RIZIN today announced that COMBATE GLOBAL women’s Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) star Claire Lopez (8-4) will return to Japan to challenge undefeated, reigning RIZIN Super Atomweight (108 pounds) Champion Seika Izawa (10-0) for Izawa’s coveted title at the RIZIN live television event at Saitama Super Arena on Sunday, July 30.
The RIZIN championship fight will take place on the heels of Lopez’s career-best victory to date – a third round (4:21) knee bar submission of famed Japanese Shootboxing champion Rena Kubota, after an epic, catchweight (112.6 pounds) battle between the Lopez and Kubota at RIZIN’s ‘LANDMARK 5’ event in Tokyo on April 29.
“We are really proud of Claire to have earned this shot at RIZIN’s super atomweight title, and will be cheering her on to bring home the belt,” said Mike Afromowitz, COMBATE GLOBAL’s Senior Vice President, Operations and Communications.
The championship fight will take place in RIZIN’s customary ring, and will be contested as a three-round bout, with five minutes per round.
Lopez is a 34-year-old native of Beziers, France, and a member of Brad Pickett’s Great Britain Top Team in London, where she resides. She is seeking her third consecutive win since placing as the runner-up in COMBATE GLOBAL’s first-ever, one-night, eight-woman tournament in 2021.
Fighting out of Tokyo, the 25-year-old Izawa is a top 10 world-ranked fighter, and a five-time veteran of RIZIN MMA action.
Izawa is a former Judo champion and competitive wrestler, who transitioned to MMA and who has since earned 5 of her 10 professional wins by way of submission.
