The main event saw lightweight champ Ilkhom Nozimov of Uzbekistan, fresh off a 13-second finish of Roberto Satoshi Souza, looking to defend his title against Brazil's Luiz Gustavo. At 7-4 under the RIZIN banner Gustavo had notable wins over Yusuke Yachi and former UFC fighter Yoshinori Horie.
"This is the new house we've been building with my brother," Zaynukov told Red Corner MMA. "The old house fell apart, so we decided to build a new one. Now we're going to live here. We'll come here with our families and kids and spend some time here. You should never forget your roots and where you come from. After the UFC debut - Inshallah, I hope it'll be victorious for me - I'd love to have all my villagers here to grill some meat and celebrate my win."
"Just the hype. It's the hype around him. That's about it (what makes Segawa different than anyone else he's faced)," Puric told Cageside Press. "I fought f*cking Rodtang for three rounds. Took him to decision. He couldn't do it (finish me), so I feel like he's in a lot of trouble. He's in a lot of trouble. It's going to be a spectacle every f*cking time I come in there. This one's going to be no different."
MMA on a Monday? Japan's RIZIN Fighting Federation mixed things up a little, coming out of the weekend with a Monday card in Kobe, RIZIN Landmark 12. Of course for western fight fans, that was a late Sunday night start time, for a card that featured Kyohei Hagiwara vs. Kyoma Akimoto in the main event, and a women's atomweight title fight in the co-headliner. The card also featured appearances by Canadian flyweight standout Tony Laramie, and South Korean Road to UFC alum Ki Won Bin.
