With the four of the five Rizin vs. Bellator matchups for Rizin 40 announced, the events top stars faced off – and so did the men in charge.
That’s right, even Bellator president Scott Coker and Rizin president Noboyuki Sakakibara jumped in and had a faceoff of their own to help promote the event.
On Wednesday, the promotions announced matchups for the Dec. 31 card at Saitama Super Arena were four matchups, including the headliner where former Bellator champion A.J. McKee (19-1) and Rizin lightweight champion Roberto de Souza (14-1) are set to clash.
Scroll below to check out the fighters squaring off for the first time Wednesday during a press conference in Japan.
Noboyuki Sakakibara and Scott Coker
Chills! 👀#BellatorvsRizin | 12/31 | Saitama Super Arena pic.twitter.com/VV2ig0mbvv
— BellatorMMA (@BellatorMMA) October 26, 2022
Roberto de Souza s. A.J. McKee
1️⃣ AJ McKee 🆚 Roberto Satoshi Souza
Who wins in this 𝖊𝖕𝖎𝖈 showdown?#BellatorvsRizin | 12/31 | Saitama Super Arena pic.twitter.com/0LLVrEN4xr
— BellatorMMA (@BellatorMMA) October 26, 2022
Kleber Koike vs. Patricio Freire
2️⃣ Patricio Pitbull 🆚 Kleber Koike
It’s 𝘾𝙝𝙖𝙢𝙥𝙞𝙤𝙣 𝙓 𝘾𝙝𝙖𝙢𝙥𝙞𝙤𝙣 on NYE! 🎆#BellatorvsRizin | 12/31 | Saitama Super Arena pic.twitter.com/jhioHY2WnH
— BellatorMMA (@BellatorMMA) October 26, 2022
Kim Soo Chul vs. Juan Archuleta
3️⃣ Juan Archuleta 🆚 Soo Chul Kim
Who is winning this fight?#BellatorvsRizin | 12/31 | Saitama Super Arena pic.twitter.com/Q7InHdfm7D
— BellatorMMA (@BellatorMMA) October 26, 2022
Hiromasa Ougikubo vs. Kyoji Horiguchi
4️⃣ Kyoji Horiguchi 🆚 Hiromasa Ougikubo
The 𝙩𝙧𝙞𝙡𝙤𝙜𝙮 comes to Japan on NYE.#BellatorvsRizin | 12/31 | Saitama Super Arena pic.twitter.com/Ce1r6FrDG3
— BellatorMMA (@BellatorMMA) October 26, 2022
