Tatsuya Kawajiri joins Rizin FF 7, looking for bantamweight grand-prix spot

Tatsuya Kawajiri is taking a step toward fighting at bantamweight.

The 39-year-old Japanese vet, who’s fought at lightweight and featherweight for organizations rankings from the UFC to PRIDE to Strikeforce since his 2000 pro debut, is looking for a spot in the bantamweight grand prix when he fights at Rizin FF 7.

Rizin FF 7 takes place Oct. 15 at Marine Messe Fukuoka in Fukuoka, Japan. North American broadcast plans haven’t been announced.

Kawajiri (36-11-2) fights Gabriel Oliveira (9-0) at a catchweight of 138.9 pounds, officials recently announced.

According to a press release, Kawajiri sent Rizin FF General Manager Nobuhiko Takad a picture of him standing on a scale at 138 pounds, which prompted the booking of the vet for a wild-card qualification bout.

“The only reason why I am doing this is because I want (Kyoji Horiguchi),” Kawajiri stated. “If he wasn’t in this tournament, I would never go through all of this pain to just make weight. I want to put everything I have, everything I have worked for, in this tournament to fight the icon of Japan’s young, promising generation.”

Kawajiri recently halted a three-fight skid, which included UFC losses to standouts Cub Swanson and Dennis Bermudez, with a unanimous-decision win over Anthony Birchak at Rizin FF 5. Oliveira, a 27-year-old promotional newcomer, is a veteran of the South American fight circuit, where he holds two regional titles, and has four knockouts in nine career wins.

The latest Rizin FF 7 card includes:

• Tatsuya Kawajiri vs. Gabriel Oliveira – bantamweight grand prix wild card qualification bout
• Rena Kubota vs. Andy Nguyen – women’s super atomweight grand prix opening round
• Irene Rivera vs. Miyu Yamamoto – women’s super atomweight grand prix opening round
• Kanna Asakura vs. Sylwia Juskiewicz – women’s super atomweight grand prix opening round
• Alyssa Garcia vs. Maria Oliveira – women’s super atomweight grand prix opening round
• Shintaro Ishiwatari vs. Akhmed Musakaev – bantamweight grand prix opening round (bracket B)
• Manel Kape vs. Erson Yamamoto – bantamweight grand prix opening round (bracket B)
• Dan Henderson vs. Kazushi Sakuraba – grappling match

For more on Rizin FF 7, check out the MMA Rumors section of the site.