Japanese MMA promotion RIZIN is back this weekend with a short but sweet card from the Yoyogi National Stadium in Tokyo, Japan. The card, which will air Saturday morning for viewers in North America, features many notable names in the promotion.
The headlining bout of RIZIN LANDMARK 5 sees popular fighter and social media star Mikuru Asakura make his return to competition against former RIZIN Featherweight Champion Juntarou Ushiku.
Asakura returns to MMA
Asakura’s last MMA bout dates back to New Year’s Eve 2021 when he beat Yutaka Saito on scorecards. He notably competed in exhibition boxing once last summer, getting stopped in the second round of a bout by Floyd Mayweather.
Former kickboxer Ren Hiramoto will look for his third consecutive win in MMA when he faces former champ Yutaka Saito in the co-main event spot on RIZIN LANDMARK 5. Lower down the lineup, notable JMMA talents like RENA, Mei Yamaguchi, Koji Takeda, Kazuma Kuramoto, and others are also expected to appear.
Different setting, same rules
This weekend’s card is part of the RIZIN LANDMARK series, which is separate from the promotion’s numbered shows. What makes this show different is that it takes place inside a cage instead of a ring. While the setting may be different, the RIZIN ruleset — which allows kicks to a downed opponent, including soccer kicks — remains in place.
