Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images
Two more title bouts have been added to the Bellator x Rizin NYE special.
CB Dollaway was in the middle of a two-year suspension from USADA, but it looks like he will now be allowed to ply his trade elsewhere. The 11-year UFC veteran has been granted a release from the promotion and is currently booked for the joint Bellator-Rizin new year’s eve special.
As announced by officials, the 36-year-old Dollaway will be moving up to face Jiri Prochazka for the Rizin light heavyweight title.
Dollaway has a 17-9 record, going 2-1 in his last three fights and 11-9 total with the UFC. Prochazka, on the other hand, is 25-3-1 overall and currently riding a nine-fight winning streak.
This championship fight is one of two title bouts that have just been announced for the the Rizin.20 event on December 31st.
Kyoji Horiguchi recently returned both his Bellator and Rizin titles after sustaining a knee injury. Stepping in to face Kai Asakura is another former Horiguchi opponent in Manel Kape, and the bout will be for the now vacant Rizin bantamweight belt.
Other bouts added to Rizin.20 at NYE are Satoshi Ishii vs Jake Huen, Vitaly Shemetov vs Simon Biyong, and Shintaro Ishiwatari vs Hiromasa Ogikubo.
Here’s how the two cards are shaping up.
Bellator: Fedor vs Rampage
December 29, 2019
Fedor Emelianenko vs. Quinton Jackson
Benson Henderson vs. Michael Chandler
Lorenz Larkin vs. Keita Nakamura
Ilara Joanne vs. Kana Watanabe
Goiti Yamauchi vs. Daron Cruickshank
Andy Nguyen vs. Ai Shimizu
Ryuichiro Sumimura vs. Jon Tuck
Jarred Brooks vs. Haruo Ochi
Hiroto Uesako vs. Yusuke Yachi
RIZIN.20
December 31, 2019
Ayaka Hamasaki vs. Seo Hee Ham [Atomweight title]
Johnny Case vs. Tofiq Musaev [One-night LWGP]
Patricky Pitbull vs. Luiz Gustavo [One-night LWGP]
Yuki Motoya vs. Patchy Mix
Mikuru Asakura vs. John Teixeira
Lindsey VanZandt vs. Rena Kubota
Vitaly Shemetov vs. Simon Biyong
Jake Heun vs. Satoshi Ishii
Jiri Prochazka vs. C.B. Dollaway [Light heavyweight title]
Kai Asakura vs. Manel Kape [Bantamweight title]
Shintaro Ishiwatari vs. Hiromasa Ogikubo