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RIZIN boss responds to Spike Carlyle, lays out plans for featherweight GP
RIZIN CEO Nobuyuki Sakakibara has responded to some recent comments from Spike Carlyle, and laid out plans for a Featherweight Grand Prix. Carlyle was recently released by the UFC after going 1-2 in the promotion’s featherweight division. After his release, he expressed interest in migrating to RIZIN because he’s always wanted to fight in Japan, […]
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RIZIN boss Nobuyuki Sakakibara interested in signing free agent Sergio Pettis
Sergio Pettis was scheduled to battle Kai Kara-France at UFC 245, but was pulled from the matchup when it came to light that his current UFC contract has concluded. Pettis is now exploring free agency, and from the sounds of it, he can expect some interest from Japan’s RIZIN Fighting Federation. Speaking to BJPENN.com’s Tom […]
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UFC parent company paid Pride CEO $10 million to leave MMA
Documents unearthed in the anti-trust lawsuit against the UFC’s parent company, Zuffa LLC, have revealed that Pride CEO Nobuyuki Sakakibara was paid $10 million to leave the MMA business for seven years (via Jason Cruz on Twitter). If you are interested in following Friday's #UFCHearings, check out @heynottheface and @MMAanalytics timeline. I'm sure you are […]
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RIZIN planning something ‘quite strange,’ could involve Conor McGregor
Nobuyuki Sakakibara, the President of Japanese combat sports promotion RIZIN Fighting Federation, has no objections to promoting an unconventional fight here and there. Look no further than last year’s wild exhibition boxing match between Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Tenshin Nasukawa for proof of that fact. From the sounds of it, the RIZIN boss is plotting […]