Rizin FF 33 bantamweight grand prix semifinals set: Former champion Kai Asakura draws Kenta Takizawa

Rizin FF’s New Year’s Eve card will feature the bantamweight grand prix semifinals and a lightweight title fight.

On Dec. 31 at Saitama Super Arena in Japan, former champion Kai Asakura (18-3) will meet Kenta Takizawa (13-7) at Rizin FF 33, promotion officials announced Tuesday. Asakura picked up a finish of Shooto Watanabe and a unanimous decision over Alan Yamaniha to advance to the semifinals. Takizawa decisioned Masakazu Imanari, followed by a first-round TKO of Yuki Motoya to secure his spot.

“We have had a rough year with COVID, and although we are grateful to have been able to make it with Japanese fighters, we were very much looking forward to bringing in international fighters for NYE,” Rizin CEO Nobuyuki Sakakibara stated. “However, the Japanese government has just announced that Japan will be closing its borders for the next 30 days. We have still not been told that we are prohibited from bringing in international fighters, so at the moment I will say that we will continue to do our best to bring in international fighters, but if that doesn’t work out we will have some ideas to change up the current fight ideas we have.”

On the other side of the bracket, ex-UFC fighter Naoki Inoue (17-2) will face Season 24 “Ultimate Fighter” alum Hiromasa Ougikubo (23-5-2). Inoue knocked out Shintaro Ishiwatari followed by a decision win over Yuto Hokamura to advance to the semifinals, whereas Ougikubo picked up decision wins over Takeshi Kasugai and Takafumi Otsuka.

Yogibo presents #RIZIN33 at the Saitama Super Arena. Bantamweight GP Semi-Final matchups confirmed. Former Champion and favorite Kai Asakura gets Kenta Takizawa. Former UFC contender Naoki Inoue gets TUF runner up Hiromasa Ougikubo. #RIZIN #MMAhttps://t.co/XTqRMN4cep

— RIZIN FF English (@rizin_English) November 30, 2021

Also featured on the card is a matchup between the two quarterfinalists, Yuki Motoya (28-10) and Yuto Hokamura (14-10-2), who lost their respective bouts to Takizawa and Inoue. Finally, newly crowned lightweight champion Roberto Souza (12-1) is expected to put his title on the line against an opponent to be announced.