Thian De Vries returned to the ring and dispatched short notice replacement K-Jee in the first round to remind everyone why he is the K-1 Cruiserweight Champion.
Originally set to fight Lukas Achterberg, the German was forced to withdraw from the contest due to an injury, clearing the way for K-Jee to return to the ring after a near 12-month absence.
But it would not be a happy homecoming for the Japanese challenger, as the first left hand that Thian landed put him flat on his back and struggling to beat the count.
De Vries refused to let him off the hook and with 90 seconds to go in the first round, he landed a right high kick that stopped K-Jee in his tracks and forced the referee to halt the contest.
With an upcoming 90kg Grand Prix and the fight with Achterberg still on the cards, Thian De Vries will be a busy man in the next 12 months, but the fighter known as “Tarzan” will look to prove once again why he is king of the Cruiserweight jungle.
Issei Ishii vs Neigo Katono – Bantamweight Championship
At just 19-years-old, Neigo Katono snatched the Bantamweight Title from Issei Ishii with a stunning second round knockout.
The Krush Flyweight Champion came into the fight as a slight underdog but took little time to settle in to the contest as he controlled the centre of the ring and landed with fast boxing.
Despite only having eight professional fights, Katono looked experienced beyond his years as he landed stinging straight shots on the champions jaw and whipped kicks to the body.
The beginning of the end came in the second round, as an overhand right buckled the champions knees and a right hook sent him down to the canvas for a count, even after rising at the count of eight a liver kick from Katono returned Ishii to the canvas before one final flurry sealed the deal with 14 seconds to go.
That moves Neigo Katono to 9-0 as a professional and announces him on the world stage, as for Issei Ishii, he will look to make the long climb up the mountain again knowing how beautiful it is to stand at the top but how painful it is to fall from its peak.
SAHO vs Laysa Silva – Women’s Flyweight Championship
SAHO retained her Women’s Flyweight Crown as she cruised to a decision win over Brazil’s Laysa Silva.
Despite sporting a significant reach advantage, the Brazilian’s game plan appeared to work on the inside and attempt to outmuscle SAHO rather than snipe with punches on the outside.
The champion was more than happy to engage in such a contest, landing a series of combinations on the inside whilst breaking her opponent’s will by beating her at her own game.
Silva landed good punches in isolation, but SAHO’s ability to drown her opponents with pressure proved too much for her to handle as she was warned twice for holding in an attempt to slow the steamroller that is SAHO.
The judges were unanimous with their verdict, and SAHO kept the K-1 Women’s Flyweight belt in Japan, with superstar Mona Kimura bringing even more eyes to the division its likely SAHO will be in the spotlight once again very soon.
Veronica Rodriguez vs Aki Suematsu – Women’s Atomweight Championship
The Women’s Atomweight Title returned to Japan as Aki Suematsu pulled off an upset to defeat Veronica Rodriguez by decision after an extra round.
Rodriguez had won the belt from Kira Matsutani in her last contest and was looking to make her first defence after winning the title back in February.
Starting on the attack, Rodriguez used her quick feet to dart into range and land punches upstairs or kicks to the calf, while Suematsu looked to take the centre of the ring and use her range to keep the champion at bay and fire front kicks and jabs.
After increasing her output in the second stanza, Suematsu still looked very fresh in the third round of the fight whereas two rounds of action saw Rodriguez wear the fight just that little bit more.
Despite this it still looked like Rodriguez had retained her belt by winning at least the opening two rounds, but the judges at ringside felt differently as they felt another round was necessary to determine a winner.
Now the freshness of Suematsu would pay dividends as she threw everything at the champion, landing constant punches and kicks that tattooed her Mexican opponent and clearly won her that round.
However controversially, we have a new Women’s Atomweight Champion in Aki Suematsu, Veronica Rodriguez was all class after the fight and I think a rematch is in the future for these Atomweight warriors.
Ayumu vs KOTARO - Super Lightweight Fight
Ayumu and KOTARO clashed at Super Lightweight, with Ayumu securing a win in a contest worthy of fight of the night.
The power was on display early as Ayumu sent his opponent crashing to the canvas with a stinging left hand, KOTARO rose at the count of four and returned fire, landing his own knockdown with a minute left in the first round.
On less than 24 hours-notice KOTARO looked superb as he stood up to the hellfire of Ayamu and stood toe-to-toe with him throughout.
Neither man was willing to give an inch, as chins were checked and bodies were battered Ayumu got the better of an exchange to send KOTARO stumbling towards the ropes for a count.
With 20 seconds left, KOTARO emptied the tank and threw everything he had at Ayumu, looking to land a knockdown that would see the contest go an extra round, but it was not to be and despite putting on such an impressive performance he was left punching the floor in frustration.
The decision went to Ayumu, but KOTARO won the hearts of the crowd and the fans at home, this won’t be the last we see of him in the K-1 ring.
Mahmoud Sattari vs Akira Jr – Heavyweight Fight
Mahmoud Sattari needed only 26 seconds to separate Akira Jr from his senses and announce himself as a problem in the K-1 Heavyweight division.
After defeating Aslan Koshiyev back at K-1 Revenge in May, Sattari was looking for something to force himself into contention for Ariel Machado’s Heavyweight title.
That “X” factor came in the form of a three-punch combination, a left hook and two rights straight on the jaw that sent Akira Jr to the canvas and meant he would play no further part in the contest.
It was his fastest knockout since the final defence of his Krush Cruiserweight title, and now Mahmoud Sattari is near the top of a short list of challengers for K-1 gold at Heavyweight.
Zhora Akopyan vs Kazuki Matsumoto – Super Welterweight Fight
Zhora Akopyan cruised to a decision victory over Kazuki Matsumoto in what commentator Michael Schiavello describer as a “Sparring session” for the Armenian.
Despite being described as a “Tricky southpaw who no-one wants to face” Matsumoto offered very little to Akopyan, spending most of the fight circling away whilst landing low kicks to the calf.
Never one to rush his offence, Akopyan’s powerful boxing was more than enough to corral the Japanese-Filipino fighter, who ate punishing body kicks to go alongside a steady diet of hooks to the body and head.
A flurry in the final minute was not enough to impact the match, as Akopyan rubber stamped his victory by dropping Matsumoto during an exchange thus sealing his victory with a flourish.
Akopyan will now look ahead to September and the K-1 World MAX Grand Prix opening round, where he will look to rebound after being forced to withdraw from last years tournament due to injury.
Lorenzo Di Vara vs Sergio Sanchez – K-1 World MAX Qualifier
Booking his place in the K-1 World MAX Opening Round, Lorenzo Di Vara triumphed over Sergio Sanchez as he looks to follow in the footsteps of his countryman Giorgio Petrosyan in acquiring K-1 Gold.
At 40 years old you could be forgiven for thinking Sergio Sanchez might be slowing down as his career enters its twilight years, but the Spaniard was in no mood to simply be a passenger in this fight, immediately pressing the action and forcing exchanges with his younger opponent.
Di Vara was more than happy to oblige and after arguably losing a close opening round, he upped his output and busted up the Spaniard’s nose with a sweet straight right through the guard.
Neither man was willing to let the other off the hook, every punch came with a kick counter, every kick was sent back with a punch, both men knew what was at stake and it was Lorenzo Di Vara who came out on top in a brilliant and highly competitive encounter.
Achilleas Karapiperis vs Zack Pankhurst – K-1 World MAX Qualifier
Securing the final qualification spot for September’s K-1 World MAX Grand Prix, Australia’s Zack Pankhurst survived a late scare to defeat Achilleas Karapiperis and book his return flight to Japan in the fall.
Pankhurst’s large frame allowed him to snipe at Karapiperis in the opening round, using his long arms to tag his Greek opponent and stifle his momentum, but he really showed his style in the final ten seconds as his silky-smooth movement caused Karapiperis to miss and allowed him to land a five-strike salvo.
Karapiperis never took a backwards step, drilling the bigger man with devilish punches to the body and head, but the sniper soon found his headshot as a laser like straight right sent the Greek gladiator to the canvas.
In a turn of events that wouldn’t have been out of place in a Greek fable, Karapiperis showed the heart of a lion to rally back from the brink and wobble his Australian adversary, but he could not put the big man down and the judges awarded the fight to the man from Queensland.
A brilliant showing from both men but Zack Pankhurst is the man who moves on to the K-1 World MAX Opening Round in Yokohama, putting him one step close to bringing K-1 gold to the land down under.
Viktor Akimov vs Kohei Hatanaka – 66KG Catchweight Fight
Kohei Hatanaka defeated former K-1 World MAX Finalist Viktor Akimov in a 66KG Catchweight contest.
Hatanaka began by attacking the legs of Akimov, looking to derail the movement of the Russian and no doubt remembering the damage Akimov’s low kicks did to Sergio Sanchez in his last K-1 victory.
Once the feeling out process was completed, Hatanaka began working his kicks to the body and head, with lightning-fast single strikes stinging Akimov’s body and jaw.
Akimov’s persistence to attack the legs didn’t pay off, as his Japanese foe never stopped moving for a second and punished him with counters whenever he attempted to engage.
The final frenzy for Hatanaka put the cherry on the cake, as a left high kick saw Akimov’s eyes glaze over before a following right high kick put him on roller-skates and stumbling into the ropes, the final bell saving him from what surely would have been a knockout loss.
Plenty to like in the performance of Kohei Hatanaka, if that’s what he can do to somebody as talented as Viktor Akimov, I am seriously looking forward to his next fight in the K-1 ring.
