For those willing to stay up late or wake up early on December 31, RIZIN Fighting Federation was seeing out the year with RIZIN 14.
Mere hours after RIZIN: Heisei’s Last Yarennnoka!, the New Year’s Eve spectacle that was RIZIN 14 offered up Bellator champ Darrion Caldwell facing Kyoji Horiguchi for RIZIN’s bantamweight title, in an interesting partnership between two promotions who had collaborated in the past, but not to such an extent.
For those in the west, that was the main event. However, the much ballyhooed exhibition boxing match between kickboxing wunderkind Tenshin Nasukawa and forty-something Floyd Mayweather Jr. was the real headliner. That, however, was left off the North American PPV broadcast on FITE.tv, no doubt at the behest of Mayweather, who wouldn’t want to hurt his numbers if western fans scoffed at paying top dollar for a three round sparring session.
Still, the fact that RIZIN was even able to land Mayweather remains impressive, and garnered attention from major news networks around the world. Could Tenshin pull off a surprise in the nine minutes allotted to them?
Mika Nagano vs. Miyuu Yamamoto
After witnessing her son fall to a rarely seen hammerlock submission in the final fight of the RIZIN 14 prelims, Miyuu Yamamoto opened up the main card. And she did so in style, dropping a number of heavy blows on opponent Mika Nagano early. On the ground, she trapped an arm, controlled, and finished the first frame strong. The second saw her work from guard, again controlling the bout.
In the end, Yamamoto walks away with a unanimous decision victory after dominating Nagano all three rounds. Yamamoto showed improved patience and grappling defense. Her superior striking forced Nagano to take several ill-timed shots which lead to brutal ground and pound for most of the fight.
Miyuu Yamamoto def. Mika Nagano by unanimous decision
Daron Cruickshank vs. Damien Brown
Daron Cruickshank was his usual aggressive self in the opening round against Damien Brown. Spinngin attacks, knees. Brown was more than happy to score a few knees of his own; later in the frame a pair of kicks put Brown on the ground briefly. However, things quickly took a turn for the worse for Cruickshank. Brown caught Cruickshank with a guillotine during a takedown. It was deep, and before long, Cruickshank was forced to tap.
Post-fight, Brown called for a shot at the lightweight grand prix, or former UFC star Takanori Gomi.
Damien Brown def. Daron Cruickshank by submission (guillotine choke), Round 1
Gabi Garcia vs. Barbara Nepomuceno
The size advantage was clear in Garcia vs. Nepomuceno, with Garcia dwarfing her opponent. That, despite Nepomuceno being one of her larger foes. While the RIZIN newcomer would get off a few overhand rights early, the power advantage allowed Garcia to get the fight to the ground. A clinch led to a throw, and once down, Garcia moved to side control then grabbed an arm. With her corner yelling “break it” it was as good as over.
pure fury there pic.twitter.com/MjBEjF7fKd
— Jolassanda (@Jolassanda) December 31, 2018
After the fight ended Shinobu Kandori stormed the ring, screaming at Garcia. The pair were previously scheduled to fight, with Kandori being injured prior to their first booking, at Garcia missing weight by a humiliating twenty-eight pounds at their second. Could Kandori, who is 54 years old, face Garcia next?
Only in Japan.
Gabi Garcia def. Barbara Nepomuceno by submission (americana), Round 1
Brandon Halsey vs. Jiri Prochazka
In a fight that saw the ring ropes in play more than once, and Brandon Halsey fall out of the ring and hit the mat, only to receive a yellow card, it was Jiri Prochazka pulling off a first round TKO for the win. That, almost immediately after a close call that saw Halsey sneak in a rear-naked choke attempt. Prochazka was looking for a flying knee early in the fight, while Halsey stayed in it early but soon began to gas, especially toward the final sequence that saw him roll over and cover up while Prochazka landed some nasty strikes that slipped through his defenses.
"Hey Brandon, suck this shit up right now." #RIZIN14 pic.twitter.com/HZ5PMakBFg
— inxxane (@inxxane) December 31, 2018
Prochazka called out Mirko Cro-Cop after the fight.
Jiri Prochazka def. Brandon Halsey by TKO, Round 1
Kanna Asakura vs. Ayaka Hamasaki
After what felt like the longest intermission in history, RIZIN 14 resumed, with Kanna Asakura looking to claim the super atomweight title against Ayaka Hamasaki. It was Hamasaki connecting first, mixing in some leg kicks as well. An eye poke halted her attack, however. After a break to allow Hamasaki some time to adjust to a visibly damaged eye, they went right back at it with a flurry of strikes in an exchange. A throw gave Hamasaki the upper hand on the ground, though Asakura would escape and fire off a kick. More quick striking exchanges as the two fighters went right after it.
Hamasaki landed a knee to start the second, and was in control the first half of the round. Asakura would shoot for a takedown near the halfway point only to be stuffed. Hamasaki would then get the fight to the ground with a throw, and land in side control. She set up the arm bar with ease, and using one foot to push off of Aakura, who was clutching her hands together for dear life. Once her grip was broken, Hamasaki wrenched the limb. Asakura tried to spin out, but was trapped, and forced to tap! The former Invicta FC atomweight title had a new crown.
Ayaka Hamasaki def. Kanna Asakura by submission (arm-bar), Round 2 – for RIZIN FF women’s super atomweight title
Darrion Caldwell vs. Kyoji Horiguchi
A champ vs. champ battle between Bellator’s Darrion Caldwell and RIZIN’s Kyoji Horiguchi topped the card (prior to Floyd Mayweather, reportedly late getting to the arena). Caldwell had the size and reach advantage. Not to mention a power advantage, nearly putting Horiguchi through the ropes early. Caldwell was able to fire off some kicks, but it was Horiguchi getting his attention with a right hand. A takedown attempt saw Caldwell looking to isolate an arm but the ropes got in the way. A late knockdown by a kick from Horiguchi may have secured him the round.
Caldwell landed an early takedown in the second, with Horiguchi working his way back up just to be taken down again. The story of the round was the control time from Caldwell, as Horiguchi spent far too much time with Caldwell keeping him on the ground.
In the third (and final round in this case despite it being a title fight) Horiguchi would be taken down again, with Caldwell shooting under a punch from the Japanese fighter. Horiguchi would then lock in a guillotine, and force the tap in a flash!
Kyoji Horiguchi def. Darrion Caldwell by submission (guillotine choke), Round 3
Tenshin Nasukawa vs. Floyd Mayweather Jr.
After what felt like an eternity, Japanese kickboxing star Tenshin Nasukawa and Floyd Mayweather finally faced off in the main event of the evening. From the outset, Mayweather was toying with the 20-year old. Smiling as he bobbed and moved. Nasukawa fired off a punch, but Mayweather had the clear size, power, and speed advantage. Before long, Mayweather had knocked Nasukawa down. He staggered up, but was knocked down again moments later. Stumbling, wobbly on his legs, a third knockdown, the check hook doing it, dropped Nasukawa a third time.
After three knockdowns in two minutes, Nasukawa’s corner had seen enough, and threw in the towel.
End result: Basically Floyd being Floyd but with a smaller opponent. After the fight Mayweather reiterated that he was retired, the fight would go on neither man’s record, and that Tenshin was a great champion.
RIZIN 14 Main Card Results:
Floyd Mayweather Jr. def. Tenshin Nasukawa by TKO, Round 1 – exhibition boxing match
Kyoji Horiguchi def. Darrion Caldwell by submission (guillotine choke), Round 3 – for RIZIN FF bantamweight title
Ayaka Hamasaki def. Kanna Asakura by submission (arm-bar), Round 2 – for RIZIN FF women’s super atomweight title
Jiri Prochazka def. Brandon Halsey by TKO, Round 1
Gabi Garcia def. Barbara Nepomuceno by submission (americana), Round 1
Damien Brown def. Daron Cruickshank by submission (guillotine choke), Round 1
Miyuu Yamamoto def. Mika Nagano by unanimous decision
Preliminary Card:
Kazuyuki Miyata def. Erson Yamamoto by submission (hammerlock), Round 2
Johnny Case def. Yusuke Yachi by TKO (doctor’s stoppage), Round 2
Yuki Motoya def. Justin Scoggins by submission (modified triangle), Round 1
Ulka Sasaki def. Manel Kape by unanimous decision
Justyna Zofia Haba def. Shinju Nozawa-Auclair by technical submission (rear-naked choke), Round 2
Tofik Musaev def. Nobumitsu Osawa by TKO, Round 2
Samantha Jean-Francois vs. Rena Kubota – cancelled due to Kubota illness
