On Wednesday night RIZIN FF boss Nobuyuki Sakakibara and Nobuhiko Takada held a press conference in Japan to announce a featherweight contest between top-ranked kickboxer Minoru Kimura, who makes his MMA debut, and PRIDE FC, KOTC veteran Charles “Krazy Horse” Bennett.
‘Krazy Horse’ vs. Kimura added to RIZIN’s September 25 Grand-Prix event
Bennett (29-30-2) rose to fame in 2005 when he became the first man to defeat Yoshiro Maeda at PRIDE: Bushido 7. Not only did he become the first man to defeat Maeda, but he also became the first to KO Maeda. Bennett’s most high-profile win came two years later in 2007, when he scored a big upset and knocked out K.J. Noons in round one at Elite XC: Destiny. After taking a break from MMA in 2012, Bennett returned to the cage in October of 2015 and has a record of 3-2 since doing so, with all three wins being finishes in under two minutes, and both losses being via decision. Bennett is coming off a 43-second heel-hook victory over Paul Rodriguez on May 14.
22-year-old Kimura (0-0, 21-6-1, KB) is known by some as “K-1’s bad boy” due to raucous behavior, but nevertheless, much like Bennett, Kimura has always been an aggressive guy who searches for the finish. In kickboxing he has picked up quite a few notable wins over names like Kaew Fairtex, Hiroya, Massaro Glunder and Thomas Adamandopoulos. Kimura will be making his MMA debut vs. Bennett after training with names like Tatsuya Kawajiri and Riki Fukuda in preparation.
- RIZIN FF World Grand Prix 2016: Opening RoundUpdated Fight CardOpen Weight Tournament Bout: Mirko “Cro Cop” Filipovic vs. TBA
Open Weight Tournament Bout: Kazuyuki Fujita vs. TBA
Open Weight Tournament Bout: Baruto Kaito vs. TBA
Open Weight Tournament Bout: Jiri Prochazka vs. TBA
Open Weight Tournament Bout: Teodorasu Aukstuolis vs. TBA
Open Weight Tournament Bout: Karl Albrektsson vs. TBA
Open Weight Tournament Bout: Valentine Moldavski vs. TBA
Open Weight Tournament Bout: Amir Aliakbari vs. TBA
Lightweight: Daron Cruickshank vs. Andy Souwer
Heavyweight: Gabi Garcia vs. Destanie Yarbrough
Strawweight: Kanako Murata vs. Kyra Batara
Weight TBD: Rena Kubota vs. Miyuu Yamamoto
Weight TBD: Asen Yamamoto vs. Kizaemon Saiga
Featherweight: Charles Bennett vs. Minoru Kimura
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