Some big changes to Rizin 46 were announced today. The full fight card for the event at the World Memorial Hall in Kobe on March 23rd is out but it has a new name. It will now be referred to as Rizin Landmark 9.
The ‘Landmark’ events typically do not have quite as strong fight cards at the numbered Rizin shows. So it seems that the promotion decided these fights did not justify the previous billing.
While there aren’t any title bouts on the card Rizin Landmark 9 will feature a current champion. Lightweight king Roberto de Souza has been booked to face Keita Nakamura in a non title bout.
De Souza (15-3) is still the champion despite losing two of his last three fights. Nakamura (36-11-2-1) is highly experienced, the UFC veteran turns 40 this year.
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Ups and downs
AS previously announced card will also feature a clash between two experienced bantamweights. UFC veteran Naoki Inoue has been matched with ONE Championship veteran Shoko Sato.
Inoue (16-4) won his first six Rizin fights. But the 26 year old has suffered a slight dip in form, suffering two decision losses in his last three fights.
Sato (35-15-2) has has numerous ups and downs during a professional career which began back in 2008. The former Shooto bantamweight champion is currently riding a two fight winning streak
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A super atomweight bout between Rena Kubota and Shim Yu-Ri is one of three fights currently on the card.
Rena (13-5) has been out of action for nearly a year since getting submitted by Claire Lopez at Rizin Landmark 5. She has been on the Rizin roster since 2015 but her opponent will be fighting in Japan for just the second time.
Shim (6-3) is the newly crowned Road FC atomweight champion. She beat Jeong Eun Park in a rematch at Road FC 59 to win the belt and earn herself an opportunity with Rizin in the process.
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Stacked card
In total there are 15 fights on the card. It will also feature Erson Yamamoto (4-6) who is still struggling to live up to the family name and has been matched with Yuya Shibata (18-7) in a flyweight fight.
Rizin Landmark 9, Kobe, March 23rd
Naoki Inoue vs. Shoko Sato (Bantamweight)
Rena Kubota vs. Shim Yu-Ri (Super Atomweight)
Koji Takeda vs. Kyohei Hagiwara (Featherweight)
Roberto Souza vs. Keita Nakamura (Lightweight)
Igor Tanabe vs. Kiichi Kunimoto (Welterweight)
Erson Yamamoto vs. Yuya Shibata (Flyweight)
Yuto Kubo vs. Ryogo Takahashi (Featherweight)
Kintaro vs. Daiki Lightyear (Heavyweight)
Takakenshin vs. Cody Jerabek (Flyweight)
Yusaku Nakamura vs. Arman Ashimov (Lightweight)
Ryo Takagi vs. Taisei Nishitani (Strawweight)
Kickboxing: Yuya vs. Masaya Jaki (Lightweight)
Kickboxing: Shun Matsuyama vs. Shin Sakurai (Strawweight)
Kickboxing: Aoi Noda vs. Yuto Uemura (FLyweight)
Kickboxing: Daichi Akahira vs. Yuki Yoshioka (Flyweight)
