Rizin 18 Card Finalized with Addition of Tabatha Watkins vs. Ai Shimizu

あい選手がRIZINの舞台へ本格参戦する事が決まりました！同門の山本美憂選手同様に、トップアスリートが群雄割拠するスーパーアトム級の頂点を目指し、RIZIN.18ではアメリカ出身で柔術仕込みの極めの強さを持つタバサ・ワトキンズ選手と対戦します。あい選手の実力が試される試合になりますね。 pic.twitter.com/faZANwZXZe

— NOBUYUKI SAKAKIBARA (@nobu_sakakibara) July 31, 2019

Rizin Fighting Federation has finalized Rizin 18 with the addition of a 13th bout, as Tabatha Ann Watkins will take on Ai Shimizu.

The card goes down at Dolphins Arena in Nagoya, Japan, on Aug. 18 and includes 10 MMA contests and three kickboxing bouts.

Watkins is coming off of a TKO loss to Lindsey VanZandt at Bellator 215 and will make her Rizin debut. Shimizu, meanwhile, is on a three-fight winning streak, and last fought in the Japanese-based promotion in 2018, when she beat Nanaka Kawamura by TKO.

Rizin 18 is headlined by a non-title bout between Rizin and Bellator bantamweight champion Kyoji Horiguchi and Kai Asakura. Meanwhile, prospect Manel Kape will look to extend his winning streak to two when he takes on Takeya Mizugaki.