Tokyo - December 30th, RIZIN had weigh-ins for this Friday’s RIZIN.33 card.
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Kota Miura vs. YUSHI
Kota Miura (65.60kg): “I’ve done everything that’s needed so all I have to do is to do what I’ve trained.” “This is the biggest event of the year in Japan and it’s a stacked card. I will do my best to open up this prestigious event with an entertaining bout. We’re both strikers so it should be a fun fight.” “I really have no opinion about my opponent other than the fact that he’s very handsome.”
YUSHI (62.45kg): “I’m surprisingly calm and not nervous at all. I feel like I can put on a good performance” “I’ve been a great fan of combat sports and would always be watching the NYE event. So I’m looking forward to actually participating in it this year.” “I consider myself an entertainer so my plan is to put on a performance that will excite the fans.” “My opponent has a famous father and he seems like a very good kid, and might be bigger than me but he’s still 19 years old and I plan to expose his youth during this fight.” “I’ve always thought MMA would fit me better so I’m actually very well prepared for this fight.”
Kai Asakura vs. Kenta Takizawa
Kai Asakura (60.90kg): “My opponent has a wide range of kicks but that’s about it. His striking isn’t a threat to me. This will be a stand up fight and I will knock him out in the first round.” “I have put in everything to win this tournament so winning it all is the minimum.” “This is a one night tournament so it would be nice to be able to finish him without taking any damage or fatigue, but I’m not looking past this Semi-Final and I will be focused on facing a tough opponent.” “The Finals of the tournament will be the main event so I plan to open up this event with my win and end it with my win.”
Kenta Takizawa (60.95kg): “I’ve prepared myself in the best way I can. All I have to do now is to go in there and fight so I have no regrets.” “My opponent is a very tough opponent but I have a game plan to win it in a one-sided fight. Which is something I have been working on all year.” “I lost my fight last year on NYE and I have worked very hard to win on this day.” “I have a karate base and have come up with my own style that adopts best with MMA meaning different angles and effectiveness things like that.”
Hiromasa Ougikubo vs. Naoki Inoue
Hiromasa Ougikubo (60.95kg): “It’s been a long year with many fights and I feel that I’m finally here.” “My opponent has a great ability to keep distance in his striking range and is a solid grappler so I plan to use all 3 rounds to frustrate him and win at all cost.” “I’ve been wanting to fight Inoue ever since the tournament has begun. I can’t wait to fight him and throw everything I have at him.” “For the past 2-3 years I have always been stepping in the ring thinking this might be my last fight. Every fight is the grand sum of my career and that hasn’t changed.” “I’m the only one left in my thirties in this GP so I want to show how tenacious a middle aged man can become.”
Naoki Inoue (60.90kg): “My opponent has a strong heart” “He’s probably going to want to grapple and I’m okay with that. If he chooses to strike, I’m also okay with that.” “Everybody who’s left are tough guys, but I don’t see a future in myself if I don’t win this tournament in a convincing way.” “My goal in this fight is to let him do absolutely nothing. I hope to react and respond to whatever he brings” “I think being calm and executing what I trained is the key to winning this one day tournament.”
Yuki Motoya vs. Kintaro
Yuki Motoya (61.00kg): “I’m excited about this fight. My opponent is a dangerous and aggressive striker. And no matter where the fight goes, it will be an exciting fight.” “I’m not sure if I will get to make it to the finals even if I win, so right now I am focused on this upcoming fight against Kintaro.”
Kintaro (60.80kg): “It’s the NYE show so I’m looking forward to bringing the party in the ring. It’s a special place where only the chosen can fight in. I was chosen so I will return the favor and give everybody a show.” “This fight is positioned as the reserve bout but I’m just focused on this fight against a tough opponent.” “My opponent is relentless with his forward pressure and is a very crafty grappler so I will need to be careful and not let him get into the clinch.” “I’ve lost to both Inoue and Takizawa so I hope both fighters win and meet in the finals.”
Kazuma Sone vs. Shinobu Ota
Kazuma Sone (60.90kg): “I’m very excited to be fighting on the NYE card. I’ve been watching the year end events for quite some time so actually being here is quite surreal.” “My opponent is an elite wrestler and I’ll probably get taken down. But I think my experience will be able to shine against him and I will work on my striking and aim for a knockout.” “My last fight was a kickboxing fight and that reconfirmed my striking skills, and although I lost, I regained my confidence.” “He may be a confident athlete, but I don’t think MMA is something you get good at in 1 year and I plan to show him that.”
Shinobu Ota (60.95kg): “I just had my birthday but I’m used to being busy at the end of the year so I haven’t been celebrating it for quite some time.” I made my debut last year on NYE and lost the fight and suffered a serious injury and couldn't practice for 6 months. That period really sucked and ate me up mentally. But I was able to overcome that with my first win in my last fight so we’ll see how good I really am.” “My opponent is an experienced fighter and very well balanced. He may be a better striker than me but I’m better at everything else. As long as I am careful on my feet I should have no problem.” “1 takedown is what I need. I will finish the fight with that 1 takedown, he will experience power and pressure he has never experienced before.”
Shibatar vs. Yuta Kubo
Shibatar (88.65kg): “My opponent is super tough and is a professional within a professional. All active fighters predict that I’m going to win this fight because of the size and experience difference but let me say this. I ABSOLUTELY SUCK AND AM A TERRIBLE FIGHTER.” “The only chance of me winning is me landing a lucky punch and maybe IF I’m able to utilize my only go to move and IF Kubo doesn’t know how to defend it…” “RIZIN forced me into this fight. I don’t want to fight anymore. I’m like a rotten banana mentally and physically right now. I shouldn’t have won my last fight. I regret my performance last year.” “This fight has all the potential of being a one sided beatdown with me getting beat up, so I’ll at least make sure to make an impression during the walkout.”
Yuta Kubo (76.20.kg): “Shibatar has been on and off about actually fighting so I wasn’t sure he was really going to show up. But I’m glad he manned up and showed up.” “I transitioned to MMA to show that stand up fighters can fight on the ground and hold their own. I know I lost my MMA debut exactly the way people expected, but I will keep challenging the sport to show that the best strikers can be the best MMA fighters.” “I think the fight will be over if it goes to the ground. My job is to keep the fight standing and to damage him as much as I can.” “Shibatar said on his youtube video he will soil himself if I land my strike on him and knock him out so I plan to do exactly so.” “There is so much to lose for me in this fight. I will step in there representing all strikers”
Kouzi vs. YA-MAN
KOUZI (61.95kg): “I’ve been dropping weight like crazy after my fight against this PEA-MAN PEA-BRAIN or whatever his name is. I’m hungry.” “I know MMA is very popular right now and I’m honored to be fighting the only kickboxing fight in such a great event. I feel obligated to put on a fight that the fans want to see.” “My opponent is young and has been working hard. He deserves to fight me but I would like to outclass the kid in every aspect.” “I respect his efforts and he reminds me of me 11 years ago where I started from nothing. He’s got potential but it’s too early for him to fight a fighter at my caliber.”
YA-MAN (61.85kg): “The response I’ve been getting after the announcement has been great. My social media numbers have increased, the number of DMs have increased, and I’ve realized so many people want to see Kouzi get knocked out.” “He’s very durable and is hard to put down but I think this will be a fun fight and a crowd pleaser.” “My father has been in prison most of my life and my mother raised me while fighting a serious sickness. She will be at the venue for this fight.” “He claims that he’s not at my caliber but I just beat a guy who beat the guy who beat him. I have no idea what he’s talking about.”
Kyohei Hagiwara vs. Hiroaki Suzuki
Kyohei Hagiwara (65.80kg): “I’m in great condition so I just want to get in there and fight.” “I just had my birthday and it was the last day of fight camp so I did nothing special. I would like to treat myself with a sweet treat of victory.” “I’m ready to put on a thrilling fight and deliver exactly what the fans want to see. I will not disappoint” “My opponent is definitely one of the best strikers in Japan. He’s a threat but that’s what makes this fight so exciting. He’s strong and hits hard but also predictable. And beating a striking champion in his game would raise my stock so I plan to slug it out with him. It’s NYE and it’s a party. I don’t give a f**k.”
Hiroaki Suzuki (65.90kg): “I’m excited to be participating in the greatest fight fiesta in Japan.” “People may say I’m a shoot boxer but I’m here as a MMA fighter. So I want to show the fans my performance as a MMA fighter. I’ve been wanting to transition to MMA for a long time so I think I will surprise many people with my performance.” “My opponent is a dangerous striker and I think this is going to be an absolutely fun scrap. I’m going to be tripping from adrenaline and I’m sure he will be too. And if our fight get’s the crowd’s adrenaline pumping, we all win.” “Fighting in RIZIN has been my goal and if fighting on the NYE show doesn’t get you super high, I think there’s something seriously wrong with you,”
Shoma Shibisai vs. Hideki "Shrek" Sekine
Shoma Shibisai (111.05kg): “I’ve been watching Sekine fight since I started as a professional so it is an honor to finally meet him in the ring.” “Fighting on NYE is every fighter’s dream so I am excited to be able to participate.” “I’ve trained to fight in every aspect so I will be ready wherever the fight goes.”
Hideki Sekine (118.15kg): “The time has finally come.” “For people my age, NYE events were the absolute dream stage. That’s what we lived for, that was our life. So this opportunity is something hard to even describe in words.” “Shibisai was competing as a teenager for the ADCC qualifiers, I was there when he lost and I went over to him and told him he had great potential. Now we’re actually fighting and I think this was meant to be.” “We both know what I do best, so I know what he needs to do to avoid that situation. So this is going to be 2 guys working to execute their game plan.”
Koji Takeda vs. “BlackPanther”Beynoah
Koji Takeda (70.90kg): “This will be my NYE debut so I’m extremely motivated and I think it’s the day to sum up your year so it’s important to leave a great performance.” “I will proudly step on the stage that coach Miyata had fought on and am determined to put on a fight that will not disappoint.” “My opponent has been making a great shift towards MMA and I think he will become a legitimate threat. But right now I have been fighting MMA longer and I plan to dominate him.” “I’ve been sparring with solid strikers for this fight and after vomiting countless times, I know I’m ready. My opponent has great kicks so I will need to stay alert for those.” “This will be my first time fighting with a perm so I feel like the hair will work out well for me.”
Black Panther Beynoah (70.90kg): “Oss. I’m finally going to get to fight on NYE Oss” “The NYE event is a dream stage I’ve been watching through the television. I feel that it’s a fight festival so I’m super excited and I plan to have fun. Oss.” “My opponent has a strong will and is a strong wrestler and has a great tan. I saw that he now has a perm like me and we’re the same age so it’s an Oss situation. Oss.” “No matter what position I’m put in, I plan to strike when I can.”
Ayaka Hamasaki vs. Seika Izawa
Ayaka Hamasaki (48.85kg): “This will be my 4th NYE event and I’m grateful for the opportunity and I’m excited to fight a young prospect.” “I think we both share the same strengths as a fighter but I’m just better at every aspect than her.” “I felt that this fight would be a grand sum of my career so I asked Megumi Fujii to be in my corner.” “I don’t know why she calls herself the rising prospect but a veteran vs prospect concept is always fun. With that being said I plan to dominate her.” “I know I only have a limited amount of fights left in me so I want to fight the best opponents I can.”
Seika Izawa (48.85kg): “This is a huge event at the end of the year with live television and all so this is going to be fun. I can’t wait to fight.” “Hamasaki has been leading the MMA scene for women in Japan for all these years and still is at the top, which is amazing.” “I’m confident in my grappling skills so I want people to see that I can go for a submission from any position. I also am confident in my stamina so the longer the fight goes the better odds I’m going to have in winning the fight.”
RENA vs. Si Woo Park
RENA (49.90kg): “I just fought a month ago and I haven’t taken a break so I feel great and the weight has been coming off good. I didn’t fight on NYE last year so I’m excited to get back in there.” “This will be a rare fight for Japan’s women’s MMA fight where 2 strikers will face off so I think this will be a great fight. I’m not afraid to exchange strikes with her but this is MMA you never know what will happen.” “I have a surprise ready for this fight so we’ll see if I get the chance to show it.” “She’s never fought a striker like me so if she chooses to strike with me she’ll be walking into an extremely rude surprise.”
Si Woo Park (49.80kg): “I have been nervous since the announcement but now I’m relaxed and am just excited for the fight.” “This will be my first time fighting in front of such a big crowd so I am going to do my best not to get nervous and do what I do best.” “Not everybody gets to make their promotional debut on NYE so it’s an honor and I will not disappoint. I know she’s a great striker but I’m confident in my abilities.”
Tenshin Nasukawa vs. Takanori Gomi
Tenshin Nasukawa (62.00kg): “I get sad when I think about this being my last fight in RIZIN. I actually don’t want to think about it. I might cry while watching the pre-fight video.” “I love and respect old man Gomi. I never imagined that I would be fighting him at this timing, but with him, I think we could put together something very special.” “I don’t know what to expect in this fight. I know I’ll be in danger if I let any one of his punches land. It’s actually pretty scary when you think about it. But it’s NYE and it’s a festival, so I’m going in there to finish the fight.” “The only way I can take out Gomi is to land a punch he can’t see.”
Takanori Gomi (75.30kg): “This offer was given to me 2 weeks ago. I was surprised at the moment but I felt bad for Tenshin running out of opponents so I decided to take the fight.” “Exhibition fights are hard to define. I’m not going in there to put on a fake fight and I’m not going in there to lose.” “Sakakibara promised me another fight on the card of the big fight happening next June. I want to fight Sakakibara in June. I got ready in 2 weeks, I’m going to give him 6 months to get ready.”
Yutaka Saito vs. Mikuru Asakura
Yutaka Saito (66.00kg): “This will be my first NYE fight, but my impression of NYE events is a big party. I will be participating on the party card, but for me it’s also another fight so I’m going to do what I usually do.” “It’s not often where you get such an opportunity to fight on LIVE terrestrial television, so I want to do my best to show the great appeal of what we do.” “This is titled as a rematch but I’m expecting him to fight differently so I don’t know what to expect, but I have my own game plan and hopefully I can implement it while I adapt to what he has in stock.”
Mikuru Asakura (65.90kg): “I’m ready to fight and excited about the rematch” “This will be a great MMA fight with displays of all aspects.” “After the loss against Saito I changed up my training and I believe I’m significantly stronger.” “Saito taught me that this sport isn’t easy. Now I’m motivated to be fighting tough fighters and keep on challenging.” “Haters can hate all they want. I don’t care what strangers think about me.”
Roberto Satoshi Souza vs. Yusuke Yachi
Roberto Satoshi Souza (70.90kg): “This will be my first fight on NYE so I’m very happy” “I’ve been watching RIZIN’s NYE events from about 3-4 years ago. But now I am the Champion and I feel very happy about this.I want to inspire people to never give up on their dreams.” “This will be my title defense but my mentality hasn’t changed at all. I will always do what I need to do. I try not to let the belt add more pressure for the fight.” “I want to show a good fight with Yachi. I want to show more skills on what I can really do. I wasn’t able to show my other skills in my last fight. I want to show that I am a much more diverse fighter that people think I am.” “Yachi has evolved and beat 2 good grapplers. But my grappling and takedowns are different from Kawana and Takeda. And even if I can’t take him down I’m confident in my striking so I am not worried.” “I’m a completely different fighter before and after the Johnny Case fight. He taught me how hard this sport really is and I had to adjust to it.”
Yusuke Yachi (70.85kg): “I’ve been relaxed this entire time. I might feel something special once I get the zone the day of the fight.” “I will have to be patient during this fight. I can’t let him do what he wants to do. I have a plan to win but that requires patience.” “The theme of this fight is to break his will and make him quit. Don’t get me wrong he’s a phenomenal grappler, probably one of the best out there so it won’t be easy.”
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