洛杉磯— BELLATOR MMA has announced that its fifth participant for the New Year’s Eve spectacle against RIZIN Fighting Federation opponents will be No. 10-ranked lightweight, Gadzhi Rabadanov(18-4-2), taking on 27-year-old Japanese standoutKoji Takeda(15-3) in a compelling matchup between two competitors riding high on the strength of consecutive victories.

A first-of-its-kind blockbuster co-promotion, BELLATOR MMA vs. 日進 takes place inside the Saitama Super Arena in Japan on Saturday, 十二月 31, and can be seen in the United States on SHOWTIME at 8 P.M. ET/PT on New Year’s Eve.

Rabadanov versus Takeda will join a star-studded five-fightBELLATOR MMA vs. 日進主卡, which is stacked from top to bottom with current and former champions competing in the four-sided ring under RIZIN’s unique rules. Headlining the event will be a dream matchup between RIZIN lightweight championRoberto “Satoshi” de Souza(14-1) against No. 3 BELLATOR pound-for-pound talentAJ “Mercenary” McKee(19-1), with BELLATOR and RIZIN featherweight champions帕特里西奧鬥犬(34-5) 和Kleber Koike(31-5-1) co-headlining the must-see event.

Former BELLATOR championsJuan “The Spaniard” Archuleta(26-4) 和堀口恭司(30-5) will round out the unparalleled main card, facing off with RIZIN’sSoo Chul Kim(18-6-1) 和Hiromasa Ougikubo(25-6-2), 分別.

Gadzhi Rabadanov, 29, signed with BELLATOR in 2021 after capturing the Eagle FC lightweight title, and has made an immediate impact on the promotion’s remarkably deep lightweight division. He announced his arrival in thunderous fashion atBELLATOR 263with an emphatic viral knockout of Daniel Carey, which he followed up with back-to-back dominant unanimous decision victories over Jay Jay Wilson and Bobby King in 2022. The product of the renowned Club Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov’s School in Dagestan and the prestigious American Kickboxing Academy, Rabadanov’s pedigree is world-class. On New Year’s Eve, Rabadanov will look to continue building upon his momentum with an impressive performance against Koji Takeda.

“It is a childhood dream come true to fight in Japan at the legendary Saitama Super Arena,” said Rabadanov. “I’m very excited and I know I have a tough opponent, who always leaves everything in the ring. Expect a masterpiece from me, it will be a memorable fight.”

A former DEEP lightweight champion, Japan’sKoji Takedahas been an active fighter since his 2017 專業首演. Takeda boasts a compelling case for inclusion on this historic fight card, winning seven of his last ten and three of his last four outings under the RIZIN and DEEP banners. Takeda is also familiar with BELLATOR foes; he has previously fought Spike Carlyle and submitted Zach Zane by armbar, both of whom fought recently for the Scott Coker-led promotion. Takeda will look to add a third straight win to his resume against the highly-touted Rabadanov in his hometown of Saitama, 日本, 上月 31.

BELLATOR MMA VS. RIZIN MAIN CARD:

開演時間

星期六, 十二月 31 — 8 PM ET/PT

Lightweight Non-Title Main Event: 阿傑麥基(19-1) 與Roberto de Souza(14-1)

Featherweight Non-Title Main Event: 帕特里西奧鬥犬(34-5) 與Kleber Koike(31-5-1)

輕量級特徵回合: 胡安·阿丘利塔(26-4) 與Soo Chul Kim(18-6-1)

輕量級功能回合: 堀口恭司(30-5) 與Hiromasa Ougikubo(25-6-2)

輕量級功能回合: Gadzhi Rabadanov(18-4-2) 與Koji Takeda(15-3)

For more information on this and other upcomingBELLATOR MMA 事件, 訪問Bellator.com.

更新了 BELLATOR 活動的時間表 – click links for updated fight cards

免費. 十一月. 18 // BELLATOR 288: Nemkov VS. 安德森 2 / 比特犬VS. Nurmagomedov // Wintrust Arena // 芝加哥, Il.

免費. 十二月. 9 // BELLATOR 289: Stots vs. Sabatello // 金神體育館 // 安卡斯維爾, 康涅狄格州.

週六. 十二月. 31 // BELLATOR MMA vs. 日進 // 埼玉超級競技場 // 東京, 日本

免費. 二月. 24 //BELLATOR: BELLATOR 加入了幾場偉大的戰鬥 // 3競技場 // 都柏林, 愛爾蘭