Rizin Adds Seven Bouts, Including Birchak vs. Kawajiri, to April 16 Event

Japanese MMA promotion Rizin announced Tuesday afternoon that seven bouts have been tacked on its April 16 event, which is slated to be headlined by a flyweight battle between Kyoji Horiguchi and Yuki Motoya.

Recently-announced Rizin signee Anthony Birchak, who went 2-2 in the UFC in his last four bouts, will take on Tatsuya Kawajiri in a featherweight showdown. Lightweight Daron Cruickshank, also a UFC veteran, will collide with Yusuke Yachi while longtime Pride vet Heath Herring will oppose Olympic gold medal-winning judoka Satoshi Ishii.

Furthermore, unbeaten kickboxing phenom Tenshin Nasukawa will look to remain unbeaten in MMA when he takes on Franchesco Ghigliotti in a flyweight match.

Rizin also revealed that three women’s bouts have been added to the marquee. Kanna Asakura will face fellow atomweight Alexandra Toncheva; Saori Ishioka will take on Bestare Kicaj, also at atomweight; and Jazzy Garbert will square off against Reina Miura in a 198-pound catchweight bout. Rena Kubota will also fight on the card, though her opponent has not been determined yet.

Rizin 2017 in Yokohama will be held at Yokohama Arena.