K-1 returned to the EDION Arena Osaka this morning with a stacked K-1 World Grand-Prix 2019 Japan fight card.
The loaded offering featured current and former champions alike as veterans of K-1, KHAOS, and KRUSH were all competing. And what a night it was! A little less than half of the night’s bouts ended with a scintillating knockout.
K-1 World Grand-Prix 2019 Japan featured some kickboxing superfights, as well as five ‘Japan vs. the World’ bouts.
K-1 Japan held it’s debut show in Osaka last December. In the main event, multi-division title-holder and superstar Takeru fought Kouzi in arguably the best kickboxing bout of 2018. This time, fur their return to the EDION Arena Osaka, Kouzi was once again in the top-billing. He faced Tatsuya Oiwa.
As previously mentioned, the card also featured five ‘Japan vs. the World’ match-ups.
Representing Japan in these bouts, K-1 champ Kenta Hayashi, former K-1 champ Masaaki Noiri, Sho Oizumi, former KRUSH champ Yasuhiro Kido, and BigBang champ Ryo Aitaka. On the international side of things; Deniz Demirkapu of Belgium, Sami Lamiri of Switzerland, KRUSH champ Minoru Kimura of Brazil, Antonio Gomez of Spain, and K-1 Grand-Prix champ Karimian Sina of Iran.
Spoiler alert… Japan almost got the clean sweep. Almost.
Check out the full results below, as the card also features Kana, Tetsuya Yamato, Kaisei Kondo, and more.
Super Featherweight:
Kouzi def. Tatsuya Oiwa via Ex. Round Split Decision (10-9×2, 9-10)
Lightweight Japan vs. World:
Kenta Hayashi def. Deniz Demirkapu via TKO (Punches) in Round 2
Welterweight Japan vs. World:
Masaaki Noiri def. Sami Lamiri via KO (Body Punch) in Round 2
Catchweight Japan vs. World:
Minoru Kimura def. Sho Oizumi via TKO (3 Knockdowns) in Round 1
Super Welterweight Japan vs. World:
Yasuhiro Kido def. Antonio Gomez via KO (Headkick) in Round 2
Cruiserweight Japan vs. World:
Ryo Aitaka def. Karimian Sina via KO (Overhand Right) in Round 3
Super Lightweight:
Hideaki Yamazaki def. Hirayama Jin via Unanimous Decision (30-28, 30-27×2)
Super Lightweight:
Tetsuya Yamato def. Kensei Kondo via Unanimous Decision (30-25×3)
Lightweight:
Yuto Shinohara def. Shinichiro Kawasaki via Unanimous Decision (28-26×3)
Welterweight:
Kaisei Kondo def. Riki Matsuoka via KO (Right Hook) in Round 1
Super Bantamweight:
Aoshi def. Tatsuya Tsubakihara via Majority Decision (29-29×2, 30-29)
Women’s Catchweight:
Kana def. Mahiro via Unanimous Decision (30-28, 30-27×2)