In the main event, former UFC flyweight Naoki Inoue put his bantamweight title on the line when he took on Yuki Motoya. The challenger had won three straight, two under the RIZIN banner, to earn his shot at gold.

Also featured on the card, Canadian flyweight Tony Laramie brought an eight-fight win streak into his showdown with Yuki Ito. UFC and Bellator veteran Spike Carlyle, meanwhile, had missed weight for a fight with Takeshi Izumi. He would start the fight with a red card, costing him a point, and should he win, the bout would be ruled a No Contest.

Where to Watch RIZIN 50

Sunday, March 30, 2025 sees RIZIN 50 take place at the Anabuki Arena Kagawa in Kagawa, Japan. The fight card airs live and free in its entirety on RIZIN.tv. Full results can be found below. The broadcast kicks off at 12AM ET (midnight), 9PM PT (Saturday, March 29) on the west coast.

RIZIN 50 Results

The post RIZIN 50 Full Results appeared first on Cageside Press.

Pettis was the man who took Horiguchi’s Bellator MMA bantamweight title back in 2021 with a shock fourth-round spinning back fist. Since then, Pettis had dropped the belt to Patchy Mix, while Horiguchi had won the inaugural RIZIN flyweight championship in his last outing.

That belt was not on the line Sunday; rather, it was a chance for arguably Japan’s most legendary active fighter to avenge the loss, in a non-title bantamweight fight.

Also on the card, former champs Juan Archuleta (Bellator and RIZIN) and Kleber Koike (KSW and RIZIN) would collide, with UFC alum Spike Carlyle looked to stave off a fourth consecutive loss against South Korea’s Kyung Pyo-Kim.

Where to Watch RIZIN 47

Sunday, June 9, 2024 sees RIZIN 47 takes place at the Yoyogi National Stadium in Tokyo, Japan. The card streams live via RIZIN.tv starting at 1:30AM ET. Full results from the event can be found below.

RIZIN 47: Horiguchi vs. Pettis Results

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The 11-fight card was primarily MMA action with a single kickboxing bout mixed in for good measure. For western fight fans willing to stay up late (or get up early), the event featured a handful of familiar names— UFC veteran Masanori Kanehara was in the co-main event, taking on former RIZIN featherweight champ Kleber Koike of Brazil.

Koike, also a former KSW champ, had been stripped off his title previously after missing weight for a fight with Chihiro Suzuki in June. Coupled with a non-title fight loss to Patricio Pitbull last December, it was a bit of a rough patch for Koike. Kanehara, meanwhile, had won three straight, and five of his six fights since exiting the UFC in 2016.

Also in action, former UFC fighter and Bellator star Spike Carlyle, and heavyweight veteran Todd Duffee, who served two stints in the UFC. Duffee was paired up with former sumo wrestler and RIZIN mainstay Tsuyoshi Sudario (that bout is postponed due to travel issues), while Carlyle, a.k.a. “The Alpha Ginger,” was booked against fellow UFC alum Yoshinori Horie.

RIZIN 44 gets underway at 1AM ET on Sunday, September 24, 2023 with an English stream airing live via Fite.tv. Full results can be found below.

RIZIN 44 Results

Masanori Kanehara def. Kleber Koike by unanimous decision
Juntaro Ushiku def. Kyohei Hagiwara by unanimous decision
Yoshinori Horie def. Spike Carlyle by unanimous decision

Tsuyoshi Sudario vs. Todd Duffee — postponed to October 1

Intermission

Rukiya Anpo def. Sho Patrick Usami by unanimous decision — Kickboxing
Yoshiki Nakahara def. Rikuto Shirakawa by unanimous decision
Kazumasa Majima def. Takeji Yokoyama by unanimous decision
Ryuya Fukuda def. Erson Yamamoto by TKO (doctor’s stoppage), Round 3, 1:37
Taichi Nakajima def. Ryo Okada by unanimous decision
Shoma Shibisai def. Janos Csukas by submission (kneebar), Round 1, 2:27
Ramazan Terimov def. Takaki Soya by knockout, Round 1, 3:15

The post RIZIN 44 Full Results appeared first on Cageside Press.

Even before Carlyle signed with the UFC in 2020, he had expressed an interest in fighting in Japan. Given Carlyle’s outsized personality and love of PRIDE growing up, that should really come as no surprise — but after his UFC stint came to an end, Carlyle worked his way to Bellator MMA and now RIZIN Fighting Federation, giving him the chance to live out that dream.

“I would say the reality is better than the dream,” Carlyle (14-5) told Cageside Press in an exclusive interview ahead of this weekend’s RIZIN 44, where he faces off with fellow UFC alum Yoshinori Horie. “It’s everything I hoped for, I love it. I love it here in Japan.”

There’s a lot to love, with Carlyle citing “the people, the culture, the martial arts scene, it’s amazing. It’s exactly where I want to be.” But having arrived in Japan just a few days back, Carlyle is in town on business, looking to get back in the win column against a tough foe in Horie.

Carlyle pointed out his opponent’s karate background. “I definitely know he’s going to probably fight very patiently and look to land those sniping blows,” he acknowledged. But there are other factors in this fight as well, which stem from the Japanese ruleset. A ruleset that includes knees to downed opponents, soccer kicks, and a ring instead of a cage.

As different as the rules might be, however, Carlyle has always fought with them in mind.

“It’s quite different, but I’ve always had Japan in my head, so I’ve always tried to tailor-make my style for the Japanese ruleset,” explained Carlyle, adding “I’m still learning and getting used to it, the takedowns against the ropes, the wrestling against the ropes, the grappling against the ropes, cutting off corners. That’s a lot different. I only have one fight as an amateur in a ring versus a cage, so that’s something that I’m continually making adjustments and learning on. But I actually prefer it, I like fighting in a ring versus a cage.”

Spike Carlyle made his way to RIZIN by way of Bellator MMA, with whom he signed in 2021 after a trio of wins on the regional circuit. The two promotions have fostered a close working relationship, which allowed Carlyle to make the jump.

“I think technically I still have a contract with Bellator, but I made it known to them that my sole desire right now is to be in Japan,” Carlyle said of his contractual situation. “Maybe in the future after I win the RIZIN belt, we can challenge the Bellator champion, but as of now I’m very content being here, so I’m solely in RIZIN at this moment.”

There’s a possibility Carlyle could even make the move over to Japan on a semi-permanent basis. “Yeah definitely. I could definitely see myself living out here at least three to six months out of the year,” he said when asked about moving to Japan. “I love Asia in general, I’ve spent some time in Thailand, I have a lot of amazing connections out there, and this is my fourth time in Japan now, third time as a fighter. I’m starting to develop a community and people I can trust, and a gym where I feel I can grow at and learn at and excel with.”

Spike Carlyle is that rare fighter able to live his dream; he’s also the rare fighter who has fully embraced the entertainment side of the sport. Well prior to his run in the big leagues, Carlyle was turning heads on the regional circuit with theatrical walkouts, for one.

“I was like 15 watching these fights in PRIDE like ‘that’s what I want to be when I grow up.’ The entertainment factor, everything, I’ve been doing walkouts since I was an amateur,” Carlyle recalled. “We’re putting on a show. I’m not just a fighter, I’m an entertainer. I’m going to give a spectacular spectacle to everyone.”

He does admit, however, that it’s difficult to find a balance at times. “Especially with how you fight. Are you fighting to win on the scorecards, or are you fighting to maybe risk it, go for a finish or do something that the crowd wants to see? So there’s definitely a balancing act there.” Carlyle, of course, wants to win at the end of the day, but added that “I want to do it in a fashion that is explosive, is exciting. I don’t want to have a career where I’m just eking out point-fighting decisions. That’s not a real fight, you’re just playing it more of a sport. A fight’s different. A fight, we’re trying to kill each other.”

Spike Carlyle faces Yoshinori Horie at RIZIN 44 on September 24, 2023 at the Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan. Watch our full interview with Spike above!

The post RIZIN 44: Spike Carlyle Wants Career with Explosive Finishes, not “Eking Out Point-Fighting Decisions” appeared first on Cageside Press.

Promotion officials recently announced the addition of multiple fights to both RIZIN 44 and RIZIN Landmark 6, which take place in September and October, respectively.

Already stacked with names like Kleber Koike, Juntaro Ushiku, Spike Carlyle, and Todd Duffee, RIZIN 44 has added two new fights, as DEEP Interim Flyweight Champion
Ryuya Fukuda (20-7-1) meets Erson Yamamoto (4-5), and Takaki Soya (12-5-1) faces off against Ramazan Temirov (16-2). Both fights take place in the flyweight division.

RIZIN 44 takes place September 24, 2023 at the Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan. The following bouts have now been announced for the card:

• Juntaro Ushiku vs Kyohei Hagiwara
• Kleber Koike vs Masanori Kanehara
• Spike Carlyle vs Yoshinori Horie
• Yoshiki Nakahara vs Rikuto Shirakawa
• Kazumasa Majima vs Takeji Yokoyama
• Taichi Nakajima vs Ryo Okada
• Shoma Shibisai vs Janos Csukas
• Tsuyoshi Sudario vs Todd Duffee
• Ryuya Fukuda vs Erson Yamamoto
• Takaki Soya vs Ramazan Temirov

RIZIN Landmark 6, meanwhile, takes place October 1, 2023 at the Dolphins Arena in Nagoya, Japan. The card features the return of former UFC fighter Rogerio Bontorin (16-5, 2NC), who was tagged with a flying knee in his promotional debut. The following fights have now been announced:

• Hideo Tokoro vs. Alan “Hiro” Yamaniha
• Yuki Ito vs. Topnoi Kiwram
• Yusaku Nakamura vs. HIROYA
• Takakenshin vs. Hidetaka “Kaiju Killer” Arato
• Victor Kolesnik vs. Ryo Takagi
• Ayaka Watanabe vs. Machi
• Kohei Tokeshi vs. Yusaku Inoue
• Yutaro Muramoto vs. Rogerio Bontorin
• Joji Goto vs. Junya Hibino “Ebichu”
• Silver Grappling Shoot Boxers Gym vs. Shogo Ota
• Ryuki Kirishima vs. MASANARI
• Genki Takeno vs. Ryota Naito — Kickboxing

The post Multiple Fights for RIZIN 44, RIZIN Landmark 6 Announced appeared first on Cageside Press.

A much bigger card than it’s RIZIN Landmark 5 counterpart, RIZIN 42 had a number of notable fights to present, including the return of Bellator MMA standout Juan Archuleta.

In the main event, former RIZIN bantamweight champion Kai Asakura was back in action, facing Japanese 40+ fight veteran Yuki Motoya. In the co-feature was former Bellator bantamweight champ Archuleta, returning to Japan for the second time to take on UFC alum Naoki Inoue. Another UFC alum and Bellator fighter, Spike Carlyle, was paired up with lightweight champ Roberto Satoshi Souza, in a non-title affair.

And kicking off the top four fights on the RIZIN 42 card on Saturday was the debut of Muay Thai legend Buakaw Banchamek.

Earlier in the night, meanwhile, Ulka Sasaki, another former UFC athlete, was in action against Boyd Allen, while two-time UFC flyweight title challenger John Dodson returned against Tatsuki Saomoto.

RIZIN 42 takes place at the Tokyo Ariake Arena in Tokyo, Japan on Saturday, April 6, 2023, airing live on Fite.tv. Full results can be found below. The action gets underway at 1AM ET.

RIZIN 42 Results

Kai Asakura def. Yuki Motoya by knockout (knee), Round 3, 2:25
Juan Archuleta def. Naoki Inoue by unanimous decision
Roberto Satoshi Souza def. Spike Carlyle by unanimous decision
Buakaw Banchamek vs. Rukiya Anpo ruled a majority draw — Kickboxing

Intermission

YA-MAN def. Kota Miura by TKO, Round 1, 3:13 — Special rules
John Dodson def. Tatsuki Saomoto by unanimous decision
Kazumasa Majima def. Takahiro Ashida by submission (Von Flue choke), Round 1, 4:43
Ulka Sasaki def. Boyd Allen by unanimous decision
Viktor Kolesnik def. Atsushi Kishimoto by TKO, Round 2, 2:57
Erson Yamamoto def. Yuki Ito by unanimous decision
Takeji Yokoyama def. Takuya Yamamoto by submission (arm-bar), Round 1, 1:24
Ramazan Temirov def. Yuta Hamamoto by TKO, Round 1, 4:06
Sota Kimura def. Yasuhiro Kido by unanimous decision — Kickboxing

The post RIZIN 42 Full Results appeared first on Cageside Press.

Among the standouts in action, Kai Asakura (19-4) returns for the first time since December 2021. The former bantamweight champion will seek to bounce back from a loss to Hiromasa Ougikubo in RIZIN’s bantamweight grand prix when he takes on Yuki Motoya (33-10) in the RIZIN 42 main event.

Fight announcement for RIZIN.42

Kai Asakura vs. Yuki Motoya#RIZIN #RIZIN42 pic.twitter.com/QUFNZyMqKR

— RIZIN.tv (@RIZINTV_) March 6, 2023

Former two-time UFC flyweight title challenger John Dodson (22-13) also returns at RIZIN 42. Dodson made his promotional debut for the Japanese organization in December, knocking out Hideo Tokoro. Having won his last two fights, Dodson has also been pulling double-duty, posting a 2-0 record thus far in bare-knuckle boxing outfit BKFC.

Dodson gets Tatsuki Saomoto (18-2) in a flyweight contest. Current Bellator MMA fighter Spike Carlyle (14-4) returns to the RIZIN ring for the first time since last April, meanwhile, in a non-title fight with Roberto “Satoshi” Souza (14-2), RIZIN’s featherweight champ.

Carlyle had a five-fight win streak snapped in his last outing, a memorable scrap with A.J. McKee at Bellator 286. Souza dropped a decision against McKee on New Year’s Eve in a cross-promotional event.

RIZIN 42 takes place May 6, 2023 at the Tokyo Ariake Arena in Tokyo, Japan. The following match-ups have been announced for the event:

• Kai Asakura vs. Yuki Motoya
• Naoki Inoue vs. Juan Archuleta
• Roberto Satoshi vs. Spike Carlyle
• Seika Izawa vs. Miyu Yamamoto
• Kouta Miura vs. YA-MAN — custom rules bout
• Yuryuka Sasaki vs. Boyd Allen
• John Dodson vs. Tatsuki Saomoto
• Takashi Soya vs. Ramazan Temirov
• Hiroki Ito vs. Arsen Yamamoto
• Takuya Yamamoto vs. Takeshi Yokoyama

The post RIZIN 42 Full Card Includes John Dodson, Spike Carlyle, Kai Asakura appeared first on Cageside Press.

Of course, A.J. McKee was the favorite in the fight, despite moving up to lightweight for the bout (it’s worth noting that Carlyle missed weight by 0.6lbs for the fight).

It was a wild start when the opening bell sounded, the pair immediately going into the spin cycle, trading wildly with Carlyle leading the attack care of a right hand and high kick. But it was McKee doing damage first, wobbling Carlyle then shooting in on a takedown. McKee soon threatened to take the back, only for Carlyle to reverse and get on top. Of course, McKee, no slouch on his back, looked dangerous from there, throwing up a triangle. Moments later, it was an omoplata attempt from McKee. At some point, the athletes and those watching might have found a moment to breathe.

Carlyle went to work from half guard, working in some ground n’ pound. McKee fought hands and looked to sweep as Carlyle ripped the body and kept the former featherweight champ planted on his back. Carlyle then looked to pin an arm with his leg, but McKee reversed, leading to a scramble as they got back up. They went down in a heap moments later, Carlyle almost taking the back. He was too high, and McKee himself then transitioned to the back, threatening with a rear-naked choke in the final minute of round one. Carlyle then reversed, finishing an absolutely wild opening round on top.

Slowing the pace to start round two? Nah. The pair went at it again, with McKee hurting Carlyle in the opening minute. McKee then took Spike down, getting on the back with Carlyle on his knees. Carlyle tried to power up, but was forced back down. Spike then tried to slip out the back door, but Mckee had hooked a leg. A.J. McKee went hunting for a rear-naked choke, but wasn’t under the chin.

Carlyle was moving just enough to keep McKee from securing anything, and was back up to his feet, then back down moments later. Back up again, McKee landed in the clinch. Spike threw a spinning back fist; McKee latched on a front head lock, taking Carlyle to his knees. McKee, working on an anaconda choke, complained to the ref about Carlyle holding his gloves, and began landing knees to the body. Carlyle survived, but McKee moved to side control, only for Spike to reclaim guard. Carlyle would land an upkick at the end of the round, forcing McKee to answer with ground n’ pound.

The pair went back to trading early in the third, though Spike Carlyle was showing obvious signs of fatigue. That allowed McKee to close the distance, land a knee, secure a bodylock, and land a takedown, with four minutes left in the fight. McKee came down in side control, landing elbows and slicing Carlyle open. Carlyle made it up, bloodied, only to be put right back down. McKee stayed on him, and when Carlyle made it up again, McKee sunk in a guillotine choke. Slick with blood and sweat, Carlyle pulled free, giving himself a minute and a half to work from the top, if he could keep the position. Carlyle instead went to the back, thinking rear-naked choke. That came up short, and McKee went after a toe hold. Another transition, and they wound up in north-south after rolling. The fight would go the distance, the final bell sounding as McKee sunk in a rear-naked choke.

There was little question that A.J. McKee won the fight — but Spike Carlyle’s durability and grit made it a war.

Official Result: A.J. McKee def. Spike Carlyle by unanimous decision (29-26, 30-26, 30-27)

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Many had expected Pitbull’s next title defense to be a trilogy fight with A.J. McKee. And McKee was in fact on the Bellator 286 card, which went down in his back yard of Long Beach, California. But it was not Patricio Freire McKee was facing, but rather former UFC and LFA fighter Spike Carlyle, in a long awaited move to 155lbs.

Pitbull vs. Borics. McKee vs. Carlyle. Not a bad one-two punch, but the Bellator 286 card had more to offer. In another big featherweight fight, Aaron Pico was paired up with UFC and PFL veteran Jeremy Kennedy. The fight hadn’t been officially announced as such, but it could certainly be seen as a title eliminator — especially in the case that Pico won.

Juan Archuleta and Enrique Barzola also faced off in a promising catchweight affair that would see the victor return to the win column.

Bellator 286 takes place Saturday, October 1, 2022 at the Long Beach Arena in Long Beach, California. The preliminary card gets underway at 7PM ET, with the main card commencing at 10PM. Prelim action can be streamed above; where available, the main card is available to view below. Full results can also be found below.

Bellator 286: Pitbull vs. Borics Results

Main card

Patrício Pitbull (c) def. Ádám Borics by unanimous decision (48-47, 49-46, 50-45) – for the Bellator MMA featherweight world championship
A. J. McKee def. Spike Carlyle by unanimous decision (29–26, 30–26, 30–27)
Jeremy Kennedy def. Aaron Pico by TKO (injury), Round 1, 5:00
Juan Archuleta def. Enrique Barzola by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)

Preliminary card

Bobby Seronio III def. Miguel Peimbert by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
Islam Mamedov def. Nick Browne by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
Jay Jay Wilson def. Vladimir Tokov by split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)
Khalid Murtazaliev def. Khadzhimurat Bestaev by TKO, Round 2, 3:02
Sumiko Inaba def. Nadine Mandiau by unanimous decision (29-28, 30-27, 30-27)
Weber Almeida def. Ryan Lilley by split decision (28-29, 29-28, 29-28)
Lance Gibson Jr. def. Dominic Clark by submission (triangle choke), Round 1, 1:49
Cee Jay Hamilton def. Richard Palencia by TKO (injury — broken leg), Round 2, 2:12
Mike Hamel vs. Max Rohskopf – Fight cancelled after Rohskopf not cleared to compete

Post-Liminary Card

Keoni Diggs def. Ricardo Seixas by unanimous decision (29–28, 30–27, 30–27)

The post Bellator 286: Pitbull vs. Borics Live Stream and Results appeared first on Cageside Press.

“Can’t spill the beans, man. It’s gonna be fun though. It’s gonna be electrifying to say the least,” Carlyle told Cageside Press ahead of his co-main event lightweight scrap with A.J. McKee. Though he later offered a hint.

“We got a classic, classic coming up. We’ll drop a quick hint maybe. I’m a real American.”

Could a Hulk Hogan-themed walkout be imminent? Tune in Saturday to find out. And tune in to see Carlyle welcome McKee to the lightweight division, in McKee’s own back yard — though Carlyle himself is a native Californian.

“Definitely, born and raised in San Diego; I live in Orange County now. So I’m sure I’ll have quite a few people there. I know he’s from Long Beach, this is his home town obviously, so he’ll have the whole crowd behind him— but it’s going to be a quiet night after we’re done.”

Just six or so months removed from McKee losing the featherweight title back to Patricio Pitbull, who headlines this Saturday’s event, “The Alpha Ginger” doesn’t expect his opponent to look much different.

“No, to be honest, I think it’s going to be similar to his last fight,” Carlyle suggested. “His last fight was in April. Physically, he cannot really change his body too much, it’s only six months. So I don’t think he’s going to be very much different, to be honest.”

As for McKee’s unorthodox skill set, Spike Carlyle expects the shoe to be on the other foot.

“Unorthodox? I’m the wild card, I’m the wild man. I think he’s going to be the one having to kind of go with his eyes wide open,” Carlyle exlaimed. “It’s a terrible style match-up for him.”

For Carlyle, the fight is his return to Bellator, after moonlighting in RIZIN earlier this year. He remains under a multi-fight deal with Bellator MMA.

“What’s so cool about Bellator is they give fighters the options and the freedoms. You just saw Michael ‘Venom’ Page fight bare-knuckle, which is super-cool. They allowed me to go and compete in RIZIN in Japan, which has been a life-long dream. So grateful for Bellator to allow us to do this, it’s amazing.”

Watch our full interview with Spike Carlyle above. Carlyle faces A.J. McKee in the co-main event of Bellator 286 this Saturday, October 1, 2022 in Long Beach, CA.

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