On Saturday, Bellator MMA set the stage for the crowning of its inaugural men’s flyweight champion. However, the highly-anticipated bout between Kyoji Horiguchi and Makoto Shinryu ended abruptly after just 25 seconds. The fight was declared a no contest due to an accidental eye poke, leaving the title vacant and the audience disappointed.
The title match, which took place at the Saitama Super Arena in Tokyo, was part of a co-promotion between Bellator and the Japanese company, Rizin Fighting Federation. It featured two of Japan’s most prominent and popular fighters. Kyoji Horiguchi, a former bantamweight champion in Bellator and a two-time champ in Rizin, faced off against Makoto Shinryu, a 23-year-old rising star on a 10-fight winning streak.
An Unexpected Turn of Events
The fight came to an abrupt halt when Horiguchi’s fingers accidentally poked Shinryu in the right eye. The ringside doctor was called in to assess the situation, and after a five-minute delay, referee Jason Herzog deemed the fight too compromised to continue, resulting in a no contest.
Future of the Flyweight Title
Bellator has yet to announce its plans for rescheduling the title fight between Horiguchi and Shinryu. It remains unclear whether they will be booked for a rematch or if a new contender will challenge for the vacant title. Bellator fans eagerly await an update on the situation and the future of the men’s flyweight division.
Horiguchi’s Second Attempt at Gold
This was not the first time Horiguchi had a shot at winning a flyweight title. In 2015, during his tenure in the UFC, he unsuccessfully challenged then-champion Demetrious Johnson for the belt. Horiguchi, who now trains at American Top Team in Coconut Creek, Florida, had hoped to become the fourth Bellator fighter to hold titles in multiple weight divisions, following in the footsteps of Joe Warren, Ryan Bader, and Patricio “Pitbull” Freire.
Main Event: Freire vs. de Souza
The main event of the evening saw Patricio “Pitbull” Freire, the former Bellator lightweight champion, face off against Rizin lightweight titlist Roberto de Souza. In a quarterfinal match of the Bellator Lightweight World Grand Prix, Freire secured a victory with a third-round TKO, improving his record to 25-11. De Souza, a late replacement for AJ McKee, showed resilience but ultimately fell short against Freire’s dominance.
Looking Ahead
With the disappointing end to the flyweight title bout and the impressive performance by Freire in the main event, Bellator MMA continues to captivate fight fans around the world. As the promotion navigates the challenges of rescheduling and organizing title fights, the anticipation for future events and the eventual crowning of the men’s flyweight champion grows.
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