The first-round pairings for Rizin FF’s lightweight grand prix tournament have been announced, with Bellator’s 155-pound star Patricky Freire drawn to face a former UFC veteran in his first matchup as he looks to punch his ticket to the semi-finals. Freire (21-8 MMA) will make his promotional Rizin FF debut in the tournament as he looks to extend his five-fight win streak at the expense of 41-year-old veteran Tatsuya Kawajiri (37-13 MMA, 2-3 Rizin), who booked his place in the tournament after handing Russian Ali Abdulkhalikov the first defeat of his MMA career at Rizin FF 17 in July.
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Bellator ace Patricky Freire draws Tatsuya Kawajiri in Rizin FF lightweight grand prix – MMA Junkie