Takanori Gomi to Face Tenshin Nasukawa in ‘Special Standing Bout Rules’ at Rizin 33

Tristen CritchfieldDec 26, 2021

Another fight has been added to the Rizin Fighting Federation 33 lineup, as former Pride Fighting Championships standout Takanori Gomi will meet kickboxing star Tenshin Nasukawa under “special standing bout rules” on New Year’s Eve.

The Japanese promotion recently announced the pairing, which does not have a formally announced weight class but will reportedly be a two-round exhibition under boxing rules. Rizin 33 takes place at Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan, and features a lightweight title bout between Roberto de Souza and Yusuke Yachi as well as the semifinals and finals of the bantamweight grand prix. The event is available via pay-per-view here.

Gomi, 43, last appeared at Rizin 26, where he bested Koji Tanaka in a special rules bout in December 2020. His most recent MMA appearance came in July 2018, when he snapped a six-fight losing streak with a first-round knockout of fellow UFC veteran Melvin Guillard.

The bout is expected to be Nasukawa’s last under the Rizin banner. The 23-year-old kickboxer recently announced that he plans to make a full time transition to boxing. He notably faced Floyd Mayweather in an exhibition boxing match in 2018 and was knocked out in the opening stanza.