Our third and final card of MMASucka staff picks this weekend are in. RIZIN 18 will take place tomorrow, August 18th from the Dolphins Arena in Nagoya, Japan. The event will begin at 1:00am ET (10:00pm PT) live on pay-per-view. To view Saturday’s UFC 241 staff picks, click the link here.
You can purchase this pay-per-view through FITE TV for an incredible deal of just $23 U.S.D. with unlimited replays in the link immediately below. Capitalize on this great deal before the event begins!
THE FIGHTS
In the main event, Kyoji Horiguchi will face-off against Tri-Force Jiu-Jitsu Academy’s Kai Asakura. This bantamweight bout will only consist of three five-minute rounds as the pairing does not have a belt on the line. Horiguchi rides an incredible 13-fight MMA win streak dating back to his last loss against Demetrious Johnson in 2015. He captured the RIZIN bantamweight championship on New Years Eve with a third-round guillotine over Darrion Caldwell, then capturing Caldwell’s Bellator bantamweight strap in June (a first-round knockout over Ben Nguyen in-between). His opponent, Asakura, hopes to be the very man to end the run of Horiguchi and add a fifth straight victory to his resume. A lone career loss to ROAD FC veteran Je Hoon Moon sits as the only blemish in his record. This loss was overcome in a rematch at RIZIN Heisei’s Last Yarennoka! with Asakura defeating Hoon Moon by unanimous decision.
Atomweight queen Ayaka Hamasaki will take on Full Metal Dojo’s atomweight champion Suwanan Boonsorn in the co-main event. Hamasaki is looking for her second 49kg title defense of the year while Boonsorn hopes to capture the belt in her RIZIN debut.
Many other incredile fights are spread throughout the card including three must-watch bantamweight contests: DEEP bantamweight champion Victory Henry facing Australia’s Trent Girdham, WEC & UFC veteran Takeya Mizugaki taking on seven-fight RIZIN veteran Manel Kape, and DEEP legend Haruo Ochi battling “The Monkey God” Jarred Brooks. All three will be counted towards our staff picks among many others.
Check the remaining RIZIN 18 fights out further below.
STAFF PICKS
Throughout the year, staff picks will be composed of four different MMA promotions: UFC, Bellator, ONE, and RIZIN. Main cards will make up both UFC and Bellator picks, while the biggest fights to make up ONE and RIZIN events will be used. The WINNER of staff picks will have a choice between receiving a championship belt from ProAmBelts or a championship chain from Championship Chains. The 2018 winner was awarded to Michael DeSantis, compiling a record of 202-101.
Check out our MMASucka staff picks for RIZIN 18 below.
Staff Records after UFC Fight Night 156:
1. Michael DeSantis: 187-94
2. Connor Deitrich: 184-97
3. Ed Gallo: 179-103
4. Brian Gerson: 176-99
5. Mitchell Banuelos: 173-96
6. Mike Skytte: 172-109
7. Jeremy Brand: 166-115
8. Ryan Wagner: 163-77
9. Matt Bricker: 161-110
10. Ash Camyab: 148-102
11. Patrick Auger: 146-113
12. Frazer Krohn: 73-45
13. Ryan Fortune: 54-23
14T. Suraj Sukumar: 53-21
14T. Ryan Hobbs: 53-50
16. Andrew Benjamin: 33-22
17. McKenzie Guardiero: 29-23
*ONE Championship: Dreams of Gold picks from Friday have yet to be added*
Kazuma Sone (23-18-1) vs. Justin Scoggins (11-6)
Jeremy Brand: Scoggins via UD
Mike Skytte: Sone via Round 2 SUB
Michael DeSantis: Scoggins via UD
Ryan Wagner: Sone via Round 2 SUB
Mitchell Banuelos: Scoggins via UD
Ed Gallo: Scoggins via UD
Matt Bricker: Scoggins via UD
Connor Deitrich: Scoggins via UD
Patrick Auger: Sone via UD
Ash Camyab: Scoggins via UD
Ryan Hobbs: Scoggins via UD
Andrew Benjamin: Scoggins via Round 2 TKO
Frazer Krohn: Scoggins via UD
Ryan Fortune: Scoggins via UD
McKenzie Guardiero: Scoggins via UD
Staff picking Sone: 3
Staff picking Scoggins: 12
Hiroto Uesako (15-7) vs. Yves Landu (15-7)
Jeremy Brand: Uesako via UD
Mike Skytte: Uesako via Round 3 TKO
Michael DeSantis: Uesako via Round 2 TKO
Ryan Wagner: Uesako via UD
Mitchell Banuelos: Landu via UD
Ed Gallo: Uesako via UD
Matt Bricker: Landu via UD
Connor Deitrich: Landu via Round 2 SUB
Patrick Auger: Landu via UD
Ash Camyab: Landu via UD
Ryan Hobbs: Landu via UD
Andrew Benjamin: Uesako via Round 1 TKO
Frazer Krohn: Uesako via UD
Ryan Fortune: Uesako via SD
McKenzie Guardiero: Uesako via SD
Staff picking Uesako: 9
Staff picking Landu: 6
Haruo Ochi (19-7-2) vs. Jarred Brooks (14-2)
Jeremy Brand: Brooks via UD
Mike Skytte: Ochi via UD
Michael DeSantis: Brooks via UD
Ryan Wagner: Brooks via UD
Mitchell Banuelos: Brooks via UD
Ed Gallo: Ochi via UD
Matt Bricker: Brooks via Round 1 SUB
Connor Deitrich: Brooks via Round 1 TKO
Patrick Auger: Brooks via Round 1 SUB
Ash Camyab: Brooks via Round 3 TKO
Ryan Hobbs: Brooks via Round 2 TKO
Andrew Benjamin: Brooks via UD
Frazer Krohn: Brooks via Round 2 SUB
Ryan Fortune: Brooks via UD
McKenzie Guardiero: Brooks via Round 2 SUB
Staff picking Ochi: 2
Staff picking Brooks: 13
Kanna Asakura (14-4) vs. Alesha Zappitella (5-1, 1 NC)
Jeremy Brand: Asakura via Round 2 SUB
Mike Skytte: Asakura via SD
Michael DeSantis: Asakura via UD
Ryan Wagner: Asakura via Round 2 SUB
Mitchell Banuelos: Asakura via UD
Ed Gallo: Asakura via Round 1 TKO
Matt Bricker: Asakura via UD
Connor Deitrich: Asakura via UD
Patrick Auger: Asakura via UD
Ash Camyab: Asakura via UD
Ryan Hobbs: Asakura via UD
Andrew Benjamin: Zappitella via UD
Frazer Krohn: Asakura via UD
Ryan Fortune: Asakura via SD
McKenzie Guardiero: Asakura via Round 3 TKO
Staff picking Asakura: 14
Staff picking Zappitella: 1
Takeya Mizugaki (23-13-2) vs. Manel Kape (13-4)
Jeremy Brand: Kape via Round 2 TKO
Mike Skytte: Kape via UD
Michael DeSantis: Kape via Round 2 TKO
Ryan Wagner: Kape via Round 1 TKO
Mitchell Banuelos: Kape via Round 2 TKO
Ed Gallo: Kape via Round 1 TKO
Matt Bricker: Kape via Round 3 TKO
Connor Deitrich: Kape via Round 1 TKO
Patrick Auger: Kape via Round 3 TKO
Ash Camyab: Kape via Round 2 TKO
Ryan Hobbs: Kape via Round 2 TKO
Andrew Benjamin: Kape via Round 1 TKO
Frazer Krohn: Kape via Round 1 TKO
Ryan Fortune: Kape via Round 1 TKO
McKenzie Guardiero: Kape via UD
Staff picking Mizugaki: 0
Staff picking Kape: 15
Victor Henry (18-4) vs. Trent Girdham (11-2)
Jeremy Brand: Henry via UD
Mike Skytte: Henry via Round 2 TKO
Michael DeSantis: Henry via UD
Ryan Wagner: Henry via UD
Mitchell Banuelos: Henry via UD
Ed Gallo: Henry via Round 2 TKO
Matt Bricker: Henry via UD
Connor Deitrich: Henry via Round 3 SUB
Patrick Auger: Girdham via UD
Ash Camyab: Henry via UD
Ryan Hobbs: Girdham via UD
Andrew Benjamin: Henry via UD
Frazer Krohn: Girdham via UD
Ryan Fortune: Henry via UD
McKenzie Guardiero: Henry via UD
Staff picking Henry: 12
Staff picking Girdham: 3
Ayaka Hamasaki (18-2) vs. Suwanan Boonsorn (5-1)
Jeremy Brand: Hamasaki via UD
Mike Skytte: Hamasaki via Round 2 SUB
Michael DeSantis: Hamasaki via Round 2 SUB
Ryan Wagner: Hamasaki via Round 2 SUB
Mitchell Banuelos: Hamasaki via UD
Ed Gallo: Hamasaki via UD
Matt Bricker: Boonsorn via UD
Connor Deitrich: Hamasaki via UD
Patrick Auger: Hamasaki via UD
Ash Camyab: Boonsorn via Round 3 TKO
Ryan Hobbs: Boonsorn via UD
Andrew Benjamin: Hamasaki via Round 1 SUB
Frazer Krohn: Hamasaki via UD
Ryan Fortune: Hamasaki via Round 1 SUB
McKenzie Guardiero: Boonsorn via Round 3 SUB
Staff picking Hamasaki: 11
Staff picking Boonsorn: 4
Rizin 18 Main Event: Kyoji Horiguchi (28-2) vs. Kai Asakura (12-1)
Jeremy Brand: Horiguchi via UD
Mike Skytte: Horiguchi via UD
Michael DeSantis: Horiguchi via Round 2 TKO
Ryan Wagner: Horiguchi via Round 1 TKO
Mitchell Banuelos: Horiguchi via Round 2 TKO
Ed Gallo: Horiguchi via UD
Matt Bricker: Horiguchi via Round 1 TKO
Connor Deitrich: Horiguchi via Round 2 TKO
Patrick Auger: Horiguchi via Round 2 TKO
Ash Camyab: Horiguchi via Round 2 TKO
Ryan Hobbs: Horiguchi via Round 1 TKO
Andrew Benjamin: Horiguchi via Round 2 TKO
Frazer Krohn: Horiguchi via Round 2 TKO
Ryan Fortune: Horiguchi via Round 1 TKO
McKenzie Guardiero: Asakura via UD
Staff picking Horiguchi: 14
Staff picking Asakura: 1
Rizin 18 FEATURED IMAGE:
Kyoji Horiguchi and Kai Asakura at face-offs ahead of their RIZIN 18 main event, taking place Sunday, August 18th from the Dolphins Arena in Nagoya, Japan (photo credits to RIZIN Fighting Federation)
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