The first event of 2024 for Japanese promotion RIZIN had its main event set, as Yoshinori Horie vs. Luiz Gustavo will top RIZIN Landmark 8 in February.
News of the booking was announced by promotion officials during Sunday’s RIZIN 45, the company’s annual New Year’s Eve spectacular. In addition to Horie vs. Gustavo, at lightweight, a featherweight match-up between ex-champ Vugar Karamov and Kazumasa Majima was also announced.
RIZIN Landmark 8 will take place at the Saga Arena in Saga, Japan on February 24, 2024.
Horie (12-3), a former UFC athlete, has posted a 5-2 record since his lone trip to the octagon in 2019. After that head kick loss to Hakeem Dawodu, Horie would make his way back to Japan, competing for Pancrase prior to signing on with RIZIN. 4-1 under the RIZIN banner, Horie holds wins over fellow UFC vets Spike Carlyle and Ulka Sasaki.
Brazil’s Luiz Gustavo (12-2) has won his last three bouts. Gustavo joined the Japanese promotion back in 2018, and has called it home ever since, sharing the cage with the likes of Patricky Pitbull, Yusuke Yachi, and others.
Vugar Karamov (19-5) was on top of the world when he defeated Mikuru Asakura for featherweight gold earlier his year. However, RIZIN Landmark 7 in Azerbaijan saw him lose his title at home in a shock upset against Chihiro Suzuki. He gets Majima (16-4), winner of his last two, in a bounce back fight.
