With karate moving closer to kickboxing in style, Ishii organizes the first K-1 Grand Prix at the Yoyogi Dai-Ichi Stadium in Tokyo. The event is held in a regulation-size boxing ring under the revolutionary K-1 rules, which permit punches to accommodate both karate and kickboxing fighters. A sellout crowd of 10,000 sees Branco Citatic win the first K-1 Championship. Two more K-1 events are held later in the year, and these are won by Satake and Ernesto Hoost.
Peter Aerts wins the second K-1 Grand Prix, with newcomer Andy Hug losing in his first match. In September, Hug wins a 'revenge' bout at the Yokohama arena, and establishes himself as one of K-1's first superstars.
Aerts successfully defends his title at the 3rd K-1 Grand Prix in May. The following month, Hug's native Switzerland hosts K-1 Fight Night, the rapidly growing sport's first overseas event. More than 12,000 people watch favorite Hug win by knockout over WKA USA Champion Dennis Lane.
Newcomer Mike Bernardo upsets Aerts in the K-1 Grand Prix, then loses in the final to Hug, who takes a bigger Fight Night production back to Switzerland this year. In August, a K-1 video game is released for the Sony PlayStation platform, while in October the nation-wide Fuji TV Network broadcasts the Yokohama Arena K-1 Star Wars event. This marks the beginning of Fuji's association with K-1.
K-1 fighters like Hug, Bernardo, and Aerts are now major celebrities in Japan, appearing on television and being mobbed by fans in the street. Hug's Fight Night is broadcast on Swiss national television. In Japan, K-1 holds events in the domed stadiums of the country's three largest cities, Nagoya, Osaka, and Tokyo. More than 45,000 tickets for the Tokyo Dome Grand Prix sell out in less than an hour. This year, Ernesto Hoost defeats Hug by decision to capture the crown. Television ratings for the tournament hit a surprisingly high 20% viewer share. K-1 is now the hottest sport in Japan.
The Swiss event is renamed the K-1 European Grand Prix, with winner Stefan Lefko earning a berth in the December K-1 Grand Prix at Tokyo Dome. Similarly, Rick Roufus grabs a GP spot by winning the new K-1 USA Grand Prix, held in August at the Mirage Hotel in Las Vegas. In the Japan GP, held the same month, it is Satake who advances to the Tokyo Dome Grand Prix Finals, which attract 63, 800 fans and are won by Peter Aerts, K-1's first three-time champion.
K-1 has its most successful year yet, with sold-out tournaments including the "K-1 All-Stars" nights and "K-1 Spirits" series taking the action to fans throughout Japan. The year is capped at another sold-out Tokyo Dome Grand Prix when Ernesto Hoost, the man they call "Mr. Perfect," wins a thrilling final against Mirko "Crocop" Filipovic to capture the K-1 Championship.
The new millennium and K-1 sees unprecedented expansion and popularity in Europe and the Americas. At the Tokyo Dome Final, yet another sellout crowd watches as Dutch fighter Ernesto Hoost successfully defends his World Grand Prix Championship.
Mark Hunt, a hard-punching 27 year-old New Zealander, comes into the Tokyo Dome Final as an underdog, but defeats veterans Jerome LeBanner, Stefan Leko and Francisco Filho on a super Saturday to pull the biggest upset in K-1 history and become the sport's first non-European World Grand Prix Champion.
K-1 introduces its World Max Series, which has a 70kg weight class, and the Dutch fighter Albert Kraus is crowned the first World Max Champion. In the World GP Series, big Bob "The Beast" Sapp of the United States stuns the K-1 world by beating Ernesto Hoost twice. But an injury stops Sapp at the Tokyo Dome Final, and Hoost goes on to win it all and become K-1's first-ever four-time World Grand Prix Champion.
Masato beats Kraus in the World Max Final and is crowned the first Japanese K-1 Champion. The emergence of Battle at the Bellagio winner Carter Williams of the United States and Muay Thai fighter Remy Bonjasky of the Netherlands heralds the arrival K-1's new generation. With a flashy style featuring flying knees and kicks, the 27 year-old Bonjasky outclasses the competition to take the K-1 World Grand Prix Championship at the Tokyo Dome.
K-1 makes its first foray into Korea, and the sellout crowd sees Thai fighter Kaoklai Kaennorsing win the first K-1 Asian GP. In World Max action, another Thai fighter, Buakaw Por.Pramuk stuns the opposition to take the crown. Mighty Mo is a surprise winner at the Battle at the Bellagio III, and the slugger represents the US at the Tokyo Dome World GP Final. There, Japanese Seidokaikan fighter Musashi makes it to the last bout for the second year running, but Remy Bonjasky is better once again, and repeats as Champion. Dutch fighters have now won nine of the twelve K-1 World GP Championships.
K-1's popularity rockets in South Korea, as the gargantuan Hong-Man Choi beats three fighters (including defending Asia Champ Kaoklai Kaennorsing) to win the K-1 Asian GP in Seoul. Brazilian Glaube Feitosa emerges best in the Americas, winning the USA Grand Prix in Las Vegas in impressive style; and in Paris, Semmy Schilt of the Netherlands powers his way to victory at the European Grand Prix.
Successful Fighting Network events are held round the globe -- more than 10,000 fans fill the Globen Arena in Stockholm for the Scandinavian Tournament. Meanwhile, in World Max action, Andy Souwer of the Netherlands takes the Crown; while in K-1's mixed martial arts format HERO'S Series, Norifumi "Kid" Yamamoto wins the Final in front of 53,025 at Osaka Dome on New Year's Eve.
The year's main event, the World GP Final, attracts a sellout crowd of 58,213 to the Tokyo Dome and is broadcast in more than 90 countries. And for the tenth time in K-1's 13-year history a Dutch fighter is victorious, as Schilt stays perfect -- beating Ray Sefo, Remy Bonjasky and Glaube Feitosa to earn fightsports' most coveted crown.
In 2006, Paul Slowinski of Australia wins the Oceania GP Tournament in Auckland, K-1's first major event in New Zealand; Chalid "Die Faust" of Germany emerges victorious in the USA GP in Las Vegas; Yusuke Fujimoto wins the Asia GP in Seoul; and Bjorn Bregy of Switzerland is the best on the night in Amsterdam to take the Europe GP.
In World Max action, Buakaw Por.Pramuk of Thailand becomes the first two-time Champion; while in K-1's mixed martial arts format HERO'S Series, Yoshihiro Akiyama wins in the Light Heavyweight Championship, and J.Z. Calvan of Brazil takes the Middleweight Belt.
Some 54,800 are on hand at the Tokyo Dome to watch Semmy Schilt defend his World Grand Prix Championship. The Dutchman dispatches veterans Jerome LeBanner, Ernesto Hoost and Peter Aerts en route to victory in a Final that would be broadcast in more than 120 countries.
In 2007 K-1 introduces ongoing Title matches in new Super Heavyweight (over 100kg/220lbs) and Heavyweight (70kg/154lbs - 100kg/220lbs) divisions. At year's end, Semmy Schilt of Holland wears the Super Heavyweight Belt; while Moroccan Badr Hari has the Heavyweight Belt. In World Max action, Dutch fighter Andy Souwer beats Buakaw Por.Pramuk to capture K-1's under 70kg/154lbs Championship for the second time. In the HERO'S mixed martial arts format series, Brazilian J.Z. Calvan repeats as Middleweight Championship with a victory over Andre Dida.
The K-1 World Grand Prix '07 Regional Champions are Mighty Mo in the USA; Paul Slowinski in Europe; and Yusuke Fujimoto in Asia. Doug Viney upsets the favorites to take the Las Vegas Repechage Tournament. At the Yokohama Arena Final on December 8, Dutch fighter Semmy Schilt beats compatriot Peter Aerts to capture the World GP Championship for the third consecutive year.
The K-1 Super Heavyweight (over 101kg/ 223lbs) Championship goes to Semmy Schilt of Holland for the second year; while Moroccan Badr Hari repeats as Heavyweight (under 100kg/220lbs) Champ, only to be stripped of the belt after a foul at the World GP Final. In World Max action, Japanese fighter Masato beats Artur Kyshenko to capture K-1's under 70kg/154lbs Championship for the second time. The K-1 Koshien high school tournament (open to 16-18 year-olds in a 57kg/126lbs-62kg/137lbs weight range) is introduced, and 16 year-old kickboxer Hiroya wins the championship on New Year's Eve.
In the new DREAM mixed martial arts Grand Prix series, Joachim Hanson of Norway wins the Lightweight (70kg/154lbs) Championship with a TKO victory over Shinya Aoki; and Dutch fighter Gegard Mousasi KO's Ronaldo Jacare to take the honors at Middleweight (84kg/185lbs).
The new generation of K-1 fighters make some noise in the K-1 World GP '08 Regional Tournaments, with Gokhan Saki wining in the USA; Errol Zimmerman in Europe; Ruslan Karaev in Asia and Ewerton Teixeira in Japan. Defending Champion Semmy Schilt is eliminated by Peter Aerts at the Final 16 Elimination in Seoul. Capping the year at the Yokohama Arena on December 6, Dutch kickboxer Remy Bonjasky captures his third K-1 World GP Championship.
Legends Retire and a Dutch Giant Gets his Groove Back
2009 was a tough year for fans of the King of Pop, but for fight fans it was a year of extraordinary match-ups, exciting matches, and exhilarating finishes. From Niyata's stunning debut in the February MAX Japan tourney where he KO'ed the more experienced Kido, to the auspicious appearance of anime otaku "Jienotsu" Nagashima, who arrived in full costume and then in the ring defeated MAX regular HAYATO. The tournament ended with Taishin Kohiruimaki once again becoming Japan's champ, but the two newcomers definitely stole the show.
Every March, the Yokohama WGP Tournament gives historic matches and no exception this year when MMA stylist Alistair Overeem defeated K-1 fan fave Badr Hari thus adding another chapter to the never-ending stand-up versus MMA feud. Hari was too sick to face Overeem in the rematch, but then-champion yet recently injured Remy Bonjasky downed the upstart Overeem thus leading to a decision win. K-1's honor was temporarily restored! But what of Badr Hari's?
The vacant K-1 Heavyweight belt was up for grabs until Japanese new hope Kyotaro defeated powerhouse Melvin Manhoef along with Turkish-born Gokhan Saki making him the second heavyweight champ and Japan's second K-1 world champion. Good news for Japanese fans, but wait!
The announcement of MAX legend Masato's upcoming retirement shocked the country and also put the pressure on the other Japanese fighters. Was the pressure too much? In the April MAX event in Fukuoka, the charismatic and enigmatic Yoshihiro Sato lost to Drago in the extra round while Nagashima couldn't muster the stuff to withstand Albert Kraus' golden punches. Japan was in trouble! That is until Yuya Yamamoto defeated Chibin Lim thus making it into the top 8 along with former champs Souwer, Kraus, Buakaw, and newcomers Kyshenko and Giorgio Petrosyan, who wowed fans with a KO of Dzhabar Askerov. Fans got a taste of the future of K-1 MAX - a MAX of champions, new stars, but without Masato - and yet still the future of the sport looked as bright as could be. The top 8 then battled it out with Souwer and Buakaw moving on to the semi-finals. Kraus suffered a complete loss to Petrosyan while Yamamoto was able to keep his Japanese pride intact by defeating Drago. The most stunning fight of the night, however, was the Masato vs. Tatsuya Kawajiri fight. Last year's New Year's event saw MMA fighter Kawajiri defeat Kozo Takeda under K-1 rules in a surprise upset. Once again, an MMA fighter was not only holding his own, but excelling in the K-1 ring. But we are talking Masato here!
MAX's legendary champ showed once more what makes him a god in the ring by pulling off a glorious KO. In the Final Tournament, it was none other than the Italian Petrosyan who blazed through the competition, with a broken bone no less, to win the K-1 World Championship. Whoever says that middleweight matches don't have the punch that the heavier classes do needs to shut up and glue their eyes to MAX in the past year. Heavyweights look out! MAX is here to stay!
In the K-1 WGP Final 16 tourney, Badr Hari was the focus of attention recently after KOing Semmy Schilt. With a forceful bodyblow, Hari knocked out Zabit Samedov and knocked away the stigma of his foul from the year before - the one that cost him the WGP crown. On the same night, K-1 hero and legend Peter Aerts was completely dominated by the increasingly dangerous Overeem while Schilt was in trouble against Daniel Ghita, but an 11th hour KO gave him his first step on the road to recovering his honour. Bonjasky, Teixeira, and Zimmerman defeated their respective opponents to join the Final 8 welcoming Kyotaro who defeated Ruslan Karaev. Musashi announced he would retire this year and his defeat by LeBanner made this his final fight.
The WGP Final stands out as one of K-1's finest ever. Impressive displays of power, speed, and technique coupled with dynamic showmanship made it a night to remember as Hari took down Karaev in only 38 seconds. He would next meet up with Overeem in the semis after the MMA invader kneed Texeira into sweet oblivion. The crowd was on their feet as Hari downed Overeem two times to take the win and to move on to the final round. Waiting for Hari in the final ring was none other than Dutch man-mountain Semmy Schilt, who struggled over the last year to win back his lost crown, his pride, and his honor. After a double KO of Bonjasky and LeBanner, the giant was ready for his rematch with Hari. A tough match for both, they traded blows dealing an equal amount of damage to each other. Like in their previous match, Hari worked his punches but in the end was downed three times giving Schilt his revenge and the 2009 WGP crown! Hari once again came one step away from victory only to go home empty-handed.
The year ended with a bang as the Dynamite!! show exploded onto TV screens across the globe. In the K-1 Koshien final, Masaaki Moiri defeated last year's champ Hiroya for the win, but the big match of the night was of course Masato's final match - a match which saw him face his toughest opponent, Andy Souwer. Masato lost both previous contests against Souwer and this match wasn't going to be any easier.
Masato was fighting an uphill battle against his rival until a timely down cemented his win. After a beautiful contest of wills and skills, MAX's best-loved fighter laid his gloves on the canvas and just as he promised, Masato left the sport at the top of his game.
