Jessica Aguilar is returning to MMA competition.
The former WSOF champion and UFC and Bellator fighter is set to make a comeback July 31 at Rizin FF 37 in Japan at Saitama Super Arena near Tokyo. She’ll be part of a women’s an atomweight grand prix and she takes on former RIZIN champion Ayaka Hamasaki in the opening bout.
The news was announced by the promotion Thursday.
The winner of the tournament is set to win around $51,000 USD.
This will be Aguilar’s (20-9) first fight in almost two years. She most recently competed in November 2020, when she lost a split decision to former UFC fighter Danielle Taylor at XFC 43. It was her first bout since her UFC release. Aguilar, who holds wins over Carla Esparza and Megumi Fujii, is looking to snap a three-fight losing skid.
Like Aguilar, Hamasaki (23-5) also is considered a pioneer of women’s MMA. The 40-year-old has been competing professionally since 2009, fighting under notable banners such as Invicta FC, Jewels and now RIZIN.
Below is the updated card for RIZIN 37:
- Naoki Inoue vs. Kenta Takizawa
- Ulka Sasaki vs. Yuki Nakahara
- Yuki Motoya vs. Shinobu Ota
- Yushi vs. Haruki
- Hideki Sekine vs. Tsuyoshi Sudario
- Kota Miura vs. Felipe Masoni
- Hideo Tokoro vs. Makoto Takahashi
- Vugar Karamov vs. Sora Yamamoto
- Marcos Souza vs. Daichi Abe
- Kanna Asakura vs. Si Woo Park – women’s atomweight grand prix
- Ayaka Hamasaki vs. Jessica Aguilar – women’s atomweight grand prix
- Rena Kubota vs. Anastasiya Svetkivska – women’s atomweight grand prix
- Seika Izawa vs. Laura Fontoura – women’s atomweight grand prix
Ex-UFC fighter Jessica Aguilar set to return in women’s atomweight grand prix at RIZIN 37
