RIZIN 21 didn’t have the star power of some past RIZIN FF events. No Tenshin. No Kyoji Horiguchi. No Fedor. But it did offer something of a spirited affair, one that moved at a better clip compared to some of the lengthier offerings from the Japanese MMA promotion.
It also offered a soccer kick finish that would no doubt please the old school PRIDE fans among us.
Roque Martinez was the author of said finish. The heavyweight, who has become a RIZIN regular, was facing off with Shrek himself — Japan’s Hideki Seine. Martinez, who exited the evening with a record of 15-5-2, had been expected to have the edge on the feet. And he did, catching ONE Championship alum Seine with a number of blows. A right hand sent the Japanese fighter down.
Then, as Seine tried to secure a leg, the soccer kicks came. First one, then a second, and a third. Seine (7-4) was left laying over the ropes, perhaps trying to put his nose back in place. Martinez came in with a hammer fist to seal the deal, and after briefly halting the action to get Seine back inside the ropes, the ref waved it off.
Watch a clip of the action below. For full results from RIZIN 21, head here.
Shrek is mush. Shrek is death. #RIZIN21 pic.twitter.com/C2ZOY58OK7
— Kyle Johnson (@VonPreux) February 22, 2020
Official Result: Roque Martinez def. Hideki Seine by TKO (soccer kicks and punches), Round 1, 3:57
