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RIZIN 53: Three Fights to Look Forward To & How to Watch

May 8, 202612 hours ago4 min read

RIZIN 53 happens Sunday. We take a look at some anticipated fights.

Rizin is returning to the Glion Arena in Kobe this weekend for Rizin 53. The show will feature a rare foreigner vs. foreigner main event championship match, the return of Ren Hiramoto, debuting foreigners, and other fights fans should be able to enjoy. As always, the show will be available on Rizin's international streaming platform, Rizin.tv, as a standalone PPV or part of its subscription. Damien Brown and Michael Schiavello will provide English commentary. Let's look at some of the fights you should pay attention to.

Rizin 53

RIZIN 53 Main Event: Ilkhom Nazimov (c) vs Luiz Gustavo

Ilkhom Nazimov (13-3) will defend the Rizin lightweight title for the first time as he takes on Brazil's Luiz Gustavo (15-4).

Nazimo, from Uzbekistan, trains out of Tiger Muay Thai in Thailand. He brings classic TMT striking to his fights, fighting on the back foot, throwing devastating leg kicks, and punishing the body with teeps. He won the title in 13 seconds on NYE, coming in on short notice and winning by kneeing Roberto "Satoshi" Souza in the head.

Luiz Gustavo has been fighting for Rizin before the pandemic. Originally brought in as a late replacement for another fight, he has fought in the Rizin Lightweight Grand Prix and has challenged for the title previously. His most recent win is over Kazushi Sakuraba's son, Taisei, resulting in the latter getting his jaw broken. Gustavo brings violent energy to all his fights. He throws wildly, making him a danger at any point in the fight.

RIZIN 53: Koyomi Matsushima vs Ryan Cafaro

Koyomi Matsushima (15-7) is a longtime veteran of the fight game who has fought in Shooto, Pancrase, One, and Road to UFC. Matsushima brings years of experience to his Rizin debut. A prolific all-rounder, he is adept at dictating the pace of a fight.

Ryan Cafaro (14-6, 1 NC) is also a longtime fight veteran in America. The current Cage Fury champion brings with him great grappling, striking, and the ability to outpace his opponents.

RIZIN 53: Daiki Lightyear vs Genji Umeno

Daiki Lightyear (12-13-3) is a former Shooto champion and two-time Rizin fighter who brings over a decade of fighting experience to the ring. He's an unpredictable fighter as sometimes he's locked in and other times he goes through the motions

Genji Umeno (2-0) is a former kickboxer who has so far successfully transitioned to MMA. While his two wins were against former kickboxers, this is the first fight that will truly test him as an MMA fighter.

What Time Does Rizin 53 Start?

Depending on where you are, the show will have a different start time. In North America, the show will be airing on May 9 at 9 p.m. PT and on May 9 at 10:30 p.m. ET.

Online Streaming for Rizin 53

Rizin has made it easier than ever to watch their shows. There are three options that you can choose from.

Rizin Premium Pass

If you are looking to add another subscription so you can not only access PPVs but also Rizin’s past shows, you can subscribe to the Premium Pass, which is USD $16.99/month. Other streaming services, such as ESPN+, where you pay for the subscription and an additional PPV price, Rizin Premium Pass, you have full access to PPVs with this option.

You can subscribe to the Rizin Premium Pass here. Rizin 53 will be available to watch on demand for 14 days. English commentary from Michael Schiavello and Damien Brown will be available, as well.

Individual PPV Purchase

If you have no interest in subscribing, you can buy Rizin 53 without subscribing. The price is USD $19.99. The show will be available to watch on demand for 14 days. English commentary from Michael Schiavello and Damien Brown will be available. You can buy the PPV here.

RIZIN LIVE

If you want to have the Japanese viewing experience, your best bet is Rizin Live. As of this writing, they take international credit cards, something a lot of Japanese websites do not have. The price is 5500 yen if you buy in advance and 6000 yen on the day of. You can buy it here.

YouTube

Usually, Rizin shows some of the first few matches on YouTube. There has been nothing added to their YouTube channel as of this writing, but make sure to subscribe to the channel to see if there will be some fights offered on there.