RIZIN has announced the first match-ups for its bantamweight GP in Japan.
Scheduled for July 30 at the Saitama Super Arena, the first round of the 135-pound tournament will feature Kyoji Horiguchi vs. Hideo Tokoro, Takafumi Otsuka vs. Anthony Birchak and Keita Ishibashi vs. Khalid Tara.
The bantamweight tournament will continue on Dec. 29 and 31, crowning the champion in the last day of the year.
Horiguchi (19-2), who left the UFC on a three-fight winning streak as a flyweight, impressed in his RIZIN debut with a decision victory over Yuki Montoya in a 125-pound bout in April.