RIZIN 22, 23 Canceled Amid Coronavirus Pandemic

RIZIN is the latest mixed martial arts (MMA) promotion to cancel their upcoming events due to the coronavirus pandemic.

RIZIN 22 was set to take place April 19 at the Yokohama Arena in Yokohama, Japan. However, RIZIN president Nobuyuki Sakakibara announced Thursday that it would no longer be going ahead due to the current global situation.

幻に終わったRIZIN.22のポスタービジュアルです。本当に残念です。我々RIZINスタッフ一同は、この苦難の時期にただ耐えるのでは無く、終息した後にパワーアップして皆さんをお迎えする為の準備期間にしたいと思います！“真夏の格闘技の祭典”を共に創造し、必ず実現させましょう！ pic.twitter.com/VrHQkY9vLQ

— 榊󠄀原信行 Nobuyuki Sakakibara (@nobu_sakakibara) April 2, 2020

No official bout was confirmed, however, a lightweight bout between Kotetsu Boku and Mikuru Asakura was expected to take place on the card. It will now be rebooked.

In addition, RIZIN 23 has also been canceled. That card was set to take place May 17 in Sendai, Japan.

The Japanese promotion’s last event took place February 22 in Hamamatsu, Japan. The nation currently has over 2,300 confirmed cases of the coronavirus with 57 deaths at the time of writing.

What do you make of RIZIN joining Bellator and others in canceling or postponing their upcoming events?