Japanese MMA promotion Rizin FF is all set to host its traditional end-of-year show, with Rizin 33 set to deliver a spectacular night of fights.
The iconic Saitama Super Arena, venue to so many legendary Japanese combat sports events down the years, will play host to the event, with a crowd in excess of 30,000 set to pack the stands for the 16-fight card.
The main event will crown the winner of the Rizin bantamweight grand prix, with the four remaining tournament contenders, Kai Asakura, Kenta Takizawa, Hiromasa Ougikubo and Naoki Inoue, set to face off in two tournament semi-finals at the start of the fight card. The two winners will then face off for the tournament title in the night’s headline bout.
The co-main event features a battle for the Rizin lightweight title, with Brazilian grappling ace Roberto Satoshi Souza looking to retain his title against Yusuke Yachi.
Hard-hitting Mikuru Asakura is also scheduled for action, and will face off against Yutaka Saito, while a special stand-up rules matchup will see Japanese MMA legend Takanori “The Fireball Kid” Gomi go toe to toe with kickboxing superstar Tenshin Nasukawa.
Rizin 33: Fight Card
Main Card
- Main Event: Rizin Bantamweight Grand Prix Final
- Roberto Satoshi Souza vs. Yusuke Yachi – for Rizin lightweight title
- Yutaka Saito vs. Mikuru Asakura
- Tenshin Nasukawa vs. Takanori Gomi – stand-up rules
- Rena vs. Si Woo Park
Preliminary Card
- Ayaka Hamasaki vs. Seika Izawa
- Koji Takeda vs. “Blackpanther” Beynoah
- Shoma Shibisai vs. Hideki Sekine
- Kyohei Hagiwara vs. Hiroaki Suzuki
- Kouzi vs. Ya-Man – kickboxing rules
- Shibatar vs. Yuta Kubo
- Kazuma Sone vs. Shinomu Ota
- Yuki Motoya vs. Kintaro – bantamweight grand prix alternate bout
- Hiromasa Ougikubo vs. Naoki Inoue – bantamweight grand prix semi-final
- Kai Asakura vs. Kenta Takizawa – bantamweight grand prix semi-final
- Kota Miura vs. Yushi
Rizin 33 streams internationally via Live NOW with English commentary by Joe Ferraro, Damien Brown and Johnny Case.
