Learn more about Bellator MMA vs. Rizin FF & Rizin 40, which took place on Saturday at the Saitama Super Arena of Japan, including the main event winner, fight card results, bonus prize winners, and payouts
Despite the event culminating with 5-0 whitewash win for Bellator, all of the fights were contested neck-to-neck and hence, every fight was decided through decision. After success of Bellator MMA vs. Rizin, fans are optimistic about witnessing more cross-promotional MMA events in the future.
Bellator MMA vs. Rizin FF 2022: AJ McKee vs Roberto de Souza winner, full main fight card results, winner, and all highlights
Scott Coker explains why A.J. McKee was MVP of 5-0 sweep at Bellator MMA vs. RIZIN (@MikeHeck_JR) https://t.co/U6P3zBUz4q pic.twitter.com/0xZMTknR43
— MMAFighting.com (@MMAFighting) December 31, 2022
2022 Bellator MMA vs Rizin: full fight card winner & results
In their eagerly awaited cross-promotional MMA event at Rizin 40, Bellator closed the year 2022 on a high note by sweeping Rizin. Top fighters from both promotions competed in the Saitama Super Arena, including AJ McKee, Patricio Pitbull, Soo Chul Kim, Juan Archuleta, Kyoji Horiguchi, & Hiromasa Ougikubo. There were a total of five cross-promotional battles, and each one lasted full five-rounds before being decided via decision. After his promotion’s clean-sweep victory by score of 5-0, Bellator president has earned bragging rights over Rizin president Nobuyuki Sakakibara.
Following his unanimous decision victory over Rizin lightweight champion Roberto “Satoshi” de Souza in the main-event, Bellator’s former featherweight champion AJ McKee successfully maintained his promotion’s 100% win record. In the champion vs. champion contest, Bellator’s reigning featherweight champion Patricio “Pitbull” Freire triumphed through a unanimous decision over Rizin featherweight champion Kleber Koike Erbst.
Main Event Result: A. J. McKee defeated Roberto de Souza by Unanimous Decision
| Bellator MMA vs. Rizin (Showtime) | |||||
| Weight Class | Winner | Loser | Method | Round | Time |
| Lightweight | A. J. McKee | Roberto de Souza | Decision | 3 | 5:00 |
| Featherweight | Patrício Pitbull | Kleber Koike Erbst | Decision | 3 | 5:00 |
| Flyweight | Kyoji Horiguchi | Hiromasa Ougikubo | Decision | 3 | 5:00 |
| Bantamweight | Juan Archuleta | Soo Chul Kim | Decision | 3 | 5:00 |
| Lightweight | Gadzhi Rabadanov | Koji Takeda | Decision | 3 | 5:00 |
| Rizin 40 (Fite TV PPV) | |||||
| Super Atomweight | Seika Izawa | Si Woo Park | Decision | 3 | 5:00 |
| Bantamweight | Naoki Inoue | Kenta Takizawa | Submission | 2 | 3:53 |
| Heavyweight | Junior Tafa | Tsuyoshi Sudario | TKO | 1 | 1:38 |
| Flyweight | John Dodson | Hideo Tokoro | KO | 1 | 1:43 |
| Intermission | |||||
| Catchweight | Ren Hiramoto | Genji Umeno | KO | 2 | 3:00 |
| Bantamweight | Yuki Motoya | Rogério Bontorin | KO | 2 | 2:56 |
| Lightweight | Johnny Case | Nobumitsu Osawa | TKO | 1 | 0:36 |
| Featherweight | Chihiro Suzuki | Yoshiki Nakahara | KO | 1 | 4:44 |
| Lightweight | Patrick Sho Usami | BeyNoah | KO | 1 | 0:45 |
| Bantamweight | Yushi | Tatsuya Nakazawa | Decision | 3 | 3:00 |
Future of cross-promotional events in MMA
MMA world will be curious to know whether Rizin 40 will serve as a springboard for other MMA events that cross-promote with other significant promotions. This event from Saitama Arena demonstrated the viability of cross-promotion and the unimportance of champion-versus-champion matches. In the meantime, Bellator has already begun organizing significant events for 2023, including as the bantamweight Grand Prix and their February CBS debut event.
Recommended: The Sports Fan App