Kazuyuki Miyata Fires Back at K-1 Announcers (7/27/2010 6:30:27 AM)
Filed under: MMA Media Watch, K1On Saturday I praised K-1 announcers Michael Schiavello and Mike Kogan for their candor in calling the recent Kazuyuki Miyata vs. Kazuhisa Watanabe fight, a fight that wasn't on par with the caliber of kickboxing that fans have come to expect from K-1. Now Miyata has responded, and he's not pleased with being called out. "K-1 USA's commentator Mike Kogan insulted me," Miyata wrote on his blog, as translated by MMA Fighting's Japan correspondent, Daniel Herbertson. "He knows me but he's still saying these kinds of things about me?"
A Refreshing Piece of Candor on a K-1 Broadcast (7/24/2010 8:00:35 AM)
Filed under: MMA Media Watch, K1One of the problems that plagues combat sports broadcasting is that the television announcers are so closely aligned with the promotions whose fights they call that the broadcasters often start to sound like promoters themselves. The fans are told that every fight they're watching is great, even if their two eyes tell them something different. That's why Michael Schiavello and Mike Kogan deserve a ton of credit for the way they called the Kazuyuki Miyata vs. Kazuhisa Watanabe K-1 World MAX tournament fight that aired on HDNet Friday.
HDNet Fights Video Vault: Yuji Takeuchi vs. "Yuki" from K-1 tourney (7/22/2010 2:20:00 PM)
In our latest installment of HDNet Fights Video Vault, we return to the Japanese-based K-1 kickboxing promotion and its 24-man "K-1 World MAX 2010 -63kg Japan Tournament." Our featured matchup comes from the opening round and pits Yuji Takeuchi against "Yuki." The 12-fight event took place May 2 at JCB Hall in Tokyo.
Semmy Schilt Focused on K-1, Wouldn't Rule Out UFC Return (7/20/2010 7:37:12 AM)
Filed under: UFC, K1Winning three heavyweight kickboxing bouts in one night to claim the K-1 World Grand Prix Final title may be the most physically demanding endeavor in combat sports. As a four-time World Grand Prix champion, Semmy Schilt knows that well. The physical demands of the K-1 World Grand Prix are the reason that the 36-year-old Schilt is making a point of preserving himself this year. Schilt has stepped into the ring just once since winning the 2009 title on December 5, and he says he doesn't expect to fight again until it's time to begin the path toward defending his title in a Final 16 bout in September. "The last time I fought was on the fourth of April, and now I am waiting on my next fight, in the Final 16 this year," Schilt told MMAFighting.com. "I don't have many injuries so its not necessary to preserve myself, but now I am training without pressure, and that feels good."
Alistair Overeem Explains Dream Absence, Hints at K-1 Return (7/19/2010 12:37:07 PM)
Filed under: Strikeforce, K1During a conversation with Ariel Helwani on Monday's episode of "The MMA Hour," Alistair Overeem did his best to clear up the confusion surrounding his decision not to participate in a bout against Ricco Rodriguez at Dream.15. To hear Overeem tell it, it wasn't simply a case of him not wanting to take the risk, as Rodriguez suggested. Instead, miscommunication about whether the scrap would be a title fight was mostly to blame, he said. That, combined with fatigue from a busy year for the Strikeforce heavyweight champ and some flagging motivation at the thought of facing an unranked opponent with no hardware at stake, prompted him to pull out of the fight well in advance.
K-1 Legend Mark Hunt Will Meet Newcomer Sean McCorkle at UFC 119 (7/8/2010 11:13:49 AM)
Filed under: UFC, NewsA report surfaced today that the UFC has signed two new heavyweights to meet at UFC 119, and MMA Fighting has confirmed from a source close to the organization that Sean McCorkle and Pride and K-1 veteran Mark Hunt will fight in Indianapolis. Though UFC 119 has not yet been officially announced, it is expected to take place at Conseco Fieldhouse, home of the NBA's Indiana Pacers, on Sept. 25. The Hunt-McCorkle bout is slated for the preliminary card, according to the source.
Tetsuya Yamato Rebounds to Capture K-1 63 kg GP (7/5/2010 10:13:48 AM)
Filed under: K1, News, JapanTetsuya Yamato was not the most technical fighter in the competition but he was certainly the toughest as he rebounded from a first round knockdown against the highly favored Yuta Kubo to capture the K-1 63 kg Japan title at Yoyogi Stadium 1st in Tokyo, Japan. Yamato was downed with a straight left early in the first round but was able to stand, survive and turn the fight around. In the final exchange in the last round, both fighters threw simultaneous left hands, both connecting flush. Yamato staggered backwards but kept his feet, Kubo fell to the canvas and was not able to stand giving the Yamato the Hollywood movie style win and the title.
All Fighters on Weight For K-1 MAX (7/4/2010 7:44:12 AM)
Filed under: K1, Japan All fighters passed the weight check successfully for tomorrow's K-1 World MAX 70 kg Final 16 and 63 kg Japan Tournament Finals. The inaugural 63 kg (~139 lb) tournament started back in May with 22 fighters but with only eight slots available for tomorrow's finals, a fan vote was done to determine who advances. Also on the card is the beginning of the 70 kg (~154 lb) Final 16. Only three of the eight fights are being held on this card, the remaining five will be held on a European event later in the year. A video of the weigh-in is available above. Weigh-in results and fight order after the break.
K-1 MAX: Preview and Predictions (7/4/2010 7:13:53 AM)
Filed under: K1, JapanJuly 5th will be the first K-1 WORLD MAX that is truly without Masato so it is no surprise then that the hunt for his successor is in full force but FEG are indicating that it will not be at 70kg. The card is a joint event between the K-1 WORLD MAX 2010 70kg GP Final 16 and 63kg Japan GP Final but the 70 kg Final 16 has been split with the majority of the fights to take place in Europe later in the year. So in this new generation of fighters will we find a Masato? After the break, my preview and predictions.
HDNet Fights Video Vault: K-1 World Grand Prix 2010 in Bucharest double feature (6/29/2010 6:00:00 PM)
In this week's installment of HDNet Fights Video Vault, our weekly fight-of-the-week feature, we stray from MMA in favor of a pair of recent kickboxing contests that both featured rather odd first-round finishes. First up is a superfight between Romanian slugger Catalin "The Carpathian Death" Morosanu and Dutch-Surinamese striker Errol "The Bonecrusher" Zimmerman, followed by a tournament semifinal bout between "Son of Dracula" Sebastian Ciobanu and Siala-Mou "Mighty Mo" Siligia. Both fights took place at the K-1 World Grand Prix 2010 in Bucharest, which took place May 21 in Bucharest, Romania, and aired on HDNet.
Kazuyuki Miyata vs. Kazuhisa Watanabe Added to July 5 K-1 WORLD MAX (6/18/2010 6:31:46 AM)
Filed under: K1, JapanK-1 President Sadaharu Tanikawa unveiled four additional matches Friday for July 5th's K-1 World MAX 70 kg Final 16 and 63 kg Japan Tournament Finals. Notable for MMA fans, Sydney Olympic wrestler Kazuyuki Miyata will by making his K-1 debut against former Japanese featherweight boxing champion and K-1 bad boy Kazuhisa Watanabe. Miyata is coming off a close split decision win over Takafumi Otsuka at DREAM.14 and is undefeated as a featherweight. Akiyo "Wicky" Nishiura, who TKO'ed Hideo Tokoro at DREAM.14, was the preferred MMA representative but an injury sustained in that fight has kept him from making his K-1 debut. Shohei Asahara, Toshiki Taniyama and Koya Urabe, who were all victorious in the opening round of the 63 kg tournament but failed to earn a spot in the Final 8, have been added in reserve fights.
Kazuyuki Miyata vs. Kazuhisa Watanabe Added to July 5th K-1 WORLD MAX (6/18/2010 5:01:40 AM)
Filed under: K1, JapanK-1 President Sadaharu Tanikawa today unveiled four additional matches for July 5th's K-1 World MAX 70 kg Final 16 and 63 kg Japan Tournament Finals. Notably for MMA fans, Sydney Olympic Wrestler Kazuyuki Miyata will by making his K-1 debut against former Japanese featherweight boxing champion and K-1 bad boy Kazuhisa Watanabe. Miyata is coming off a close split decision win over Takafumi Otsuka at DREAM.14 and is undefeated as a featherweight. Akiyo "Wicky" Nishiura TKO'ed Hideo Tokoro at DREAM.14 was the preferred MMA representative but an injury sustained in that fight has kept him from making his K-1 debut. Shohei Asahara, Toshiki Taniyama and Koya Urabe who were all victorious in the opening round of the 63 kg tournament but failed to earn a spot in the Final 8 have been added in reserve fights.
Match-Ups Announced for July 5th K-1 WORLD MAX (6/3/2010 3:09:56 AM)
Filed under: K1, News, JapanFEG today announced the match-ups for the 2010 Under 63 kg Japan Tournament Finals and three matches for the Under 70 kg World Tournament to be held on July 5th at Yoyogi Stadium 1st, Tokyo, Japan. The final of the 63 kg tournament is to be an 8 man, one night affair meaning that three of the 11 winners in the opening round have missed out on a finals slot and no reserve fights have been announced. Full fight card is available after the break.
FEG Announce K-1 World MAX -70kg Final 16 and -63kg Japan Finals (5/25/2010 8:40:00 PM)
Filed under: K1, JapanFEG have revealed that the K-1 World MAX -70kg Tournament Final 16 and -63kg Japan Tournament Finals will be held together on July 5th at the Yoyogi Stadium 1st in Tokyo. Announced participants so far for the -70kg Final 16 are Yoshihiro Sato, Albert Kraus and K-1 World MAX 2010 Japan tournament champion Yuichiro "Jienotsu" Nagashima. All eleven winners from May 2nd's 1st Round of the 63kg Japan Tournament are listed to be participating on the card despite there being only eight spots available or ten with a reserve match.
Freddy Kemayo Rebounds From Loss to Capture K-1 East Europe GP (5/22/2010 6:39:55 AM)
Filed under: K1Frenchman Freddy Kemayo qualified for the K-1 World Grand Prix Final 16 tonight in Bucharest, Romania with a third round KO over local Sebastian Cioban in the one night tournament final. Cioban verbally surrendered after he was unable to deal with the hands of Kemayo, falling victim to a barrage of hooks and uppercuts. Alexey Ignashov defeated Kemayo in the semi-finals by decision but sustained a knee injury in the process and was unable continue. Given the controversial nature of Kemayo's qualification for the Final 16, it is conceivable that Ignashov may be granted at a wild card slot or another chance to qualify. Full results available after the break.
HDNet Fights Video Vault: Kyotaro vs. Peter Aerts at April's K-1 Yokohama (5/19/2010 5:55:00 PM)
In this week's installment of HDNet Fights Video Vault, our weekly fight-of-the-week feature, we stray from MMA in favor of a recent kickboxing match between K-1 heavyweight champion Kyotaro Fujimoto and kickboxing legend Peter Aerts. The two potent strikers faced off in April at the K-1 World Grand Prix 2010, which took place at Yokohama Arena in Yokohama, Japan, and aired on HDNet. Each week HDNet and MMAjunkie.com release a new and exclusive fight from the ever-growing HDNet Fights video library. Stunning knockouts, slick submissions, shocking finishes and legendary brawls are the norm for this weekly feature.
Overeem Hoping for Two Strikeforce Fights in 2010, Says K-1 is No. 2 Priority (5/4/2010 2:36:41 PM)
Filed under: Strikeforce, NewsOver two years, six K-1 kickboxing fights and seven MMA fights later, Alistair Overeem will finally defend his Strikeforce heavyweight belt on May 15 in San Jose, Calif. On a media call Tuesday afternoon to promote his upcoming fight against Brett Rogers, Overeem reaffirmed his dedication to MMA, expressing that his No. 1 priority this year is his career in the US, or more specifically, Strikeforce. "It's been too long that I've fought , so I'm hoping to do a couple of fights this year," Overeem stated. "K-1 is secondary this year."
Favorites Out Early at K-1 63kg GP (5/2/2010 12:06:21 PM)
Filed under: K1, News, JapanTOKYO, Japan -- The opening round of the inaugural K-1 World MAX 2010 63kg Japan Tournament got underway in front 3,871 fans at a sold out JCB Hall on Sunday and already, this new division is showing that youth and speed is key. Despite their late inclusions, Masahiro Yamamoto and Haruaki Otsuki hold a large number of the more prestigious titles available in Japanese kickboxing and were rightfully considered the tournament favorites. Titles and experience meant little though as they both bowed out of the tournament early with shocking losses to younger opposition.
Fighters Make Weight for K-1 Under 63kg GP (4/30/2010 11:06:36 PM)
Filed under: K1, Japan TOKYO, Japan -- All fighters made weight today for the opening round of the inaugural K-1 World MAX under-63kg (139lbs) Japan Grand Prix to be held at JCB Hall on Sunday, May 2nd. The tournament is to be decided in an unusual format - only 8 of the 11 winners from tomorrow's GP fights will be going through to the next round. In FEG's latest attempt to bring more excitement to the promotion, those advancing will be selected based on how compelling their fight is and on fan opinion. FEG have also been adjusting clinch rules for the past few years to eliminate stalling. There has been one late addition to the card, Haruaki Otsuki, who recently announced his intention to enter the MMA ring in DEEP, will be taking on New Japan Kickboxing Association Lighweight Champion, Yoshimichi Matsumoto. Weigh-in results and promotional videos for each fight after the break.
HDNet Fights Video Vault: Alistair Overeem vs. Dzeved Poturak under K-1 rules (4/21/2010 6:55:00 PM)
In this week's installment of HDNet Fights Video Vault, our weekly fight-of-the-week feature, we shy away from MMA in favor of a recent K-1 kickboxing match between Strikeforce heavyweight champion Alistair Overeem and Bosnian heavyweight Dzevad Poturak. The two veteran strikers clashed earlier this month at the K-1 World Grand Prix 2010, which took place at Yokohama Arena in Yokohama, Japan, and aired on HDNet. While Overeem hasn't suffered an MMA defeat since 2007, his kickboxing efforts haven't always lived up to his mixed martial arts abilities, and he was just 2-2 in his past four kickboxing bouts coming into the matchup. Would Poturak stack up?
K-1 MAX Under-63kg Tournament Card Decided (4/9/2010 5:12:16 AM)
Filed under: K1, News, japan TOKYO - K-1 Event Producer, Sadaharu Tanikawa met with the press Friday to announce the lineup of the inaugural K-1 World MAX under-63kg (138.6 pounds) Japan Tournament and to provide details about the new division's unusual format. The first round of the tournament is to have 20 fighters competing for eight places in the next round. Participants in the second stage of the tournament are to be selected by FEG based on performance in the opening round. It is clear that FEG are pushing for crowd-pleasing slugfests with the recent rules changes to eliminate clinch fighting, and now, even winning may not mean progression in a tournament. DREAM aces Hiroyuki Takaya, Norufumi "KID" Yamamoto and Hideo Tokoro were intially rumored to be on the card and were featured in FEG official trailers for the event but Daiki "DJ.taiki" Hata is to be the sole DREAM representative. Takaya and Tokoro are now instead listed as possibilities for Dream 14 on May 29th. The full
Flashback: Bj Penn Vs Renzo Gracie At K-1 Hawaii (4/3/2010 10:23:02 AM)
As they prepare for separate bouts at UFC 112, take a step back and watch UFC lightweight champion B.J. Penn fight Renzo Gracie at K-1 Hawaii in 2005 (FULL FIGHT)...
K-1 Main Event: Badr Hari Beats Alexey Ignashov by Decision (4/3/2010 7:43:00 AM)
by Michael David SmithFiled under: K1Badr Hari had no trouble at all in defeating Alexey Ignashov by unanimous decision at the K-1 World Grand Prix in Yokohama 2010, as K-1's best knockout artist was patient and content to out-point the defensive-minded Ignashov.Hari came out swinging in the first round, but Ignashov showed off some very good head movement, as no matter how powerful the punches Hari threw, Ignashov managed to avoid them. At the end of the first round a Hari flurry appeared to have Ignashov in trouble against the ropes, but Hari didn't have time to finish his assault. All three judges scored the first round 10-9 for Hari.K-1 Main Event: Badr Hari Beats Alexey Ignashov by Decision originally appeared on MMA Fighting on Sat, 03 Apr 2010 07:43:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments
Kyotaro KOs Peter Aerts for K-1 Heavyweight Title (4/3/2010 6:45:00 AM)
by Michael David SmithFiled under: K1The K-1 heavyweight title has largely been a belt that didn't mean anything since Keijiro Maeda, the Japanese fighter better known as Kyotaro,won it a year ago. But it means a lot now that Kyotaro beat Peter Aerts at the K-1 World Grand Prix 2010 in Yokohama.It was the biggest win over Kyotaro's career, and a tremendous display of technical and powerful kickboxing in beating Aerts, a legend who's clearly past his prime.Kyotaro KOs Peter Aerts for K-1 Heavyweight Title originally appeared on MMA Fighting on Sat, 03 Apr 2010 06:45:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments
K-1 World Grand Prix 2010 in Yokohama Results: Overeem and Hari Win; Schilt and Kyotara Defend Title (4/3/2010 5:49:13 AM)
K-1's World Grand Prix 2010 took place overnight at the Yokohama Arena in Yokohama, Japan, and featured Strikeforce heavyweight champ Alistair Overeem scoring a first-round KO in his final bout before returning to the U.S. to defend his title against Brett Rogers on May 15.
K-1 World Grand Prix 2010 in Yokohama Results (4/3/2010 5:06:00 AM)
by Michael David SmithFiled under: K1The biggest kickboxing event of the year to date is taking place Saturday in Yokohama, Japan, with the K-1 World Grand Prix 2010 Yokohama.Alistair Overeem is returning to the ring against Dzevad Poturak, Semmy Schilt is defending the K-1 super heavyweight title against Errol Zimmerman, Kyotaro is defending the K-1 heavyweight title against Peter Aerts, and in the main event Badr Hari takes on Alexey Ignashov.Full results are below.K-1 World Grand Prix 2010 in Yokohama Results originally appeared on MMA Fighting on Sat, 03 Apr 2010 05:06:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments
K-1 World Grand Prix 2010 Preview: Overeem, Schilt, Hari and More (4/2/2010 9:55:00 AM)
by Michael David SmithFiled under: K1, HDNetHeavyweight kickboxing is back with the biggest event so far this year when the K-1 World Grand Prix 2010 in Yokohama takes place on Saturday. The event will air live starting at 4 AM ET on HDNet in North America, and Michael Schiavello, the announcer who will be calling the English-language broadcast both on HDNet and elsewhere around the world, joined me for a discussion about the five biggest fights on the card.Our discussion, which touches on Alistair Overeem, Semmy Schilt, Badr Hari and more, is below.K-1 World Grand Prix 2010 Preview: Overeem, Schilt, Hari and More originally appeared on MMA Fighting on Fri, 02 Apr 2010 09:55:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments
'Kyotaro', Peter Aerts Make Weight for K-1 Heavyweight Match (4/2/2010 7:00:00 AM)
by Daniel HerbertsonFiled under: K1, News, japan, HDNetTOKYO - Keijiro "Kyotaro" Maeda and Peter Aerts met Friday at the ANA InterContinental Hotel and completed the formalities for their K-1 heavyweight championship match to be held tomorrow at Yokohama Arena. Both fighters weighed in at under the 100kg (220 pounds) weight limit - Peter Aerts weighing in at 97kg (213.4 pounds), the lightest weight of his career. "For me, it was a little bit difficult. I had to lose a lot of weight," commented the three-time World Grand Prix Champion. He also joked that at this rate, a move to the -70kg K-1 MAX event may be on the cards. In his first defense since winning the title, Maeda came in at 99.5kg (218.5 pounds) and was more focused on his own well-being, "I would like to win so that my life will drastically change for the better." The Osaka native claimed the title in a four-man tournament in 2009 after previous champ, Badr Hari, was stripped of the title. 'Kyotaro', Peter Aerts Make We
In Blow to Overeem, K-1 Bans Clinch Strikes (3/29/2010 3:10:00 PM)
by Michael David SmithFiled under: Strikeforce, K1Alistair Overeem has one more K-1 kickboxing match on Saturday in Japan, and after that he says he'll shift his focus back to mixed martial arts and defending his Strikeforce heavyweight title. In news that may be related and would certainly hinder Overeem's chances of kickboxing success, K-1 has announced that it plans to ban strikes from the clinch, beginning with this year's Final 16 tournaments.In Blow to Overeem, K-1 Bans Clinch Strikes originally appeared on MMA Fighting on Mon, 29 Mar 2010 15:10:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments
Alistair Overeem K-1 Fight Set for April 3 (3/6/2010 8:30:00 AM)
by Michael David SmithFiled under: Strikeforce, K1Strikeforce heavyweight champion Alistair Overeem is scheduled to fight a K-1 kickboxing match against Dzevad Poturak on April 3, just six weeks before he is supposed to defend his title against Brett Rogers at the May 15 Strikeforce show.The scheduling calls into question whether Overeem, who hasn't defended the Strikeforce belt since he won it on November 16, 2007, will really be ready to go against Rogers.Alistair Overeem K-1 Fight Set for April 3 originally appeared on MMA Fighting on Sat, 06 Mar 2010 08:30:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments
HDNet Outlines Dream, Sengoku, K-1, XFC, KOTC Plans (2/26/2010 9:00:00 AM)
by Michael David SmithFiled under: DREAM, K1, Sengoku, King of the Cage, HDNetAfter hearing from a few mixed martial arts fans who were wondering how they could watch the upcoming Dream.13 and Sengoku 12 cards in North America, I checked in with HDNet to get some details on the network's plans for televising fight cards -- some live, some on tape -- for the spring of 2010.HDNet Outlines Dream, Sengoku, K-1, XFC, KOTC Plans originally appeared on MMA Fighting on Fri, 26 Feb 2010 09:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments
Mirko Cro Cop's K-1 Roots (2/16/2010 10:00:00 AM)
by Michael David SmithFiled under: MMA Videos, UFC, K1Mirko "Cro Cop" Filipovic spent five years as a professional kickboxer before he made his mixed martial arts debut, and as he prepares to make his return to the Octagon at UFC 110, he says he's returning to his kickboxing roots in his training. So that makes now a good time to take a look back at Cro Cop's kickboxing performance on December 5, 1999, when he advanced to the K-1 World Grand Prix Final. Above is Cro Cop's TKO victory over Musashi in the quarterfinals, and we have two more videos below.Mirko Cro Cop's K-1 Roots originally appeared on MMA Fighting on Tue, 16 Feb 2010 10:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments
HDNet Fights Video Vault: Giorgio Petrosyan vs. Yuya Yamamoto at K-1 World 2009 Final (2/2/2010 7:05:00 PM)
At just 24 years old, Italian-Armenian kickboxer Giorgio Petrosyan has taken part in a staggering 64 professional kickboxing bouts. Total losses? Just one. But before he could stake claim to his first K-1 world title, he had to take on tough Japanese striker Yuya Yamamoto at the October 2009 K-1 World MAX 2009 Final in a semifinal bout, which we present in this week's installment of HDNet Fights Video Vault.
HDNet Fights Video Vault: Badr Hari vs. Errol Zimmerman at K-1 World GP 2008 (1/13/2010 10:30:00 PM)
Badr Hari's run in the K-1 World GP 2008 Finals likely will be remembered best for a controversial finale with Remy Bonjasky. In that K-1 fight, Hari illegally struck his already downed opponent, got in a shouting match with his opponent's corner, disqualified and ultimately was fined his entire fight purse and stripped of his K-1 heavyweight belt. The bizarre fight unfortunately overshadowed his stellar semifinal fight against Errol Zimmerman, which we present in this week's edition of HDNet Fights Video Vault.
K-1 'Dynamite 2009' Preview (12/29/2009 7:56:16 AM)
Inter-promotional feuds have always worked well in the history of sports entertainment, not just in Japan, which is why K-1 mastermind Kazuyoshi Ishii has come up with the Dream vs. Sengoku Raiden Championship slogan for this year’s Dynamite event.
Scott Lighty Goes From K-1 To Strikeforce Star (12/17/2009 10:39:03 AM)
Former K-1 fighter Scott Lighty has found success in MMA and puts his unblemished record on the line at Saturday's Strikeforce: Evolution show in San Jose, Calif. ...
HDNet Fights Video Vault: Semmy Schilt at K-1 World Grand Prix 2009 (12/15/2009 8:45:00 PM)
Earlier this month Dutch kickboxer Semmy Schilt looked to sustain one of the most remarkable runs in K-1 history. Schilt, a K-1 veteran with 39 career kickboxing bouts and a PRIDE/UFC vet with 40 pro MMA fights, focused solely on K-1 in 2009. And the decision paid off handsomely. In our latest edition of "HDNet Fights Video Vault," our weekly fight-of-the-week feature, we provide a special clip that shows the 7-foot striker's run through the K-1 World Grand Prix 2009.
K-1 Next for Gegard Mousasi, Not Dan Henderson (12/8/2009 6:09:56 AM)
by Ariel HelwaniFiled under: Strikeforce, K1, FanHouse Exclusive, M-1 GlobalFrom the moment news broke on Monday that Dan Henderson had signed with Strikeforce, all eyes pointed to a potential title match against light heavyweight champion Gegard Mousasi. But when reached via e-mail by FanHouse, the 24-year-old Dutch fighter said that the organization had yet to approach him about a fight against Henderson. "That would be an exciting fight for the fans," he wrote. "For me, it's just another fight. But I understand that a win over a caliber fighter like Dan Henderson is very interesting." Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments
K-1 Next for Gegard Mousasi, Not Dan Henderson (12/8/2009 4:46:25 AM)
From the moment news broke on Monday that Dan Henderson had signed with Strikeforce, all eyes pointed to a potential title match against light heavyweight champion Gegard Mousasi. But when reached via e-mail by FanHouse, the 24-year-old Dutch fighter said that the organization had yet to approach him about a fight against Henderson.read more
K-1 World Grand Prix 2009 Final Results: Semmy Schilt Defeats Badr Hari in Finals (12/5/2009 6:38:02 AM)
K-1's World Grand Prix 2009 Final took place earlier today at the Yokohama Arena in Yokohama, Japan, with Semmy Schilt defeating Badr Hari via first-round TKO for his record-tying fourth K-1 World Grand Prix Championship. Schilt defeated Jerome LeBanner, Remy Bonjasky, and Hari en route to winning the title, while Hari earned wins over Ruslan Karaev and Alistair Overeem to advance to the finals before losing to Schilt and becoming the runner-up for the second-straight year.
Badr Hari Beats Alistair Overeem: K-1 Dream Ends, Focus Now on MMA (12/5/2009 3:09:53 AM)
by Michael David SmithFiled under: Strikeforce, K1Badr Hari defeated Alistair Overeem by first-round TKO in the semifinals of Saturday's K-1 World Grand Prix Final 2009, ending Overeem's hopes of winning the world's biggest kickboxing title, and turning Overeem back to mixed martial arts. Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments
Remy Bonjasky Looks to Retain K-1 Crown (12/3/2009 9:29:47 AM)
The K-1 World Grand Prix 2009 is the year's biggest kickboxing event, and as we get ready for the December 5 show, we have K-1 announcer Michael Schiavello offering his commentary on each of the fighters. His thoughts on defending champion Remy Bonjasky are below. By Michael Schiavello read more
Alistair Overeem Still Prefers MMA, Even as He Seeks K-1 Title (11/27/2009 11:20:00 AM)
Filed under: DREAM, Strikeforce, K1Even as he prepares to fight in the K-1 World Grand Prix Final on December 5, Ailstair Overeem is making it clear that he considers himself an MMA fighter first and a kickboxer second. "My passion is in MMA," said Overeem, the Strikeforce heavyweight champion. "That's what I like to do. But now that I beat Peter Aerts (to get to) the Final 8, I feel like the title is within reach, so I'm going to get it." K-1 seems to like playing up the MMA vs. K-1 angle when promoting Overeem, and no matter how he does in the Grand Prix Final, K-1 is hoping to have Overeem fight in its sister MMA promotion, Dream, next year. Overeem says he wants to fight Fedor Emelianenko next year, either in Dream or Strikeforce. In any event, Overeem is a fascinating athlete to watch, and I'm looking forward to seeing him next weekend. But I think he's better at MMA than he is at kickboxing, and I'm glad to know he still considers MMA his specialty.Alistair Overeem Still Prefe
K-1 by the Numbers (11/26/2009 4:07:29 AM)
The K-1 World Grand Prix Final 2009 is the biggest event in kickboxing, and it will be broadcast live in the United States on HDNet in the early hours of Saturday morning, December 5. The Grand Prix final is a great event, but it's an event most American sports fans don't know about. So if you're one of those fans, take a moment to get some details from K-1 announcer Michael Schiavello. K-1 Grand Prix: Running the Numbers By Michael Schiavello read more
K-1 MAX 2009 tournament final results (10/26/2009 10:07:04 AM)
For most MMA fans, the weekend's non-stop MMA marathon of UFC 104 and DREAM 12 was already quite a feast. For the dedicated followers of MMA and K-1, the weekend festivity ended with DREAM 12 but the marathon continued into a new week with K-1 MAX 2009 Tournament Final on Monday, Sept. 26. The event aired
For Alistair Overeem, MMA Squash Matches Are K-1 Tune-Ups (10/25/2009 7:40:00 AM)
Filed under: DREAM, Strikeforce, K1In North America, people who know who Alistair Overeem is know him as an MMA fighter. He's the Strikeforce heavyweight champion, and his 14 fights in Pride included one in Las Vegas (against Shogun Rua) and one against Chuck Liddell when Liddell was the most popular fighter in the UFC. To the extent that Overeem has any name value in this country, it's for what he's done in MMA. But in both his home country (The Netherlands) and the country where he's done most of his fighting (Japan), Overeem is working hard at establishing himself as a world-class kickboxer, and he's putting MMA on the back burner while he hones his kickboxing skills. That's why Overeem's two MMA fights over the last two weekends were squash matches in which he easily beat two overmatched opponents. Overeem just wants to treat MMA as a way to stay busy and make a little extra pocket money while he gets ready for the K-1 World Grand Prix 2009 Final in December. And so when you see
FEG, DREAM announces Dec. 31 "Dynamite!! 2009" MMA/K-1 event in Saitama, Japan (10/14/2009 5:00:00 PM)
Japan's traditional year-end blockbuster is taking shape, and "Dynamite!! 2009" is slated for Dec. 31, Fighting and Entertainment Group president Sadaharu Tanigawa and DREAM event producer Keiichi Sasahara today announced. The show takes place at the massive Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan, and airs in North America on HDNet. A star-studded lineup is expected for the night's hybrid MMA/K-1 fight card, which could include the likes of Shinya Aoki, Norifumi "Kid" Yamamoto, Hayato "Mach" Sakurai, Jerome Le Banner, Badr Hari and others.
K-1/DREAM “Dyanamite!! 2009? Officially Announced (10/14/2009 12:00:14 PM)
The officials over at FEG and DREAM officially made an expected announcement today that they will be holding their annual New Years Eve show again this year, at the Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan. K-1 executive Sadaharu Tanikawa said that the event would follow last year's hybrid format, including both K-1 bouts and Dream MMA bouts, to fill out an eighteen fight card.
FEG Announces K-1, Dream Co-Promotion Dec. 31 (10/14/2009 9:49:01 AM)
Fighting and Entertainment Group, the parent company of K-1 and Dream, announced plans for Dynamite 2009 on New Year’s Eve at a press conference in Tokyo on Wednesday.
K-1, DREAM Announce 'Dynamite!! 2009' (10/14/2009 8:34:43 AM)
K-1 event producer Sadaharu Tanikawa and DREAM producer Keiiti Sasahara held a press conference Wednesday in Tokyo to formally announce "Dynamite!! 2009" for New Year's Eve at the Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan. Tanikawa said the event will be similar to last year's in that there will be a mixture of K-1 kickboxing and DREAM mixed martial arts bouts to fill out an 18-fight lineup. read more
K-1 and DREAM announce ‘Dynamite!!’ New Year’s Eve supershow (10/14/2009 3:42:15 AM)
At an Oct 14 press conference hosted by Fighting and Entertainment Group (FEG), president Sadaharu Tanigawa and DREAM event producer Keiichi Sasahara unveiled the synopsis of this year's annual “Dynamite!!” show on New Year's Eve. The event will be held at Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan, on a similar scale as the last year's event,
Overeem Beats Aerts at K-1 World GP in Seoul (9/28/2009 3:24:40 AM)
Whether it's in kickboxing or mixed martial arts, Alistair Overeem is one of the toughest men in the world, as he showed once again on Saturday in defeated Peter Aerts at the K-1 World Grand Prix Final 16 in Seoul. read more
K-1 draws World GP 2009 Final 8 for Dec. 5 event (9/27/2009 5:57:08 AM)
The winners of the Final 16 tourney have gathered to partake in the tournament draw to determine the match-up and the bout order for the K-1 World Grand Prix 2009 Final 8 from Japan's Yokohama Arena on December 5. The fighters picked numbered balls, and in the ascending order of the numbers on the balls, chose
K-1 World Grand Prix 2009 Final Bracket Set (9/27/2009 4:55:10 AM)
The bracket for K-1's World Grand Prix 2009 Final, which takes place on December 5 in Kanagawa, Japan, was set on Sunday in Seoul after the tournament's eight fighters were determined in Saturday bouts at the K-1 World GP 2009 Final 16. Badr Hari takes on Ruslan Karaev and Ewerton Texeira meets Alistair Overeem in side A of the tournament, while Jerome LeBanner fights Semmy Schilt and Remy Bonjasky squares off against Errol Zimmerman on side B.
Overeem Beats Aerts at K-1 World GP in Seoul (9/27/2009 3:24:40 AM)
Whether it's in kickboxing or mixed martial arts, Alistair Overeem is one of the toughest men in the world, as he showed once again on Saturday in defeated Peter Aerts at the K-1 World Grand Prix Final 16 in Seoul. read more
K-1 exploring India as a potential breeding gound for next generation fighters (9/26/2009 9:01:20 PM)
At age 21, Singh “Heart” Jaideep became the youngest fighter to qualify for the K-1 World Grand Prix (WGP). He unfortunately did not endear himself to the fans with the lackluster, five-round snoozefest against Ewerton Teixeira at Olympic Park in Seoul, Korea. Unless he can stage an impressive comeback, he will not linger in the collective
K-1 World Grand Prix 2009 Final 16 Results: Hari, Overeem, Bonjasky Among Winners (9/26/2009 9:47:38 AM)
Badr Hari, Alistair Overeem, Jerome Le Banner, Semmy Schilt, and Remy Bonjasky were among the winners at Saturday's K-1 World Grand Prix 2009 Final 16 kickboxing event in Seoul, South Korea. The winning fighters now advance to the K-1 World Grand Prix 2009 Finals on December 5 in Kanagawa, Japan, where they'll participate in a one-night, eight-man tournament to crown the 2009 K-1 World Grand Prix champion.
Alistair Overeem Beats Peter Aerts at K-1 World GP in Seoul (9/26/2009 7:35:00 AM)
Filed under: Strikeforce, K1Whether it's in kickboxing or mixed martial arts, Alistair Overeem is one of the toughest men in the world, as he showed once again on Saturday in defeated Peter Aerts at the K-1 World Grand Prix Final 16 in Seoul. The 38-year-old Aerts is one of the legends of K-1, but he was simply no match for the bigger, stronger Overeem, who threw him around the ring and battered him with punches and kicks for three rounds in winning a one-sided unanimous decision. Overeem entered the fight as the underdog, but that's a function of K-1 fans knowing Aerts better than they know Overeem. There's no doubt that Overeem is the superior fighter. Now Overeem will advance to the K-1 World Grand Prix 2009 Final, a one-day tournament that will take place on December 5 in Yokohama, Japan, and he'll have to be considered one of the favorites. Overeem is just 4-3 in his kickboxing career, but he has been nothing short of outstanding in his last three fights: He dominated Aerts on S
K-1 World GP 2009 Final 16 highlights and video gallery (9/26/2009 5:59:22 AM)
Alistair Overeem vs. Peter Aerts (1 of 2): Check out more K-1 highlights and videos including Badr Hari and Semmy Schilt after the jump. Alistair Overeem vs. Peter Aerts (2 of 2): Badr Hari vs. Zabit Samedov: Semmy Schilt vs. Daniel Ghita (1 of 2): Semmy Schilt vs. Daniel Ghita (2 of 2):
K-1 exploring India as a potential breeding gound for next generation fighters (9/25/2009 9:01:20 PM)
At age 21, Singh “Heart” Jaideep became the youngest fighter to qualify for the K-1 World Grand Prix (WGP). He unfortunately did not endear himself to the fans with the lackluster, five-round snoozefest against Ewerton Teixeira at Olympic Park in Seoul, Korea. Unless he can stage an impressive comeback, he will not linger in the collective
K-1 World Grand Prix 2009 results and discussion for ‘Final 16' (9/25/2009 5:40:54 PM)
K-1 World Grand Prix 2009: “Final 16″ is set to go off early this morning (Sat., Sept. 26)  from the Olympic Gymnasium Arena in Seoul, South Korea. All the action is set to air LIVE at 3:30 a.m. ET on HDNet. It will also be replayed later Saturday night at 11:00 p.m. ET. Feel free to discuss
Melvin Manhoef video talks K-1 GP Final 16 bout against Remy Bonjasky (9/25/2009 8:32:04 AM)
At a glance: K-1 World GP 2009 Final 16 (Pic) (9/25/2009 5:19:43 AM)
Be sure to catch all the action LIVE on HDNet from the Olympic Gymnasium Arena in Seoul, South Korea on Saturday, September 26 at 12:30 a.m. PT/3:30 a.m. ET. The event will also be replayed that Saturday evening at 11:00 p.m. ET.
FieLDS K-1 World GP 2009 Final 16 to air LIVE on HDNet Sept. 26 (9/24/2009 12:32:10 PM)
DALLAS (September 24, 2009) ' HDNet will feature LIVE coverage of “HDNet Fights Presents: FieLDS K-1 World GP 2009 Final 16,” at the Olympic Gymnasium Arena in Seoul, South Korea, Saturday, September 26 at 12:30 a.m. PT/3:30 a.m. ET. The event will also be replayed that Saturday evening at 11:00 p.m. ET. The best 16
Alistair Overeem video talks K-1 World GP 2009 Final 16; fighting Fedor in Strikeforce (9/24/2009 8:14:57 AM)
Can some explain the gratuitous bag shot at 0:48? Hopefully they're talking about his hand injury…
Alistair Overeem: This Year is for K-1, I Hope to Fight Fedor Next Year (9/24/2009 7:59:00 AM)
Filed under: MMA Videos, Strikeforce, K1Speaking with reporters in Japan prior to his K-1 kickboxing fight on Saturday, Strikeforce heavyweight champion Alistair Overeem said that he expects to defend his title against Fedor Emelianenko some time in 2010. "This year is the K-1 year and then after this I am world heavyweight champion in America of Strikeforce, which is a pretty big promotion," Overeem said (at the 6:30 mark of the video above). "Fedor Emelianenko signed with them two months ago and I'm hoping to fight him next year in America." Overeem became the heavyweight champion of Strikeforce in November of 2007 and hasn't fought for them since, raising questions about whether he ever intended to return to the promotion, or whether he'd simply continue to fight in Japan. But Overeem says fighting Fedor is what he wants to do next year. In the mean time, Overeem has a big kickboxing fight against Peter Aerts in the K-1 World Grand Prix 2009 Final 16. That fight will be shown liv
Strange K-1 Video: Alistair Overeem Smashes Bicycle With Sledgehammer (9/22/2009 4:30:00 PM)
Filed under: MMA Videos, Strikeforce, K1Well, this is something you don't see every day: Alistair Overeem, the Strikeforce heavyweight champion who's taking some time off from MMA in an attempt to become the heavyweight kickboxing champion of Japan's K-1 organization, is preparing for Saturday's K-1 World Grand Prix 2009 in Seoul by smashing things with sledgehammers. Overeem, for no apparent reason, destroys a bicycle with a giant hammer in the above K-1 promotional video. He then destroys a camera and tripod before declaring, "Everybody's gonna die." I'm not really sure what to make of that, but I am sure I'm excited about seeing Overeem back in the ring. He hasn't defended his Strikeforce title since winning it two years ago and has had only one fight of any kind, kickboxing or MMA, in 2009. His second fight of 2009, against Peter Aerts, will be broadcast live early in the morning Saturday on HDNet. If he beats Aerts, he'll advance to the K-1 World Grand Prix Final 2009 in Decemb
Strikeforce: Alistair Overeem will defend his heavyweight title following K-1 event (9/4/2009 4:03:48 AM)
There were more than a few eyebrows raised after the official line up was recently announced for the upcoming K-1 World Grand Prix 2009 Final 16 ' primarily because one of its participants was Alistair Overeem, current Strikeforce Heavyweight Champion. "Demolition Man" was forced to withdraw from his scheduled title defense against Fabricio Werdum at the
K-1 Next for Alistair Overeem (9/1/2009 10:21:09 AM)
After winning the Strikeforce heavyweight championship in 2007, Alistair Overeem never defended his title in 2008. With the news Wednesday that Overeem is fighting in next month's K-1 World Grand Prix Final 16, it looks like he won't defend his Strikeforce belt in 2009, either. read more
K-1 Next for Strikeforce Heavyweight Champion Alistair Overeem (9/1/2009 9:45:00 AM)
Filed under: Dream, Strikeforce, K1, M-1 GlobalAfter winning the Strikeforce heavyweight championship in 2007, Alistair Overeem never defended his title in 2008. With the news today that Overeem is fighting in next month's K-1 World Grand Prix Final 16, it looks like he won't defend his Strikeforce belt in 2009, either. K-1 announced Tuesday that Overeem is taking on Peter Aerts on the September 26 Final 16 card. He's also expected to fight in Amsterdam in October, and if he beats Aerts he'll return to K-1 in December for the Grand Prix Final 2009. That's an awfully full dance card for any fighter, especially one who has already postponed two fights because of a hand injury, and it makes it a near certaintythat he won't be fighting for Strikeforce until 2010. So what becomes of the Strikeforce heavyweight title? I think they ought to award it to the winner of the Fedor Emelianenko vs. Brett Rogers fight that Strikeforce is co-promoting with M-1 Global this fall. That's certainly a f
K-1 Legend Ray ?Sugarfoot? Sefo To Face Kevin ?The Shaman? Jordan At STRIKEFORCE Challengers (8/25/2009 1:11:35 AM)
NEW YORK (August 24, 2009) -- K-1 legend and five-time world kickboxing champion, Ray ?Sugarfoot? Sefo (1-0), will make his STRIKEFORCE mixed martial arts (MMA) debut when he takes on...
K-1 World MAX 2009 semifinal bouts confirmed for Oct. 26 (7/25/2009 10:55:50 AM)
Fighting and Entertainment Group (FEG) has officially announced the pairings for the semifinals of its K-1 World MAX 2009 (154 lbs) tournament, which are scheduled to take place from the Yokohama Arena in Yokohama, Japan, on Oct. 26. K-1 MAX Japan Tournament runner-up Yuya Yamamoto will face off against Italian bruiser Giorgio Petrosyan, who managed to
Pictures: ‘Kid,’ Kawajiri Fall at K-1 MAX (7/20/2009 3:53:12 AM)
Tatsuya Kawajiri and Norifumi “Kid” Yamamoto suffered defeats at the latest K-1 MAX. Daniel Herbertson photographed the bouts for Sherdog.com
Pictures: ‘Kid,’ Kawajiri Fall at K-1 MAX (7/20/2009 3:53:12 AM)
Tatsuya Kawajiri and Norifumi “Kid” Yamamoto suffered defeats at the latest K-1 MAX. Daniel Herbertson photographed the bouts for Sherdog.com
K-1 MAX 2009 Final 8: ‘Kid’ Yamamoto suffers brutal KO loss to Jae Hee Cheon (Video) (7/15/2009 7:22:36 PM)
FieLDS K-1 WORLD MAX 2009 World Championship Tournament -FINAL8- (7/14/2009 8:35:55 AM)
Date : Monday 13 July 2009, Gate Opened 5:00PM / Event Start 6:00PM Venue : Nippon Budokan (http://www.nipponbudokan.or.jp/), Tokyo, JAPAN Attendance : 16,555 people
K-1 MAX Final 8 results and recap; ‘Kid’ Yamamoto, Tatsuya Kawajiri and others in action (7/14/2009 1:47:13 AM)
Fighting and Entertainment Group (FEG) held its latest event, K-1 World MAX Final 8, from the Nippon Budokan Arena in Tokyo, Japan, yesterday (July 13). For fans in North America it will air via tape delay Friday July 17 at 10 p.m. ET on HDNet. The focal point of the evening was another mixed martial arts vs.
K-1 World Max 2009 Live Results (7/13/2009 9:11:00 AM)
HDNet Fights Video Vault: Peter Aerts vs. Errol Zimmerman at K-1 World Grand Prix 2009 (6/30/2009 9:05:00 PM)
New blood meets old in our latest installment of HDNet Fights Video Vault. Our featured bout pits 38-year-old three-time K-1 World Grand Prix champion Peter Aerts against then-22-year-old Golden Glory fighter Errol Zimmerman at the K-1 World Grand Prix 2009 in Yokohama event in a super-fight main event. In front of a sold-out crowd of 10,328 at the Yokohama Arena in Yokohama, Japan, the two fighters kept the bout close and forced a pivotal extra round to determine a winner.
Quick Hits: “Kid” Yamamoto to Added to K-1 Max, Hallman Gets New Foe & More (6/18/2009 8:37:00 PM)
'KID' Yamamoto to fight at K-1 World MAX on July 13 (6/18/2009 8:29:46 AM)
Norifumi "KID" Yamamoto's next MMA fight may not happen until September now that he has accepted a kickboxing fight at K-1 World MAX on July 13 in Tokyo. The next DREAM is DREAM 10 on July 20. Yamamoto is coming off a surprising loss to Joe Warren (2-0) at their Featherweight GP quarterfinal bout at DREAM 9 on May 26. Yamamoto will face Jae-Hee Cheon, a Korea Muay Thai junior lightweight champion with a K-1 record of 0-1.
Norifumi ‘Kid’ Yamamoto returns to K-1 for ‘World Max 2009' Final 8 (6/18/2009 4:01:25 AM)
Japan’s Fighting and Entertainment Group (FEG) recently announced additional match-ups for it’s next event, K-1 World MAX Final 8 from the Nippon Budokan Arena in Tokyo, Japan on July 13. Among them is mixed martial arts featherweight superstar Norifumi “Kid” Yamamoto, returning from a four year absence from the stand-up only combat sport as he clashes
FieLDS K-1 WORLD MAX 2009 World Championship Tournament final (6/18/2009 3:38:02 AM)
Date : Monday 13 July 2009, Gate Open 5:00PM / Event Start 6:00PMVenue : Nippon Budokan, Tokyo, JAPAN
HDNet Fights Video Vault: Keijiro Maeda vs. Melvin Manhoef at K-1 World GP 2009 (6/16/2009 7:05:00 PM)
Everyone knows the padded gloves traditionally used in boxing and kickboxing bouts prevent the kind of one-strike knockouts we're used to seeing with the smaller gloves in MMA. Right? In our latest HDNet Fights Video Vault installment, which features a K-1 World GP 2009 bout between Keijiro Maeda (15-1 kickboxing) and Melvin Manhoef (35-6 kickboxing, 23-5-1 MMA), we see an example of one of MMA's most-feared strikers trading in his MMA gloves for a bigger variety.
Tatsuya Kawajiri to face Masato in K-1 superfight (6/10/2009 7:52:14 AM)
DREAM lightweight Tatsuya Kawajiri will test his striking skills in the K-1 ring for the second time when he takes on Masato at K-1 World MAX 2009 on July 13 in Tokyo, Japan. Despite entering his K-1 debut on New Year's Eve with concerns for his own safety, Kawajiri (24-5-2 MMA, 1-0 Kickboxing) emerged as the victor against veteran Kozo Takeda with a knockout in the first round.  He's also won two straight as a fighter for DREAM, submitting Ross Ebanez in March and outpointing Gesias "JZ Calvan" Calvancante in May. read more
K-1 World MAX Final 8: Masato vs. Tatsuya Kawajiri on July 13 (6/10/2009 7:12:12 AM)
Japan’s Fighting and Entertainment Group (FEG) has announced that former two-time K-1 MAX Grand Prix Champion Masato is set to do battle with DREAM lightweight standout Tatsuya “Crusher” Kawajiri in a K-1 Rules bout at ‘K-1 World MAX Final 8’ from the Nippon Budokan Arena in Tokyo, Japan on Jul 13. The fight continues the recent