Bellator MMA x Rizin 2 Staff Picks

Our double-header day for MMASucka staff picks sees the second-half of our stacked night of fights.

Later tonight, July 30th sees Bellator MMA x Rizin 2 in addition to Super Rizin 2 set for action from the Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan, as the two organizations prepares for its second collaboration following a successful event in December. The Bellator MMA x Rizin 2 portion will begin at 11:00pm ET (8:00pm PT) on Showtime. Super Rizin 2 will follow afterwards around 3:00am ET (12:00am PT) on pay-per-view available for purchase through FITE TV.

Results from Bellator MMA x Rizin 2 and Super Rizin 2 will be available here at MMASucka.

Also, be sure to check out our staff picks from UFC 291: Poirier vs. Gaethje 2 in Salt Lake City.

The Fights

Headlining the Bellator MMA x Rizin 2 card sees Patricky Pitbull and Roberto de Souza ready for five possible five-minute rounds as part of Bellator’s Lightweight World Grand Prix. Former divisional champion and promotional veteran Pitbull looks to rebound after losing the title in his November of 2022 fight with still-undefeated Usman Nurmagomedov. Former Rizin Lightweight Champion de Souza makes a quick turnaround after taking a unanimous decision over Spike Carlyle in May; his first win after losing to A.J. McKee in last year’s inaugural collaboration event. Although at a catchweight of 161 pounds, the winner between Pitbull and de Souza will advance onward to the semifinals in a fight with Alexandr Shabliy at a later date this year.

In the co-main event, Bellator sees its inaugural championship fight in the flyweight division between Kyoji Horiguchi and Makoto Shinryu. Former Shooto and Bellator Bantamweight Champion Horiguchi looks for three in-a-row after back-to-back victories in September and December last year over Yuto Hokamura and Hiromasa Ougikubo, respectively. Former DEEP and Cage Fury FC Flyweight Champion Shinryu an eleventh-straight win dating back to his only career defeat against Tatsumitsu Wada in April of 2018.

Three additional fights make up the awaiting main card which can be found further below.

👀 Ice cold staredown from @PatrickyPitbull and @ToshiJJ!

👊 #BellatorXRizin🇺🇸 7/29 | 11pm ET/8pm PT | @SHOsports🇯🇵 7/30 | 12pm JST | @UNEXT_fight pic.twitter.com/vmqg3sRwQW

— Bellator MMA (@BellatorMMA) July 29, 2023

In a special twist for picks this year, three Super Rizin 2 fights will be counted towards our 2023 records.

Current undefeated women’s Super Atomweight Champion Seika Izawa will look to defend her title against the two-fight win streak of talent Claire Lopez. A battle for the vacant Bantamweight Championship pairs 2021 promotional tournament winner and former two-divisional Shooto title holder Hiromasa Ougikubo against former four-divisional King of the Cage champion and former Bellator Bantamweight Champion Juan Archuleta. The main event features an additional vacant Rizin Championship in the featherweight division as former title challenger Mikuru Asakura fights rising Azerbaijani star Vugar Karamov.

See further below for Bellator MMA x Rizin 2 and Super Rizin 2 picks and predictions.

2023 Staff Picks

MMASucka staff picks are composed of five promotions: the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), Bellator MMA, ONE Championship, the Professional Fighters League (PFL), and Dana White’s Contender Series (DWCS). UFC and Bellator events feature picks from only main cards. PFL will feature select fights from the main and preliminary card while DWCS sees all fights counted from the event. ONE Championship returns to picks for the first time since 2020 and will feature only mixed martial arts (MMA) fights selected from cards with a minimum three matchups.

The WINNER of staff picks at the end of 2023, who picked the most victorious fighters, will have a choice between receiving a custom-made championship belt from ProAmBelts or a chain from Championship Chains. Staff picks in 2022 was won by Wesley Riddle with a record of 264-135.

Find our staff picks and predictions for Bellator MMA x Rizin 2 and Super Rizin 2 below.

MMASucka’s 2022 Championship Belt (courtesy of ProAmBelts).

Staff Records after UFC Fight Night 224:

1T. Michael DeSantis: 163-821T. Ben Jamieson: 163-823. Nate Freeman: 158-874. Jeremy Brand: 156-895. Frazer Krohn: 155-906. Wesley Riddle: 154-917. Julio Monteros Jr.: 140-838. Jack Goodwillie: 124-699. Andrew Benjamin: 123-9710. Brian Knight: 114-6511. Tim Wheaton: 105-6012. Roemello Reyes: 62-3413. Jonathan Andrade: 31-2414. Brandon Joint: 12-915. Andrew Benjamin: 10-716. Joshua Yule: 7-617. Antwyn Jackson: 5-618. Chris De Santiago: 3-3

*Note – not all staff pick for every event**Note – UFC 291 picks will be added to the above records NEXT weekend*

BELLATOR MMA VS. RIZIN 2 PORTION

Andrey Koreshkov (26-4)vs.Lorenz Larkin (25-7, 2 NC)

Welterweight Division– 170 LBS. ~ 77.1 KG. –

Jeremy Brand: Koreshkov via Round 2 SUBWesley Riddle: Larkin via Split DecisionMichael DeSantis: Larkin via Unanimous DecisionAndrew Benjamin: Larkin via Unanimous DecisionFrazer Krohn: Larkin via Round 2 TKONate Freeman: Larkin via Split DecisionJulio Monteros Jr.: Larkin via Unanimous DecisionBrian Knight: Larkin via Unanimous DecisionJack Goodwillie: Koreshkov via Unanimous DecisionBen Jamieson: Koreshkov via Round 3 TKO

Staff picking Koreshkov: 3Staff picking Larkin: 7

Danny Sabatello (14-2)vs.Magomed Magomedov (19-3)

Bantamweight Division– 135 LBS. ~ 61.2 KG. –

Jeremy Brand: Sabatello via Unanimous DecisionWesley Riddle: Sabatello via Unanimous DecisionMichael DeSantis: Sabatello via Unanimous DecisionAndrew Benjamin: Sabatello via Unanimous DecisionFrazer Krohn: Sabatello via Unanimous DecisionNate Freeman: Sabatello via Unanimous DecisionJulio Monteros Jr.: Sabatello via Unanimous DecisionBrian Knight: Sabatello via Round 2 SUBJack Goodwillie: Sabatello via Split DecisionBen Jamieson: Sabatello via Unanimous Decision

Staff picking Sabatello: 10Staff picking Magomedov: 0

Kana Watanabe (11-2-1)vs.Veta Arteaga (7-5)

Women’s Flyweight Division– 125 LBS. ~ 56.7 KG. –

Jeremy Brand: Watanabe via Unanimous DecisionWesley Riddle: Watanabe via Unanimous DecisionMichael DeSantis: Watanabe via Unanimous DecisionAndrew Benjamin: Watanabe via Round 1 SUBFrazer Krohn: Watanabe via Unanimous DecisionNate Freeman: Watanabe via Unanimous DecisionJulio Monteros Jr.: Watanabe via Unanimous DecisionBrian Knight: Watanabe via Unanimous DecisionJack Goodwillie: Watanabe via Unanimous DecisionBen Jamieson: Watanabe via Unanimous Decision

Staff picking Watanabe: 10Staff picking Arteaga: 0

Kyoji Horiguchi (31-5)vs.Makoto Shinryu (16-1-1)

Inaugural Flyweight Divisional Championship– Bellator MMA vs. Rizin 2 Co-Main Event –– 125 LBS. ~ 56.7 KG. –

Jeremy Brand: Horiguchi via Round 1 TKOWesley Riddle: Horiguchi via Round 2 TKOMichael DeSantis: Horiguchi via Round 1 TKOAndrew Benjamin: Horiguchi via Unanimous DecisionFrazer Krohn: Horiguchi via Round 2 TKONate Freeman: Horiguchi via Unanimous DecisionJulio Monteros Jr.: Horiguchi via Round 2 TKOBrian Knight: Horiguchi via Round 3 TKOJack Goodwillie: Horiguchi via Round 2 SUBBen Jamieson: Horiguchi via Round 2 TKO

Staff picking Horiguchi: 10Staff picking Shinryu: 0

Patricky Pitbull (24-11)vs.Roberto de Souza (15-2)

Lightweight Grand Prix Quarterfinals– Bellator MMA vs. Rizin 2 Main Event –– Catchweight Fight –– 161 LBS. ~ 73.0 KG. –

Jeremy Brand: Pitbull via Round 3 TKOWesley Riddle: de Souza via Round 1 SUBMichael DeSantis: Pitbull via Unanimous DecisionAndrew Benjamin: de Souza via Round 2 SUBFrazer Krohn: Pitbull via Unanimous DecisionNate Freeman: de Souza via Unanimous DecisionJulio Monteros Jr.: Pitbull via Unanimous DecisionBrian Knight: Pitbull via Unanimous DecisionJack Goodwillie: de Souza via Unanimous DecisionBen Jamieson: de Souza via Unanimous Decision

Staff picking Pitbull: 5Staff picking de Souza: 5

SUPER RIZIN 2 PORTION

Seika Izawa (10-0)vs.Claire Lopez (8-4)

Women’s Super Atomweight Divisional Championship– 108 LBS. ~ 49.0 KG. –

Jeremy Brand: Izawa via Round 2 TKOWesley Riddle: Izawa via Unanimous DecisionMichael DeSantis: Izawa via Unanimous DecisionAndrew Benjamin: Lopez via Round 2 TKOFrazer Krohn: Izawa via Unanimous DecisionNate Freeman: Izawa via Unanimous DecisionJulio Monteros Jr.: Izawa via Unanimous DecisionBrian Knight: N/AJack Goodwillie: Izawa via Unanimous DecisionBen Jamieson: Izawa via Unanimous Decision

Staff picking Izawa: 8Staff picking Lopez: 1

Hiromasa Ougikubo (25-7-2)vs.Juan Archuleta (28-4)

Vacant Bantamweight Divisional Championship– Super Rizin 2 Co-Main Event –– 134 LBS. ~ 61.0 KG. –

Jeremy Brand: Archuleta via Round 3 SUBWesley Riddle: Archuleta via Round 2 SUBMichael DeSantis: Archuleta via Unanimous DecisionAndrew Benjamin: Archuleta via Unanimous DecisionFrazer Krohn: Archuleta via Unanimous DecisionNate Freeman: Archuleta via Unanimous DecisionJulio Monteros Jr.: Archuleta via Unanimous DecisionBrian Knight: N/AJack Goodwillie: Archuleta via Unanimous DecisionBen Jamieson: Archuleta via Round 3 SUB

Staff picking Ougikubo: 0Staff picking Archuleta: 9

Mikuru Asakura (17-3, 1 NC)vs.Vugar Karamov (18-4)

Vacant Featherweight Divisional Championship– Super Rizin 2 Main Event –– 146 LBS. ~ 66.0 KG. –

Jeremy Brand: Asakura via Unanimous DecisionWesley Riddle: Asakura via Split DecisionMichael DeSantis: Asakura via Unanimous DecisionAndrew Benjamin: Karamov via Round 1 SUBFrazer Krohn: Karamov via Unanimous DecisionNate Freeman: Asakura via Split DecisionJulio Monteros Jr.: Karamov via Unanimous DecisionBrian Knight: N/AJack Goodwillie: Karamov via Unanimous DecisionBen Jamieson: Asakura via Unanimous Decision

Staff picking Asakura: 5Staff picking Karamov: 4

BELLATOR MMA VS. SUPER RIZIN 2 FEATURED IMAGE:

Patricky Pitbull (left) and Roberto de Souza (right) ahead of their Bellator MMA x Rizin 2 championship fight taking place Saturday and Sunday, July 29th and 30th from the Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan (photo credits to Bellator MMA).