Fighters from Bellator are ready to face off against RIZIN’s best on December 31. Not only that, they will be fighting under unique circumstances: a different rulebook.
Inside Japan’s Saitama Super Arena, Bellator featherweight champion Patricio Freire faces RIZIN featherweight champion Kleber Koike Erbst, while A. J. McKee faces RIZIN lightweight champion Roberto de Souza. Other matchups feature Kyoji Horiguchi and Soo Chul Kim.
Scott Coker’s fighters are used to fighting under the Unified Rules of MMA. However, this time out, those guidelines will be thrown out the window. Rules will be abided through the The Japan MMA Officials Committee. How much of a difference is there between RIZIN rules and those of the UFC or Bellator?
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Here is a guide to how things work at RIZIN.
What are the rules of RIZIN FF?
Unlike American promotions, RIZIN competitors compete in a ring rather than a cage. It is a tradition of Japanese MMA. It can make a major difference regarding ground control.
Regarding the attack plan of a fighter, kicks and knees to the head of a grounded opponent are legal. That includes soccer kicks and stomps, often illegal within the Unified Rules of MMA. Recently, the addition of "12-6" strikes (striking downwards using the point of the elbow) was made legal for RIZIN competitors.
"I think amongst the many MMA events in the world, RIZIN has in place the most aggressive rules...by unrestricting elbow strikes, I hope that we can move forward with the most thrilling ruleset," RIZIN CEO Nobuyuki Sakakibara stated at a press conference not long ago, via TheFighter.net.
MORE: Who is Roberto de Souza?
Fights are judged through the following criteria:
- Damage: Striking and grappling are judged with the same weight. It will determine how much of the scoring is influenced by the effectiveness of each.
- Aggressiveness: Determining which fighter was more effective in delivering attacks that can end a fight. While it does not count for the impact of the damage caused, each fighter must be proactive in their approach to the fight.
- Generalship: Determining who was more effective in dominating the pace and position (standing up or on the floor) of the fight.
Fights are also scored as a whole rather than by a round-by-round (10-9, 10-8) basis. Damage, Aggressiveness, and Generalship are scored via the 50, 30, 20 point system, respectively.
When is Bellator MMA vs. RIZIN?
- Date: Saturday, December 31 | January 1
- Start time: 8 p.m. ET | 1 a.m. GMT | 12 p.m. AEDT | 10 a.m. JST
Bellator and RIZIN will be teaming up on New Year’s Eve. The event begins around 8 p.m. ET | 1 a.m. GMT | 12 p.m. AEDT | 10 a.m. JST.
MORE: All you need to know about Bellator MMA vs. RIZIN
How to watch Bellator MMA vs. RIZIN
| Country | Date | Channel + Live Stream (main card) |
| United States/Canada | Sat. December 31 | Showtime |
| United Kingdom | Sun. January 1 | BBC Sport, BBC iPlayer, FITE.tv |
| Australia | Sun. January 1 | FITE.tv |
| Japan | Sun. January 1 | RIZIN STREAM PASS, ABEMA, U-NEXT, SKY PerfecTV! |
Fight fans can watch the event on SHOWTIME.
Viewers can stream Showtime via Amazon Fire TV, Android TV, Apple TV, Roku, Xbox ONE, a laptop, or any mobile or tablet device.
In Japan, the fight card will be available on RIZIN STREAM PASS, ABEMA, U-NEXT, and SKY PerfecTV!
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Bellator MMA vs. RIZIN fight card
Bellator MMA vs. RIZIN
- Patricio Pitbull vs. Kleber Koike Erbst; Featherweights
- A.J. McKee vs. Roberto de Souza; Lightweights
- Juan Archuleta vs. Soo Chul Kim; Bantamweights
- Kyoji Horiguchi vs. Hiromasa Ougikubo; Flyweights
- Gadzhi Rabadanov vs. Koji Takeda; Lightweights
RIZIN 40
- Seika Izawa vs. Si Woo Park
- Naoki Inoue vs. Kenta Takizawa
- Tsuyoshi Sudario vs. Junior Tafa
- Yuki Motoya vs. Rogerio Bontorin
- Johnny Case vs. Luiz Gustavo
- John Dodson vs. Hideo Tokoro
- BeyNoah vs. Sho Patrick Usami
