Nakai was pulled from the event due to acute nephritis, and the bout was cancelled all together.

Results

Rizin 11
Weight Class				Method	Round	T.Time	Notes
Super Atomweight 49 kg	Kanna Asakura	def.	Rena Kubota	Decision (Unanimous)	3	15:00
Catchweight 60 kg	Kyoji Horiguchi	def.	Hiromasa Ogikubo	Decision (Unanimous)	2	15:00
Light Heavyweight 93 kg	Jiří Procházka	def.	Bruno Cappelozza	KO (Punches)	1	1:41
Catchweight 74 kg	Takanori Gomi	def.	Melvin Guillard	KO (Punches)	1	2:33
Lightweight 70 kg	Diego Brandao	def.	Satoru Kitaoka	KO (Punches)	1	1:30
Openweight	Unurjargal Boldpurev	def.	Shoma Shibisai	Decision (Unanimous)	3	15:00
Lightweight 70 kg	Kaito Ono	def.	Yoshiya Uzatsuyo	KO (Knee)	2	4:22	Kickboxing Rules
Super Atomweight 49 kg	Miyuu Yamamoto	def.	Saori Ishioka	Decision (Split)	3	15:00
Catchweight 59 kg	Topnoi Thanongsaklek	def.	Tadaaki Yamamoto	KO (Punch)	1	1:06
Lightweight 70 kg	Daron Cruickshank	def.	Tom Santos	TKO (Elbows)	3	14:11

Background

Former Jungle Fight Lightweight Champion Bruno Carvalho was expected to headline this event against Yusuke Yachi, but was forced off the card due to an injury.^[8] Carvalho was replaced by the undefeated Luiz Gustavo.

King Reina takes on veteran Kaitlin Young in a women's featherweight bout. Kiichi Kunimoto will face DEEP Welterweight Champion Ryuichiro Sumimura. Mikuru Asakura (who is Kai Asakura's older brother) is expected to face all-time great, Hatsu Hioki. Former UFC competitor Angela Magana makes her promotional debut against Kanako Murata.^[9]

Results

Rizin 12
Weight Class				Method	Round	T.Time	Notes
Lightweight 70 kg	Luiz Gustavo	def.	Yusuke Yachi	KO (Punch)	2	7:32
Bantamweight 61 kg	Yuki Motoya	def.	Kazuma Sone	Submission (Rear-Naked Choke)	2	9:31
Welterweight 77 kg	Kiichi Kunimoto	def.	Ryuichiro Sumimura	Submission (Arm-Triangle Choke)	1	4:59
Featherweight 65 kg	Kaitlin Young	def.	Reina Miura	Decision (Unanimous)	3	15:00
Catchweight 59 kg	Daiki Naito	def.	Hannya Hashimoto	TKO (Leg Kicks)	2	4:53	Kickboxing Bout
Featherweight 66 kg	Mikuru Asakura	def.	Hatsu Hioki	KO (Head Kick and Punches)	1	3:45
Heavyweight 120 kg	Roque Martinez	def.	Kiyoshi Kuwabara	TKO (Punches)	1	4:37
Featherweight 65 kg	Kaito Ono	def.	Sho Ogawa	Decision (Unanimous)	3	9:00	Kickboxing Bout
Strawweight 53 kg	Kanako Murata	def.	Angela Magana	Submission (Von Flue Choke)	2	8:52
Catchweight 59 kg	Ryuki	def.	NAOYA	Decision (Unanimous)	3	9:00	Kickboxing Bout
Lightweight 70 kg	Shintaro Matsukura	def.	Takahiro Okuyama	KO (Punch)	2	5:30	Kickboxing Bout
Catchweight 53 kg	Shota Takiya	def.	Syuto Sato	Decision (Unanimous)	3	9:00	Kickboxing Bout

Background

A champion versus champion affair kicked off the card, as current Pancrase Strawweight Champion Mitsuhisa Sunabe took on reigning DEEP Strawweight Champion Haruo Ochi. Jiri Prochazka looked to continue his winning streak against WSOF/PFL veteran Jake Heun. Brothers Mikuru and Kai Asakura fought Karshyga Dautbek and Topnoi Thanongsaklek, respectively. 4-time K-1 champion Taiga Kawabe made his RIZIN debut against fellow debutant Kento Haraguchi.

Miyuu Yamamoto rematched former King of the Cage Atomweight Champion Andy Nguyen; Nguyen defeated Yamamoto at RIZIN's 2016 New Year Eve card. Manel Kape returned to the RIZIN ring for a 5th time, and faced DEEP Flyweight Champion Yusaku Nakamura. Former Invicta Atomweight Champion Ayaka Hamasaki made her second appearance for RIZIN, this time fighting the current DEEP Jewels Atomweight Champion, Mina Kurobe. UFC veterans Daron Cruickshank and Diego Brandao faced off in a lightweight bout.

Mirko Cro Cop returned after a 4-month injury lay-off against DEEP Megaton Champion, Roque Martinez. The first African professional sumo wrestler, Osunaarashi, fought fan-favorite Bob Sapp. The card was headlined by kickboxing sensation Tenshin Nasukawa and Bantamweight Grand Prix Champion Kyoji Horiguchi, in a kickboxing rules bout.^[10]

Results

Rizin 13
Weight Class				Method	Round	T.Time	Notes
Light Heavyweight 93 kg	Jiri Prochazka	def.	Jake Heun	TKO (punches)	1	4:29
Featherweight 66 kg	Mikuru Asakura	def.	Karshyga Dautbek	Decision (Unanimous)	3	15:00
Lightweight 70 kg	Daron Cruickshank	def.	Diego Brandao	KO (Flying Knee)	2	0:17
Flyweight 57 kg	Tenshin Nasukawa	def.	Kyoji Horiguchi	Decision (unanimous)	3	9:00	Kickboxing Rules
Super Atomweight 49 kg	Miyuu Yamamoto	def.	Andy Nguyen	Decision (Unanimous)	3	15:00
Heavyweight 120 kg	Mirko Filipovic	def.	Roque Martinez	TKO (Cut)	1	4:58
Openweight	Bob Sapp	def.	Osunaarashi	Decision (Unanimous)	3	9:00	Special Rules
Strawweight 53 kg	Haruo Ochi	def.	Mitsuhisa Sunabe	KO (Soccer Kicks)	3	12:51
Catchweight 59 kg	Kai Asakura	def.	Topnoi Thanongsaklek	Decision (Unanimous)	3	15:00
Super Atomweight 49 kg	Ayaka Hamasaki	def.	Mina Kurobe	Submission (Kimura)	1	4:45
Catchweight 59 kg	Taiga Kawabe		Kento Haraguchi	Draw (Majority)	3	9:00	Kickboxing Rules
Catchweight 58 kg	Manel Kape	def.	Yusaku Nakamura	Submission (Rear-Naked Choke)	3	14:27

Fight Card

Rizin 14
Weight Class				Method	Round	Time	Notes
		vs.