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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 from Oct. 24-30.
With the five Rizin vs. Bellator matchups for Rizin 40 announced, the events top stars faced off – and so did the men in charge.
With the four of the five Rizin vs. Bellator matchups for Rizin 40 announced, the events top stars faced off – and so did the men in charge.
That’s right, even Bellator president Scott Coker and Rizin president Noboyuki Sakakibara jumped in and had a faceoff of their own to help promote the event.
On Wednesday, the promotions announced matchups for the Dec. 31 card at Saitama Super Arena were four matchups, including the headliner where former Bellator champion [autotag]A.J. McKee[/autotag] (19-1) and Rizin lightweight champion [autotag]Roberto de Souza[/autotag] (14-1) are set to clash.
Scroll below to check out the fighters squaring off for the first time Wednesday during a press conference in Japan.
Rizin and Bellator’s best will go head to head on New Year’s Eve in Japan.
Rizin and Bellator’s best will go head to head on New Year’s Eve.
During a press conference Wednesday in Japan, both promotions announced that Rizin 40 will take place Dec. 31 at Saitama Super Arena just outside Tokyo. The main card will air in the U.S. on Showtime and the fights will take place in Rizin’s ring under the promotion’s ruleset.
Former Bellator champion [autotag]A.J. McKee[/autotag] (19-1) will meet Rizin lightweight champion [autotag]Roberto de Souza[/autotag] (14-1) in the night’s headliner, whereas reigning Bellator featherweight champion [autotag]Patricio Freire[/autotag] (34-5) will take on Rizin featherweight champ [autotag]Kleber Koike[/autotag] (31–5–1) in the co-main event.
𝙄𝙣𝙩𝙧𝙤𝙙𝙪𝙘𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙢𝙖𝙩𝙘𝙝-𝙪𝙥𝙨 👊
On NYE, 5️⃣ of the very best from Bellator MMA will collide with 5️⃣ of @rizin_PR's top stars 🇯🇵
Watch #BellatorvsRizin on @SHOsports. pic.twitter.com/QX0PpW2CwZ
— BellatorMMA (@BellatorMMA) October 26, 2022
Also announced for the card is a flyweight matchup between ex-Bellator bantamweight champ [autotag]Kyoji Horiguchi[/autotag] (30-5) and [autotag]Hiromasa Ougikubo[/autotag] (25–6–2), which will mark their third fight. Horiguchi defeated Ougikubo twice; once by submission to capture the Shooto bantamweight title in 2013, then a second time by unanimous decision at Rizin 11 in 2018.
The fourth fight announced is a bantamweight fight between former Bellator champ [autotag]Juan Archuleta[/autotag] (26-4) and South Korea’s [autotag]Kim Soo Chul[/autotag] (18-6-1).
The current Rizin 40 lineup includes:
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Hiromasa Ogikubo came up big as an underdog to win the Rizin FF bantamweight grand prix.
[autotag]Hiromasa Ogikubo[/autotag] came up big as an underdog to win the Rizin FF bantamweight grand prix.
Ogikubo (25-5-2) had to go through some early adversity in his semifinals bout against Naoki Inoue, but “The Ultimate Fighter 24” finalist rallied to win the final two rounds and advance to the Rizin FF 33 finals at Saitama Super Arena on Friday.
On the other side of the bracket, [autotag]Kai Asakura[/autotag] (19-4) knocked down and outstruck Kenta Takizawa, setting him up with a finals rematch against Ogikubo, who he knocked out with a soccer kick at Rizin FF 23 in 2020.
With the odds stacked against him once again on the night, Ogikubo came out strong against Asakura. Ogikubo chopped away with leg kicks, landing an early takedown on Asakura. He was able to briefly get full mount, transitioning to Asakura’s back, who managed to stay out of any major submission threats.
In Round 2, Asakura was crisp with his jab, landing a solid left hook. But Ogikubo didn’t back down from the striking exchanges, finding a home for his overhand right on numerous occasions. After a competitive round on the feet, Ogikubo ended the round with a flurry and a takedown.
Asakura showed good takedown defense in Round 3, but Ogikubo’s overwhelming pace was too much as the 34-year-old managed to avenge his loss to Asakura and win the 2021 Rizin FF bantamweight grand prix.
In the co-main event, lightweight champion [autotag]Roberto de Souza[/autotag] (13-1) notched his first title defense when he submitted Yusuke Yachi (23-12) with a slick armbar in Round 2. After his win, Souza asked for a Bellator champion as he eyes titles in two different promotions.
The Rizin FF 33 results include:
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Super atomweight champion Ayaka Hamasaki held on to her title by the slimmest of margins after earning a split-decision win at Rizin FF 27.
[autotag]Ayaka Hamasaki[/autotag] was pushed to the limit in her rematch against [autotag]Kanna Asakura[/autotag], but did just enough to earn the split-decision verdict from the ringside judges as she retained her Rizin FF super atomweight title by the slimmest of margins in Nagoya, Japan.
Hamasaki’s title bout with Asakura was the main event of Rizin FF 27, and saw the champion hang on to title after a grueling three round battle at Nippongaishi Hall.
After the fight was paused in the opening seconds for an accidental low blow, the action resumed with both women engaging in a wild exchange that eventually saw the action move to the canvas, with the champion on top.
Hamasaki (22-3) landed a pair of powerful knees to her downed opponent, but Asakura (18-5) showed her grit by battling to her feet, before picking up the champion and slamming her powerfully into the canvas.
Round 2 saw Asakura push the pace as she forced Hamasaki onto her back and set to work from the champion’s guard. But Hamasaki defended well and threatened with an armbar off her back before eventually escaping and returning to her feet. Asakura wouldn’t be denied, however, and after taking Hamasaki to the mat again, the challenger moved into mount and rained down a salvo of strikes as the bell sounded to save the champion from a TKO defeat.
After a cagey start to the final round, Asakura landed a takedown and pushed for a finish, but Hamasaki had successes of her own through the final stanza, as she attempted to snatch a final-round submission from the challenger with a standing armbar in the corner.
Neither athlete could make the crucial breakthrough, however, as the bout went to the judges, with Hamasaki hanging on to her title via split decision.
The women’s super atomweight title is on the line as Ayaka Hamasaki looks to defend her title at Rizin FF 27 in Nagoya, Japan.
The women’s super atomweight title is on the line as Japanese promotion Rizin FF returns for Rizin FF 27 in Nagoya, Japan.
Defending champion [autotag]Ayaka Hamasaki [/autotag]wil take center stage in the main event when she puts her title on the line against challenger [autotag]Kanna Asakura[/autotag]. Two-time champ Hamasaki (21-3) captured the promotion’s vacant 108-pound title by defeating Asakura at Rizin FF 14 on New Year’s Eve, 2018, but lost her title to South Korea’s Seo Hee Ham in her third title defense at Rizin FF 20 a year later.
Hamasaki bounced back with a submission victory over Tomo Maesawa at Rizin FF 22 to set up another shot at the vacant title at Rizin FF 26, where she submitted Miyuu Yamamoto in the first round via leg scissors to reclaim the title.
Now Hamasaki will take on Asakura (18-4) once again, with the challenger heading into the rematch riding a four-fight winning streak.
Since her defeat to Hamasaki in 2018, Asakura has defeated Alesha Zappitella, Jayme Hinshaw, Mizuki Furuse and Ai Shimizu to push her back to the top of the contender list at 108 pounds.
The co-main event features Japan-based Brazilian grappler [autotag]Roberto de Souza[/autotag] (10-1), who will take on Japanese veteran and former lightweight King of Pancrase [autotag]Kazuki Tokudome[/autotag] (20-10-1).
Rizin FF 27 results include:
A battle for the women’s super atomweight title tops the list of confirmed fights at Rizin FF 27 in Nagoya, Japan.
Japanese promotion Rizin FF has announced eight bouts for its next event, with a battle for the women’s super atomweight title at the top of the card.
Rizin FF 27 takes place Sunday, March 21 at Nippon Gaishi Hall in Nagoya, Japan. The event streams live via Rizin Live PPV.
Topping the list of confirmed bouts is a super atomweight title rematch between defending champion [autotag]Ayaka Hamasaki[/autotag] and former foe [autotag]Kanna Asakura[/autotag].
Two-time champ Hamasaki (21-3) captured the promotion’s vacant 108-pound title by defeating Asakura at Rizin FF 14 on New Year’s Eve, 2018, but lost her title to South Korea’s Seo Hee Ham in her third title defense at Rizin FF 20 a year later.
Hamasaki bounced back with a submission victory over Tomo Maesawa at Rizin FF 22 to set up another shot at the vacant title at Rizin FF 26, where she submitted Miyuu Yamamoto in the first round via leg scissors to reclaim the title.
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Now Hamasaki will take on Asakura (18-4) once again, with the challenger heading into the rematch riding a four-fight winning streak.
Since her defeat to Hamasaki in 2018, Asakura has defeated Alesha Zappitella, Jayme Hinshaw, Mizuki Furuse and Ai Shimizu to push her back to the top of the contenders list at 108 pounds.
Also set for action on the card include Japan-based Brazilian grappler [autotag]Roberto de Souza[/autotag] (10-1), who will take on Japanese veteran and former lightweight King of Pancrase [autotag]Kazuki Tokudome[/autotag] (20-10-1).
Confirmed bouts for Rizin FF 27 include:
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Follow the results as they happen with MMA Junkie’s live coverage of Rizin FF 22 in Yokohama, Japan.
Yokohama’s Pia Arena plays host to the first of two back-to-back events as Japanese promotion Rizin FF makes its return to action following the advent of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Taglined “Starting Over,” the show boasts a nine-fight card, featuring seven MMA bouts.
The main event features a 157-pound battle between Brazilian fan-favorite [autotag]Roberto de Souza[/autotag] who is looking to bounce back to winning ways following his elimination from the promotion’s lightweight grand prix at Rizin FF 19 last October. He’ll face [autotag]Yusuke Yachi[/autotag], who snapped a three-fight losing run in Rizin FF when he defeated Hiroto Uesako at Bellator 237 last December.
The co-main event features the return of former Rizin FF women’s super atomweight champion [autotag]Ayaka Hamasaki[/autotag], who is looking to bounce straight back into title contention after losing her title to Seo Hee Ham at Rizin FF 20 on New Year’s Eve last year. She’s facing [autotag]Tomo Maesawa[/autotag], who is looking to mark her second appearance in the Rizin FF ring with a victory after capturing the Deep Jewels atomweight title in October last year.
Rizin FF 22 live results include:
