Koji Takeda reportedly debuts vs. Damien Brown at RIZIN 15

Just days after having his signing with RIZIN made official and public, it seems as if Koji Takeda has an opponent for his RIZIN 15 debut.

The undefeated local champion will reportedly face Austalia’s Damien Brown, according to reports from Australian MMA outlet EMGMMA.

*UPDATE: I was able to confirm that this fight is signed and official for RIZIN 15 on April 21 after the initial reports.*

After recently opening up his own gym, Australian brawler Damien Brown (18-12) will look to continue his hot streak in RIZIN come April 21. Heading into his promotional debut on NYE, Brown was coming off a six-fight stint in the UFC and hadn’t won since a late-2016 split-decision triumph over Jon Tuck.

Despite it being his debut, Brown was fast-tracked to the top of the RIZIN lightweight division at RIZIN 14, drawing promotional mainstay and fan-favorite Daron Cruickshank in his first fight. It was impossible for him to avoid the tricky striking game of Cruickshank early, but late in the opening round, he was able to secure a fight-ending guillotine choke on Daron Cruickshank as the American surprisingly shot in on for a takedown.

Damien Brown originally wanted to face Diego Brandao at this event, but Brandao never responded to him.

Koji Takeda (8-0) enters RIZIN Fighting Federation with a stellar undefeated record. The DEEP mainstay most recently defeating the legendary Satoru Kitaoka for the DEEP Lightweight Championship.

The Japanese wrestling powerhouse began his career with four-straight finishes before winning his most recent four by way of decision. Despite going the distance, the 23-year-old has appeared consistently dominant in all outings. Prior to the career-defining win over Kitaoka, he was seen defeating the likes of Juri Ohara and Naoto Miyazaki.

RIZIN 15 goes down on April 21, live from the Yokohama Arena in Yokohama, Japan.

As announced late last week, the card will feature Kyoji Horiguchi, Ben Nguyen, King Mo, Jiri Prochazka, and more!