Following up on the news from earlier this week at Thursday’s Press Conference in Japan we learned a lot more about the details of Rizin 40 where we’ll see Bellator versus Rizin.
The main event will see Rizin Lightweight champion Roberto de Souza against former Bellator Featherweight champion A.J. McKee. De Souza has won five in a row all by stoppage, four of them inside of the first round. McKee is currently ranked eight at Lightweight and two at Featherweight coming off a decision win over Spike Carlyle in his 155 lbs. debut.
The two promotions will also be pitting their featherweight champions against each other as Bellator’s Patricio “Pitbull” Freire face Rizin’s Kleber Koike Erbst. Erbst has won seven in a row by submission. The last six wins coming in the Rizin Ring. In April “Pitbull” won the Bellator Featherweight title for a third time. And Just 25 days ago he defended it successfully against Adam Borics.
Former Bellator Bantamweight champion Juan Archuleta will battle former Road FC champion Kim Soo Chul. Archuleta is coming off a decision win over Errique Barzola, while beat Hiromasa Ougikubo at Rizing 38.
Lastly former Bellator & Rizin Bantamweight champion Kyoji Horiguchi will face Hiromasa Ougukubo for ta third time. Horiguchi won both of the previous meetings.
Rizing 40 is December 31st at the Saitama Super Arena.
Fight Card
- Lightweight: A.J. McKee (19-1) vs. Roberto de Souza (14-1)
- Featherweight: Patricio Freire (34-5) vs. Kleber Koike (31-5-1)
- Bantamweight: Juan Archuleta (26-4) vs. Kim Soo Chul (18-6-1)
- Bantamweight: Kyoji Horiguchi (30-5) vs. Hiromasa Ougikubo (25-6-2)
