The first K-1 event of the upcoming year will feature a Cruiserweight (-90 kg) Grand Prix, set to take place on February 8. The event will showcase a mix of returning fighters familiar to K-1 fans, along with several exciting new faces. Unfortunately, the newly crowned K-1 Cruiserweight champion, Thian de Vries, will not be among them, as he has been sidelined with a broken right hand.
A standout on the Russian kickboxing scene, Nikita Kozlov is a durable and physically imposing fighter who uses his height and range to accumulate points, only pursuing a stoppage when the opportunity clearly presents itself. Although 33 years of age may seem late to enter the major leagues, dedicated fans have long anticipated his arrival, and he will undoubtedly be a dangerous dark horse to win the tournament title.
In sharp contrast to Kozlov, whose career has largely played out regionally, Ibrahim El Bouni has faced the "who's who" of the division. A seasoned veteran of the Dutch circuit and major promotions like GLORY and ONE Championship, the 33-year-old El Bouni brings a wealth of elite-level experience. His tournament pedigree is undeniable, making him one of the clear favorites for the Grand Prix.
The Krush Cruiserweight and 2022 K-1 Openweight Grand Prix champion, Mahmoud Sattari, has long been the face of the division in Japan. Surprisingly small for the weight, Sattari darts in and out of range, landing with deceptive power. However, this aggressive style leaves him exposed to counters—a vulnerability that has cost him dearly recently, with stoppage losses in three of his last five fights. Still, if his power connects as it did in 2022, he remains a threat to anyone.
Slightly below the favorites sit Mattia Faraoni and Bogdan Stoica. Faraoni, a boxing-centric kickboxer, enters on a solid run of form, though he has historically competed just below the elite level; it remains to be seen how he’ll fare against the raw power of this bracket. Conversely, Stoica is a proven commodity, but at 36 and with losses in four of his last five bouts, he appears to be on the downturn. Flashy and explosive in his prime, his style has not aged gracefully. Unless he can secure a quick finish, a deep tournament run may prove difficult.
Our wildcards are Marco Antonio and Aslan Koshiyev. Antonio, last year’s K-1 Grand Prix Brasilia champion, possesses the knockout power that has defined his career—a major asset in this format. Koshiyev, however, is the tournament's enigma: with a background in amateur Muay Thai and a record of only 7-1, he is the biggest unknown, making him a fascinating variable in the bracket.
The final participant is K-Jee. A former champion whose inclusion is somewhat puzzling, K-Jee has become notorious in recent years for his fragility rather than his victories. With a defense that has failed him repeatedly against top opposition, his spot in the tournament seems to owe more to his status as a local Japanese fighter than to his current competitive credentials.
