Rizin 13’s crossover match up was the perfect tribute to Kid Yamamoto.
In a bout he dedicated to his mentor that recently passed away, Rizin MMA champ Kyoji Horiguchi crossed over and took on arguably Japan’s biggest kickboxing star today in Tenshin Nasukawa. Much like how Yamamoto took on Masato almost 14 years ago, Horiguchi went on a similar challenge and put on a show during Sunday’s kickboxing match.
It was fast, wild and competitive, and after three action-packed rounds, Tenshin’s hand was raised as he took home a unanimous decision. Like his mentor before him, Horiguchi had his moments, but wasn’t able to upset the kickboxer at his own game.