RIZIN 18 bout order confirmed, eight opening bouts before sole intermission
RIZIN 18 is set to take over the Dolphins Arena in Nagoya, Japan on August 18, and the organization has announced the bout order for the loaded Japanese MMA fight card.
In the main event, Bellator and RIZIN cross-promotion champion Kyoji Horiguchi will face a surging superstar in the form of Kai Asakura. For some reason, Horiguchi’s bantamweight title will not be on the line. In the co-main event, RIZIN atomweight champ Ayaka Hamasaki will face a red-hot Thai in Suwanan Boonsorn. Again, no title will be on the line.
DEEP champ Victor Henry will make his highly-anticipated RIZIN debut against Australia’s Trent Girdham in the third-to-last bout of the night. Immediately prior to this, highly-touted prospect, Manel Kape will face an aging UFC veteran in the form of Takeya Mizugaki. Finally, in kickboxing action, the legend John Wayne Parr will compete in his 100th fight when he faces Danilo Zanolini ahead of his upcoming November super fight vs. Anthony Mundine.
All five of the aforementioned fights will take place after the lone announced intermission of the night.
Former RIZIN Grand-Prix champion Kanna Asakura, DEEP champ Haruo Ochi, UFC vets Jarred Brooks and Justin Scoggins, and former Shooto champ Kazuma Sone, among others, are also in action during the nights eight opening bouts. The night will also see a lightweight clash between Japanese mainstay and knockout-artist Hiroto Uesako and Frenchman Yves Landu. This fight is rumored to be a qualifying bout for the upcoming RIZIN Lightweight Grand-Prix, beginning at RIZIN 19 in October.
Check out the full card and bout order below. Be sure to order the event on FITE TV before it goes live next weekend on August 18. This will grant you unlimited lifetime access!
Kyoji Horiguchi vs. Kai Assakura
Ayaka Hamasaki vs. Suwanan Boonsorn
Victor Henry vs. Trent Girdham
Manel Kape vs. Takeya Mizugaki
John Wayne Parr vs. Danilo Zanolini – KB
-INTERMISSION-
Kanna Asakura vs. Alesha Zappitella
Haruo Ochi vs. Jarred Brooks
Hiroto Uesako vs. Yves Landu
Kazuma Sone vs. Justin Scoggins
Takaki Soya vs. Yutaro Muramoto
Ai Shimizu vs. Tabatha Watkins
Shota Takiya vs. Kazuki Osaki – KB
Ryuji Horio vs. Uchu Sakurai – KB