PFL vs. RIZIN: Marcirley Alves vs Naoki Inoue Set for Bantamweight Showdown in Brussels
Brazil’s Marcirley Alves will meet Japan’s Naoki Inoue in a key bantamweight clash at PFL Brussels on Saturday, May 23, adding a high‑stakes international matchup to the promotion’s 2026 European schedule. The bout pairs the reigning 2025 PFL World Tournament bantamweight champion with a former RIZIN titleholder in Inoue.
PFL vs. RIZIN
Alves enters Brussels as one of PFL’s breakthrough names after his run through the 2025 World Tournament. He secured the bantamweight championship with a unanimous decision over Justin Wetzell, taking scorecards of 49-46 and 48-47 twice in the tournament final. That result capped a season in which he upset former Bellator contender Leandro Higo and beat Jake Hadley under the PFL banner, showcasing his knack for shifting momentum in tough fights.
The Brazilian turned professional in 2017 and now competes in PFL’s bantamweight division after an earlier stint in Bellator. By early 2026 he was listed among the top five bantamweights in the league, showing how fast his stock has risen since joining the tournament format. His record includes double‑digit knockout or TKO victories.
Marcirley Alves vs Naoki Inoue
Across the cage in Brussels is Inoue, one of RIZIN’s most consistent lighter‑weight fighters over the past few years. The Japanese bantamweight captured the vacant RIZIN title in September 2024 with a first‑round TKO of Kim Soo‑chul in Saitama, then went on to defend the belt in 2025 against Yuki Motoya by split decision and Ryuya Fukuda by unanimous decision. His reign ended on New Year’s Eve 2025, when he dropped a split decision to Danny Sabatello in Saitama, losing the championship after a tightly scored fight.
Inoue brings a well‑rounded background built on karate and Brazilian jiu‑jitsu, shaping a game that moves smoothly between long‑range striking and opportunistic grappling exchanges. He has fought internationally since 2014, including a stint in the UFC before returning to Japan and rebuilding his career with RIZIN. By the time PFL Brussels was announced, he had compiled more than 20 professional wins, with his recent schedule packed with championship‑level opposition in Japan.
PFL Brussels on May 23 is part of the league’s continued push into Europe, with promotional materials highlighting the “Brazil meets Japan in Brussels” storyline for Alves vs. Inoue. The card will feature a mix of established names and emerging European talent, and this bantamweight matchup stands out as a stylistic test between Alves’s forward‑moving power and Inoue’s measured, technical approach. Whoever can impose pace and range over three rounds in Brussels will likely walk away with a win that reshapes their standing in the global 135‑pound picture.
