Rizin Fighting Federation
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Rizin Fighting Federation (stylised in all caps and also known as Rizin FF) is a Japanese mixed martial arts organization created in 2015 by the former Pride Fighting Championships and Dream Stage Entertainment president Nobuyuki Sakakibara.
Founded to be the spiritual successor of Pride FC,Hero's and Dream, Rizin carries much of the philosophy and ambition of its two predecessors: its events are promoted as larger-than-life events with elaborate opening ceremonies and fighter entrances, its matches are fought in a roped ring and it has a ruleset inherited from Pride and Dream. The organization also promotes "Grand Prix", single-elimination tournaments where fighters have to fight multiple opponents in the same night. Rizin is considered Japan's top MMA promotion.
Besides MMA, Rizin events also occasionally contain other combat sport bouts, the promotion promoted kickboxing — with two "Grand Prix" tournaments in 2017 and 2021. — submission grappling, boxing and bare-knuckle boxing matches.
The promotion's name is a combination of "Raijin", the Japanese god of lightning; the word "rising", meaning "to prosper and thrive"; and the letter, 'Z', meaning "ultimate".
History
Background and formation
In 1997, Pride Fighting Championships was founded in Japan, promoted by Dream Stage Entertainment. The organization quickly rose up to become the world's most popular MMA promotion and helped to popularize the sport in Japan and in the world. Pride differentiated itself from the UFC with its focus on spectacle and entertainment, as well a more permissive ruleset. By 2007, a scandal alleging its ties to the yakuza caused a financial decline that led to the promotion folding. Dream Stage Entertainment was bought by Zuffa—UFC's holding company—which initially promised to keep the event running. However, Zuffa would lay off most of Pride's staff with several Pride fighters moving to the UFC.
After Pride folded, most of DSE's former staff, fighters and executives joined Fighting and Entertainment Group, the promoters of K-1, to organize a successor, which became known as Dream. However, FEG would have its own financial issues and went bankrupt in 2012. As a result, Dream became defunct.
Three years after Dream folded, rumors began circulating that Pride and Dream founder Nobuyuki Sakakibara would return to the industry after an interview with Bellator MMA President Scott Coker was released. On September 19, 2015, during Bellator MMA & Glory: Dynamite 1, it was announced that Sakakibara had signed former Pride Heavyweight Champion Fedor Emelianenko to headline a New Year's Eve Show in Tokyo for his new MMA promotion. Sakakibara held a press conference on October 8, 2015, with Nobuhiko Takada and other former Pride FC employees to formally announce the launch of "Rizin Fighting Federation". Initial signees included Kazushi Sakuraba, Shinya Aoki, as well as female competitors Gabi Garcia and Rena Kubota.
A Grand Prix tournament was announced (held at 100 kg or roughly 220 lbs), with champions and competitors from Bellator, KSW, Jungle Fight, BAMMA, and King of Kings. Most notably, King Mo was announced to represent Bellator in the tournament. The 8-man bracket was officially finalized on November 30, 2015, with other bouts also being announced shortly thereafter. Kron Gracie (whose father Rickson competed at the inaugural PRIDE event) was announced to participate against Asen Yamamoto. Amongst the veterans in the Japanese scene, Tsuyoshi Kosaka would face James Thompson, and Akebono Tarō would face Bob Sapp.
Initial plans were to do at least four events per year, as opposed to the more frequent scheduling of other promotions, in order to build up the excitement and anticipation. Rizin's presentation is modeled after major sporting events, such as the UEFA Champions League and FIFA World Cup.
2018–present
In 2018, it was announced that the main event for the traditional New Year's Eve card (Rizin 14) was going to be a boxing match between Floyd Mayweather Jr. and undefeated Japanese kickboxer Tenshin Nasukawa. The match ended up with Nasukawa knocked out two minutes into the first round.
Rizin Trigger 1st, on November 11, 2021, would be Rizin's first event in which matches would take place inside a cage, instead of the traditional roped ring.
In Summer 2022, Sakakibara would produce the Tenshin Nasukawa vs. Takeru PPV broadcast (known as "THE MATCH 2022"), with the broadcast using Rizin's on-air graphics and visual presentation. Mayweather would return to Rizin that September to co-promote (via The Money Team) and headline the inaugural Super Rizin card.
On December 31, 2022, as the traditional New Year's Eve event, Rizin hosted a crossover Bellator vs Rizin card with Bellator MMA as part of Rizin 40. The card saw fighters from each promotion fight each other. The card saw Bellator MMA fighters Gadzhi Rabadanov, former champions A.J. McKee, Juan Archuleta and Kyoji Horiguchi, and current champion Patricio Freire, fighting against Rizin representatives Koji Takeda, Soo Chul Kim, Hiromasa Ougikubo and champions Kleber Koike Erbst and Roberto de Souza. All five Bellator representatives would win their matches in a clean sweep. During the event, former boxing world champion Manny Pacquiao made a public announcement that he had signed with Rizin for a boxing exhibition match against a yet-unannounced opponent.
During the Super Rizin 2 card on July 30, 2023, the promotion announced their first international event, Rizin Landmark 7, to take place in Azerbaijan on November 4. It will also be the first major MMA event to take place in the country.
In June 2024, Rizin announced a partnership with Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship (BKFC), which both companies would allow talent fight in each other's organizations in bareknuckle bouts. At Super Rizin 3 on July 28, 2024, Charisa Sigal, Tai Emery, Takaki Soya, and John Dodson all fought in bare-knucking bouts on the undercard.
Broadcasting and coverage
Rizin's inaugural event was broadcast in North America on Spike TV. Other broadcasters have included SKY Perfect JSAT Corporation, Fuji Television, Fox Sports Brazil, Kix and Match TV. From 2017 to 2020, Rizin events have been streaming on FITE TV in North America and Europe. Rizin 26 to Rizin 37 would stream on LIVENow in Europe and North America.
In 2022, due to several controversies, Rizin would be dropped by Fuji by May of that year. Rizin would since begin broadcasting on events via PPV on their streaming service, RIZIN STREAM PASS, and various other streaming platforms in Japan.
Starting with Super Rizin & Rizin 38 in 2022, Integrated Sports would produce English-language PPVs of Rizin events for FITE.
In February 2024, Rizin announced the launch of a new international service, . From March, the service will be subscription-based, and will include past events.
Weight classes
| Weight class name | Upper limit | Gender |
|---|---|---|
| Atomweight | 47 kg (103.6 lb) | Female |
| Super Atomweight | 49 kg (108.0 lb) | Female |
| Light Flyweight | 53 kg (116.8 lb) | Female |
| Flyweight | 57 kg (125.7 lb) | Male |
| Bantamweight | 61 kg (134.5 lb) | Male |
| Featherweight | 66 kg (145.5 lb) | Male |
| Lightweight | 71 kg (156.5 lb) | Male |
| Welterweight | 77 kg (169.8 lb) | Male |
| Middleweight | 85 kg (187.4 lb) | Male |
| Light Heavyweight | 93 kg (205.0 lb) | Male |
| Heavyweight | 120 kg (264.6 lb) | Male |
| Openweight | No weight restriction | Male / Female |
Rules
Mixed martial arts
The rules in Rizin FF have been adopted from Pride FC with some slight modifications over the years. Matches are three rounds in length. Prior to May 2018, the first round of men's matches spanned 10 minutes, while the final two rounds lasted five minutes each. Since then matches have been three rounds of five minutes each. Victory can be attained by knockout, submission, technical knockout by referee stoppage, or by judges' decision.
All strikes, throws and chokes are permitted, with the exception of headbutts and strikes to the back of the head, medulla oblongata, spinal cord or genitals. Soccer kicks, knees and stomps to grounded opponents are also permitted. However, if there is a weight discrepancy of 15 kg (33 lb) or more, the lighter fighter is allowed to choose if such ground attacks are permitted. Unlike Pride, Rizin allows the use of elbow strikes, including the 12–6 elbow.
Judging criteria
Fights are judged on the following criteria:
- Damage: when assessing damage, both striking and grappling are given the same weight. The judges will place value on the extent to which the effective striking or grappling 'influences the match' - in other words, whether there was such damage/advantage to the fighter which would have led to the fight being ended by the opponent tapping out or being knocked out.
- Aggressiveness: the judges will consider which fighter was more effective in delivering attacks which may end the fight in a finish. Note this element does not take into consideration the actual impact of damage caused by the fighter's strikes, throws or submission. Rather, the judges will place value on whether fighters were aggressive and proactive in their approach during the fight.
- Generalship: the judges will consider which fighter was more effective in dominating the pace, place and position of the fight. Judges will also consider the amount of time spent in a ground position or the standing position.
Although not outlined in the Rizin rules, scorecards published on the JMOC website suggest that damage, aggressiveness and generalship are scored 50, 30 and 20 points respectively. Where the fighter has not fulfilled the element, they are given a score of zero - there are no in-betweens.
Kickboxing
Rizin kickboxing matches are three rounds of three minutes each. Victory can be attained by knockout, technical knockout by referee stoppage, or by judges' decision. If the match goes the distance, a 10-point system is used to judge. Three knockdowns in a single round will result in a technical knockout. All forms of elbow strikes are illegal.
List of Rizin FF events
| # | Event | Date | Venue | Location | Attendance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 77 | Rizin 52 | March 8, 2026 | Ariake Arena | Japan Tokyo, Japan | |
| 76 | Rizin: Shiwasu no Cho Tsuwamono Matsuri | December 31, 2025 | Saitama Super Arena | Japan Saitama, Japan | |
| 75 | Rizin Landmark 12 | November 3, 2025 | Glion Arena Kobe | Japan Kobe, Japan | |
| 74 | Rizin 51 | September 28, 2025 | IG Arena (Aichi International Arena) | Japan Nagoya, Japan | 17,000 |
| 73 | Super Rizin 4: Midsummer Fight Festival | July 27, 2025 | Saitama Super Arena | Japan Saitama, Japan | 43,965 |
| 72 | Rizin Landmark 11 | June 14, 2025 | Makomanai Ice Arena | Japan Sapporo, Japan | |
| 71 | Rizin World Series in Korea | May 31, 2025 | Paradise City | South Korea Incheon, South Korea | |
| 70 | Rizin: Otoko Matsuri | May 4, 2025 | Tokyo Dome | Japan Tokyo, Japan | 42,706 |
| 69 | Rizin 50 | March 30, 2025 | Anabuki Arena Kagawa | Japan Takamatsu, Japan | 9,020 |
| 68 | Rizin 49 | December 31, 2024 | Saitama Super Arena | Japan Saitama, Japan | 23,012 |
| 67 | Rizin Landmark 10 | November 17, 2024 | Nagoya International Exhibition Hall | Japan Nagoya, Japan | 7,918 |
| 66 | Rizin 48 | September 29, 2024 | Saitama Super Arena | Japan Saitama, Japan | 11,247 |
| 65 | Super Rizin 3 | July 28, 2024 | Saitama Super Arena | Japan Saitama, Japan | 48,117 |
| 64 | Rizin 47 | June 9, 2024 | Yoyogi National Stadium | Japan Tokyo, Japan | 12,576 |
| 63 | Rizin 46 | April 29, 2024 | Ariake Arena | Japan Tokyo, Japan | |
| 62 | Rizin Landmark 9 | March 23, 2024 | World Memorial Hall | Japan Kobe, Hyōgo, Japan | 8,498 |
| 61 | Rizin Landmark 8 | February 24, 2024 | Saga Arena | Japan Saga, Japan | 7,758 |
| 60 | Rizin 45 | December 31, 2023 | Saitama Super Arena | Japan Saitama, Japan | 23,013 |
| 59 | Rizin Landmark 7 | November 4, 2023 | National Gymnastics Arena | Azerbaijan Baku, Azerbaijan | |
| 58 | Rizin Landmark 6 | October 1, 2023 | Dolphins Arena | Japan Nagoya, Aichi, Japan | 7,017 |
| 57 | Rizin 44 | September 24, 2023 | Saitama Super Arena | Japan Saitama, Japan | 11,681 |
| 56 | Super Rizin 2: Rizin X Bellator | July 30, 2023 | Saitama Super Arena | Japan Saitama, Japan | 24,264 |
| 55 | Rizin 43 – Sapporo | June 24, 2023 | Makomanai Ice Arena | Japan Sapporo, Hokkaido, Japan | 8,510 |
| 54 | Rizin 42 | May 6, 2023 | Ariake Arena | Japan Tokyo, Japan | 14,930 |
| 53 | Rizin Landmark 5 | April 29, 2023 | Yoyogi National Gymnasium | Japan Tokyo, Japan | 13,837 |
| 52 | Rizin 41 – Osaka | April 1, 2023 | Maruzen Intec Arena | Japan Osaka, Japan | 9,987 |
| 51 | Rizin 40 & Rizin vs Bellator | December 31, 2022 | Saitama Super Arena | Japan Saitama, Japan | 23,661 |
| 50 | Rizin Landmark 4 | November 6, 2022 | Dolphins Arena | Japan Nagoya, Aichi, Japan | |
| 49 | Rizin 39 | October 23, 2022 | Marine Messe Fukuoka | Japan Fukuoka, Japan | |
| 48 | Super Rizin & Rizin 38 | September 25, 2022 | Saitama Super Arena | Japan Saitama, Saitama, Japan | 23,105 |
| 47 | Rizin 37 - Saitama | July 31, 2022 | 11,166 | ||
| 46 | Rizin 36 - Okinawa | July 7, 2022 | Okinawa Arena | Japan Okinawa, Japan | 7,264 |
| 45 | The Match 2022 | June 19, 2022 | Tokyo Dome | Japan Tokyo, Japan | 56,399 |
| 44 | Rizin Landmark 3 | May 5, 2022 | —N/a | Japan Japan | —N/a |
| 43 | Rizin 35 | April 17, 2022 | Musashino Forest Sport Plaza | Japan Chōfu, Tokyo, Japan | 8,935 |
| 42 | Rizin Trigger 3 | April 16, 2022 | 6,515 | ||
| 41 | Rizin 34 – Osaka | March 20, 2022 | Maruzen Intec Arena | Japan Osaka, Japan | 22,449 |
| 40 | Rizin Landmark 2 | March 6, 2022 | —N/a | Japan Japan | —N/a |
| 39 | Rizin Trigger 2 | February 23, 2022 | Ecopa Arena | Japan Fukuroi, Shizuoka, Japan | —N/a |
| 38 | Rizin 33 - Saitama | December 31, 2021 | Saitama Super Arena | Japan Saitama, Japan | 22,499 |
| 37 | Rizin Trigger 1 | November 28, 2021 | World Memorial Hall | Japan Kobe, Hyōgo, Japan | 4,025 |
| 36 | Rizin 32 - Okinawa | November 20, 2021 | Okinawa Arena | Japan Okinawa, Japan | 4,771 |
| 35 | Rizin 31 - Yokohama | October 24, 2021 | Pia Arena MM | Japan Yokohama, Kanagawa, Japan | 7,580 |
| 34 | Rizin Landmark Vol. 1 | October 2, 2021 | —N/a | Japan Tokyo, Japan | ~90 |
| 33 | Rizin 30 – Saitama | September 19, 2021 | Saitama Super Arena | Japan Saitama, Japan | 7,580 |
| 32 | Rizin 29 – Osaka | June 27, 2021 | Maruzen Intec Arena | Japan Osaka, Japan | 4,796 |
| 31 | Rizin 28 – Tokyo | June 13, 2021 | Tokyo Dome | Japan Tokyo, Japan | 9,317 |
| 30 | Rizin 27 – Nagoya | March 21, 2021 | Nippon Gaishi Hall | Japan Nagoya, Aichi, Japan | 4,558 |
| 29 | Rizin 26 – Saitama | December 31, 2020 | Saitama Super Arena | Japan Saitama, Japan | 9,978 |
| 28 | Rizin 25 – Osaka | November 21, 2020 | Osaka-jō Hall | Japan Osaka, Japan | 5,487 |
| 27 | Rizin 24 – Saitama | September 27, 2020 | Saitama Super Arena | Japan Saitama, Japan | 5,000 |
| 26 | Rizin 23 - Calling Over | August 10, 2020 | Pia Arena MM | Japan Yokohama, Kanagawa, Japan | 4,410 |
| 25 | Rizin 22 - Starting Over | August 9, 2020 | 2,805 | ||
| 24 | Rizin 21 - Hamamatsu | February 22, 2020 | Hamamatsu Arena | Japan Hamamatsu, Shizuoka, Japan | 6,832 |
| 23 | Rizin 20 - Saitama | December 31, 2019 | Saitama Super Arena | Japan Saitama, Japan | 29,315 |
| 22 | Rizin 19 - Osaka | October 12, 2019 | Edition Arena | Japan Osaka, Japan | 5,098 |
| 21 | Rizin 18 - Nagoya | August 18, 2019 | Aichi Prefectural Gymnasium | Japan Nagoya, Aichi, Japan | 6,281 |
| 20 | Rizin 17 - Saitama | July 28, 2019 | Saitama Super Arena | Japan Saitama, Saitama, Japan | 16,930 |
| 19 | Rizin 16 - Kobe | June 2, 2019 | World Memorial Hall | Japan Kobe, Hyōgo, Japan | 8,107 |
| 18 | Rizin 15 - Yokohama | April 21, 2019 | Yokohama Arena | Japan Yokohama, Kanagawa, Japan | 12,914 |
| 17 | Rizin 14 - Saitama | December 31, 2018 | Saitama Super Arena | Japan Saitama, Japan | 29,105 |
| 16 | Rizin - Heisei's Last Yarennoka! | December 31, 2018 | 7,498 | ||
| 15 | Rizin 13 - Saitama | September 30, 2018 | 27,208 | ||
| 14 | Rizin 12 - Aichi - Ken | August 12, 2018 | Aichi Prefectural Gymnasium | Japan Nagoya, Aichi, Japan | 5,567 |
| 13 | Rizin 11 - Saitama | July 29, 2018 | Saitama Super Arena | Japan Saitama, Japan | 17,912 |
| 12 | Rizin 10 - Fukuoka | May 6, 2018 | Marine Messe Fukuoka | Japan Fukuoka, Japan | 7,910 |
| 11 | Rizin World Grand Prix 2017: Final Round | December 31, 2017 | Saitama Super Arena | Japan Saitama, Japan | 18,316 |
| 10 | Rizin World Grand Prix 2017: 2nd Round | December 29, 2017 | 15,539 | ||
| 9 | Rizin World Grand Prix 2017: Opening Round - Part 2 | October 15, 2017 | Marine Messe Fukuoka | Japan Fukuoka, Japan | 7,732 |
| 8 | Rizin World Grand Prix 2017: Opening Round - Part 1 | July 30, 2017 | Saitama Super Arena | Japan Saitama, Japan | 17,730 |
| 7 | Rizin 2017 in Yokohama: Sakura | April 16, 2017 | Yokohama Arena | Japan Yokohama, Kanagawa, Japan | 12,729 |
| 6 | Rizin World Grand Prix 2016: Final Round | December 31, 2016 | Saitama Super Arena | Japan Saitama, Japan | 19,357 |
| 5 | Rizin World Grand Prix 2016: 2nd Round | December 29, 2016 | 16,642 | ||
| 4 | Rizin World Grand Prix 2016: 1st Round | September 25, 2016 | 15,011 | ||
| 3 | Rizin 1 | April 17, 2016 | Nippon Gaishi Hall | Japan Nagoya, Aichi, Japan | 7,291 |
| 2 | Rizin World Grand Prix 2015: Part 2 - Iza | December 31, 2015 | Saitama Super Arena | Japan Saitama, Japan | 18,365 |
| 1 | Rizin World Grand Prix 2015: Part 1 - Saraba | December 29, 2015 | 12,214 |
Current champions
| Division | Champion | Since | Defenses |
|---|---|---|---|
| Light Heavyweight | Vacant | - | – |
| Lightweight | Uzbekistan Ilkhom Nozimov | Dec 31, 2025 | 0 |
| Featherweight | Kyrgyzstan Razhabali Shaydullaev | May 4, 2025 | 3 |
| Bantamweight | United States Danny Sabatello | Dec 31, 2025 | 1 |
| Flyweight | Japan Hiromasa Ougikubo | Dec 31, 2025 | 0 |
| Women's Super Atomweight | Japan Seika Izawa | Apr 17, 2022 | 3 |
Championship history
Light Heavyweight Championship
Weight limit: 93 kg (205.0 lb)
| No. | Name | Event | Date | Reign (total) | Defenses |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Czech Republic Jiří Procházka def. Muhammed Lawal | Rizin 15 Yokohama, Japan | Apr 21, 2019 | 269 days | 1. def. C. B. Dollaway at Rizin 20 on Dec 31, 2019 |
| Procházka vacated the title on January 15, 2020 after he signed with UFC. |
Lightweight Championship
Weight limit: 71 kg (156.5 lb)
| No. | Name | Event | Date | Reign (total) | Defenses |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brazil Roberto de Souza def. Tofiq Musayev | Rizin 28 Tokyo, Japan | Jun 13, 2021 | 1,162 days | 1. def. Yusuke Yachi at Rizin 33 on Dec 31, 2021 2. def. Johnny Case at Rizin 35 on Apr 17, 2022 3. def. Luiz Gustavo at Rizin 48 on Sep 29, 2024 4. def. Vugar Karamov at Rizin 49 on Dec 31, 2024 5. def. Yoshinori Horie at Rizin 51 on Sep 28, 2025 |
| 2 | Uzbekistan Ilkhom Nozimov | Rizin: Shiwasu no Cho Tsuwamono Matsuri Saitama, Japan | Dec 31, 2025 | 106 days (incumbent) |
Featherweight Championship
Weight limit: 66 kg (145.5 lb)
| No. | Name | Event | Date | Reign (total) | Defenses |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Japan Yutaka Saito def. Mikuru Asakura | Rizin 25 Osaka, Japan | Nov 21, 2020 | 337 days | |
| 2 | Japan Juntaro Ushiku | Rizin 31 Yokohama, Japan | Oct 24, 2021 | 364 days | 1. def. Yutaka Saito at Rizin 35 on Apr 17, 2022 |
| 3 | Japan Kleber Koike Erbst | Rizin 39 Fukuoka, Japan | Oct 23, 2022 | 243 days | |
| Koike was stripped of the title on June 23, 2023 after failing to make weight for his title defense against Chihiro Suzuki at Rizin 43. | |||||
| 4 | Azerbaijan Vugar Karamov def. Mikuru Asakura | Super Rizin 2 Saitama, Japan | Jul 30, 2023 | 97 days | |
| 5 | Japan Chihiro Suzuki | Rizin Landmark 7 Baku, Azerbaijan | Nov 4, 2023 | 423 days | 1. def. Masanori Kanehara at Rizin 46 on Apr 29, 2024 |
| 6 | Japan Kleber Koike Erbst (2) | Rizin 49 Saitama, Japan | Dec 31, 2024 | 124 days (367 days) | |
| 7 | Kyrgyzstan Razhabali Shaydullaev | Rizin: Otoko Matsuri Tokyo, Japan | May 4, 2025 | 347 days (incumbent) | 1. def. Viktor Kolesnik at Rizin 51 on Sep 28, 2025 2. def. Mikuru Asakura at Rizin: Shiwasu no Cho Tsuwamono Matsuri on Dec 31, 2025 3. def. Yuta Kubo at Rizin Landmark 13 on Apr 12, 2026 |
Bantamweight Championship
Weight limit: 61 kg (134.5 lb)
| No. | Name | Event | Date | Reign (total) | Defenses |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Japan Kyoji Horiguchi def. Darrion Caldwell | Rizin 14 Saitama, Japan | Dec 31, 2018 | 318 days | |
| Horiguchi vacated the title on November 14, 2019 after he was unable to defend the title due to injury. | |||||
| 2 | Portugal Manel Kape def. Kai Asakura | Rizin 20 Saitama, Japan | Dec 31, 2019 | 92 days | |
| Kape vacated the title on April 1, 2020 after he signed with the UFC. | |||||
| 3 | Japan Kai Asakura def. Hiromasa Ougikubo | Rizin 23 Yokohama, Japan | Aug 10, 2020 | 143 days | |
| 4 | Japan Kyoji Horiguchi(2) | Rizin 26 Saitama, Japan | Dec 31, 2020 | 730 days (1,048 days) | |
| Horiguchi vacated the title on December 31, 2022 after he moved down to Flyweight. | |||||
| 5 | United States Juan Archuleta def. Hiromasa Ougikubo | Super Rizin 2 Saitama, Japan | Jul 30, 2023 | 154 days | |
| Archuleta was stripped of the title on December 31, 2023 after failing to make weight for his title defense against Kai Asakura at Rizin 45. | |||||
| 6 | Japan Kai Asakura(2) def. Juan Archuleta | Rizin 45 Saitama, Japan | Dec 31, 2023 | 161 days (304 days) | |
| Asakura vacated the title on June 9, 2024, when he signed with the Ultimate Fighting Championship. | |||||
| 7 | Japan Naoki Inoue def. Kim Soo-chul | Rizin 48 Saitama, Japan | Sep 29, 2024 | 458 days | 1. def. Yuki Motoya at Rizin 50 on Mar 30, 2025 2. def. Ryuya Fukuda at Super Rizin 4 on Jul 27, 2025 |
| 8 | United States Danny Sabatello | Rizin: Shiwasu no Cho Tsuwamono Matsuri Saitama, Japan | Dec 31, 2025 | 106 days (incumbent) | 1. def. Joji Goto at Rizin Landmark 13 on Apr 11, 2026 |
Flyweight Championship
Weight limit: 57 kg (125.7 lb)
| No. | Name | Event | Date | Reign (total) | Defenses |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Japan Kyoji Horiguchi def. Makoto Takahashi | Rizin 45 Saitama, Japan | Dec 31, 2023 | 455 days | 1. def. Nkazimulo Zulu at Rizin 49 on Dec 31, 2024 |
| Horiguchi vacated the title on March 30, 2025, when he re-signed with the Ultimate Fighting Championship. | |||||
| 2 | Japan Hiromasa Ougikubo def. Yuki Motoya | Rizin: Shiwasu no Cho Tsuwamono Matsuri Saitama, Japan | Dec 31, 2025 | 106 days (incumbent) |
Women's Super Atomweight Championship
Weight limit: 49 kg (108.0 lb)
| No. | Name | Event | Date | Reign (total) | Defenses |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Japan Ayaka Hamasaki def. Kanna Asakura | Rizin 14 Saitama, Japan | Dec 31, 2018 | 365 days | 1. def. Jinh Yu Frey at Rizin 16 on Jun 2, 2019 |
| 2 | South Korea Ham Seo-hee | Rizin 20 Saitama, Japan | Dec 31, 2019 | 290 days | |
| Ham vacated her title on October 16, 2020 after being unable to agree on her next fight with the organization and signed with ONE Championship. | |||||
| 3 | Japan Ayaka Hamasaki (2) def. Miyuu Yamamoto | Rizin 26 Saitama, Japan | Dec 31, 2020 | 1,932 days (1,957 days) | 1. def. Kanna Asakura at Rizin 27 on Mar 21, 2021 |
| 4 | Japan Seika Izawa | Rizin 35 Chōfu, Japan | Apr 17, 2022 | 1,456 days | 1. def. Claire Lopez at Super Rizin 2 on Jul 30, 2023 2. def. Saori Oshima at Rizin Landmark 12 on Nov 3, 2025 3. def. Rena Kubota at Rizin: Shiwasu no Cho Tsuwamono Matsuri on Dec 31, 2025 |
| Izawa vacated the title on April 12, 2026, after announces during Rizin Landmark 13 as she is pregnant. |
Grand-Prix Champions
Mixed martial arts
| Event | Date | Division | Winner | Runner-up |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rizin World Grand Prix 2015: Part 2 - Iza | Dec 31, 2015 | 100 kg | United States Muhammed Lawal | Czech Republic Jiří Procházka |
| Rizin World Grand Prix 2016: Final Round | Dec 31, 2016 | Openweight | Croatia Mirko Cro Cop | Iran Amir Aliakbari |
| Rizin World Grand Prix 2017: Final Round | Dec 31, 2017 | Bantamweight | Japan Kyoji Horiguchi | Japan Shintaro Ishiwatari |
| Women's Super Atomweight | Japan Kanna Asakura | Japan Rena Kubota | ||
| Rizin 20 | Dec 31, 2019 | Lightweight | Azerbaijan Tofiq Musayev | Brazil Patricky Pitbull |
| Rizin 33 | Dec 31, 2021 | Japan Bantamweight | Japan Hiromasa Ougikubo | Japan Kai Asakura |
| Rizin 40 | Dec 31, 2022 | Women's Super Atomweight | Japan Seika Izawa | South Korea Park Si-woo |
| Rizin 51 | Sep 28, 2025 | Heavyweight | Germany Alexander Soldatkin | Poland Marek Samociuk |
Kickboxing
| Event | Date | Division | Winner | Runner-up |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rizin World Grand Prix 2017: Final Round | Dec 31, 2017 | Flyweight | Japan Tenshin Nasukawa | Japan Yamato Fujita |
| Rizin 29 | Jun 27, 2021 | Bantamweight | Japan Taiju Shiratori | Japan Kouzi |
Records
Most wins in title bouts
| Title wins | Champion | Division | W | D | NC | L |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 | Brazil Roberto de Souza | Lightweight | 6 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 4 | Japan Ayaka Hamasaki | Super Atomweight | 4 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Japan Kyoji Horiguchi | Bantamweight Flyweight | 2 2 | 0 0 | 0 0 | 0 0 | |
| Japan Seika Izawa | Super Atomweight | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 3 | Japan Naoki Inoue | Bantamweight | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Kyrgyzstan Razhabali Shaydullaev | Featherweight | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 2 | Japan Kai Asakura | Bantamweight | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Japan Juntaro Ushiku | Featherweight | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | |
| Japan Chihiro Suzuki | Featherweight | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | |
| Brazil Kleber Koike Erbst | Featherweight | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
Most consecutive title defenses
| Defenses | Champion | Division | Period |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 | Brazil Roberto de Souza | Lightweight | June 13, 2021 – December 31, 2025 |
| 3 | Japan Seika Izawa | Women's Super Atomweight | April 17, 2022 – present |
| 2 | Japan Naoki Inoue | Bantamweight | Sep 29, 2024 – December 31, 2025 |
| Kyrgyzstan Razhabali Shaydullaev | Featherweight | May 4, 2025 – present | |
| 1 | Japan Ayaka Hamasaki | Women's Super Atomweight | December 31, 2018 – December 31, 2019 |
| Czech Republic Jiří Procházka | Light Heavyweight | April 21, 2019 – January 15, 2020 | |
| Japan Ayaka Hamasaki | Women's Super Atomweight | December 31, 2020 – April 17, 2022 | |
| Japan Juntaro Ushiku | Featherweight | October 24, 2021 – October 23, 2022 | |
| Japan Chihiro Suzuki | Featherweight | Nov 4, 2023 – Dec 31, 2024 | |
| Japan Kyoji Horiguchi | Flyweight | Dec 31, 2023 – Mar 30, 2025 |
Multi-division champions
| Interim title |
| No. | Champion | Division | Won | Lost | Defenses | Reign | Total Reign |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Japan Kyoji Horiguchi | Bantamweight | Dec 31, 2018 (Rizin 14) | Nov 14, 2019 (vacated) | 0 | 318 days | 1885 days |
| Dec 31, 2020 (Rizin 26) | Dec 31, 2022 (vacated) | 0 | 730 days | ||||
| Flyweight | Dec 31, 2023 (Rizin 45) | Mar 30, 2025 (vacated) | 1 | 455 days |
Champions by nationality
The division champions include only linear and true champions. Interim champions who have never become linear champions will be listed as interim champions. Fighters with multiple title reigns in a specific division will also be counted once. Runners-up are not included in tournaments champions.
| Country | Division champions | Interim champions | Tournaments champions | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Japan | 9 | - | 4 | 13 |
| United States | 2 | - | 1 | 3 |
| Brazil | 2 | - | - | 2 |
| Azerbaijan | 1 | - | 1 | 2 |
| Czech Republic | 1 | - | - | 1 |
| Portugal | 1 | - | - | 1 |
| South Korea | 1 | - | - | 1 |
| Kyrgyzstan | 1 | - | - | 1 |
| Uzbekistan | 1 | - | - | 1 |
| Croatia | - | - | 1 | 1 |
| Germany | - | - | 1 | 1 |
Notable fighters
- United States Floyd Mayweather Jr.
- Croatia Goran Reljić
- Croatia Mirko Filipović
- United States Danny Sabatello
- United States Jarred Brooks
- United States Bob Sapp
- United States Muhammed Lawal
- Japan Tenshin Nasukawa
- Japan Kyoji Horiguchi
- Japan Kai Asakura
- Japan Mikuru Asakura
- Japan Shintaro Ishiwatari
- Japan Naoki Inoue
- Japan Hiromasa Ougikubo
- Japan Takafumi Otsuka
- Japan Ulka Sasaki
- Japan Shoji
- United States Justin Scoggins
- United States Ben Nguyen
- Brazil Diego Brandao
- Brazil Gabi Garcia
- Suriname Jairzinho Rozenstruik
- United States Daron Cruickshank
- Japan Ren Hiramoto
- Iran Amir Aliakbari
- Russia Fedor Emelianenko
- Russia Vadim Nemkov
- Czech Republic Jiří Procházka
- Japan Tatsuya Kawajiri
- Japan Satoru Kitaoka
- Japan Takasuke Kume
- United States Daron Cruickshank
- Japan Takanori Gomi
- Japan Gota Yamashita
- Japan K-Taro Nakamura
- United States C.B. Dollaway
- Japan Sudario Tsuyoshi
- Japan Chihiro Suzuki (fighter)
- Brazil Roberto de Souza
- Japan Kyoma Akimoto
- Japan Kyohei Hagiwara
Affiliated organizations
Rizin FF is affiliated with the following organizations:
- United States Bellator MMA
- United States Invicta FC
- United States Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship
- Russia Fight Nights Global
- Brazil Jungle Fight
- Japan Deep
- Japan Shooto
- Japan VTJ
- Thailand Full Metal Dojo
- Japan K-1
- Japan Shoot boxing
- South Korea Road FC
- Poland KSW
- Lithuania Lithuania Bushido Federation
- Czech Republic Gladiator Championship Fighting
- Russia Russian MMA Union
See also
External links
- on YouTube