Rizin 29 is in jeopardy as Osaka will remain in a state of emergency until May 31st. The event is currently scheduled to take place on May 30th at the Maruzen Intech Arena.
This means there are several restrictions on live sporting events with arenas only allowed to be full to 50% capacity and a maximum attendance of 5,000 people.
Events must also end by 9pm and Rizin president Nobuyuki Sakakibara admitted the promotion was exploring its options in regard to the May event:
緊急事態宣言の延長が5月31日迄となる事が発表されました。
大阪府は引き続き無観客でのイベント実施を要請しています。
これを受け、5月30日に開催を予定していたRIZIN.29について、現在関係各位と鋭意調整中です。
来週早々にどの様な対応をするのかご案内致しますので、正式発表までお待ち下さい。— 榊󠄀原信行 Nobuyuki Sakakibara (@nobu_sakakibara) May 7, 2021
He states that local authorities in Osaka have insisted that spectators will not be allowed to attend at all. An announcement is scheduled for early next week with the event likely to be cancelled or postponed.
Rizin 29 was set to feature four matchups in the first round of the bantamweight Grand Prix. Kenta Takizawa is booked to face Masakazu Imanari, Kazuma Kuramoto takes on Alan Yamaniha, Hiroki Yamashita goes up against Takafumi Otsuka and Kuya Ito meets Yuto Hokamura.
There is also a lightweight bout between Yusuke Yachi and Yuki Kawana on the card. Should the event be cancelled or postponed some of these matchups could end up on the Rizin 28 card.
Rizin 28 is set for the Tokyo Dome on June 13th. There are currently five fights on the card including a featherweight bout between Mikuru Asakura and Kleber Koike Erbst and the remaining four fights in the first round of the bantamweight Grand Prix.
