Monday September 4, 2006 it was fighting time again. Another middle weight K1 event in Tokyo. This time I stayed home and watched it on TV. It’s mostly very good fighting, but I am waiting for the K1 Grand Prix to see the heavy weights. The event will be held in Tokyo end of December.

First match was Kazuya Yasuhiro, Japan vs Andy Ologun, Nigeria. Yasuhiro had a hard time because of Ologuns long arms. Not even a clinch stopped him from pounding Yasuhiro in the face. Yasuhiro on the other hand is a strong fighter with a tight guard. Predictably Ologun hit with side kicks to the face where Yasuhiro worked the low kicks.

Yasuhiro was close to KO, and he had to look out for Ologuns fast knee. After failing a spectacular helicopter kick in the second round Yasuhiro was down again. Still he won the match. Guess it’s a K1 thing.

Next up was Buakaw Por. Pramuk,Thailand vs Hiroki Shishido, Japan. It started with Shishido energetically attacking Buakow only to be knocked out after 15 seconds. Absolutely spectacular. Good bye.

Mike Zambidis, Greece vs TATSUJI, Japan. I’d say keep an eye on this kid for the future. TATSUJI has risen quick but still has a lot to learn. Zambidis worked him over with his hard hooks but TATSUJI looked like he could take that and some more. Problem is he needs to pack a harder punch himself. When he learns to strike first and hard, this kid will be a killer.

Virgil Kalakoda, South Africa vs Hiroyuki Maeda, Japan. Kalakoda is something of a mystery fighter. In the ring he looks like he just got out of bed. With eyes half closed and a body that does not have that super fit look the other fighters do he seemed to have lost before it started. Maeda worked him hard and dominated the fight from the beginning. Then Kalakoda turns the whole thing around and wins. How did he do it?

Genki Sudo, Japan vs Ian Schaffa, Australia. This was the show fight. Sudo have gotten away with some tricky “genki” stuff before but not this time. He used all the tricks in his book but Schaffa was prepared and didn’t fall for any of it. Sudo tried to use the side kick and the drop kick. Two kicks that rarely work in K1. He also likes to pull a back spinning punch. This time with no success. Well, the occasional clown act is also fun to watch.

Artur Kyshenko, Ukraine vs HAYATO, Japan. This is as close as Fight Club you get. Energy and testosterone to the max. Fighters from the Russian school always impress me. Kyshenko hits like a hammer. One of the best fights at this event.



Andy Souwer, Holland vs Takayuki Kohiruimaki, Japan. This fight was the main event. “Kohi” wanted a rematch after having lost to Souwer last time. He got nothing of it, but they gave a good fight. What slowed things down was Kohi going into clinch again and again. He even got a warning. In the end Souwer got tired of getting clinched so he just swept Kohi to the floor. Over and over. A bit strange for a K1 fight. Still, Souwer is my favorite fighter right now. I like his ability to use booth feet to kick fast lo kicks. None of them seemed like good boxers though, mostly kicks or clinch in this match.

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