Rizin Fighting Federation (stylised in all caps and also known as Rizin FF) is a Japanese mixed martial arts organization created in 2015 by the former Pride Fighting Championships and Dream Stage Entertainment president Nobuyuki Sakakibara.[1][2]
Founded to be the spiritual successor of Pride FC and Dream, Rizin carries much of the philosophy and ambition of its two predecessors: its events are promoted as larger-than-life events with elaborate opening ceremonies and fighter entrances, its matches are fought in a roped ring and it has a ruleset inherited from Pride and Dream. The organization also promotes "Grand Prix", single-elimination tournaments where fighters have to fight multiple opponents in the same night.[3][4] Rizin is considered Japan's top MMA promotion.[5]
Rizin has also promoted kickboxing matches, with two "Grand Prix" tournaments in 2017[6] and 2021.[7]
The promotion's name is a combination of "Raijin", the Japanese god of lightning; the word "rising", meaning "to prosper and thrive"; and the letter, 'Z', meaning "ultimate".[8]
In 1997, Pride Fighting Championships was founded in Japan, promoted by Dream Stage Entertainment. The organization quickly rose up to become the world's most popular MMA promotion and helped to popularize the sport in Japan and in the world. Pride differentiated itself from the UFC with its focus on spectacle and entertainment, as well a more permissive ruleset.[9] By 2007, a scandal alleging its ties to the yakuza caused a financial decline that lead to the promotion folding. Dream Stage Entertainment was bought by Zuffa—UFC's holding company—which initially promised to keep the event running. However, Zuffa would lay off most of Pride's staff with several Pride fighters moving to the UFC.[9]
After Pride folded, most of DSE's former staff, fighters and executives joined Fighting and Entertainment Group, the promoters of K-1, to organize a successor, which became known as Dream.[10] However, FEG would have its own financial issues and went bankrupt in 2012. As a result, Dream became defunct.[11]
Three years after Dream folded, rumors began circulating that Pride and Dream founder Nobuyuki Sakakibara would return to the industry after an interview with Bellator MMA President Scott Coker was released.[12] On September 19, 2015, during Bellator MMA & Glory: Dynamite 1, it was announced that Sakakibara had signed former Pride Heavyweight Champion Fedor Emelianenko to headline a New Year's Eve Show in Tokyo for his new MMA promotion.[13] Sakakibara held a press conference on October 8, 2015, with Nobuhiko Takada and other former Pride FC employees to formally announce the launch of "Rizin Fighting Federation".[14] Initial signees included Kazushi Sakuraba, Shinya Aoki, as well as female competitors Gabi Garcia and Rena Kubota.[15]
A Grand Prix tournament was announced (held at 100 kg or roughly 220 lbs), with champions and competitors from Bellator, KSW, Jungle Fight,[16] BAMMA, and King of Kings. Most notably, King Mo was announced to represent Bellator in the tournament.[17] The 8-man bracket was officially finalized on November 30, 2015, with other bouts also being announced shortly thereafter.[18][19][20][21] Kron Gracie (whose father Rickson competed at the inaugural PRIDE event) was announced to participate against Asen Yamamoto.[22] Amongst the veterans in the Japanese scene, Tsuyoshi Kosaka would face James Thompson,[23] and Akebono Tarō would face Bob Sapp.[24]
Initial plans were to do at least four events per year, as opposed to the more frequent scheduling of other promotions, in order to build up the excitement and anticipation.[25] Rizin's presentation is modeled after major sporting events, such as the UEFA Champions League and FIFA World Cup.[26]
In 2018, it was announced that the main event for the traditional New Year's Eve card (Rizin 14) was going to be a boxing match between Floyd Mayweather Jr. and undefeated Japanese kickboxer Tenshin Nasukawa.[27] The match ended up with Nasukawa knocked out two minutes into the first round.[28]
Rizin Trigger 1st, on November 11, 2021, would be Rizin's first event in which matches would take place inside a cage, instead of the traditional roped ring.[29]
On December 31, 2022, as the traditional New Year's Eve event, Rizin hosted a crossover Bellator vs Rizin card with Bellator MMA as part of Rizin 40.[30] The card saw fighters from each promotion fight each other.[31] The card saw Bellator MMA fighters Gadzhi Rabadanov, former champions A.J. McKee, Juan Archuleta and Kyoji Horiguchi, and current champion Patricio Freire, fighting against Rizin representatives Koji Takeda, Soo Chul Kim, Hiromasa Ougikubo and champions Kleber Koike Erbst and Roberto de Souza. All five Bellator representatives would win their matches in a clean sweep.[32] During the event, former boxing world champion Manny Pacquiao made a public announcement that he had signed with Rizin for a boxing exhibition match against a yet-unannounced opponent.[33]
During the Super Rizin 2 card on July 30, 2023, the promotion announced their first international event, Rizin Landmark 7, to take place in Azerbaijan on November 4.[34] It will also be the first major MMA event to take place in the country.[35]
Rizin's inaugural event was broadcast in North America on Spike TV.[36] Other broadcasters have included SKY Perfect JSAT Corporation, Fuji Television, Fox Sports Brazil, Kix and Match TV.[37] From 2017 to 2020, Rizin events have been streaming on FITE TV in North America and Europe.[38] Rizin 26 to Rizin 37 would stream on LIVENow in Europe and North America.[39]
In 2022, due to several controversies, Rizin would be dropped by Fuji by May of that year.[40][41] Rizin would since begin broadcasting on events via PPV on their streaming service, RIZIN STREAM PASS, and various other streaming platforms in Japan.[42]
Starting with Super Rizin & Rizin 38 in 2022,[43][44] Integrated Sports would produce English-language PPVs of Rizin events for FITE.[45]
In February 2024, Rizin announced the launch of a new international service, RIZIN.tv. From March, the service will be subscription-based, and will include past events.[46]
The rules in Rizin FF have been adopted from Pride FC with some slight modifications over the years. Matches are three rounds in length. Prior to May 2018, the first round of men's matches spanned 10 minutes, while the final two rounds lasted five minutes each. Since then matches have been three rounds of five minutes each. Victory can be attained by knockout, submission, technical knockout by referee stoppage, or by judges' decision.
All strikes, throws and chokes are permitted, with the exception of headbutts and strikes to the back of the head, medulla oblongata, spinal cord or genitals.[47] Soccer kicks, knees and stomps to grounded opponents are also permitted. However, if there is a weight discrepancy of 15 kg (33 lb) or more, the lighter fighter is allowed to choose if such ground attacks are permitted.[47] Unlike Pride, Rizin allows the use of elbow strikes, including the 12–6 elbow.[48]
Fights are judged on the following criteria:[47]
Although not outlined in the Rizin rules, scorecards published on the JMOC website suggest that damage, aggressiveness and generalship are scored 50, 30 and 20 points respectively. Where the fighter has not fulfilled the element, they are given a score of zero - there are no in-betweens.[48]
Rizin kickboxing matches are three rounds of three minutes each. Victory can be attained by knockout, technical knockout by referee stoppage, or by judges' decision. If the match goes the distance, a 10-point system is used to judge.[47] Three knockdowns in a single round will result in a technical knockout.[47] All forms of elbow strikes are illegal.[47]
The division champions include only linear and true champions. Interim champions who have never become linear champions will be listed as interim champions. Fighters with multiple title reigns in a specific division will also be counted once. Runners-up are not included in tournaments champions.
Floyd Mayweather Jr.
Goran Reljić Mirko Filipović Jarred Brooks Bob Sapp Muhammed Lawal
Tenshin Nasukawa Kyoji Horiguchi Kai Asakura Victor Henry Shintaro Ishiwatari Naoki Inoue Hiromasa Ougikubo Takafumi Otsuka Ulka Sasaki Shoji Justin Scoggins Ben Nguyen
Diego Brandao Gabi Garcia
Jairzinho Rozenstruik Daron Cruickshank Ren Hiramoto
Amir Aliakbari
Fedor Emelianenko Vadim Nemkov
Jiří Procházka Tatsuya Kawajiri Satoru Kitaoka Takasuke Kume Daron Cruickshank Takanori Gomi Yusuke Yachi Let's Gota K-Taro Nakamura C.B. Dollaway Sudario TsuyoshiRizin FF is affiliated with the following organizations:[59]
Bellator MMA Invicta FC Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship Fight Nights Global Russian MMA Union Jungle Fight Deep Shooto VTJ K-1 Shoot boxing
Road FC
KSW
Lithuania Bushido Federation Gladiator Championship Fighting
Full Metal Dojo