K-1 World MAX Final 8: Masato vs. Tatsuya Kawajiri on July 13
by Stefan Manojlovic on Jun 10, 2009 1:12 PM EDT
20 comments
Japan’s Fighting and Entertainment Group (FEG) has announced that former two-time K-1 MAX Grand Prix Champion Masato is set to do battle with DREAM lightweight standout Tatsuya "Crusher" Kawajiri in a K-1 Rules bout at ‘K-1 World MAX Final 8’ from the Nippon Budokan Arena in Tokyo, Japan on Jul 13.
The fight continues the recent slew of K-1 vs. MMA fighters that FEG has been brewing, which has seen various mixed martial artists invade K-1 and try their hand out in the stand-up only combat. And more often then not it has seen the mixed marital artists win or at the very least give the K-1 stars a run for their money.
Now it appears "Crusher" will look to continue that trend against the K-1 legend in one of his final battles.
Though Kawajiri’s strongest base may be his wrestling, he is no stranger to K-1. He fought Kozo Takeda in a K-1 Rules bout and won in devastating fashion at ‘Dynamite!! 2008’ on New Years Eve, knocking the K-1 veteran out just two minutes into the opening stanza.
Though Masato is certainly a big leap in competition from Takeda and will present a mammoth challenge to Kawajiri, Crusher heads into the bout with some momentum after dominating highly regarded lightweight Gesias "JZ" Calvancante last month at ‘DREAM 9’.
Masato also looks to take on the winner of this years K-1 MAX Tournament on New Year’s Eve in his farewell match. Though he said if he loses to Kawajiri in July this will not happen.
Kawajiri has actually been calling out Masato for a while now and lobbied for them to fight in July.
Ask and you shall receive.
Also on the card will be the K-1 MAX (154lbs) World Championship Tournament quarterfinals.
K-1 MAX Japan Tournament runner-up Yuya Yamamoto will collide with Gago Drago in his preliminary bout.
While Italian bruiser Giorgio Petrosyan will be in action, he’s been on an absolute tear on the smaller circuits earning a 19-fight win streak (bar a draw with Buakaw Por. Pramuk). Though he may have his hands full when he faces off against the first ever K-1 MAX tournament winner Albert Kraus, who is certainly no pushover.
Last years runner up in the tournament, 22-year-old prospect Artur Kyshenko is set to do battle with Dutch blitzkrieg Andy Souwer in his opening round bout.
Rounding up the rest of the brackets will be former two-time K-1 MAX Champion Buakaw Por. Pramuk. He takes on K-1 MAX Scandinavia 2006 tournament champion Nieky Holzken.
Here is the current line-up for ‘K-1 World MAX Final 8’:
K-1 World MAX 2009 Tournament Final 16:
Yuya Yamamoto (6-5) vs. Gago Drago (6-5)
Giorgio Petrosyan (1-0) vs. Albert Kraus (24-10-1)
Artur Kyshenko (11-2) vs. Andy Souwer (18-3)
Buakaw Por. Pramuk (24-4) vs. Nieky Holzken (1-1)
Non-tournament bout:
Masato (34-4-1) vs. Tatsuya Kawajiri (1-0)
For more on K-1 check out our archive here.
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I love Kawajiri. He is an old school wrestler/slugger with some serious power. You gotta give the advantage to Masato, but I am going to pick my boy for the upset.
CRUSHER!!!!!!!!!
by Cole on Jun 10, 2009 1:23 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
The big time K-1 shows from Japan are really sweet to watch. The way they put on a show is way more fun to watch than a UFC show. K-1 still doesn’t hold up to MMA in the ring though, its not nearly as fun to watch.
I would like to see boxing done in a K-1 format. Short fights with multi-fight per night tournaments. It could be sweet.
by DDT on Jun 10, 2009 3:22 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
HUGE Fan of K-1. In fact, I am a huge fan of any sort of fight that Lenne Hardt is announcing!!!!!!!
I still wish that I could have hired her to introduce my wife and I at our wedding reception, when we are announced for the first time as husband and wife.
by ViolentMike on Jun 10, 2009 4:26 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
yeah K-1 is awesome…i just wish I knew where to watch it. I always end up having to watch the fights on the internet a few days later and it sucks. I am a fan of so many k-1 fighters, but Buakaw is probably my favorite!
by john on Jun 10, 2009 5:23 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
AAAAAAAnnnnd in the redd corner Mr. and Mrs. Viiioleeeent Miiiiiiiiyiiiiiiiiiiike.
by DDT on Jun 10, 2009 5:24 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
HDNet. If you don’t have it, get it. K-1, Dream, Sengoku, MFC, Affliction, M-1 Global, that midwestern fight organization. We may be living in the golden age of MMA and not know it and HDNet has more by a long shot than anyone. I just fear that one day it will go away and that would suck. So if you don’t have it, get it.
I watched K-1 from Poland last Friday, it was sweet. This Croation kid had won the European Muay Thai championships the night before and had to drive to Poland to compete the next night. He demolished the first two guys in the first round before getting stopped due to leg kicks in the finale. It was pretty cool.
by DDT on Jun 10, 2009 5:29 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
For people who haven’t seen Masato-JZ.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vQGKtnTzf7Y
This is real “world class” striking not joe rogan world class. Anyways, i can’t wait for this and the tourney. I hope Buakaw pulls it out but he’s become a big nog at 27. Hope he also gets a rematch with kraus after that fn home cooked robbery in holland. Petrosyan = Dark horse so i expect Kyshenko vs him or buakaw in finals. So fn excited and we still got a month to go.
by NameNotRequired on Jun 10, 2009 5:58 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Buakaw’s leg kicks look rather unpleasant.
Oh, and Masato takes this fight for sure.
by Jeremyjackson on Jun 10, 2009 7:14 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Just looked up Buakaw’s pro record… holy shit! 219 fights, 187 wins… I know guys fight a lot on the kickboxing circuit, but that seems like a shitload of fights. He’s also been fighting since he was 8, you’ve gotta think there’s some brain damage in dude’s future (if not already).
Guess that’s Thailand for you. Kickboxing and gonorrhea, sometimes twice in the same day.
by Jeremyjackson on Jun 10, 2009 7:54 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Buakoaw is easily one of my favorite fighters on earth!
I would really like to see him win…if not, hopefully the Italian dude wins it!
THe kawajiri/masa fight will be awesome. Like someone pointed out..this event wil feature REAL world class striking, not “JOe Rogan world class strining”,…..believe it or not, but there is a huge difference!
by john on Jun 11, 2009 10:22 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Every since Overeem was given a loss i dont care about watching K-1 but ill be interested in seeing the outcome assuming its not another robbery.
by Khaos_Warrior on Jun 10, 2009 3:48 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Overeem wasn’t robbed. Far from it. Only people who think he was robbed seem to be MMA fans who haven’t seen a lot of K-1 and are viewing the fights like MMA, K-1 has different rules. The fight was a close one, and it probably would have been a draw if Bonjasky didn’t get that knockdown in the third. Bonjasky win was fair. Overeem didn’t get robbed.
Though I can understand in places it may have looked like he was dominating a lot but most of it was illegal by K-1 standards. Can’t clinch, can’t trip or throw your opponent to the floor. It’s illegal and Overeem did a lot of it, all of which was pointless and that’s why the judges didn’t see in his favour.
by Mr. Tibbs on Jun 10, 2009 4:37 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Yeah, it was close but I agreed with that decision.
by Jeremyjackson on Jun 10, 2009 5:28 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
yeah the last knockdown made it an easy decision for the judges..
by RoB on Jun 10, 2009 11:54 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Yeah, that fight was a draw until Overeem got dropped. No robbery there.
by DDT on Jun 10, 2009 5:30 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Kawajiri in a K-1 match? That sounds like Koscheck in a K-1 match, pick the other guy.
by Youtaped on Jun 10, 2009 7:29 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
dont follow kawaijiri much? he just fought an mma match in december so leave your smart ass comments somewhere else
by Jared on Jun 10, 2009 10:28 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Masato will win this fight, but it will be a great, exciting fight. MMA fighters in K-1 have had mixed success, Masato has beaten Kid, and Kid also got KO’d by Zambidis, Frye was destroyed by Le Banner in a K-1 rules match. In any case, really looking forward to this fight.
by Belisarius on Jun 10, 2009 11:52 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
This should be an entertaining match Masato should win although I believe Kawajiri has more power and if that knee connects again it will be lights out for Masato. I love watching K1 espeacially the K1 Max Finals, they are as exciting as nearly any MMA event to me. The punishment these guys can endure is amazing. If any MMA fan believes they will not enjoy K1 without having seen an event first, I would recommend a K1 Max Final, the fighters may not be as well known to some, but the action and pace is non stop, and when you watch these guys fighting 3 times in one night, you will definately gain respect for them if you haven’t already. I actually thought Kyshenko just beat Masato at the last MAX Final.
by Ade on Jun 12, 2009 7:01 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs
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