Asian MMA
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RIZIN 28: Bantamweight Grand Prix preview
RIZIN’s previously announced bantamweight tournament was postponed due to COVID spikes in Japan, but the wait should absolutely be worth it. But before we dive into that, we need to talk about the main event. Mikuru Asakura (14-2) takes on what is perhaps the best BJJ specalist not named Brian…
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ONE on TNT 3: Lineker vs Worthen preview
ONE Championship rolls on with their third consecutive show of 2021 aimed at U.S. audiences, with another event mostly for the more dedicated fan. While it’s not a poorly-structured event, cancellations managed to hit this one pretty badly. Wrestling powerhouse Amir Aliakbari was supposed to face Russian workhorse Anatoly Malykhin,…
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Sage Northcutt out of Shinya Aoki fight due to ongoing COVID symptoms
Another major roadblock has hit Sage Northcutt’s MMA career. The former UFC lightweight & welterweight competitor has been forced to withdraw from his upcoming bout against Japanese submission boogeyman Shinya Aoki for later this month. ‘Super’ Sage was scheduled to return to MMA for the first time after his devastating…
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RIZIN 27 results: Ayaka Hamasaki succeeds in title defense, intense finishes all over undercard
RIZIN 27 had a lot of promise, and it turned out being an event that truly delivered. The main event title fight showed a far closer fight than the first encounter between challenger Kanna Asakura and Ayaka Hamasaki. In the end Hamasaki’s experience and savvy led her to a split…
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RIZIN 27: Hamasaki vs Asakura 2 – Preview and weigh-in results
RIZIN returns this week live from Nagoya, Japan with a quality card that’s going under the radar packed with some excellent talent. Top billing goes to atomweight queen Ayaka Hamasaki (21-3) defending her belt against Kanna Asakura (18-4) in a very compelling rematch. In their initial 2018 encounter, Hamasaki proved…
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ONE Championship returns to TNT this April, Demetrious Johnson and Eddie Alvarez featured
ONE Championship managed to snag some international superstars in recent years, and this upcoming April we’ll be seeing two former UFC champs in action. The Asia-based organization announced on social media that former UFC flyweight champion Demetrious Johnson and former UFC and Bellator lightweight champ Eddie Alvarez will both be…
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Blatant mismatches and favoritism — Fighters and employees throw serious allegations at ONE Championship
In an interview with Business Insider, ONE CEO and founder Chatri Sityodtong discussed what set his organization apart from the UFC. His response paints a picture of a company that is above the fray when it comes to larger controversies in combat sports. “We celebrate values of integrity, humility, honor,…
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Threats, gag orders and more — Fighters and employees throw serious allegations at ONE Championship
In 2011, ONE Championship was founded as a destination organization — a home for some of the biggest names in Asian MMA as well as a proving ground for up-and-coming fighters from all over the region. In almost a decade, ONE has become an outfit that claims a viewership that…
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RIZIN 25: Asakura vs. Saito preview
RIZIN is back, although without most of the pomp and ceremony that their larger events are known for. This week’s event has a title fight, a grappling demonstration planned featuring Roberto Satoshi Souza, Misaki Akita and Kleber Koike Erbst, and a lot more kickboxing. Even without the wild atmosphere of…
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Kai Asakura vs Kyoji Horiguchi rematch scheduled for RIZIN NYE show
After making history by securing both the RIZIN and Bellator bantamweight championships, Kyoji Horiguchi suffered a horrible loss at the hands of Kai Asakura. This led to Horiguchi relinquishing both the RIZIN and Bellator belts when it was discovered he had an ACL tear. And now, the former king is…
Mightiest Daddy 