Rizin 33 confirmed for Japan’s Saitama Arena on New Year’s Eve despite Omicron fears
- Bantamweight grand prix winner will be decided on December 31, as Kai Asakura draws Kenta Takizawa in semi-finals
- Rizin CEO Nobuyuki Sakakibara admits new Covid-19 variant is straining efforts to import international fighters
Despite mounting concerns from the Japanese government over a new Covid-19 Omicron variant, Rizin Fighting Federation will return to the Saitama Super Arena, the mecca of combat sports in Japan, for its annual New Year’s Eve extravaganza.
A handful of the promotion’s top fighters have been announced for Rizin 33, including a tantalising match up between former champion Kai Asakura and Kenta Takizawa in a bantamweight grand prix semi-final.
Former UFC contender Naoki Inoue (15-2) will square off against The Ultimate Fighter Season 24 runner-up Hiromasa Ougikubo (23-5) in the other half of the bracket.
The winners will then lock horns later that same evening.
Asakuraz (18-3) will come in as a red-hot favourite, with 10 of his 18 wins having come inside the Rizin ring. His opponent, however, is no slouch.
Takizawa (13-7) secured the biggest win of his career at Rizin 30 in September, stopping Japanese veteran Yuki Motoya little more than two minutes into their opening round with a flurry of punches that sent him through the ropes and forced the referee to step in.