(Updated at 12:20 a.m. on July 26, 2023, with new main event.)
We want your predictions for Saturday’s Bellator x Rizin 2 event in Japan.
Our staff picks feature includes the consensus picks from MMA Junkie readers. Simply cast your vote for each bout below, and we’ll use the official tallies that are registered by Thursday at 9 p.m. ET (6 p.m. PT).
Those MMA Junkie reader consensus picks will be part of the Bellator X Rizin 2 main card staff predictions we release Friday ahead of the event. Bellator x Rizin 2 takes place Saturday at Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan. The Bellator portion of the card airs on Showtime.
Make your picks for the fights below.
Andrey Koreshkov vs. Lorenz Larkin
Records: Andrey Koreshkov (25-4 MMA, 15-4 BMMA), Lorenz Larkin (25-7 MMA, 7-2 BMMA)
Past five: Koreshkov 4-1, Larkin 5-0
Division: Welterweight
Rankings: Larkin honorable mention
Odds (as of 07.24.23): Koreshkov -165, Larkin +120
Veta Arteaga vs. Kana Watanabe
Records: Veta Arteaga (7-5 MMA, 6-5 BMMA), Kana Watanabe (11-2-1 MMA, 3-2 BMMA)
Past five: Arteaga 2-3, Watanabe 3-2
Division: Women’s flyweight
Rankings: None
Odds (as of 07.24.23): Watanabe -550, Arteaga +350
Magomed Magomedov vs. Danny Sabatello
Records: Magomed Magomedov (19-3 MMA, 3-2 BMMA), Danny Sabatello (14-2 MMA, 4-1 BMMA)
Past five: Magomedov 3-2, Sabatello 4-1
Division: Bantamweight
Rankings: None
Odds (as of 07.24.23): Sabatello -120, Magomedov -110
Kyoji Horiguchi vs. Makoto Shinryu
Records: Kyoji Horiguchi (30-5 MMA, 2-2 BMMA), Makoto Shinryu (16-1-1 MMA, 1-0 BMMA)
Past five: Horiguchi 3-2, Shinryu 5-0
Division: Flyweight
Rankings: Horiguchi No. 15
Odds (as of 07.24.23): N/A
Patricky Freire vs. Roberto de Souza
Records: Patricky Freire (24-11 MMA, 15-9 BMMA) vs. Roberto de Souza (14-2 MMA, 0-1 BMMA)
Past five: Freire 2-3, de Souza 4-1
Division: Lightweight
Rankings: None
Odds (as of 07.26.23): N/A
Bellator X Rizin 2 fight card (as of July 24, noon ET)
MAIN CARD (Showtime 11 p.m. ET)
- Patricky Freire vs. Roberto de Souza – lightweight grand prix quarterfinal
- Kyoji Horiguchi vs. Makoto Shinryu – for inaugural Bellator flyweight title
- Magomed Magomedov vs. Danny Sabatello
- Veta Arteaga vs. Kana Watanabe
- Andrey Koreshkov vs. Lorenz Larkin
