Tag: Makoto Shinryu

Kyoji Horiguchi def. Makoto Shinryu at Rizin 45: Best photos

Check out these photos from Kyoji Horiguchi vs. Makoto Shinryu at Rizin 45 for the inagural flyweight title.

Check out these photos from [autotag]Kyoji Horiguchi[/autotag]’s inaugural flyweight title submission victory vs. Makoto Shinryu at Rizin 45, which took place at Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan. (Photos courtesy of Rizin FF)

RIZIN 45 official with Kyoji Horiguchi, John Dodson, Juan Archuelta and more

RIZIN’s New Year’s Eve event features a handful of names notable to North American MMA fans.

RIZIN 45 is officially on the calendar, and it features a handful of names notable to American viewers.

The event takes place Dec. 31 at Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan, the promotion announced at a news conference Thursday. Atop the billing will be two title fights.

An inaugural RIZIN flyweight title has been implemented as former Bellator bantamweight champion [autotag]Kyoji Horiguchi[/autotag] (31-5) battles [autotag]Makoto Shinryu[/autotag] (16-1-1). Additionally, RIZIN bantamweight champion [autotag]Juan Archuleta[/autotag] (29-4) looks to defend his title vs. Japanese star [autotag]Kai Asakura[/autotag] (20-4).

Also on the card, former UFC title challenger and current BKFC flyweight champion [autotag]John Dodson[/autotag] (24-13) takes on [autotag]Hiromasa Ougikubo[/autotag] (25-8-2).

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With Bellator’s future uncertain, Horiguchi makes another appearance for RIZIN, a promotion for which he previously carried a bantamweight title. It’s the first fight for Horiguchi since an inaugural Bellator flyweight title fight in July that ended in a no contest after he was accidentally poked in the eye by Shinryu. The Dec. 31 fight will be a rematch, though this time for RIZIN gold.

After years of asking for crossover fights in RIZIN, Bellator product Archuleta got that in December when he defeated Soo Chul Kim at Bellator x RIZIN 1. Archuleta returned to RIZIN in May when he defeated Naoki Inoue. In July, Archuleta captured RIZIN gold when he defeated the then-champion Ougikubo. His opponent, Asakura is one of the biggest combat sports stars in the region, with wins over Horiguchi, Ougikubo, and others.

Dodson makes his second RIZIN appearance as he continues to jump back and forth over from BKFC. Thus far in RIZIN, Dodson is 2-0 with wins over Hideo Tokoro and Tatsuki Saomoto.

The current RIZIN 45 lineup includes:

  • Kyoji Horiguchi vs. Hiromasa Ougikubo
  • Juan Arhculeta vs. Kai Asakura
  • Kyoji Horiguchi vs. Makoto Shinryu
  • Kleber Koike vs. Yutaka Saito

Kyoji Horiguchi wants Makoto Shinryu rematch after no contest for inaugural Bellator flyweight title

Kyoji Horiguchi wants to run things back with Makoto Shinryu after their no contest at Bellator x Rizin 2.

[autotag]Kyoji Horiguchi[/autotag] wants to run things back with [autotag]Makoto Shinryu[/autotag] after their no contest at Bellator x Rizin 2.

Horiguchi’s inaugural Bellator flyweight title fight vs. Shinryu was ruled a no contest after he accidentally poked Shinryu in his right eye and rendered him unable to continue. The poke happened just 25 seconds into the first round of the Bellator x Rizin 2 co-main event Saturday at Saitama Super Arena near Tokyo.

Bellator president Scott Coker said he’d like to see the pair rematch, and Horiguchi agrees.

“I guess I would also like to have a rematch,” Horiguchi said through an interpreter at the Bellator MMA x Rizin 2 post-fight press conference.

Horiguchi said he immediately recognized that he poked Shinryu in the eye and is apologetic for the incident.

“It was unfortunate,” Horiguchi said. “I felt my finger going into his eye, so immediately I pointed out that he’s hurt and I sort of stopped the match there.”

Although Horiguchi says he would have continued, he doesn’t fault Shinryu for being unable to compete. Shinryu still couldn’t see after taking the entire five minutes to try and recover, which forced referee Jason Herzog to stop the fight and rule it a no contest.

“If he really couldn’t see from his right eye, then I think the match should have been stopped,” Horiguchi said. “You’re a professional. This goes on the record, also so if you can’t fight, then I don’t think it should have been continued.”

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For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for Bellator x Rizin 2.

Bellator x Rizin 2 results: Kyoji Horiguchi-Makoto Shinryu title fight ruined by accidental eye poke

Bellator officially has a men’s flyweight division – but it still doesn’t have a champion after an unfortunate turn of events.

Bellator officially has a men’s flyweight division – but it still doesn’t have a champion.

The division’s inaugural title fight ended in a no contest Sunday after [autotag]Kyoji Horiguchi[/autotag] accidentally poked [autotag]Makoto Shinryu[/autotag] in his left eye. The poke happened just 25 seconds into the first round of the Bellator x Rizin 2 co-main event at Saitama Super Arena near Tokyo.

To his credit, Shinryu took the entire five minutes to try and recover but ultimately couldn’t continue, forcing referee Jason Herzog to stop the fight and rule it a no contest.

It’s an especially unfortunate conclusion for Horiguchi, Bellator’s former banamweight champion, as he was looking to win a second division title in his home country.

Kyoji Horiguchi on Makoto Shinryu: ‘Technically, I feel like I’m more superior’

During the Bellator X Rizin 2 news conference Thursday evening, Kyoji Horiguchi answered questions from the media.

During the Bellator X Rizin 2 news conference Thursday evening, [autotag]Kyoji Horiguchi[/autotag] answered questions from the media.

Horiguchi (30-5 MMA, 2-2 BMMA) takes on [autotag]Makoto Shinryu[/autotag] (16-1-1 MMA, 1-0 BMMA) for the inaugural flyweight title in Saturday’s Bellator X Rizin 2 headliner, which takes place at Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan. The event airs live on Showtime at 11 p.m. ET.

The former Rizin and Bellator bantamweight champion discussed the matchup with Shinryu, being chosen to fight for the inaugural title, and more.

Scroll below to see some of Horiguchi’s comments.

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for Bellator x Rizin 2.

Matchup Roundup: New UFC and Bellator fights announced in the past week (May 22-28)

All the UFC and Bellator fight announcements that were first reported or confirmed by MMA Junkie in the past week.

MMA fight announcements are hard to follow. With so many outlets and channels available, it’s nearly impossible to organize.

But here at MMA Junkie, we’ve got your back.

Each week, we’ll compile all the newly surfaced fights in one spot. Every Monday, expect a feature listing everything you might have missed from the UFC or Bellator.

Here are the fight announcements that were broken or confirmed by MMA Junkie or officially announced by a promotion from May 22-28.

Bellator X Rizin 2 to feature AJ McKee vs. Patricky Freire, Kyoji Horiguchi in inaugural men’s flyweight title fight

Bellator returns to Japan in July to continue the lightweight world grand prix and crown an inaugural men’s flyweight champion.

Bellator is returning to Japan this summer for a second co-promoted event with Rizin to continue its world lightweight grand prix and crown and inaugural men’s flyweight champion.

Bellator X Rizin 2 takes place July 30 at Saitama Super Arena, and the main event will see a lightweight grand prix quarterfinal bout between former featherweight champion [autotag]AJ McKee[/autotag] (20-1 MMA, 20-1 BMMA) and former lightweight champion [autotag]Patricky Freire[/autotag] (24-11 MMA, 15-9 BMMA).

In the co-feature, Bellator opens the doors to a new men’s flyweight division as former Bellator and Rizin champion [autotag]Kyoji Horiguichi[/autotag] (31-5 MMA, 2-2 BMMA) takes on Makoto Takahashi (16-1-1 MMA, 1-0 BMMA). The winner will become the inaugural Bellator men’s flyweight champion.

Bellator announced the event and the featured bouts in a press release Saturday morning.

While the first cross-promoted event which took place on New Year’s Eve featured head-to-head bouts between Bellator and Rizin fighters, the second iteration departs from that format. However, the unique event will see Bellator bouts taking place inside a cage whereas Rizin bouts will take place in a ring. The Bellator fighters will wear red and blue Bellator gloves, while the world grand prix competitors will wear white gloves.

Also announced is a women’s flyweight bout between Kana Watanabe and Veta Artega. Bellator fighters Juan Archuleta and Tofiq Musayev will also be in action during the Rizin portion of the card.

The Bellator X Rizin 2 event’s lineup includes:

  • AJ McKee vs. Patricky Freire – lightweight grand prix quarterfinal bout
  • Kyoji Horiguchi vs. Makoto Takahashi – inaugural flyweight title bout
  • Kana Watanabe vs. Veta Artega

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