There will be a major New Year’s Eve MMA event in 2020 after all, courtesy of Rizin Fighting Federation.
The promotion revealed via press release on Thursday night that Rizin 26 will take place on Dec. 31. There will be a limited audience inside the Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan, of 5,000 people, with the option for more depending on potential loosening government restrictions. Although the promotion has put on three-day festivals in past years, the COVID-19 protocols only allow for a single fight card on NYE.
Headlining Rizin 26 is a bantamweight championship rematch between former divisional kings, as Kai Asakura (16-2) takes on the returning Kyoji Horiguchi (28-3).