The MMA Vivisection: WSOF NYC + RIZIN 4 GP Final

Get ready for a doubleheader Vivisection, looking ahead to two cards this weekend that should have some guaranteed action and a lot of unorthodox circumstances surrounding them.

We’re Zane-free this week, because the man deserves a break. So make do with Eddie Mercado and Victor Rodriguez as we look at the RIZIN year-end GP with some some big Japanese names and heavy-hitting international talent.

RIZIN’s Grand Prix finale features Tetsuya Kawajiri taking on BJJ wunderkind Kron Gracie. Crafty veteran Hideo Tokoro will be taking on Erson Yamamoto, while Erson’s mother Miyuu (yes, seriously) will be fighting Legacy and King of the Cage fighter Andy Nguyen. This card also features appearances by Hayato “Mach“ Sakurai, Rena Kubota and BJJ juggernaut Gabi Garcia.

Rounding out the card will be the GP finals, where Amir Aliakbari brings his wrestling pedigree to take on Ukranian prospect and Fedor Team standout Valentin Moldavsky. The winner of that bout takes on the winner of the opposite bracket in a bout between PRIDE legend Mirko “Cro Cop“ Filipović and former sumo champion (again – yes, seriously) Kaido Hoovelson, a.k.a Baruto Kaito.

Stateside, we have World Series of Fighting putting on their biggest card in terms of name value with four title fights, along with some standouts. Former Titan FC champion Andre Harrison takes on Bruce Boyington, Jake Heun will test himself against former WSOF heavyweight champ Smealinho Rama, former UFC talent Jared Rosholt returns to action debuting under the WSOF banner and Vagab Vagabov makes his way back to the cage after serving his suspension from actions during his last U.S. fight.

Dual champion (light heavyweight and middleweight) David Branch fights Louis Taylor for the middleweight strap as the Team Renzo Gracie fighter continues to work both divisions against a tough opponent. Former UFC title challenger Yushin Okami will be fighting former UFC and Bellator talent Paul Bradley in the only non-title fight on the main card, while WSOF mainstay and bantamweight champion Marlon Moraes fights Brazilian regional terror Josenaldo Silva. Longtime MMA grappling titans Jon Fitch and Jake Shields square off in the co-main event, while Justin Gaethje fights hard-nosed veteran Luiz Firmino in the main event.

WSOF prelims begin at 1:00pm EST with early prelims online, televised prelims on NBC Sports Network and the main card starting at 4:00pm on NBC.

The WSOF 34 card and bout order are as follows:

Justin Gaethje vs Luiz Firmino (lightweight title fight)

Jon Fitch vs Jake Shields (welterweight title fight)

Yushin Okami vs Paul Bradley (welterweight bout)

Marlon Moraes vs Josenaldo Silva (bantamweight title fight)

David Branch vs Louis Taylor (middleweight title fight)

Jared Rosholt vs Caio Alencar (heavyweight fight)

Shane Krutchen vs Jeremy Mahon (catchweight at 150lbs)

Smealinho Rama vs Jake Heun (light heavyweight fight)

Bruno Santos vs Vagab Vagabov (middleweight fight)

Andre Harrison vs Bruce Boyington (featherweight fight)

RIZIN will be available to stream in the U.S. here, as of 1:00am EST.

RIZIN’s card is as follows:

Tatsuya Kawajiri vs Kron Gracie (featherweight fight)

Hideo Tokoro vs Erson Yamamoto (to be contested at 137lbs)

Andy Nguyen vs Miyuu Yamamoto (to be contested at 108lbs)

Wataru Sakata vs Hayato “Mach“ Sakurai (to be contested at 181lbs)

Kizaemon Saiga vs Dillin West (to be contested at 128lbs)

RENA Kubota vs Hanna Gujwan (to be contested at 108lbs)

Gabi Garcia vs Yumiko Hotta (heavyweight bout)