RIZIN 37 will kick off the promotion’s next Grand Prix tournament this weekend (Sun., July 31, 2022), showcasing the Super Atomweight division. So, for the latest installment of BROADENED HORIZIN, it made too much sense to place the spotlight firmly on the participants.
Six of the eight competitors joined the show, starting with former two-time champion, Ayaka Hamasaki. Featured in the co-main event of the night, Hamasaki will welcome Jessica Aguilar to the RIZIN ring and division. The two pioneers were originally set to compete in 2011 before an earthquake in Japan canceled the event. Aguilar went on to be one of two women to hand Hamasaki’s mentor, Megumi Fujii, her final career losses. Now, the roles are reversed and the division’s all-time best is highly motivated coming off the heels of her first career losing streak.
Laura Fontoura joined the show for the first time ahead of what will also be her promotional and divisional debut. The undefeated Brazilian submission artist (7-0) has the toughest test out of all competitors, facing current champion, Seika Izawa, in the RIZIN 37 main event.
Izawa is well aware of the target on her back heading into the Grand Prix, but she made it clear following her last victory that that’s exactly what she wanted.
Kanna Asakura and Si Woo Park then highlighted their past trainings together as they discussed their battle before a familiar opponent of both, Rena Kubota, closed out the show. Kubota and Asakura are the lone two fighters to have fought in the first RIZIN Super Atomweight Grand Prix that took place in 2017. The underdog, Asakura, scored the big upset, submitting Kubota in the finals via first round rear-naked choke submission.
Watch the full episode in the video embedded above or you can listen on Spotify.