BELLATOR X RIZIN: PITBULL VS. De SOUZA

30 July 2023 06:00 AM – 2 August 2023 07:00 AM

There has been a shakeup to this week’s BELLATOR x RIZIN event, which takes place Sunday, July 30 (Saturday, July 29 in America). RIZIN Lightweight World Champion Roberto “Satoshi” De Souza (15-2) has replaced AJ McKee, who has been forced to withdraw from the bout due to medical reasons. “Satoshi” joins the star-studded Lightweight World Grand Prix and now faces former BELLATOR Lightweight World Champion Patricky Pitbull (24-11). BELLATOR x RIZIN: Pitbull vs. De Souza emanates from the world-famous Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan.

The bout will take place at a contract weight of 161-pounds and remains a five-round BELLATOR Lightweight World Grand Prix quarterfinal fight. BBC iPlayer is set to air the BELLATOR portion of the event LIVE in the UK in the early hours of the morning on Sunday, July 30 at 4 a.m. BST.

In the co-main event former BELLATOR and RIZIN Bantamweight Champion Kyoji Horiguchi (31-5) challenges Makoto “Shinryu” Takahashi (16-1-1) for the inaugural BELLATOR Flyweight World Championship.

Plus, Japan’s own Kana Watanabe (11-2-1) puts her No. 3 flyweight ranking on the line former title challenger Veta Arteaga (7-5), who ranks No. 7.

Fans in attendance at the historic Saitama Super Arena will get to watch both portions of the event with the BELLATOR fights taking place in the cage with the iconic red and blue BELLATOR gloves, plus white gloves for the World Grand Prix competitors. The BELLATOR contests will be adhere to the Unified Rules of MMA.

After a thrilling, dominant victory over Brazil’s Marcos Breno in April, Japan will play host to the next edition of the Danny Sabatello show. One of the sport’s most entertaining talents on the microphone and the cage, the next target to draw the ire of the Chicago native will be Magomed Magomedov, a fighter Sabatello has called out repeatedly. The former NCAA Division I wrestling standout looks to score a second straight victory and vault himself right back into title contention atop the ever-exciting BELLATOR bantamweight division.

Magomedov, 31, has proven to be one of the 135-pound division’s most dynamic contenders. A flashy striker keen to throw spinning attacks, the World Grand Prix semi-finalist also sports a lightning-quick submission game. Following a defeat to eventual tournament winner Patchy Mix, Magomedov will travel to the “Land of the Rising Sun” eager to shut “The Italian Gangster’s” mouth once and for all. It will be the first fight of 2023 for Magomedov, who hopes to add Sabatello’s name to an impressive list of vanquished foes that includes former World Champion Petr Yan.

At welterweight, few men have had as much success inside the BELLATOR cage as Andrey Koreshkov. The former Welterweight World Championship title challenger is an impressive 15-4 with the promotion, a run that includes eight knockout victories — including several highlight reel-worthy finishes. On July 30, Koreshkov will have a chance to lengthen his flawless run and avenge one of his few defeats, a 2019 split decision at the hands of Larkin. With both men highly ranked in the division, this consequential rematch of top-ten athletes will be sure to entertain the Japanese crowd.

Larkin, 36, is unbeaten in his last eight fights, defeating his last seven opponents in what has been a bit of a career resurgence for the Southern California-based veteran. Coming off back-to-back knockouts, including the social media-breaking standing elbow finish of Mukhamed Berkhamov at February’s BELLATOR 290 event at The Forum, Larkin is making his case for a crack at Yaroslav Amosov’s title hard to ignore. With a second win over Koreshkov in Japan, little would stand in the way of Larkin earning his second crack at the BELLATOR Welterweight World Championship more than five years after his first.

Full Bout List: https://bellator360.com/to/ZpQVCV

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There has been a shakeup to this week’s BELLATOR x RIZIN event, which takes place Sunday, July 30 (Saturday, July 29 in America). RIZIN Lightweight World Champion Roberto “Satoshi” De Souza (15-2) has replaced AJ McKee, who has been forced to withdraw from the bout due to medical reasons. “Satoshi” joins the star-studded Lightweight World Grand Prix and now faces former BELLATOR Lightweight World Champion Patricky Pitbull (24-11). BELLATOR x RIZIN: Pitbull vs. De Souza emanates from the world-famous Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan.

The bout will take place at a contract weight of 161-pounds and remains a five-round BELLATOR Lightweight World Grand Prix quarterfinal fight. BBC iPlayer is set to air the BELLATOR portion of the event LIVE in the UK in the early hours of the morning on Sunday, July 30 at 4 a.m. BST.

In the co-main event former BELLATOR and RIZIN Bantamweight Champion Kyoji Horiguchi (31-5) challenges Makoto “Shinryu” Takahashi (16-1-1) for the inaugural BELLATOR Flyweight World Championship.

Plus, Japan’s own Kana Watanabe (11-2-1) puts her No. 3 flyweight ranking on the line former title challenger Veta Arteaga (7-5), who ranks No. 7.

Fans in attendance at the historic Saitama Super Arena will get to watch both portions of the event with the BELLATOR fights taking place in the cage with the iconic red and blue BELLATOR gloves, plus white gloves for the World Grand Prix competitors. The BELLATOR contests will be adhere to the Unified Rules of MMA.

After a thrilling, dominant victory over Brazil’s Marcos Breno in April, Japan will play host to the next edition of the Danny Sabatello show. One of the sport’s most entertaining talents on the microphone and the cage, the next target to draw the ire of the Chicago native will be Magomed Magomedov, a fighter Sabatello has called out repeatedly. The former NCAA Division I wrestling standout looks to score a second straight victory and vault himself right back into title contention atop the ever-exciting BELLATOR bantamweight division.

Magomedov, 31, has proven to be one of the 135-pound division’s most dynamic contenders. A flashy striker keen to throw spinning attacks, the World Grand Prix semi-finalist also sports a lightning-quick submission game. Following a defeat to eventual tournament winner Patchy Mix, Magomedov will travel to the “Land of the Rising Sun” eager to shut “The Italian Gangster’s” mouth once and for all. It will be the first fight of 2023 for Magomedov, who hopes to add Sabatello’s name to an impressive list of vanquished foes that includes former World Champion Petr Yan.

At welterweight, few men have had as much success inside the BELLATOR cage as Andrey Koreshkov. The former Welterweight World Championship title challenger is an impressive 15-4 with the promotion, a run that includes eight knockout victories — including several highlight reel-worthy finishes. On July 30, Koreshkov will have a chance to lengthen his flawless run and avenge one of his few defeats, a 2019 split decision at the hands of Larkin. With both men highly ranked in the division, this consequential rematch of top-ten athletes will be sure to entertain the Japanese crowd.

Larkin, 36, is unbeaten in his last eight fights, defeating his last seven opponents in what has been a bit of a career resurgence for the Southern California-based veteran. Coming off back-to-back knockouts, including the social media-breaking standing elbow finish of Mukhamed Berkhamov at February’s BELLATOR 290 event at The Forum, Larkin is making his case for a crack at Yaroslav Amosov’s title hard to ignore. With a second win over Koreshkov in Japan, little would stand in the way of Larkin earning his second crack at the BELLATOR Welterweight World Championship more than five years after his first.

Full Bout List: https://bellator360.com/to/ZpQVCV

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