# 2016 in Rizin Fighting Federation

The year 2016 was the second year in the history of the Rizin Fighting Federation, a mixed martial arts promotion based in Japan. The first event of the year was Rizin 1 on April 17, 2016, in Nagoya.
Rizin events are broadcast through a television agreement with Fuji Television.

## Background

On July 16, 2016 Nobuyuki Sakakibara announced at a press conference that Rizin Fighting Federation will host a 16-man openweight tournament September 25 in Tokyo. 2006 Pride Open-Weight Grand Prix Champion Mirko Cro Cop and former PRIDE Middleweight Champion Wanderlei Silva to participate in the tournament.
This tournament was included Pride FC veterans like Kazuyuki Fujita, Tsuyoshi Kosaka, Heath Herring, Sumo sensation Baruto Kaito, world class wrestler Amir Aliakbari, and Rizin GP 2015 winner King Mo
Cro Cop won the championship.

## List of events

| # | Event | Date | Venue | Location | Attendance |
| 1 | Rizin 1 | April 17, 2016 | Nippon Gaishi Hall | Nagoya, Japan | 7,291 |
| 2 | Rizin World Grand Prix 2016: 1st Round | September 25, 2016 | Saitama Super Arena | Saitama, Japan | 15,011 |
| 3 | Rizin World Grand Prix 2016: 2nd Round | December 29, 2016 | Saitama Super Arena | Saitama, Japan | 16,642 |
| 4 | Rizin World Grand Prix 2016: Final Round | December 31, 2016 | Saitama Super Arena | Saitama, Japan | 19,357 |

## Rizin Openweight Grand Prix 2016 bracket

| 1st Round Rizin World Grand-Prix 2016: 1st Round | 1st Round Rizin World Grand-Prix 2016: 1st Round | 2nd Round Rizin World Grand-Prix 2016: 2nd Round | 2nd Round Rizin World Grand-Prix 2016: 2nd Round | Semifinals Rizin World Grand-Prix 2016: Final Round | Semifinals Rizin World Grand-Prix 2016: Final Round | | Final Rizin World Grand-Prix 2016: Final Round | Final Rizin World Grand-Prix 2016: Final Round |
| Wanderlei Silva | | | | | | | | |
| BYE | | | | | | | | |
| BYE | | Muhammed Lawal$^2$ | 6:41 | | | | | |
| | | Mirko Cro Cop | TKO | | | | | |
| Mirko Cro Cop | SUB | Mirko Cro Cop | TKO | | | | | |
| Hyun Man Myung | 2:20 | | | | | | | |
| Hyun Man Myung | 2:20 | | | Mirko Cro Cop | TKO | | | |
| | | | | Baruto Kaito | 0:49 | | | |
| Baruto Kaito | DEC | | | | | Baruto Kaito | 0:49 | | | |
| Kazuyuki Fujita | 10:00 | | | | | | | |
| Kazuyuki Fujita | 10:00 | Baruto Kaito | DEC | | | | | |
| | | Tsuyoshi Kohsaka$^1$ | 10:00 | | | | | |
| Jiří Procházka | DEC | Tsuyoshi Kohsaka$^1$ | 10:00 | | | | | |
| Mark Tanios | 10:00 | | | | | | | |
| Mark Tanios | 10:00 | | | | | | Mirko Cro Cop | KO |
| | | | | | | | Amir Aliakbari | 2:03 |
| João Almeida | 2:25 | | | | | | | | Amir Aliakbari | 2:03 |
| Amir Aliakbari | TKO | | | | | | | |
| Amir Aliakbari | TKO | Amir Aliakbari | DEC | | | | | |
| | | Heath Herring$^3$ | 10:00 | | | | | |
| Shane Carwin | | Heath Herring$^3$ | 10:00 | | | | | |
| BYE | | | | | | | | |
| BYE | | | | Amir Aliakbari | DEC | | | |
| | | | | Valentin Moldavsky | 10:00 | | | |
| Valentin Moldavsky | DEC | | | | | Valentin Moldavsky | 10:00 | | | |
| Karl Albrektsson | 10:00 | | | | | | | |
| Karl Albrektsson | 10:00 | Valentin Moldavsky | DEC | | | | | |
| | | Szymon Bajor | 10:00 | | | | | |
| Szymon Bajor | DEC | Szymon Bajor | 10:00 | | | | | |
| Teodoras Aukštuolis | 15:00 | | | | | | | |
$^1$Jiří Procházka was injured and couldn't participate in the second round of the Grand Prix, and was subsequently replaced by Tsuyoshi Kohsaka.
$^2$Wanderlei Silva retired from the tournament, was replaced by Muhammed Lawal.
$^3$Shane Carwin withdrew from the tournament, was replaced by Heath Herring.

## Rizin 1

Rizin Fighting Federation 1 was a mixed martial arts event held by the Rizin Fighting Federation on April 4, 2016 at the Nippon Gaishi Hall in Nagoya, Japan.

### Results

Fight Card :
| Weight Class | | | | Method | Round | Time |
| Catchweight 110 kg | Jiří Procházka | def. | Kazuyuki Fujita | KO (Punch) | 1 | 3:33 |
| Light Heavyweight 93 kg | Karl Albrektsson | def. | Vadim Nemkov | Decision (Split) | 3 | 20:00 |
| Catchweight 98 kg | Teodoras Aukštuolis | def. | Singh Jaideep | Decision (Unanimous) | 3 | 20:00 |
| Female Openweight | Gabi Garcia | def. | Anna Maliukova | Submission (Armbar) | 2 | 7:05 |
| Tag Team Grappling Match | Kazushi Sakuraba / Hideo Tokoro | vs. | Wanderlei Silva / Kiyoshi Tamura | Draw | 1 | 15:00 |
| Shootboxing 51 kg | Rena Kubota | def. | Cyndi Alves | Decision (Unanimous) | 3 | 9:00 |
| Lightweight 70 kg | Daron Cruickshank | def. | Shinji Sasaki | TKO (Soccer Kicks) | 1 | 4:36 |
| Openweight | Kirill Sidelnikov | def. | Chris Barnett | Decision (Split) | 3 | 20:00 |
| Catchweight 81.5 kg | Hisaki Kato | def. | Yuta Watanabe | TKO (Punches) | 1 | 1:04 |
| Female Strawweight 52 kg | Kanako Murata | def. | Natalya Denisova | Decision (Unanimous) | 3 | 15:00 |
| K-1 Featherweight 65 kg | Tetsuya Yamato | def. | Hiroto Yamaguchi | TKO (3 Knockdowns) | 1 | 2:37 |
| K-1 Catchweight 73 kg | Danilo Zanolini | def. | Norihisa Amimoto | TKO (3 Knockdowns) | 1 | 2:19 |
| K-1 Catchweight 60 kg | Yuya | def. | Yuki | TKO (3 Knockdowns) | 1 | 1:06 |

## Rizin World Grand Prix 2016: 1st Round

Rizin World Grand-Prix 2016: 1st Round was a mixed martial arts event held by the Rizin Fighting Federation on September 25, 2016 at the Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan.

### Results

Fight Card :
| Weight Class | | | | Method | Round | Time | Notes |
| Featherweight 66 kg | Kron Gracie | def. | Hideo Tokoro | Submission (Rear Naked Choke) | 1 | 9:50 | |
| Female Atomweight 49 kg | Rena Kubota | def. | Miyuu Yamamoto | Submission (Guillotine Choke) | 1 | 4:50 | |
| Openweight | Mirko Cro Cop | def. | Hyun Man Myung | Submission (Arm Triangle Choke) | 1 | 2:20 | Openweight Grand-Prix 1st Round |
| Openweight | Baruto Kaito | def. | Kazuyuki Fujita | Decision (Unanimous) | 2 | 10:00 | Openweight Grand-Prix 1st Round |
| Lightweight 70 kg | Daron Cruickshank | def. | Andy Souwer | Submission (Rear Naked Choke) | 1 | 4:10 | |
| Bantamweight 61 kg | Erson Yamamoto | def. | Kizaemon Saiga | Decision (Split) | 2 | 15:00 | |
| Openweight | Jiří Procházka | def. | Mark Tanios | Decision (Unanimous) | 2 | 10:00 | Openweight Grand-Prix 1st Round |
| Openweight | Valentin Moldavsky | def. | Karl Albrektsson | Decision (Unanimous) | 2 | 10:00 | Openweight Grand-Prix 1st Round |
| Openweight | Amir Aliakbari | def. | João Almeida | TKO (Punches) | 1 | 2:25 | Openweight Grand-Prix 1st Round |
| Openweight | Szymon Bajor | def. | Teodoras Aukštuolis | Decision (Unanimous) | 2 | 10:00 | Openweight Grand-Prix 1st Round |
| Featherweight 66 kg | Charles Bennett | def. | Minoru Kimura | TKO (Punches) | 1 | 0:07 | |
| Female Strawweight 53 kg | Kanako Murata | def. | Kyra Batara | Decision (Unanimous) | 3 | 15:00 | |
| Female Openweight | Gabi Garcia | def. | Destanie Yarbrough | Submission (Americana) | 1 | 2:42 | |

## Rizin World Grand Prix 2016: 2nd Round

Rizin World Grand-Prix 2016: 2nd Round was a mixed martial arts event held by the Rizin Fighting Federation on December 29, 2016 at the Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan.
Background
Jiří Procházka was injured and couldn't participate in the second round of the Grand Prix, and was subsequently replaced by Tsuyoshi Kohsaka.
Mirko Cro Cop was originally scheduled to have a rematch with Wanderlei Silva in the Openweight Grand-Prix Quarter-Finals. However, on December 2, Silva withdrew from the bout. He was subsequently replaced by Muhammed Lawal.
Shane Carwin was originally announced as an Openweight entrant against Amir Aliakbari. However, he pulled out of the tournament for undisclosed reasons and was replaced by Heath Herring.

### Results

Fight Card :
| Weight Class | | | | Method | Round | Time | Notes |
| Openweight | Mirko Cro Cop | def. | Muhammed Lawal | TKO (Punches) | 2 | 1:41 | Openweight Grand-Prix Quarter-Finals |
| Openweight | Baruto Kaito | def. | Tsuyoshi Kosaka | Decision (Unanimous) | 2 | 10:00 | Openweight Grand-Prix Quarter-Finals |
| Openweight | Amir Aliakbari | def. | Heath Herring | Decision (Unanimous) | 2 | 10:00 | Openweight Grand-Prix Quarter-Finals |
| Openweight | Valentin Moldavsky | def. | Szymon Bajor | Decision (Unanimous) | 2 | 10:00 | Openweight Grand-Prix Quarter-Finals |
| Female Flyweight 57 kg | Rin Nakai | def. | Kanako Murata | Submission (Rear Naked Choke) | 3 | 11:16 | |
| Flyweight 57 kg | Tenshin Nasukawa | def. | Nikita Sapun | TKO (Punches) | 1 | 2:45 | |
| Lightweight 70 kg | Kazuyuki Miyata | def. | Andy Souwer | Submission (Armbar) | 1 | 4:39 | |
| Bantamweight 61 kg | Yuki Motoya | def. | Allan Nascimento | Decision (Split) | 2 | 15:00 | |
| Flyweight 58 kg | Tatsumitsu Wada | def. | Kai Kara-France | Decision (Unanimous) | 3 | 15:00 | |
| Featherweight 66 kg | Yusuke Yachi | def. | Mario Sismundo | TKO (Knee to the Body) | 1 | 0:18 | |
| Female Atomweight 48 kg | Alyssa Garcia | def. | Kanna Asakura | Decision (Unanimous) | 3 | 15:00 | |
| Openweight | Vadim Nemkov | def. | Alison Vicente | TKO (Punches) | 1 | 0:54 | Openweight Grand-Prix Reserve Fight |
| Lightweight 70 kg | Satoru Kitaoka | def. | Daron Cruickshank | Submission (Guillotine Choke) | 1 | 8:18 | |

## Rizin World Grand Prix 2016: Final Round

Rizin World Grand-Prix 2016: Final Round was a mixed martial arts event held by the Rizin Fighting Federation on December 31, 2016 at the Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan.
Background
Charles Bennett was originally set to fight against Minoru Kimura. However, Bennett withdrew from the bout due to problems obtaining a visa. Shinobu Kandori was originally set to take on Gabi Garcia, but was replaced by Yumiko Hotta after suffering a rib injury.

### Results

Fight Card :
| Weight Class | | | | Method | Round | Time | Notes |
| Openweight | Mirko Cro Cop | def. | Amir Aliakbari | KO (Punches) | 1 | 2:03 | Openweight Grand-Prix Final |
| Featherweight 66 kg | Kron Gracie | def. | Tatsuya Kawajiri | Submission (Rear Naked Choke) | 2 | 12:05 | |
| Bantamweight 62 kg | Hideo Tokoro | def. | Erson Yamamoto | Submission (Armbar) | 1 | 1:19 | |
| Female Atomweight 49 kg | Rena Kubota | def. | Hanna Gujwan | TKO (Body Kick) | 3 | 12:47 | |
| Female Atomweight 49 kg | Andy Nguyen | def. | Miyuu Yamamoto | Submission (Armbar) | 1 | 4:42 | |
| Flyweight 58 kg | Kizaemon Saiga | def. | Dillin West | TKO (Punches) | 1 | 2:03 | |
| Female Openweight | Gabi Garcia | def. | Yumiko Hotta | TKO (Punches) | 1 | 0:41 | |
| Catchweight 82 kg | Hayato Sakurai | def. | Wataru Sakata | TKO (Punches) | 2 | 12:37 | |
| Openweight | Amir Aliakbari | def. | Valentin Moldavsky | Decision (Split) | 2 | 10:00 | Openweight Grand-Prix Semi-Finals |
| Openweight | Mirko Cro Cop | def. | Baruto Kaito | KO (Knee to the Body) | 1 | 0:49 | Openweight Grand-Prix Semi-Finals |
| Flyweight 57 kg | Tenshin Nasukawa | def. | Dylan Kawika Oligo | Submission (Guillotine Choke) | 2 | 3:37 | |