A “special standing bout rules” bout between 23-year-old kickboxing sensation Tenshin Nasukawa and 42-year-old former PRIDE champ Takanori Gomi will take place at RIZIN 33 on New Year’s Eve.
RIZIN announced the bout, reportedly a two-round exhibition boxing match (h/t Bloody Elbow), on Friday. The end-of-year card features 15 bouts including a lightweight title bout between Roberto de Souza and Yusuke Yachi as well as a bantamweight grand prix. It takes place at Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan, and streams on LIVENow internet pay-per-view.
Nasukawa, a popular kickboxer, typically fights at 128 pounds, while Gomi most recently fought Koji Tanaka in a special rules bout at 172 pounds. Rizin did not specify a contracted weight for the bout.
Rizin has billed the bout as Nasukawa’s final appearance for Rizin. The kickboxer previously announced he intends to transition full-time to boxing; he infamously took on undefeated retired boxing champ Floyd Mayweather in an exhibition boxing match in 2018 and was knocked out in the first round.
Gomi’s most recent appearance against Tanaka ended in a majority decision win, his second since 2018 after a long 1-7 (and 2 no-contest) skid in the UFC and Rizin.
Additional fight announcement for RIZIN.33
Tenshin Nasukawa vs. Takanori Gomi#RIZIN #RIZIN33 pic.twitter.com/xiUMSiUCrP
— RIZIN FF English (@rizin_English) December 25, 2021