Tag: Soo Chul Kim

Rizin FF vs. Bellator results: Juan Archuleta wins split decision after spectacular entrance

Juan Archuleta made an incredible entrance to the ring at Rizin FF vs. Bellator and followed it up with a competitive win.

Former Bellator champ [autotag]Juan Archuleta[/autotag] continued the momentum for his promotion at Saturday’s Rizin FF 40: Rizin vs. Bellator event.

Archuleta (27-4) made it 2-0 for Team Bellator in the head-to-head matchups with Rizin in the special cross-promotion event, taking a split decision over [autotag]Soo Chul Kim[/autotag] (18-7-1) in the bantamweight matchup courtesy of his more effective striking and ground control.

The event took place at Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, near Tokyo. The main card airs on Showtime via tape delay at 8 p.m. ET.

After making a spectacular entrance to the ring, Archuleta started strong when he came out of gate firing hard punches. Kim tried to counter by jumping on a standing guillotine choke, but it ultimately ended up with the fight spilling to the ground, where he spent the majority of the round on his back. It got back to the feet late and Archuleta landing a punishing leg kick.

Archuleta picked up where he left off in the second frame, landing crisp shots on the feet, including a nasty series of standing elbows from inside the clinch. He got back to top position where he dominated, as well, and Kim’s only moment of the round came during a striking exchange where he landed a leg kick that caught Archuleta’s attention.

In the final round, Archuleta was confident as he threw his strikes. Kim got top position during a scramble, but referee Jason Herzog quickly stood them up. That allowed Archuleta to get back in his striking rhythm. The final minute saw Kim try to pounce on a front choke, but Archuleta stayed composed and survived to escape before the final bell.

“I’m so emotional. I’m not going to lie,” Archuleta said in his post-fight interview. “All week it’s been draining on my soul, all you fans lifting me up to have the honor and the power and the strength to come here tonight.”

After a two-fight losing skid, Archuleta has now won back-to-back bouts after beating Enrique Barzola by decision at Bellator 286 in October.

Official Rizin vs. Bellator results include:

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for Rizin FF 40: Rizin vs. Bellator.

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Rizin FF 40: Rizin vs. Bellator weigh-in results: Promotion vs. promotion fights official

Check out the results from the official Rizin FF 40 weigh-ins, which features fight Rizin vs. Bellator cross-promotional fights.

The stage is set for the final major MMA event of 2022 after official weigh-ins for Rizin FF 40: Rizin vs. Bellator went down Thursday night in Japan.

With five promotion vs. promotion fights set for the main card, which airs on Showtime via tape-delay on Saturday from Saitama Super Arena just outside Tokyo, all the notable athletes successfully made weight.

In the main event, Rizin FF lightweight champion [autotag]Roberto de Souza[/autotag] (14-1) will welcome former Bellator featherweight titleholder [autotag]A.J. McKee[/autotag] (19-1) to his turf in a compelling matchup. The co-headliner wills see current Bellator featherweight champ [autotag]Patricio Freire[/autotag] (34-5) take on Rizin FF’s [autotag]Kleber Koike Erbst[/autotag] (31-5-1).

Check out the complete main card weigh-in results below:

  • A.J. McKee (154.7) vs. Roberto de Souza (156)
  • Kleber Koike Erbst (145.2) vs. Patricio Freire (145)
  • [autotag]Kyoji Horiguchi[/autotag] (124.8) vs. [autotag]Hiromasa Ougikubo[/autotag] (125.4)
  • [autotag]Juan Archuleta[/autotag] (134) vs. [autotag]Soo Chul Kim[/autotag] (133.8)
  • [autotag]Gadzhi Rabadanov[/autotag] (155.9) vs. [autotag]Koji Takeda[/autotag] (156)

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for Rizin FF 40: Rizin vs. Bellator.

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Matchup Roundup: New UFC and Bellator fights announced in the past week (Oct. 24-30)

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.

Kyoji Horiguchi returns at RIZIN 38 in September, same card as Floyd Mayweather vs. Mikuru Asakura

Kyoji Horiguchi will return in search of his first win of 2022.

[autotag]Kyoji Horiguchi[/autotag] will return in search of his first win of 2022.

The former Bellator titleholder and current Rizin champion has been booked to return to the ring. Horiguchi (29-5) is set to take on [autotag]Yuto Hokamura[/autotag] (14-11-2) in a bantamweight bout at Rizin 38, which is scheduled for Sept. 25 at Saitama Super Arena in Japan.

The promotion announced the news Tuesday. It did not specify if the bout between Horiguchi and Hokamura is a championship fight.

Horiguchi is on the heels of the worst streak of his 12-year-career. The Japanese star is on a two-fight skid and 1-3 in his past four outings. Horiguchi was last seen in April when he was eliminated from the Bellator bantamweight grand prix in a unanimous decision loss to Patchy Mix. This upcoming fight will be Horiguchi’s first with Rizin since December 2020.

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Additionally, the previously reported exhibition boxing bout between [autotag]Floyd Mayweather[/autotag] and [autotag]Mikuru Asakura[/autotag] will take place on the same card.

Other matchups that were also announced: [autotag]Kyohei Hagiwara[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Chihiro Suzuki[/autotag] at featherweight; [autotag]Juri Ohara[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Luiz Gustavo[/autotag] at lightweight; [autotag]Shoma Shibisai[/autotag] vs. Callyu Gibrainn at heavyweight, [autotag]Hiromasa Ougikubo[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Soo Chul Kim[/autotag] at bantamweight, and [autotag]Nadaka Yoshinari[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Bandasak So Trakunpet[/autotag] at strawweight (kickboxing).

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