The rumoured bout between Topnoi TigerMuayThai and Takaki Soya is off the Rizin 16 card. Instead the Thai fighter finds himself facing Yusaku Nakamura on June 2nd.
The match between Daron Cruickshank and Tofiq Musaev that was previously reported will be going ahead. Soya is on the card but is matched with Namiki Kawahara instead of Topnoi.
Nakamura (15-6-1) was knocked out by Tenshin Nasukawa in a kickboxing bout at Rizin 10. He was subsequently submitted by Manel Kape at Rizin 13 on his second promotional outing.
Topnoi (6-2) is coming off a decision loss to Kai Asakura at Rizin 13. He returns to the ring after a nine month absence for this 59kgs bout.
Soya (9-4-1) is a Shooto veteran who will be making his promotional debut on June 2nd. He has been matched with former Deep strawweight challenger Kawahara (5-2-2), also at 59kgs.
Meanwhile former Shooto bantamweight challenger Mamoru Uoi (21-6-5) makes his promotional debut against Kana Hyatt (16-9). The Hawaiian has spent much of his career fighting in Japan and China.
At Rizin 16 Tenshin will face Ahmed Ferradji in a kickboxing bout. Meanwhile two of Japan’s top female fighters will also go head to head when Kanna Asakura takes on Miyuu Yamamoto in a catchweight contest.
In the main event Ayaka Hamasaki defends her super atomweight title against Jinh Yu Frey.
Rizin 16, Kobe, June 2nd
Ayaka Hamasaki (c) vs. Jinh Yu Frey (For Super Atomweight Title)
Kickboxing: Tenshin Nasukawa vs. Ahmed Ferradji (For ISKA Featherweight title)
Kanna Asakura vs. Miyuu Yamamoto (49kgs)
Yamamoto Arsen vs. Tim Eschtruth (61kgs)
Daron Cruickshank vs. Tofiq Musaev (71kgs)
Roque Martinez vs. Jake Heung (120kgs)
Topnoi TigerMuayThai vs. Yusaku Nakamura (59kgs)
Mamoru Uoi vs. Kana Hyatt (61kgs)
Takaki Soya vs. Namiki Kawahara (59kgs)
Kickboxing: Saiga Kizaemon vs. Kunitaka (59kgs)
Kickboxing: Seiki Ueyama vs. Kengo (56kgs)
Kickboxing: Yuye vs. Tanaka Yuki (59kgs)
Kickboxing: Itto vs. Nakamura Ken (60kgs)
Kickboxing: Hiroto Yamaguchi vs. Taiju Shiratori (63kgs)
