2015 in Rizin Fighting Federation

Last updated
2015 in Rizin Fighting Federation
Information
First dateDecember 29
Last dateDecember 31
Events
Total events2
Fights
Chronology
N/A2015 in Rizin Fighting Federation 2016 in Rizin Fighting Federation

The year 2015 was the first year in the history of the Rizin Fighting Federation, a mixed martial arts promotion based in Japan. Only two events were held this year, both consisting of the Rizin World Grand-Prix 2015. Rizin events are broadcast through a television agreement with Fuji Television.

Contents

Background

On September 19, 2015 during Bellator 142 Dynamite 1 event, it was announced that Pride FC co-founder Nobuyuki Sakakibara had signed former Pride Heavyweight Champion The Last Emperor Fedor Emelianenko to headline his new promotion's New Year's Eve Show in Tokyo.

On October 8, 2015 The former President of Pride FC, Sakakibara held a press conference to announce his return to MMA with Rizin Fighting Federation.

Sakakibara returned to mainstream MMA, along with Nobuhiko Takada and other former Pride FC employees.

Rizin partnered with Bellator MMA to allow former Strikeforce Light Heavyweight Champion, Muhammed "King Mo" Lawal to compete the Rizin's inaugural grand prix. Eventually, King Mo won the 8 man Heavyweight tournament with a prize of $300,000.

List of events

#EventDateVenueLocationAttendance
1 Rizin World Grand Prix 2015: Part 1 - Saraba December 29, 2015 Saitama Super Arena Flag of Japan.svg Saitama, Japan12,214
2 Rizin World Grand Prix 2015: Part 2 - Iza December 31, 2015 Saitama Super Arena Flag of Japan.svg Saitama, Japan18,365

100 Kg Heavyweight Grand-Prix bracket

Quarterfinals
Semifinals
Final
         
Flag of the United States.svg Muhammed Lawal KO
Flag of England.svg Brett McDermott 1r.
Flag of the United States.svg Muhammed Lawal DEC
Flag of Lithuania.svg Teodoras Aukštuolis 3r.
Flag of Lithuania.svg Teodoras AukštuolisKO
Flag of Brazil.svg Bruno Cappelozza 1r.
Flag of the United States.svg Muhammed Lawal KO
Flag of the Czech Republic.svg Jiří Procházka 1r.
Flag of Japan.svg Satoshi Ishii 1r.
Flag of the Czech Republic.svg Jiří Procházka KO
Flag of the Czech Republic.svg Jiří Procházka TKO
Flag of Russia.svg Vadim Nemkov 1r.
Flag of Croatia.svg Goran Reljić 1r.
Flag of Russia.svg Vadim Nemkov KO

Rizin World Grand Prix 2015: Part 1 - Saraba

Rizin World Grand Prix 2015: Part 1 - Saraba
Promotion Rizin Fighting Federation
DateDecember 29, 2015
Venue Saitama Super Arena
City Flag of Japan.svg Saitama, Japan
Event chronology
Rizin World Grand Prix 2015: Part 1 - Saraba Rizin World Grand Prix 2015: Part 2 - Iza

Rizin World Grand Prix 2015: Part 1 - Saraba was an inaugural mixed martial arts event held by the Rizin Fighting Federation on December 29, 2015 at the Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan.

Results

Fight Card
Weight ClassMethodRoundTimeNotes
Welterweight 77 kg Flag of Japan.svg Shinya Aoki def. Flag of Japan.svg Kazushi Sakuraba TKO (Corner Stoppage)15:56
Grand-Prix 100 kg Flag of the Czech Republic.svg Jiří Procházka def. Flag of Japan.svg Satoshi Ishii KO (Knees)11:36RIZIN World Grand Prix 2015 Quarter-Finals
Grand-Prix 100 kg Flag of Russia.svg Vadim Nemkov def. Flag of Croatia.svg Goran Reljić KO (Punches)12:58RIZIN World Grand Prix 2015 Quarter-Finals
Grand-Prix 100 kg Flag of Lithuania.svg Teodoras Aukštuolisdef. Flag of Brazil.svg Bruno Cappelozza KO (Punches)14:32RIZIN World Grand Prix 2015 Quarter-Finals
Grand-Prix 100 kg Flag of the United States.svg Muhammed Lawal def. Flag of England.svg Brett McDermott KO (Punches)19:10RIZIN World Grand Prix 2015 Quarter-Finals
Grand-Prix 100 kg Flag of Russia.svg Valentin Moldavsky def. Flag of Japan.svg Yuta UchidaSubmission (Rear Naked Choke)12:20RIZIN World Grand Prix 2015 Reserve Fight
Featherweight 66 kg Flag of Japan.svg Hiroyuki Takaya def. Flag of Japan.svg Daiki Hata Decision (Unanimous)320:00
Bantamweight 61 kg Flag of Japan.svg Hideo Tokoro def. Flag of Japan.svg Kizaemon SaigaSubmission (Armbar)15:16
Middleweight 84 kg Flag of Russia.svg Anatoly Tokov def. Flag of the United States.svg A.J. Matthews TKO (Punches)10:55
K-1 Lightweight 70 kg Flag of Japan.svg Hinata def. Flag of Japan.svg Kazuyuki Miyata TKO (3 knockdowns)12:14
K-1 Featherweight 66 kg Flag of Japan.svg Hiroya def. Flag of Japan.svg Akiyo Nishiura KO (Punches)37:20
Flyweight 57 kg Flag of Brazil.svg Felipe Efraindef. Flag of Japan.svg Yuki MotoyaNo Contest15:45Originally a 1st round TKO win by Efrain. Ends in a No Contest, Efrain Missed Weight.
Heavyweight 120 kg Flag of Russia.svg Kirill Sidelnikov def. Flag of Brazil.svg Carlos ToyotaTKO (Punches)12:23
Heavyweight 120 kg Flag of Japan.svg Tsuyoshi Kosaka def. Flag of England.svg James Thompson TKO (Punches)211:58

    Rizin World Grand Prix 2015: Part 2 - Iza

    Rizin World Grand Prix 2015: Part 2 - Iza
    Promotion Rizin Fighting Federation
    DateDecember 31, 2015
    Venue Saitama Super Arena
    City Flag of Japan.svg Saitama, Japan
    Event chronology
    Rizin World Grand-Prix 2015: Part 1 - Saraba Rizin World Grand Prix 2015: Part 2 - Iza Rizin Fighting Federation 1

    Rizin World Grand Prix 2015: Part 2 - Iza was a mixed martial arts event held by the Rizin Fighting Federation on December 31, 2015 at the Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan.

    Results

    Fight Card
    Weight ClassMethodRoundTimeNotes
    Grand-Prix 100 kg Flag of the United States.svg Muhammed Lawal def. Flag of the Czech Republic.svg Jiří Procházka KO (Punches)15:09RIZIN World Grand Prix 2015 Final
    Heavyweight 120 kg Flag of Russia.svg Fedor Emelianenko def. Flag of India.svg Singh Jaideep TKO(Punches)13:02
    Featherweight 66 kg Flag of Brazil.svg Kron Gracie def. Flag of Japan.svg Erson YamamotoSubmission (Triangle Choke)14:58
    Catchweight 72.5 kg Flag of the Netherlands.svg Andy Souwer def. Flag of Japan.svg Yuichiro Nagashima KO (Punches)15:28
    Openweight Flag of Estonia.svg Baruto Kaito def. Flag of the Netherlands.svg Peter Aerts Decision (Unanimous)39:00
    Shootboxing 100+ kg Flag of the United States.svg Bob Sapp def. Flag of Japan.svg Akebono Tarō Decision (Unanimous)315:00
    Female Light Heavyweight 93 kg Flag of Brazil.svg Gabrielle Garcia def. Flag of Tonga.svg Lei'D Tapa TKO (Referee Stoppage)12:36
    K-1 Flyweight 57 kg Flag of Japan.svg Takeru def. Flag of the People's Republic of China.svg Yang MingTKO (Referee Stoppage)26:00
    Bantamweight 61 kg Flag of South Korea.svg Soo Chul Kimdef. Flag of Brazil.svg Maike LinharesDecision (Unanimous)320:00
    Catchweight 81 kg Flag of the United States.svg Brennan Ward def. Flag of Japan.svg Ken HasegawaSubmission (Rear Naked Choke)211:52
    Grand-Prix 100 kg Flag of the Czech Republic.svg Jiří Procházka def. Flag of Russia.svg Vadim Nemkov TKO (Retirement)110:00RIZIN World Grand Prix 2015 Semi-Finals
    Grand-Prix 100 kg Flag of the United States.svg Muhammed Lawal def. Flag of Lithuania.svg Teodoras AukštuolisDecision (Unanimous)215:00RIZIN World Grand Prix 2015 Semi-Finals
    Female Strawweight 52 kg Flag of Japan.svg Rena Kubota def. Flag of Italy.svg Jleana Valentino Submission (Armbar)28:31