6 cross-promotional fights we could see at Bellator: Japan

Over the course of 2019, we’ve seen several groundbreaking matchups made between Bellator and RIZIN. Now, it’s almost time for their super card.

There have been many great moments to remember in and out of the MMA cages and rings around the world this year. But perhaps one of the greatest has been the true introduction of cross-promotional bouts. A concept that Bellator and RIZIN have collaborated on to the fullest degree.

Prior to 2019’s start, we had already seen glimpses of the two organizations’ partnership. It just wouldn’t be until this year that things really took off.

From sending their fighters back and forth from Japan to the US and so forth, to end the year with a bang we’re getting a super card that will be hosted by Bellator in Saitama on December 29. The event currently only has two matchups announced, both of which are exclusively pitting Bellator fighters against one another.

However, Bellator President Scott Coker has said that they plan to be announcing the Bellator vs RIZIN fights soon. So with that in mind, it leaves the door open for speculation.

Here are six potential fights we could see between Bellator and RIZIN fighters at Bellator: Japan.

Lorenz Larkin (21-7) vs Keita Nakamura (35-10-2)

At Bellator 229 in early October, Lorenz Larkin went to war with former champion, Andrey Koreshkov, in a wild affair that resulted in a split decision victory for “Da Monsoon.”

Following the fight, Coker seemed quite interested in matching Larkin with the winner of the next upcoming welterweight title fight. That fight, of course, being the highly anticipated rematch, the Grand Prix finals, between Rory MacDonald and Douglas Lima.

However, that tune has since changed as it looks like Larkin will be headed to Japan before that happens… it’s just a matter of who it will be against.

The RIZIN roster doesn’t have the deepest pool when it comes to 170-pounders but thankfully they just recently signed one that picked up a solid win in their promotional debut.

Like Larkin, Keita Nakamura is also a UFC veteran. In fact, “K-Taro” actually had two stints with the organization with the latter seeing better results as he went 4-4 alternating wins and losses. During that tenure, he picked up notable wins over the likes of Li Jingliang, Alex Morono, and Kyle Noke.

In his recent losses, Nakamura has only lost to tough competition and would be more than capable of potentially costing Larkin his second career Bellator title shot. In his RIZIN debut, it only took him one minute and 15 seconds to sink in a heel hook to secure the victory against Marcos Souza at RIZIN 19.

Veta Arteaga (5-3) vs Kana Watanabe (8-0-1)

The 31-year old Judo sensation, Kana Watanabe, has obviously shown her potential inside the ring as evidenced by her perfect record. And despite being thoroughly tested by Justyna Haba one fight ago, she’s still awaiting that “real” test.

When Bellator flyweight champion, Ilima-Lei Macfarlane, was awaiting her mystery opponent, it left many wondering who the next challenger could be. When Watanabe’s name was brought up, she expressed some interest.

During that time, the Tokyo native was preparing for her bout at DEEP JEWELS 26 with Hee Eun Kang which she would make good on via first-round submission (rear-naked choke). And now that Macfarlane’s next challenger has since been revealed, why not give Watanabe the champ’s last opponent?

At Bellator 220 in April, Macfarlane scored her third consecutive title defense by taking out an always-game Veta Arteaga. Having found success during the early going, Arteaga would succumb to Macfarlane in the third by taking a bone-cracking elbow to the forehead that caused a nasty cut.

Prior to that, the scrappy Arteaga had just earned the biggest victory of her career when she submitted the Bellator flyweight kickboxing champion, Denise Kielholtz. Directly before that, she dispatched of the former title challenger and recent Invicta FC strawweight title challenger, Emily Ducote.

This is a perfect match-up to determine where each fighter currently stands in the flyweight pecking order.

Phil Davis (21-5) vs Jiri Prochazka (25-3-1)

While Bellator dual division champion at light heavyweight and heavyweight, Ryan Bader, became the heavyweight king, the Czech Republic’s Jiri Prochazka was busy claiming the RIZIN light heavyweight crown.

After Prochazka captured the title, it got many imagining the possibility of him taking on Bader – and for a bit, it seemed like all parties were interested and hoping to make it happen next. Unfortunately for Prochazka, the Bellator boss in Coker seems to have other plans for his champion.

So in that case, why not the next best option in the former champion, “Mr. Wonderful” Phil Davis?

After Prochazka claimed his title against one of Davis’ former opponents in “King Mo” Muhammad Lawal, he was instantly placed onto the Alliance MMA product’s radar. Two big TKO wins later over the likes of Liam McGeary and Karl Albrektsson, another RIZIN light heavyweight, and Davis seems like as good of a next challenger for Prochazka as any. Especially when considering he’s already 0-2 against Bader in minimally exhilarating outings.

Bader isn’t exactly chomping at the bit for a trilogy bout there either.

In that case, it might be more realistic to see this fight take place at RIZIN 20 in the ring on New Year’s Eve a few days after Bellator: Japan. Regardless, if Prochazka can extend his current winning streak to 10 straight by beating a consistent elite of the division in Davis, there’s no doubt we will see the Bader match-up sooner rather than later.

Henry Corrales (17-4) vs Mikuru Asakura (11-1)

Do you want to talk about match-ups that are guaranteed to deliver? Then look no further than Henry Corrales vs Mikuru Asakura.

Both purveyors of violence for their respective rosters, each man would be highly motivated to perform on such an occasion like the Bellator-RIZIN super card.

For Corrales, an Asakura fight could act as a great springboard after a disappointing loss to Darrion Caldwell in the featherweight Grand Prix’s opening round – a loss that saw him get heavily outwrestled. There would very likely be none of that when throwing Asakura across from him.

Known for his nasty and violent striking capabilities just like his brother, Kai, Mikuru plain and simply likes to fight.

Currently riding a six-fight winning streak and in somewhat of a no man’s land as a RIZIN featherweight, a win over Corrales could get him into the mix in Bellator. That is after the tournament concludes, of course.

Whether at featherweight or not, we’ve seen Asakura do his thing against some of RIZIN’s most dangerous lightweights too. This was made most evident in his last time out when he handed fan favorite, Yusuke Yachi, a unanimous decision loss in a thriller.

Here’s to hoping the promotions can put their heads together and come up with this match-up because it’s one that could very well steal the show.

Robin Van Roosmalen (2-0 MMA, 51-18 KB) vs Daron Cruickshank (22-12)

Robin Van Roosmalen is a former two-division Glory kickboxing champion at featherweight and lightweight. With two fights in MMA to his name, he’s getting back into the sport.

Originally set to make his Bellator debut a few weeks ago at Bellator 232 against Cris “Sunshine” Lencioni, that would be canceled after Van Roosmalen missed the featherweight limit by a whopping 10 pounds.

Being matched with Sunshine was essentially creating a striker vs grappler match-up for the former kickboxing champ… so instead why not get a little wild in Japan?

Now forced to move up to lightweight, that opens Van Roosmalen’s options greatly – and even more so with RIZIN in the fold.

Perhaps the flashiest of them all on the RIZIN roster has been UFC vet, Daron Cruickshank. Recently excluded from the RIZIN Grand Prix and on a two-fight skid, this could be a logical match-up for the striking sensation in Van Roosmalen. As for Cruickshank, this wouldn’t be his first time taking on credentialed strikers as he defeated Andy Souwer in 2016.

If you like spinning attacks, elbows, flying knees… whatever it may be, this is the fight to make.

Weber Almeida (3-0) vs Erson Yamamoto (3-4)

Erson Yamamoto’s last win was a big one. Aside from the fact that it was a stellar one-shot elbow to the dome of Tim Eschtruth, it was also the first time that he and his mother, Miyuu, have won when competing on the same card.

The Yamamoto family carries a legendary lineage of wrestling from the great Ikuei. Then, of course, Miyuu and her brother, Erson’s uncle, Norifumi “Kid” Yamamoto have crafted their own legacies in and out of MMA.

Still just 23-years old, Erson continues to find his footing in the sport as he’s almost exclusively fought in the RIZIN ring. But perhaps Bellator could give him the opportunity to fight in a cage for the second time.

Not as young in life but equally as young in the sport is Weber Almeida, 31, who has been nothing but excitement in his two Bellator bouts to this stage.

A protege of the legendary Lyoto Machida, the similarities in their karate-based styles is clear but Almeida throws with a lot more power and aggressiveness.

This fight would obviously be one of the lesser anticipated ones out of the possibilities but there’s no denying it’s a fun match-up between fighters who want in on this great opportunity.

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The Scrap’s Drake Riggs is an MMA writer and YouTuber based out of Brush Prairie, Washington who specializes in feature pieces, the women’s fight scene, lists, news coverage, and rankings. Riggs has been a passionate MMA fan since 2009 and has written for various news sources. You can follow him on Twitter (@Dre_Kriggs).

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