Kyoji Horiguchi-Kai Asakura Rematch Announced for Rizin’s New Year’s Eve Event

Kyoji Horiguchi and Kai Asakura are going to lock horns for a second time, this time with the Rizin Fighting Federation bantamweight title on the line.

Promotion CEO Nobuyuki Sakakibara announced that the rematch has been scheduled for New Year’s Eve during the Rizin 19 broadcast on Saturday. The card will take place on Dec. 31 at Saitama Super Arena in Saitama Japan.

Asakura pulled off a stunner when he knocked out Horiguchi in 68 seconds in a non-title bout at Rizin 18 on Aug. 18. The 25-year-old Tri-Force Akasaka representative earned his sixth consecutive victory at Rizin 19 with a 54-second stoppage of Yuta Sasaki. Asakura has won 14 of his 15 professional fights overall, with 11 victories coming inside the distance.

The reigning bantamweight champion in both Rizin and Bellator, Horiguchi has not competed since his upset loss to Asakura. Prior to that, the American Top Team representative had won 13 consecutive fights dating back to September 2015. Horiguchi’s 28-3 career mark includes triumphs over the likes of Darrion Caldwell (twice), Ben Nguyen, Ian McCall, Ali Bagautinov, Shintaro Ishiwatari and Chico Camus, to name a few.