RIZIN World Grand Prix 2017 - December 29-31 (OFFICIAL DISCUSSION)

RIZIN  WGP 2017 2nd round
December 29, 2017
Sataima Super Arena
Sataima, Japan

Main Card:
Kyoji Horiguchi (20-2)        vs.         (10-0) Gabriel Oliveira     
Main Card | GP Quarter-Finals | Bantamweight | 135 lbs (61 kg)

Ian McCall (13-5)               vs.                (7-1) Manel Kape
Main Card | GP Quarter-Finals | Bantamweight | 135 lbs (61 kg)

Takafumi Otsuka (23-13)    vs.              (11-0) Khalid Taha
Main Card | GP Quarter-Finals | Bantamweight | 135 lbs (61 kg)

Shintaro Ishiwatari (23-6)   vs.             (13-3) Kevin Petshi         
Main Card | GP Quarter-Finals | Bantamweight | 135 lbs (61 kg)

Shinobu Kandori (4-1)         vs.               (4-0) Gabi Garcia         
Main Card | Women's Openweight

Jiří Procházka (19-3)            vs.        (6-1) Karl Albrektsson         
Main Card | Light Heavyweight | 205 lbs (93 kg)

Reina Miura (7-0)                 vs.          (9-3) Cindy Dandois         
Main Card | Women's Lightweight | 155 lbs (70 kg)

Hiroyuki Takaya (22-14)        vs. (2-2) Baataryn Azjavkhlan         
Main Card | Featherweight | 145 lbs (66 kg)

Je Hoon Moon (10-10)           vs.     (12-5) Anthony Birchak         
Main Card | GP Reserve | Bantamweight | 135 lbs (61 kg)

Kai Asakura (8-1)                  vs.        (3-3) Kizaemon Saiga         
Main Card | Flyweight | 125 lbs (57 kg)

Kana Watanabe (1-0)             vs. (15-4) Shizuka Sugiyama          
Main Card | Women's Flyweight | 125 lbs (57 kg)

Satoru Kitaoka (40-15)           vs.     (18-7) Kiichi Kunimoto          
Main Card | Catchweight | 165 lbs (75 kg)


RIZIN  WGP 2017 Final round
December 31, 2017
Sataima Super Arena
Sataima, Japan

Main Card:
Tsuyoshi Kosaka (27-19)     vs.            (35-11) Mirko Filipović     
Main Card | Heavyweight | 265 lbs (120 kg)

Chelsea LaGrasse (35-14)    vs. (18-6) Shinju Nozawa-Auclair     
Main Card | Women's Flyweight | 125 lbs (57 kg)

Takanori Gomi (35-14)        vs.               (18-6) Yusuke Yachi     
Main Card | Lightweight | 155 lbs (70 kg)

Rena Kubota (20-2)            vs.               (10-2) Irene Cabello     
Main Card | GP Semi-Finals | Women's Super Atomweight | 135 lbs (61 kg)

Kanna Asakura (9-2)           vs.              (10-2) Maria Oliveira     
Main Card | GP Semi-Finals | Women's Super Atomweight | 135 lbs (61 kg)

Mitsuhisa Sunabe (MMA)       vs.          (Boxing) Yamato Fujita     
Main Card | GP Semi-Finals | K-1 Flyweight | 125 lbs (57 kg)

Tenshin Nasukawa (20-0)      vs.         (10-2) Yuta Hamamoto     
Main Card | GP Semi-Finals | K-1 Flyweight | 125 lbs (57 kg)


Just days removed from his UFC release, Ian McCall (13-5) has signed with Rizin Fighting Federation. McCall will join Rizin’s bantamweight Grand Prix as a wildcard, where he will debut against Portugal’s Manel Kape (7-1).

McCall’s opponent Manel Kape fought over the weekend, knocking out Kid Yamamoto nephew and protege Erson Yamamoto with a head-kick and followup punch.

If McCall defeats Kape, he could well collide with former UFC flyweight title challenger Kyoji Horiguchi (20-2) next. Horiguchi will soon battle a TBA opponent in an attempt to move on to the next round.

The other Quarter-finals in this Grand Prix are Shintaro Ishiwatari vs. Kevin Petshi and Takafumi Otsuka vs. Khalid Taha. Akhmed Musakaev, Jae Hoon Moon, Keita Ishibashi, Eson Yamamoto and  Anthony Birchak have all already been eliminated. 

Rizin peaked on Fuji TV with 10.3 percent. Hope they keep that going with this event.

[quote="CDF47"]Rizin peaked on Fuji TV with 10.3 percent.  Hope they keep that going with this event.[/quote

That is pretty good that's even higher then their last event isn't it ?

westcott123 wrote:

CDF47 wrote:Rizin peaked on Fuji TV with 10.3 percent.  Hope they keep that going with this event.[/quote

That is pretty good that's even higher then their last event isn't it ?

Yeah, it's one of their highest ratings.

journalist: I'm glad you're back in our studio. This time we will not analyze and announce your battles because they are currently absent. Or maybe I'm wrong?

CroCop: 'There is currently nothing. So when I was with you for the last time, I said I would love to make a farewell match with Fedor. But there will be nothing. But I'll probably do it. I have several calls, but I definitely decided for Japan. I am currently in negotiations so I can not say anything. It is planned for the New Year.

journalist: You also had a big problem with your knee.

CroCop: Big problem. Well, I managed to fix it, incredible. I did one stem cell transplant operation, the first one in Croatia. In fact, I got new cartilage that has grown for whole knee . An unbelievable, definitive future of medicine.

Rizin=PRIDEFC wrote:journalist: I'm glad you're back in our studio. This time we will not analyze and announce your battles because they are currently absent. Or maybe I'm wrong?

CroCop: 'There is currently nothing. So when I was with you for the last time, I said I would love to make a farewell match with Fedor. But there will be nothing. But I'll probably do it. I have several calls, but I definitely decided for Japan. I am currently in negotiations so I can not say anything. It is planned for the New Year.

journalist: You also had a big problem with your knee.

CroCop: Big problem. Well, I managed to fix it, incredible. I did one stem cell transplant operation, the first one in Croatia. In fact, I got new cartilage that has grown for whole knee . An unbelievable, definitive future of medicine.

That is good to hear.

http://www.sherdog.com/news/news/Takanori-Gomi-Hints-at-Return-to-Japan-for-New-Years-Eve-Fight-via-Instagram-128047

What do people think of gomi coming back to fight new years ?

westcott123 wrote:http://www.sherdog.com/news/news/Takanori-Gomi-Hints-at-Return-to-Japan-for-New-Years-Eve-Fight-via-Instagram-128047

What do people think of gomi coming back to fight new years ?

Love Gomi and think he's probably the best lightweight of all time but I don't know. Gomi hasn't looked good in forever and it's alarming when anyone who is known for having an iron chin gets knocked out. Gomi is great but he's older, has a ton of mileage, and his chin is gone. He's another that is getting to the point where it's dangerous to keep fighting.

westcott123 wrote:http://www.sherdog.com/news/news/Takanori-Gomi-Hints-at-Return-to-Japan-for-New-Years-Eve-Fight-via-Instagram-128047

What do people think of gomi coming back to fight new years ?

It will be good to see him in the JMMA ring again.

Rizin officials announced Cro Cop (35-11-2) will fight fellow heavyweight Tsuyoshi Kohsaka (29-12-2) on Dec. 31.

Cro Cop, a 43-year-old UFC and PRIDE vet, claimed Rizin 2016 GP title after winning four fights – over the likes of Muhammad “King Mo” Lawal and Amir Aliakbari – to close out last year. It pushed the Croatian striker’s overall winning streak to seven fights.

He now meets Kohsaka, a 47-year-old Japanese fighter who’s a vet at both MMA and pro wrestling. He made his MMA debut 23 years ago and has fought some of the biggest names in the sport. Since returning from a nine-year layoff from 2006-2015, the famed grappler and former King of Pancrase is 1-1 with a TKO victory over James Thompson and a decision defeat to Baruto.

Well, if Cro Cop is going to come back, it's probably good for him to be fighting older fighters. Glad his knee is better!

Albrektson vs Prochazka
Birchak vs Moon is the reserve

http://origin.forums.sherdog.com/threads/in-two-years-rizin-ff-will-be-the-premier-mma-organisation.3480689/page-4

What do you guys and girls think of rizin chance to be top dog in mma personally I don't think it will be the premiere mma organization world wide be awesome if it was I can see it being top dog in Asia.
Mma in the west is more sport/entertainment Asian mma is more martial art/fighting. That was one of the biggest differences between pride and the ufc the ufc promoted the sport side where as pride was more about the fighting spirit same with rizin ff. On another note Ufc will never reach the legendary status pride did would the ufc have the same status if it shut down instead of pride.

I hope one day it is the premier league in the world. It is the best format of fighting for sure.

CDF47 wrote:I hope one day it is the premier league in the world.  It is the best format of fighting for sure.

I do hope so that or Bellator I would like to see a rizin Bellator dynamite show

westcott123 wrote:

CDF47 wrote:I hope one day it is the premier league in the world.  It is the best format of fighting for sure.

I do hope so that or Bellator I would like to see a rizin Bellator dynamite show

Great point. I love the idea of a Dynamite show with those two orgs.

CDF47 wrote:

westcott123 wrote:

CDF47 wrote:I hope one day it is the premier league in the world.  It is the best format of fighting for sure.

I do hope so that or Bellator I would like to see a rizin Bellator dynamite show

Great point.  I love the idea of a Dynamite show with those two orgs.

At the Osaka dome the rizin ring with the Bellator logo as the mat champion vs champion grand prix. Obviously that is still a few years away still if they did and they got over 60k and millions watching around the world that would be the event of the year.

Rizin has to still build its brand more they should send talent scout to other countries to scout our talent the next Fedor probably won't necessarily be from Russia.

With rizin I do hope they make it 20lbs per division and of course lhw as mw etc .

westcott123 wrote:

CDF47 wrote:

westcott123 wrote:

CDF47 wrote:I hope one day it is the premier league in the world.  It is the best format of fighting for sure.

I do hope so that or Bellator I would like to see a rizin Bellator dynamite show

Great point.  I love the idea of a Dynamite show with those two orgs.

At the Osaka  dome the rizin ring with the Bellator logo as the mat champion vs champion grand prix. Obviously that is still a few years away still if they did and they got over 60k and millions watching around the world that would be the event of the year.

Rizin has to still build its brand more they should send talent scout to other countries to scout our talent the next Fedor probably won't necessarily be from Russia.

With rizin I do hope they make it 20lbs per division and of course lhw as mw etc .

Sakakibara and Coker could make this happen.

Takanori Gomi (35-14-1NC), who has had a long and significant career in Japan, will be returning to the Japanese ring after 8 years of competing in the UFC. The former PRIDE and Shooto lightweight champion looks to make an electrifying comeback in front of the Japanese fans. The Fireball kid is set to be facing the rising RIZIN star Yusuke Yachi (18-6), who is undefeated in RIZIN with all wins coming by the way of knockout. The Krazybee product has notable wins against Satoru Kitaoka and Daron Cruickshank.  

The fight that was supposed to happen 1 year ago, will now take place. Brazilian Jiu Jitsu standout Gabi Garcia (4-0-1NC) will be facing the women’s pro wrestling legend and women’s MMA pioneer Shinobu Kandori (4-1). The 10 time Jiu Jitsu world champion has competed twice in 2017, with both fights resulting in a no contest and looks to finish her year with a clean victory. “Mr. Women’s prowrestlinng” was scheduled to compete against Garcia on NYE of 2016, but was forced to pull out due to a fractured sternum. Her long time team mate Yumiko Hotta took the short notice fight and was finished by Garcia in the first round. Kandori swears to redeem herself and Hotta, by facing the Brazilian and coming out victorious.

Also confirmed is Hideo Tokoro’s protégé Seiichiro Ito (12-1-2) vs former Outsider champion and rising prospect Kai Asakura (8-1) in a promising scrap.  

Nobuyuki Sakakibara confirmed a 4 man one night kick boxing tournament on NYE, which makes December 31st. First round will be matched up between long time MMA veteran and current Pancrase Strawweight king Mitsuhisa Sunabe against rising prospect and boxing elite Yamato Fujita. Tenshin Nasukawa will be competing on the other side of the bracket currently without an opponent, which will be determined out of a list of fighters who wish to face the 19 year old Phenom.

I do hope rizin starts putting on more events say 1 event per month that's 12 a year Rizin is playing it smart building a rooster and gaining popularity before they start crowning champions. Like I said in another post they should go to different countries to scout out talent.

http://forums.sherdog.com/threads/prime-fedor-emelianenko-vs-stipe-miocic.3531299/page-15
7
I just thought I post this for a laugh at them.

westcott123 wrote:http://forums.sherdog.com/threads/prime-fedor-emelianenko-vs-stipe-miocic.3531299/page-15
7
I just thought I post this for a laugh at them.

Nice

CDF47 wrote:

westcott123 wrote:http://forums.sherdog.com/threads/prime-fedor-emelianenko-vs-stipe-miocic.3531299/page-15
7
I just thought I post this for a laugh at them.

Nice

At the end of the day they're just grasping straws
This is a Fedor record break down
Elite
Ricardo Arona
Babalu sobral
Heath herring
Semmy schilt
Antonio noguiera 2x
Kevin Randleman
Mark Coleman 2x
Mirko cro cop
Tim Sylvia
Andrei arlovski
Fabricio werdum
Dan Henderson
Big foot silva
Fedor record against elite is 11.3.1nc  
Good
Gary Goodridge
Kazuyuki fujita
Matt Mitirone
Jeff monson
Satoshi ishii
Tk koshaka
Fabio maladando
Pedro rizzo
Brett Roger's
Naoya okawa
8.2 against good fighters the reason put mitirone and tk here is tk only won due to a cut and fedor was a shadow of himself in the mitrone fight
Journey man
Chris haseman
Levon lagujijna
Mihill apastinov
Kerry schaul
Ryushi yanagiswa
Lee hadsel
6.0 against journeymen
Cans
Jaideep Singh
Hong man choi
Zuluzhino
Yuji nagata
Martin lazrov
Hiroya takaya
6.0 against cans yep only 6 cans freak shows whatever on his record talk about grasping straws
I think I'm missing a couple of fighters at the end fedor fought more elite and good high level fighters  then say sub par.

With stipe he is in the top 10 hw greats but  he is the young guy in an old heavyweight division Francis Nganaou is untested the overeem fight would show if he is ready for the belt or needs more experience. I am an Nganaou fan from being homeless and starting mma training just 4 years ago he has come along way in just a short span though it also shows how waterd down mma Muay Thai Brazilian jujitsu boxing wrestling is compared to their more pure forms.

https://www.bloodyelbow.com/2017/11/29/16717392/gabi-garcia-face-53-year-old-opponent-rizin-new-years-card-shinobu-kandori-jmma-wmma

As usual despite the other fights on the card they have to focus on this one.

westcott123 wrote:

CDF47 wrote:

westcott123 wrote:http://forums.sherdog.com/threads/prime-fedor-emelianenko-vs-stipe-miocic.3531299/page-15
7
I just thought I post this for a laugh at them.

Nice

At the end of the day they're just grasping straws
This is a Fedor record break down
Elite
Ricardo Arona
Babalu sobral
Heath herring
Semmy schilt
Antonio noguiera 2x
Kevin Randleman
Mark Coleman 2x
Mirko cro cop
Tim Sylvia
Andrei arlovski
Fabricio werdum
Dan Henderson
Big foot silva
Fedor record against elite is 11.3.1nc  
Good
Gary Goodridge
Kazuyuki fujita
Matt Mitirone
Jeff monson
Satoshi ishii
Tk koshaka
Fabio maladando
Pedro rizzo
Brett Roger's
Naoya okawa
8.2 against good fighters the reason put mitirone and tk here is tk only won due to a cut and fedor was a shadow of himself in the mitrone fight
Journey man
Chris haseman
Levon lagujijna
Mihill apastinov
Kerry schaul
Ryushi yanagiswa
Lee hadsel
6.0 against journeymen
Cans
Jaideep Singh
Hong man choi
Zuluzhino
Yuji nagata
Martin lazrov
Hiroya takaya
6.0 against cans yep only 6 cans freak shows whatever on his record talk about grasping straws
I think I'm missing a couple of fighters at the end fedor fought more elite and good high level fighters  then say sub par.

With stipe he is in the top 10 hw greats but  he is the young guy in an old heavyweight division Francis Nganaou is untested the overeem fight would show if he is ready for the belt or needs more experience. I am an Nganaou fan from being homeless and starting mma training just 4 years ago he has come along way in just a short span though it also shows how waterd down mma Muay Thai Brazilian jujitsu boxing wrestling is compared to their more pure forms.

Yeah, they focus on his 6 can wins and forget that he beat the best of his division for 10 years straight nearly without losing.