Bout order for RIZIN 15 confirmed; Light Heavyweight Title fight as main event

The fight order for RIZIN’s kickoff event has been determined. RIZIN’s first Light Heavyweight Championship bout between Muhammed “King Mo” Lawal vs Jiri Prochazka has been confirmed as the main event.

With sum bumps on the road, RIZIN.15 is set with 10 MMA fights and 2 Kickboxing fights with the total of 12 fights. The event will kick off with a kickboxing bout between 2 hard hitters TAIGA and Thallison Ferreira, looking to start the promotion’s year with a bang. Shinju Auclair (2-1) was forced to withdraw due to an ankle injury and had Saray Orozco (4-2) without an opponent, just 5 days before the fight. However, it didn’t take long until Strawweight wrestling sensation Kanako Murata (6-1) stepped in to take the short notice fight. Murata was scheduled to make her Invicta FC debut last December, but was postponed due to a knee injury.

Fighter Quotes

Shinju Auclair

“I’m incredibly frustrated at the situation but I have to accept that this is outside of my control and make peace with the circumstances. I have previously fought with torn ligaments in my elbow and although I was able to overcome the injury during the fight, I ended up causing further damage to my body forcing me to the sidelines for a whole year and doubling my original recovery time. As to not make the same mistake twice, myself and my team, under medical guidance have chosen to pull out of this fight with deep regret. To my opponent Saray, I am extremely sorry. To anyone who this may disappoint, please forgive me. Thank you for understanding!”

Kanako Murata

“I will be taking the spot for the injured Shinju Auclair and fight Saray Orozco. I’ve been in situations where I have been injured before the fight and my opponent being injured and left without a fight, so I understand both fighters’ feelings. I will do my best to be able to put on a great fight for everybody! Please come see me fight at the Yokohama Arena!”

Confirmed Fights:

King Mo vs Jiri Prochazka

Tenshin Nasukawa vs Fritz Biagtan

Kyoji Horiguchi vs Ben Nguyen

Satoru Kitaoka vs Roberto Satoshi Souza

Karl Albrektsson vs Christiano Frohlich

RENA vs Samantha Jean-Francois

Mikuru Asakura vs Luiz Gustavo

Kana Watanabe vs Justyna Haba

Damien Brown vs Koji Takeda

Manel Kape vs Seiichiro Ito

Shinju Auclair vs Saray Orozco

TAIGA vs Thallison Ferreira

Roberto Villa

Roberto Villa is the CEO, Founder, Executive Writer, Senior Editor of FightBook MMA. Has a passion for Combat Sports and also a podcast host for Sitting Ringside. He’s also a former MMA fighter and Kickboxer.