Yuki Motoya and Mikuru Asakura will both be in action at Rizin 20. The two Japanese fighters have been matched with foreign opponents at the Saitama Super Arena on December 31st.
Motoya (23-7) will take on Patrick Mix (12-0) in a bantamweight bout. The undefeated American is coming off back to back Bellator wins while the Japanese veteran has lost his last two.
In the featherweight division Asakura (11-1-0-1) has been matched with Brazil’s John Macapa (23-4-2). The Japanese fighter will be looking to follow in the footsteps of his brother who has emerged as arguably the promotion’s biggest star.
However Kyoji Horiguchi will not be participating at Rizin 20. The reigning bantamweight champion suffered a serious knee injury in training and could be out of action for up to a year.
That leaves Kai Asakura without an opponent. But there will be at least one title bout on the card with Ayaka Hamasaki defending her super atomweight strap against Seo Hee Ham.
Rizin 19 featured the quarter finals of the Lightweight Grand Prix. On December 31st Patricky Freire faces Luiz Gustavo and Johnny Case takes on Tofiq Musaev in the penultimate round.
Rizin 20, Tokyo, December 31st
Ayaka Hamasaki (c) vs. Seo Hee Ham (For Super Atomweight Title)
Patricky Freire vs. Luiz Gustavo (Lightweight Grand Prix Semi Final)
Johnny Case vs. Tofiq Musaev (Lightweight Grand Prix Semi Final)
Patrick Mix vs. Yuki Motoya (Bantamweight)
John Macapa vs. Mikuru Asakura (Featherweight)
