BROADENED HORIZIN brings you discussion with your favorite Japanese and RIZIN personalities… in English!
April 2022 will see a big-time back-to-back weekend for RIZIN on April 16 and 17 as RIZIN Trigger 3rd and RIZIN 35 are set to go down.
Kicking off this episode of BROADENED HORIZIN is Bantamweight prospect Kazuma Kuramoto who takes on “Kintaro” Yuto Hokamura in the co-main event of RIZIN Trigger 3rd. Among topics discussed, Kuramoto talked about his preference between fighting in a ring or cage, his stellar finishes in RIZIN thus far, and if his Olympic gold medalist wrestler wife Eri Tosaka will ever get into MMA.
Making her promotional debut at RIZIN 35 the day after will be current Shooto Atomweight champion Satomi “Sarami” Takano who gets a shot to launch herself into the Top 10 against the perennial elite, Kanna Asakura. Sarami shared the feeling of getting her vengeance and title capture against Mina Kurobe as well as getting this big opportunity.
He’s back. Johnny “Hollywood” Case will cap off the weekend of action when rematching Roberto “Satoshi” de Souza for the RIZIN Lightweight crown. As the only man to hand Satoshi a loss in mixed martial arts (MMA), Case also looks to rebound off a 2019 loss to Tofiq Musayev in the semifinal of that year’s divisional grand prix. Case reflected on his career in the UFC and the recent time away ahead of this spotlight moment.
Among the international flavor making up the competitors will be another promotional newcomer, Spike Carlyle. The ex-UFC Lightweight gets welcomed to the RIZIN ring by former Deep Lightweight titleholder Koji Takeda in what could be a pivotal matchup for contendership.
Last but certainly not least is all-time great, the RIZIN Super Atomweight champion Ayaka Hamasaki who seeks redemption of one of the sport’s most stunning upsets against Seika Izawa. Hamasaki detailed her excitement for getting a chance at getting one back over an opponent as well as what went wrong in the first encounter.
Watch the full episode in the video above or you can listen on Spotify.