Gomi’s Dogs Banned From RIZIN 26

If Georges St-Pierre taught us anything, then we should let “Sleeping Dogs” lie.

I like dogs, and even have one of those animal-rescue license plates, so it’s not like I’m against canines or anything. But I’m also not one of those weirdos who throws birthday parties for my pooch or creates dummy Instagram accounts for my pets.

That kind of stuff might be better suited for ex-PRIDE champion Takanori Gomi, who makes his return to combat sports at RIZIN 26 on New Year’s Eve for a special-rules bout against Koji “Kouzi” Tanaka, and it appears one of those rules is “no dogs.”

Probably because dogs and fighters don’t mix.

“I am in love with my dogs, I just got a second puppy,” Gomi said after today’s RIZIN 26 weigh-in event (via MMA Fighting). “I care for them more than anything. I’m upset that SSA won’t allow me to bring them into the arena.”

He’s also “livid” with Tanaka for these comments.

RIZIN 26 is headlined by the bantamweight championship showdown between Kai Asakura and Kyoji Horiguchi. Elsewhere on the card, which takes place inside the famed Saitama Super Arena, Yaka Hamasaki battles Miyuu Yamamoto at super atomweight.

In other news, Joe Rogan still hates cats.