Recently announced cross-promotional event between Bellator MMA and Rizin FF to take place under Rizin rules

Bellator and Rizin have announced an exciting New Year's Eve cross-promotional event. AJ McKee and Patricio Pitbull's opponents, alongside the ruleset, have been revealed. The news recently surfaced in the wake of the thrilling announcement.

Scott Coker's mixed martial arts promotion is no stranger to crossover events with Rizin, as the company put together a similar card almost three years ago. The two MMA powerhouses put on a crossover show at Bellator 237, showcasing some of the most talented athletes in the world. It was headlined by a Fedor Emelianenko vs. 'Rampage' Jackson matchup.

Marc Raimondi revealed via Twitter:

"The Bellator vs. Rizin fights, including AJ McKee vs. Roberto Satoshi and Patricio Pitbull vs. Kleber Koike Erbst, will take place in a ring under Rizin rules. That means the legality of soccer kicks and knees to the head on the ground [will be legal]."

'Pitbull' successfully defended his featherweight strap against Adam Brocis earlier this month. Now he will put his skills to the test against the dangerous second degree Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt Kleber Koike Erbst. Erbst has an impressive 27 submission victories to his name.

On Saturday, December 31 at Japan's Saitama Super Arena, Bellator MMA and Rizin FF will team up to put on one of the biggest cards of the year. Alongside the fighters previously mentioned, Juan Archuleta and Kyoji Horiguchi will also be competing on the night.

---

Who is the man facing AJ McKee at Bellator and Rizin's New Year's Eve event?

AJ McKee is fresh off of his Bellator lightweight debut wherein he dominated the gritty Spike Carlyle over three rounds.

'The Mercenary's upcoming opponent, Robert Satoshi, has had a sensational run since arriving at Rizin back in 2019. The Brazilian is 7-1 in the ring, with all eight of his bouts ending with stoppages in either the first or second round.

The experienced 33-year-old is yet to go to the judges' scorecards during his nine years long fighting career. He has shown an ability to end the fight no matter where it takes place.

McKee will need to be at his best to come out of this one with a win, but if you're familiar with the Bellator star, you know the opening minutes of this one should be fireworks.