Wednesday 30 December 2015

Rizin FF - Day 1 Breakdown

Many, including me, looked on with a skeptical eye at the efforts of Nobuyuki Sakakibara to resurrect the spirit of Pride through his new promotion, Rizin FF. And for good reason - on paper this card was marred by a lack of talent and a lack of quality matchmaking for the talent it did have. But after the initial fight, excitement kept mounting as each new fight brought action and thrills, until the headliner between Shinya Aoki and the half-mummified ghost of Kazushi Sakuraba. In the end we were left with an enjoyable, action-packed card that delivered the entertainment of fast-paced MMA along with the nostalgia of the ring and kicks/knees/stomps to the head of a grounded opponent.