Rizin FF Weigh-in Results: Kazushi Sakuraba, Shinya Aoki Given Go-Ahead in Japan

Rizin Fighting Federation will break ground with two Japanese legends wielding its shovels.

Pride Fighting Championships staple Kazushi Sakuraba checked in at 171 pounds ahead of his catchweight battle with Shinya Aoki (169.75) in the Rizin Fighting Federation 1: Day 1 main event on Tuesday at the Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan. The eight men participating in the Rizin heavyweight grand prix were also cleared at Monday’s official weigh-in: Muhammad Lawal (214) vs. Brett McDermott (215), Teodoras Aukstuolis (216) vs. Bruno Henrique Cappelozza (218), Satoshi Ishii (219) vs. Jiri Prochazka (211.5) and Goran Reljic (215) vs. Vadim Nemkov (219.5).

Sakuraba remains one of the sport’s most beloved and revered figures, even though he has not competed since 2011 and has not won a fight since 2009. The 46-year-old has been finished in each of his last three appearances, twice by submission. Aoki, the reigning One Championship lightweight titleholder, has pieced together an eight-fight winning streak in wake of his April 2012 loss to former Bellator MMA champion Eddie Alvarez.

Rizin Fighting Federation 1: Day 1 Weigh-in Results:
Kazushi Sakuraba (171) vs. Shinya Aoki (169.75)
Satoshi Ishii (219) vs. Jiri Prochazka (211.5)
Goran Reljic (215) vs. Vadim Nemkov (219.5)
Teodoras Aukstuolis (216) vs. Bruno Henrique Cappelozza (218)
Muhammed Lawal (214) vs. Brett McDermott (215)
Yuta Uchida (209) vs. Valentin Moldavsky (215)
Hiroyuki Takaya (143) vs. Daiki Hata (143)
Hideo Tokoro (135) vs. Kizaemon Saiga (136)
A.J. Matthews (184) vs. Anatoly Tokov (185)
Yuki Motoya (125) vs. Felipe Efrain (128)
Kirill Sidelnikov (253) vs. Carlos Toyota (259)
Tsuyoshi Kosaka (220.5) vs. James Thompson (291)