Former UFC flyweight title challenger Kyoji Horiguchi continued to find success in his post-UFC career Sunday. The ex-UFC star made short work of DREAM Grand Prix winner Hideo Tokoro in the main event of the RIZIN World Grand Prix 2017 Opening Round card in Saitama, Japan, scoring the knockout at 3:49 of the very first round.
The win marked Horiguchi’s second since leaving the UFC earlier this year, despite being on a three-fight win streak in the promotion at the time. He’s now a perfect 5-0 since losing to flyweight king Demetrious “Mighty Mouse” Johnson back at UFC 186 in April 2015. He also moved forward in the bantamweight Grand Prix, which also saw Takafumi Otsuka and Khalid Taha score victories.
Anthony Birchak, who was released from the UFC in February despite coming off a win, fell to 0-2 since joining RIZIN after dropping a split decision to Otsuka. Birchak went 2-2 over the course of his brief UFC run, including scoring a KO of bantamweight title challenger Joe Soto.
In another notable bout on the RIZIN FF 6 card, Brazilian monster Gabi Garcia saw her bout end in a no contest for the second straight fight, and second time in the month of July. An eye poke off the first exchange against Oksana Gagloeva resulted in Gagloeva being unable to continue, with the fight waved off just 16 seconds in. That result comes after a No Contest was ruled Garcia’s kickboxing debut against Megumi Yabushita earlier this month due to illegal soccer kicks.
Gabi's big ass fingers gouging eyes out. She loves fouls as of late. #RIZIN #RIZINFF #RIZINGP #RIZIN2017 pic.twitter.com/sMkkGjyYrR
— Jonnyboy (@Jonnyboy_6969) July 30, 2017
In heavyweight action, Amir Aliakbari defeated American Tyler King by TKO, making short work of his opponent and sending him crashing into the ropes at 1:39 of the first round.
RIZIN World Grand Prix 2017 Opening Round Results:
Kyoji Horiguchi def. Hideo Tokoro by KO (punches), Round 1, 3:49 Bantamweight Grand-Prix 1st Round
Amir Aliakbari def. Tyler King by TKO (punches), Round 1, 1:39
Gabrielle Garcia vs. Oksana Gagloeva ended in a No Contest (eye poke), Round 1, 0:16
Reina Miura def. Lei’D Tapa by unanimous decision
Tenshin Nasukawa def. Kizaemon Saiga by KO (punch), Round 1, 1:36 Mixed Rules
Yusuke Yachi def. Satoru Kitaoka by TKO (Punches), Round 2, 4:46
Miyuu Yamamoto def. Cassie Robb by unanimous decision
Takafumi Otsuka def. Anthony Birchak by split decision Bantamweight Grand-Prix 1st Round
Khalid Taha def. Keita Ishibashi by KO (Grounded Knees and Punches), Round 1, 4:51 Bantamweight Grand-Prix 1st Round
Shinju Nozawa-Auclair def. Sheena Brandenburg by submission (arm bar), Round 1, 1:40
Karl Abrektsson def. Teodoras Aukstuolis by submission (Arm-Triangle Choke), Round 1, 8:02
