Kyoji Horiguchi has returned both his Rizin and Bellator belts according to Nobuyuki Sakakibara. It leaves both promotions without a bantamweight champion.
The Rizin CEO broke the news on Twitter:
先日の会見でお伝えしましたが、堀口選手よりRIZINバンタム級のベルト返上の申し出がありました。我々は色々検討し、その申し出を受け入れる事にしました。また同様にBellator世界バンタム級のベルトも返上となりました。堀口選手が怪我をしっかり治し、再びベルトに挑戦してくれる事を切に願います。 pic.twitter.com/kfnloAT8TN
— 榊󠄀原信行 Nobuyuki Sakakibara (@nobu_sakakibara) November 28, 2019
Kai Asakura is expected to challenge for the bantamweight title at Rizin 20. He is coming off a stoppage win over Horiguchi but is currently without an opponent for December 31st.
Horiguchi will be out of action for at least 10 months after tearing the ACL and damaging the meniscus in his right knee. He had won 13 straight fights since leaving the UFC until the loss to Asakura at Rizin 18.
He won the Bellator 135lbs title after beating Darrion Caldwell for the second time. The American promotion now finds itself in need of a new bantamweight champion.
Bellator president Scott Coker guaranteed that Horiguchi would get to challenge for the belt once he was ready:
Gutted for @kyoji1012 about the injury he suffered to his knee, but in the true spirit of martial arts & being a true champion, he has elected to vacate his title & allow the division to move forward in his absence. After fully healing, we plan to give him an immediate title shot pic.twitter.com/3Cw96owz7F
— Scott Coker (@ScottCoker) November 27, 2019
