Buakaw, Souwer, Petrosyan, Yamamoto advance to K-1 MAX Final

Apologies for the lack of build-up to this, I completely forgot it was on. With UFC 100 and the Darchinyan fight (mainly UFC 100) this just got overlooked. I’ve just finished all of the fights and October’s Final Four is set and we’re guaranteed a newbie in the Final. Former champions Buakaw Por. Pramuk and Andy Souwer will do battle in one semi final with the winner to face the winner of Giorgio Petrosyan and Yuya Yamamoto, who upset DRAGO by unanimous decision in a war to book an unlikely spot in the Final. DRAGO battered Yamamoto for the 2nd half of the first round and again early in the 2nd round before the gusty Japanese warrior turned it back on him in what was a back and forth 2nd round. After surviving DRAGO’s early barrage in the 3rd it was all Yuya as he punished DRAGO to steal the decision.

Giorgio Petrosyan ‘upset’ Albert Kraus in the next fight by unanimous decision after taking the former K-1 MAX champion to school. Petrosyan repeatedly made Kraus’ attacks look amateurish and countered him for the full three rounds. While the fight wasn’t the most exciting, it definately cemented Petrosyan as one of the top fighters in MAX right now. The MAX favourite Artur Kyshenko shockingly went out against Andy Souwer, whom he defeated in last years semi finals. Souwer outlasted last years runner-up, outworking him in the extra round to book his 4th consecutive spot in the Final four. The fight started off tactically before the two went to war in the 2nd and 3rd rounds. With barely anything seperating them, Kyshenko just couldn’t handle the pace in the final round and the experienced Souwer turned up the pace to win the decision.

Souwer will do battle with old rival Buakaw in the semi finals after Buakaw outpointed Nieky Holzken in the last quarter final. Buakaw punished the Dutch fighters midsection with knees and kicks while taking little damage in return, putting in one of his best performances of recent times. Holzken was simply outmatched in terms of speed and skill and the decision was undoubtedly Buakaw’s. The semi final with Souwer is the 3rd time the two have met in K-1 with Souwer scoring a split decision in the 2005 final over five brutal rounds and Buakaw avenging the loss the following year, again in the Final, by 2nd round knockout.

Many K-1 MAX fans will be hoping that it is either Buakaw or Souwer who wins this year as the winner is likely to fight MASATO at Dynamite! on new years eve. MASATO battered former PRIDE star and current DREAM Lightweight contender Tatsuya Kawajiri, stopping the dangerous Japanese striker in two one sided rounds. Kawajiri was shown that there is a difference between an elite MMA striker and an elite K-1 striker as he repeatedly tried to brawl with MASATO only to land nothing of real significance while taking heavy counters in return. Kawajiri’s corner mercifully stopped the bout in the 2nd round.

Also on the card Kid Yamamoto was sensationally knocked out by unheralded Jae Hee Cheon in the first round. After rocking Jae in the opening moments, Kid grew aggressive and was countered heavily with a uppercut-left hook combination that knocked him out. It was the 2nd loss in a row for Kid, who bowed out of the DREAM Featherweight Grand Prix to two fight rookie Joe Warren in his last outing. Yoshihiro Sato was also victorious, defeating Joerie Mes by split decision after an extra round.

Drago beats Sato at K-1 Max Final 16

Gago Drago showed up in form on Tuesday night and advanced to the Final 8 in place of one of the heavy favourites in last years semi finalist Yoshihiro Sato via unanimous decision after an extra round. Drago has been eliminated by the champion before the final in the last three years; losing to Buakaw in the 2006 semi finals, Andy Souwer in the 2007 quarter finals and Masato in the 2008 Final 8. The fight was won by determination and conditioning as both fighters traded evenly over the first three rounds before a three minute assault by the Armenian in the extra round sent him through to the quarter finals in July.

Sato set the pace early, tattooing Drago with kicks to the legs and body as well as timing Drago’s rushes with knee strkes to the midsection. Drago had several good moments of his own in the first round, landing several stiff overhand rights as well as a hard uppercut in the second half of the fight that kept the round even. The pace increased in the 2nd round although the pattern of the fight remained the same. Sato continued to outbox Drago early in the round before Drago landed several heavy shots to keep things even. In the 2nd, Drago scored frequently with his high kick as well as two vicious leg kicks designed to slow the two time K-1 MAX Japan champion down. Nothing could seperate the two warriors in the third round however as Drago raised his hands in victory, Sato looked gassed after three rounds. 

As expected the fight was sent to an extra round after all three judges scored every round even (you’d have to have serious bias to score it to one fighter or the other). If you watched the extra round and then the other three, you wouldn’t have believed it was from the same fight. Drago immediately pounced on the fatigued Sato and punished him for three minutes. Sato was struggling to keep his hands up and could only push his punches out as Drago repeatedly hammered him with heavy right hands. Sato was game to the end, but couldn’t find the energy to deal with the rampaging Drago and all three judges awarded the extra round to Drago and his spot in the Final 8.

 Nieky ‘The Natural” Holtzken advanced in the co main event with a three round majority decision win over K-1 Rookie Chahid. Very little seperated the fighters in the first round with Holzken using hi superior reach and speed to score with clean combinations while the compact Chahid bulled his way inside where he worked both sides of Holtzkens legs as well as scoring with punching combinations to the head. Holtzken pulled ahead after the 2nd round, stunning Chahid briefly with a left hook and scoring with the cleaner and harder shots. The third round was very even again, as both guys let their strikes go but neither could score a clear advantage. One judge scored the bout a draw with the other two scoring it for Holtzken in a fight that realistically should have gone a 4th.

Three of K-1′s former champions also advanced to the Final 8 in July. Andy Souwer, the 2005 and 2007 champion, was given a good fight by Leroy Kaetsner but two first round knockdowns was too much for the Peter Aerts trained Kaestner to overcome. The fight was close throughout much of it, but Souwer’s experience and ability to capitilise on the openings given to him was the difference and he took a three round unanimous decision. 2004 and 2006 champion Buakaw Por. Pramuk’s night wasn’t nearly as easy against Andre Dida. Dida shocked everyone scoring a knockdown via a left hook in the opening minute of the fight. For the rest of the round he pursued Buakaw but despite landing some solid right hands, couldn’t put the former champion away. The rest of the fight was a different story as Buakaw punished Dida with knees to the body as well as his deadly kicks to the legs and midsection. After three rounds the judges scored the fight a draw meaning the fatigued Dida had to endure another three minutes of Buakaw’s fury. He held on, but the extra round was all Buakaw and a point deduction against Dida for holding made the decision easy for the judges and Buakaw procedes to the Final 8 for the sixth year in a row. The original K-1 MAX champion Albert Kraus made light work of Yuichiro Nagashima (who had the most bizarre walk in I’ve ever seen). Known more for his flamboyant personality rather then fight skill, Yuichiro was dropped by Kraus less then a minute into the fight before finishing him with a deadly assault of punches on the ropes at the 69 second mark. After falling short against Buakaw last year in the Final 16, it’s good to have ‘The Hurricane’ in the Final 8 this year and with his now seven fight winning streak, he has a serious shot at the crown.

In a fight that will likely provide cannon fodder for one of the other Final 8 members, 2009 K-1 MAX Japan runner-up Yuya Yamamoto outpointed K-1 MAX Korea champion Chi Bin Lim over three rounds. Lim took the early lead over Yamamoto, who was a late substitute for the injured Taishin Kohiruimaki, scoring with sharp combinations on the inside. Lim seemed to be leading in the 2nd round as well until he was dropped by a spinning back fist which gave Yamamoto an advantage after two rounds. The third round saw very little seperate the two combatants and was ruled a draw, giving the decision to Yamamoto. I’ll be very surprised if Yamamoto makes the Final.

Last years Finalist Artur Kyshenko advanced earlier on the card with a devastating first round knockout victory against overmatched Alviar Lima. Lima opened the fight fast, but soon tasted the Ukranian’s power and was down in the first minute. Kyshenko picked his shots from there on scoring a standing eight count late in the round before a further barrage finished Lima off. The card was opened up by Giorgio Petrosyans stoppage win over dangerous Dzhabor Askervov. Petrosyan controlled the first round from the outside, using a variety of boxing combinations as well as a well timed body kick and leaping rear knee to pepper Askerov all while skillfully avoiding his return fire. After an accidental groin kick by Askerov at the start of the 2nd, Petrosyan fought him on the inside and continued to get the better of just about every exchange. Scoring with uppercuts, body rips and knees to the head, the young Italian was too slick for the semi finalist of ‘The Contender.’ Early in the third, Petrosyan went to sweep Askerov’s legs and after knocking him off balance, he ended the night with a perfect knee to the liver that Askerov was unable to recover from.

(I’m fully aware that the card took place nearly a week ago but US viewers didn’t get it until Friday so that’s why this was put off for a week).