Bellator MMA x Rizin 2

Bellator MMA x Rizin 2 and Super Rizin 2 was a mixed martial arts event being co-promoted by Bellator MMA and the Rizin Fighting Federation that took place on July 30, 2023, at the Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan.[1][2][3][4]

Bellator MMA x Rizin 2
PromotionBellator MMA
Rizin Fighting Federation
DateJuly 30, 2023 (2023-July-30)
CitySaitama, Japan
VenueSaitama Super Arena
Bellator MMA events chronology
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Background

The event marked the second co-promotion between Bellator MMA and the Rizin Fighting Federation, and Bellator's third visit to Saitama; following Bellator MMA vs. Rizin in December 2022, and Bellator 237 on December 29, 2019.[5]

A Bellator Lightweight World Grand Prix quarterfinal bout between former Bellator Featherweight Champion A. J. McKee and former Bellator Lightweight Champion Patricky Pitbull was scheduled to headline the event.[1] However, on July 26, it was announced McKee had pulled out of the bout due to medical issues and was replaced by current Rizin Lightweight Champion Roberto de Souza at a catchweight of 161 pounds.[6]

For the co-main event, an inaugural Bellator Flyweight Championship bout between former Bellator Bantamweight Champion Kyoji Horiguchi (also former two-time Rizin Bantamweight Champion) and Makoto Takahashi took place at the event.[7] If successful, Horiguchi would have become the fourth fighter in Bellator history to win a title in different divisions (after Joe Warren at Bellator 128, Ryan Bader at Bellator 214, and Patrício Pitbull at Bellator 221).[3]

A Rizin Bantamweight Championship bout for the vacant title between former Bellator Bantamweight Champion Juan Archuleta and former champion Kai Asakura was scheduled to take place at the event.[8][4] Former champion Kyoji Horiguchi vacated the title on December 22 after moving down to the flyweight division.[9] However on July 18 it was announced that Asakura withdrew due to injury and was replaced by Hiromasa Ougikubo.[10]

Results
Part 1: Bellator MMA x Rizin 2 (Showtime)
Weight class Method Round Time Notes
Catchweight (160 lb) Patricky Pitbull def. Roberto de Souza TKO (leg kicks) 3 0:49 [lower-alpha 1]
Flyweight Kyoji Horiguchi vs. Makoto Takahashi No Contest (accidental eye poke) 1 0:25 [lower-alpha 2]
Women's Flyweight Kana Watanabe def. Veta Arteaga Decision (unanimous) (29-28, 29-28, 29-28) 3 5:00
Bantamweight Magomed Magomedov def. Danny Sabatello Submission (guillotine choke) 1 3:55
Welterweight Andrey Koreshkov def. Lorenz Larkin Decision (split) (29–28, 29–28, 28–29) 3 5:00
Part 2: Super Rizin 2 (FiteTV PPV)
Featherweight Vugar Keramov def. Mikuru Asakura Submission (rear-naked choke) 1 2:41 [lower-alpha 3]
Bantamweight Juan Archuleta def. Hiromasa Ougikubo Decision (unanimous) 3 5:00 [lower-alpha 4]
Super Atomweight Seika Izawa (c) def. Claire Lopez Submission (ninja choke) 1 1:06 [lower-alpha 5]
Intermission
Catchweight (154 lb) Chihiro Suzuki def. Patrício Pitbull KO (punch) 1 2:32
Lightweight Tofiq Musayev def. Akira Okada KO (punches) 2 1:11
Bantamweight Shinobu Ota def. Kenta Takizawa TKO (punches) 1 4:54
Middleweight Igor Tanabe def. Daichi Abe Submission (heel hook) 1 4:34
Catchweight (128 lb) Yuki Ito def. Hiroya Kondo Decision (split) 3 5:00
  1. Bellator Lightweight World Grand Prix Quarterfinal.
  2. For the inaugural Bellator Flyweight World Championship. Accidental eye poke rendered Takahashi unable to continue.
  3. For the vacant Rizin Featherweight Championship.
  4. For the vacant Rizin Bantamweight Championship.
  5. For the Rizin Women's Super Atomweight Championship.

[11]

See also

References
  1. "AJ McKee vs. Patricky Pitbull to fight at Bellator x RIZIN event". Bloody Elbow. 2023-05-29. Retrieved 2023-06-01.
  2. Riddle, Mathew (2023-05-27). "Bellator x Rizin 2 Crossover Event Confirmed for July, McKee vs. Pitbull". Sports Illustrated MMA News, Analysis and More. Retrieved 2023-06-01.
  3. "Bellator X Rizin 2 to feature AJ McKee vs. Patricky Freire, Kyoji Horiguchi in inaugural men's flyweight title fight". MMA Junkie. 2023-05-27. Retrieved 2023-06-01.
  4. Anderson, Jay (2023-05-27). "Kai Asakura vs. Juan Archuleta, Mikuru Asakura vs. Vugar Karamov Announced for Bellator X RIZIN 2". Cageside Press. Retrieved 2023-06-01.
  5. Raimondi, Marc (2023-05-27). "AJ McKee vs. Patricky Freire headlines Bellator-Rizin event". ESPN. Retrieved 2023-06-01.
  6. Wells, Matthew (July 26, 2023). "Major changes to Bellator X Rizin 2: A.J. McKee out; Patricky Freire faces RIZIN champ; Patricio 'Pitbull' added". MMA Junkie. Retrieved July 26, 2023.
  7. Martin, Damon (2023-05-27). "AJ McKee vs. Patricky Pitbull, first ever Bellator flyweight champion will be crowned at Bellator x RIZIN 2 in July". MMA Junkie. Retrieved 2023-06-01.
  8. Riggs, Drake (2023-05-30). "Juan Archuleta 'couldn't ask for a better position' between Bellator and RIZIN as he pursues gold in Japan". MMA Mania. Retrieved 2023-06-01.
  9. Martin, Damon (2022-12-28). "Kyoji Horiguchi pushes Bellator to add 125-pound division: 'Flyweight is my weight class'". MMA Fighting. Retrieved 2023-06-01.
  10. "Ougikubo Replaces Asakura, Faces Archuleta for Bantamweight Title at Super Rizin 2". sherdog.com.
  11. "Bellator MMA | Bellator MMA vs. Rizin 2". www.bellator.com. Retrieved 2022-11-05.
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