Relive the action from the RIZIN World Grand Prix 2017 2nd Round!
On December 29, live from the Saitama Super Arena, RIZIN hosted the second round of it’s RIZIN World Grand Prix 2017. Featuring a host of popular fighters including Kyoji Horiguchi and ‘Uncle Creepy’ Ian McCall in the bantamweight grand prix, plus King Reina taking on Cindy Dandois, the first of two year-end RIZIN FF cards more than delivered.
In the main event, Kyoji Horiguchi proved why he was the favorite to win the bantamweight tournament. Dispatching Gabriel Oliviera via TKO, Horiguchi looked as good as ever. Reminiscent, in fact, of the fighter who earned himself a crack at Demetrious ‘Mighty Mouse’ Johnson in the UFC.
Bad luck, however, continued to haunt Ian McCall. After a host of health issues, both his own and his opponent’s, kept him out of no less than four UFC fights in recent years, McCall returned to action for the first time since 2015. However, a freak cut by the ring ropes saw his night early. The resulting win for opponent Manel Kape (a doctor’s stoppage TKO) just added insult to injury.
In another upset on the night, Cindy Dandois earned herself a split decision over the popular King Reina. Dandois is one of the unheralded stars of the women’s side of MMA, with wins over Marloes Coenen and Megan Anderson among others.
Check out the gallery below to see some of the night’s action, courtesy of RIZIN FF! Don’t miss the final round, which goes down early Sunday morning — December 31, 1AM EST.
