Fighter quotes from RIZIN.12 media day

2 weeks after another successful event at RIZIN.11, putting over 17,000 in attendance at the Saitama Super Arena, RIZIN returns to Nagoya for the second time, this time at the Dolphins Arena for RIZIN.12. The card will consist of 12 fights total, with 7 MMA bouts and 5 Kick boxing bouts. This will be the most kick boxing bouts the promotion will be putting on in one event, all focusing on young Japanese talent.

In the main event, RIZIN light weight Yusuke Yachi will be taking on undefeated Brazilian prospect Luiz Gustavo and in the Co main, Former DEEP Flyweight Champion and Japan’s top Flyweight Yuki Motoya will be taking on the heavy hitting Shooto Pacific rim Champion Kazuma Sone. This card also features familiar names such as Hatsu Hioki, Kiichi Kunimoto, Angela Magana, and Invicta FC matchmaker Kaitlin Young who will be making a comeback to MMA after 4 years.

NAGOYA – On August 10th, all participants went through media day, and shared their thoughts about their upcoming fights held on Sunday 12th. The quotes follows as bellow

Yusuke Yachi

“I feel great, just another day in the office. I usually put my game face on 5 minutes before the fight so I’m still relaxed. I’ve seen 1 fight of my opponent but I really can’t tell much about him with just one fight. It’s really cool that Wanderlei will be in his corner though. I’m trying not to stress with the lack of information on my opponent but I’m just going to go in there and do my thing, fight my fight and enjoy every step of the way. I am the main event of RIZIN’s Summer Festival”

Luiz Gustavo

“I feel great. I’ve trained 8 years for this opportunity. My mentor Wanderlei Silva beat Japanese star Sakuraba and earned his stardom in Japan. I plan to do the same by beating Yachi. I am very much looking forward in using the RIZIN rules, like Wanderlei, I also like to use soccerball kicks and face stomps. I will become Champion for my family.”

Wanderlei Silva

“I am happy to be able to introduce such talent to Japan. This kid will be the next star. He will revenge our previous loss against Yachi. Me and Andre Dida both want to fight on the NYE card this year, and will be talking to Sakakibara about possibilities while I am in Japan. I hope RIZIN continues to grow and become an event like PRIDE”

Yuki Motoya

“I feel great. I am very relaxed right now. My opponent has good kicks and striking power so I need to be aware of those. I will do what I always do and focus on winning every fight in front of me. That would eventually lead to me fighting Horiguchi again.”

Kazuma Sone

“Everything is on point. I want to win in RIZIN and become popular. I need leave an impression so I will beat the crap out of Motoya. He’s a boring fighter with no personality, he doesn’t belong in RIZIN because he has no star power. I need to be aware of his submissions but that’s about it. I am confident I can beat him standing and in wrestling.”

Kiichi Kunimoto

“I was wanting to get on the May card so I have been ready for a long time. My opponent is on a winning streak and a tough fighter. I will show the difference between a local fighter and an International fighter. I will finish him and please the Nagoya crowd. I will not be defensive and I will go for that knockout, I will strike with my opponent”

Ryuichiro Sumimura

“My opponent is a very dark dude lol But yes, his style will give me trouble for sure. I have trained with him a couple times but overall we are both from the western region so I hope we can put on an entertaining fights for the fans. He said that he will KO me, so I hope he sticks to his word. I hope he doesn’t freak out and shoot on me or anything.”

KING Reina

“I lost about 10kg from the last time I fought in RIZIN. I feel lighter and faster, and it’s a whole new world for me. After studying my opponent, I don’t feel that Kaitlin will be a threat to me, so it won’t be a problem what so ever. I feel much more comfortable with my striking after fighting in Shoot Boxing last month. The theme for year is challenge, I will continue push myself and take on any challenges. Kaitlin is a veteran and a well-respected fighter, but I plan to dominate and raise my value internationally.”

Kaitlin Young

“KING Reina is young and is a very good Judo practitioner. I plan not to fight her fight and keep the fight where I want it to be. Her striking is good, but still has holes, so I plan to capitalize on them and knock her out. The past 4 years I have been focused on Muay Thai and kickboxing, I feel like I didn’t give it all when I left MMA 4 years ago. I want to come back and show what I can really do. I love the RIZIN rules with soccerball kicks and stomps and knees to the head. I can’t wait to try them out. I have heard nothing but good things about RIZIN from my friends and I can’t wait for the experience.”

Taiki Naito

“I have always wanted to fight in RIZIN ever since I saw their first event on TV. And now that RIZIN has been putting effort in the kickboxing events, I want to be the fighter that will push RIZIN value and make it a better show. My opponent has been saying that he will kill me or what not, so I will let him try, but he won’t be able to touch me.”

Hannay Hashimoto

“I was not expecting to get the call from RIZIN so it was a very pleasant surprise. I accepted without second thoughts. My opponent is a very tough fighter but I am grateful to be able to fight such a high profile fighter on such a high profile stage. I have nothing to lose so I will go in there to capitalize on this opportunity.”

Hatsu Hioki

“I will be fighting a young prospect, and I have been in that position before when I was fighting the veterans. But I plan to show everybody that I still have it and show the grand sum of my 20 years of competing. Most of the fighters I fought with back in the day have retired or have become trainers, so I would like to put on a performance to make them proud. I would like to show my style of MMA to my hometown fans and to the RIZIN audience.”

Mikuru Asakura

“Everybody is saying that Hioki should take this fight without a doubt, so I’m holding my emotions in and waiting to explode in the ring. I want to continue to fight in RIZIN so I need to win. I need to become the new face of Japanese MMA. I am a finisher, so I plan to finish this fight as well. My opponent is very experienced and is a great grappler and it won’t be easy, but this is my home town, my back yard and I am the main event of this event, so I don’t plan on losing.”

Roque Martinez

“I have no information about my opponent but I am confident that I can win this 100%. I am going to take this opportunity to shine and leave a mark in Japan. I never study my opponents and always do my thing, so I plan to KO my opponent like I always do. I want to put on a show and entertain the fans.”

Kiyoshi Kuwabara

“My fight policy is to knock people out. All of my wins have come by knockout. I can grapple and I am a purple belt in jiu jitsu but I will not use it to attack. I idolize Mark Hunt and his fight style, and Samurai’s never back down and will die for their masters. I will die for the people who support me, and believe in me. I grew up without parents so I want to inspire kids who aren’t as fortunate.”

Kaito

“I have always be training so I can fight all the time. I took the last fight in a 24 hour notice and came out without any damage so I asked for another one. Even though RIZIN is a MMA event, I want to steal the show with my fight. There are many other Shoot Boxers on this card, but I want to be the shine more than everybody and prove Shoot Boxing is the best.”

Sho Ogawa

“I’m excited to be fighting a fight that would never happen in other organizations. This fight only happened because it’s RIZIN. This fight has me and the entire kickboxing community excited. I want us to put on a great fight and steal the show. And of course with me knocking that pretty face out.”

Kanako Murata

“I made my MMA debut here in Nagoya so I am happy to be back to the location where I kicked off my career. I’ve had my ups and downs with injuries but right now I feel great because I set up fight camp at CSA in USA with coach Kirian. I know she is a wrestler so I don’t want to lose to her in that aspect of the fight. I will show everything I have worked on and beat her. Angela is a well-known figure in the fight community and is well rounded. I will fight my fight and will show everybody my version of MMA wrestling”.

Angela Magana

“I had a great fight camp. I didn’t have to train in bad conditions like without fresh water and no electricity like my last fight. I love Japanese MMA and am eager to fight with the RIZIN rules. Murata is a good wrestler but everything else is basic. I plan to keep the fight standing, and knock her out. I’m aiming to compete for the Puerto Rico National wrestling team for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, so I am happy to be here to check Japan out before that.”

Ryuki

“RIZIN is the biggest fight promotion in Japan. I fight kickboxing now, but eventually I want to fight MMA. I want to leave an impression to the RIZIN fans so I plan to put on a fight to be remembered.”

Naoya

“My blue hair is a superstitious thing. The last time I fought with this hair I won a title. I have been eager to fight in the ring I have been watching on TV, so I can’t wait to get in there. My opponent is very tough but I don’t feel like losing.”

Shintaro Matsukura

“I’m happy that I am able to fight on such a big event. I know this is a different platform. You need to do more than just win. You need to stand out, you need to leave an impression. I idolize Wanderlei, Crazyhorse and Gomi. All these guys are crazy. I have a dull personality and I’m a shy person so I look up to fighters who can go crazy.”

Takahiro Okuyama

“I’m happy to be able to fight in my home town and in such a big promotion. There are several Shoot Boxers fighting on this card so I hope all of us can represent our sport well. But I plan to stand out more than anybody. My opponent has a bigger name and longer career than me, but I hope to give him hell and knock him out.”

Shota Takiya

“I want to be like Goku from Dragonball and continue to evolve as a fighter. I am very much looking forward to be fighting in such a promotion like RIZIN. And me being picked for the first fight, I feel obligated to kick off the event with a boom. My kicks are great and I would like to knock my opponent out with my kicks.”

Syuto Sato

“I feel great and I am ready to knock my opponent out anytime. I’m going to leave a mark in RIZIN’s kickboxing division by winning in spectacular fashion in the 1st round. RIZIN has put on 5 kickboxing fights for this event so I feel obligated to show the world that kickboxing is an exciting sport.”

Complete line up:

[MMA] Yusuke Yachi vs Luiz Gustavo
[MMA] Yuki Motoya vs Kazuma Sone
[MMA] Kiichi Kunimoto vs Ryuichiro Sumimura
[MMA] KING Reina vs Kaitlin Young
[Kickboxing] Taiki Naito vs Hannya Hashimoto
[MMA] Hatsu Hioki vs Mikuru Asakura
[MMA] Roque Martinez vs Kiyoshi Kuwabara
[Kickboxing] Kaito vs Sho Ogawa
[MMA] Kanako Murata vs Annngela Magana
[Kickboxing] Ryuki vs Naoya
[Kickboxing] Shintaro Matsukura vs Takahiro Okuyama
[Kickboxing] Shota Takiya vs Syuto Sato

Doors open at 2:00PM with Opening Ceremony at 3:00PM on Sunday August 12th 2018 at the Saitama Super Arena. International tickets can be purchased at www.stubhub.com or live streaming can be purchased at http://www.rizinff.com/en/ or https://www.fite.tv/channel/rizin-mma/