A champion versus champion rematch has been added to Rizin 16 according to Ariel Helwani of ESPN as Invicta FC Atomweight Champion Jinh Yu Frey again faces Rizin Atomweight Champion Ayaka Hamasaki, with the Rizin gold on the line.
Frey (8-3-0) became the Invicta FC Atomweight Champion at Invicta FC 30, defeating Minna Grusander by unanimous decision. Frey has defended the championship once already, defeating Grusander in a rematch via split decision at Invicta FC 33. Frey has picked up eight wins as a professional MMA fighter and more than half of them have come by way of decision.
Hamasaki (17-2-0) defeated Frey in their first encounter at Invicta FC 19 in September of 2016 and that win came by second round TKO via doctor stoppage. Hamasaki became the Rizin Atomweight Champion at Rizin 14, defeating Kanna Asakura by second round submission. Hamasaki has suffered two losses as a professional MMA fighter, with those defeats coming to a pair of UFC veterans in Livia Renata Souza and Claudia Gadelha.
Rizin 16 takes place on Sunday, June 2 from the World Memorial Hall in Kobe, Japan with no main event announced at this time. Fightful is providing live coverage of the event, which streams live on Fite TV.
