The 2009 K-1 World GP was a much smaller-scale season if you compare it to the past seasons. The USA GP, usually held in either Las Vegas or Hawaii, was off the schedule while the European GP was held in Lodz, Poland this year compared to it’s normal hotbed, Amsterdam, Holland. The Asian GP was held once again in Korea, but in a much smaller arena (the 7,000 seater Jangchung Gymnasium) and the Final 16 Qualifying GP, a “last chance” tournament usually taking place in Las Vegas, was held in Tokyo at the Yoyogi National Gymnasium. The season opener was in Yokohama much like it was in the last two seasons. Despite the setbacks, the 2009 season has provided us with some major upsets and excitements all year round and none of the excitement over the months can match up to what the world will bear witness to this coming Saturday when the K-1 World GP Final 16 Tournament returns to the Olympic Gymnasium in Seoul, Korea for the third time in a row.

Korea has now become one of the hottest countries in the world to host K-1 events after Japan and Holland, especially with many of their fighters such as Hong Man Choi, Chi Bin Lim, Yong Soo Park and Randy Kim competing in K-1 fights. The hugely popular hit Korean drama series Dream (not to be confused with FEG’s MMA brand DREAM) starring Joo Jin Mo, Kim Bum and popular singer Son Dam Bi has only increased the awareness of K-1 even further in the country. As if that isn’t enough, with all of FEG’s brands currently shown on HDNet, the K-1 World GP has become increasingly popular over in the United States as well.

This Saturday’s Final 16 Tournament boasts a star-studded card which is sure to capture the attention of fight fans around the world. With some of the biggest names in the K-1 World GP competing under one roof, it is no wonder why many are planning to tune into the event with high expectations. In this preview, I will be experimenting with a different style. I won’t be writing this preview match by match, but instead will analyze each of the fighters, their strengths and weaknesses, their opponents for the event and the chances of them making it into the Final 8. So without further ado, let’s begin with the first participant:

Badr Hari (Morocco)

Known around the world as the Golden Boy, Badr Hari has quickly risen to become the new face of the K-1 World GP. Young, brash and highly egotistic, Hari is known to back up his claims as the best fighter in K-1 with his marvelous skills as a fighter. Hari is a tall heavyweight at 6′5″, but makes full use of his agility due to his lanky built. He is very quick on his feet and his punches and kicks are sharp and very lethal. Just how popular are his strikes? Consider the fact that two men whom he was able to knockout were 7′2″ tall Hong Man Choi (albeit having the towel thrown in by his corner due to being unable to continue after sustaining injuries to his ribcage due to Hari’s relentless strikes) and 6′11″ tall three-time former K-1 World GP Champion Semmy Schilt! Among others, Hari has also been able to knock out the likes of Ray Sef, Peter Aerts, Ruslan Karaev and Errol Zimmerman, making him a strong force not to mess with in the K-1 World GP. However, during the K-1 World GP Finals last year, Hari’s emotions got the best of him as he ground and pound Remy Bonjasky and stomped on his head while he was down. The controversy stripped Hari of his K-1 World GP Heavyweight Title, the withdrawing of his fight money and most importantly, the title of Finalist in the K-1 World GP while giving the K-1 World GP Title to Bonjasky himself. Hari has since moved on from the incident and is looking to bounce back from where he left off back during that controversial night in Yokohama.

Hari is a gifted athlete and he will tell you that millions of times. Having learned from his mistakes, Hari is now focused and more driven to become the K-1 World GP Champion this year. The Moroccan bad boy will be looking to have a very competitive bout with fellow young blood Zabit Samedov, who will be looking to score a huge upset against Hari in their fight this Saturday. If Hari can stay focused and use the skills that has made him one of the best fighters on the planet today, then there’s no doubt that Hari will be a lock for the Final 8 this coming December.

Chances of making the Final 8: 98%

Zabit Samedov (Belarus)

Zabit Samedov is one of the more overlooked fighters in the K-1 World GP. The young Belarus native may have amazing technique, but his lack of a powerful finish always deny him a place in the Final 16. However, in this year’s European GP, Samedov was finally able to silence his critics as he defeated Sergii Lashchenko via TKO to capture the tournament. Samedov is a very speedy fighter. Quick on his feet, he is known to use a “hit and run” technique in his fights to catch his opponents off guard and slowly pick them apart with his well-balanced arsenal of kicks and punches. Samedov has faced a couple of well-known names in the K-1 World GP, including Michael McDonald, Tsuyoshi Nakasako, current UFC fighter Patrick Barry, Ray Sefo, Errol Zimmerman, Doug Viney and Paul Slowinski, with his biggest win thus far a split decision victory over Sefo in Taiwan during the Asian GP.

Samedov is looking to use his speed to his advantage against the highly dangerous Badr Hari, but he will have to be extra cautious as Hari will be giving him a very tough time during their fight. As such, it will be impossible for Samedov to be able to make it through to the Final 8, but if there’s one thing that we have learned over the years, never rule out the possibility of an upset in the K-1 World GP.

Chances of making the Final 8: 67%

Ruslan Karaev (Russia)

One of the most talented and exciting fighters of the new breed of K-1 World GP fighters, Russia’s own Ruslan Karaev has all the tools in becoming the next K-1 World GP Champion. With a combination of good looks and amazing skills, Karaev is a very marketable fighter and one officials will definitely pay attention to as he continues to amaze the fans with his extraordinary blend of speed and surprising knockout power. Karaev has also faced some top flight competition in the K-1 World GP, including the likes of Musashi, Ray Sefo, Chalid “Die Faust” Arrab, Stefan Leko, Melvin Manhoef and fellow generation rivals, Badr Hari and Gokhan Saki. His most dominating victory came when he knocked out three fighters to win the Asian GP in Taiwan last year. While Karaev is a dynamic, young fighter, he also has a very fragile jaw which most of his opponents are quick to take advantage of. This has caused him to be knocked out in most of his matches, including a brutal 31 second lost to Melvin Manhoef in Holland back in 2007.

The Russian Machine Gun has a tough task ahead of him in the K-1 Heavyweight Champion Kyotaro, whom he will be facing this Saturday. Karaev has made it to the Final 8 three times and in order to do that, he will have to be extra cautious in not letting his glass jaw be exposed to Kyotaro, who will definitely be looking for a KO victory in this fight.

Chances of making the Final 8: 80%

Kyotaro (Japan)

Formerly known as Keijiro Maeda, this fun-loving Japanese kickboxer has quickly risen to become Japan’s top K-1 heavyweight fighter. A product of Team Dragon, Kyotaro has shown over the years that despite being just another Japanese fighter, he can hold his own very well among the top elite fighters in the brand. Who can ever forget the time he knocked down super heavyweight Mighty Mo during their highly competitive battle in last year’s season opener? His win over Musashi also further established him as a tough fighter to look out for in the near future. 2009 has become his breakout year. Entering the K-1 Heavyweight Title Tournament as a mere substitute, nobody gave Kyotaro a chance at becoming the champion among elite fighters such as Melvin Manhoef, Tyrone Spong and Gokhan Saki, but lo and behold! Kyotaro pulled off one of the biggest upsets of the year when he knocked out Manhoef in the semi-finals, then went on to score a majority decision victory in the extension round against Saki to become Japan’s first-ever K-1 Heavyweight Champion. His KO victory over Jan Soukup further proves that this is Japan’s next best hope in becoming the country’s very first K-1 World GP Champion.

What makes Kyotaro such a dangerous fighter is his strategy and his ability to adapt against the fighter he is up against. This is what his opponent this Saturday, Ruslan Karaev, must take note of. If Karaev plays the reckless game against Kyotaro, chances are he will be knocked back to Mother Russia and never be seen in the Final 8.

Chances of making the Final 8: 86%

Semmy Schilt (Holland)

Holland is known for producing some of the greatest kickboxers in the world and the 6′11″ Semmy Schilt is no exception. While Schilt is infamously the most boring K-1 World GP Champion in terms of personality (a trait always pointed out from fellow Dutch K-1 World GP Champion Peter Aerts), the towering Dutchman is also known for being the very first fighter to win the K-1 World GP Tournament for three straight years. Using his size and power to his advantage, Schilt is a nightmare for most fighters that fight him. Some of the big names that “Hightower” has been able to knock out include Glaube Feitosa, Remy Bonjasky, Ernesto Hoost, Ray Sefo, Paul Slowinski and Mark Hunt. Schilt has also went the distance against the likes of Jerome LeBanner and ironically enough, Peter Aerts himself. Schilt is no slouch either in the world of mixed martial arts having been a former King of Pancrase Champion and also a PRIDE competitor. However, his last two losses against Peter Aerts and Badr Hari have slowed this giant down, but that’s not stopping him from capturing his fourth K-1 World GP Title.

In order to do so, the first step he has to take is to defeat his tough-as-nails opponent, Daniel Ghita. Will Schilt be able to use his size and powerful kicks to his advantage in his fight or will a huge upset take place in Seoul?

Chances of making the Final 8: 89%

Daniel Ghita (Romania)

Daniel Ghita is a hard-hitting Romanian who has captured the K-1 world by storm. Another fighter enjoying his breakthrough year in the K-1 World GP, Ghita has made a lot of new fans, particularly for his record-breaking tournament victory at the K-1 World GP 2009 Final 16 Qualifying GP. Before his record-breaking victory, Ghita has been fighting mainly in Romania for the Local Kombat promotion and has picked up notable wins over the likes of Freddy Kemayo and Bjorn Bregy. When he entered the K-1 World GP 2009 Final 16 Qualifying GP, he made an immediate impact, dispatching his foes in a record of 5:15 all by KO to become the tournament winner and gain a place un the Final 16. The previous record was 6:43 which was achieved by Peter Aerts when he became the 1998 K-1 World GP Champion.

Ghita’s eye-opening achievement has made him a target for many opponents hoping to welcome him to the top elite of the K-1 World GP roster and one fighter who is looking to do so is Semmy Schilt. Up till this point, the big and burly Romanian has never fought against top level competition and Schilt will be his first true test. Ghita is known for his devastating low kicks which has brought him his record-breaking victory in Tokyo a few months back and his punches are equally as dangerous as his kicks. Will he be able to make full use of them and make his first trip to the Final 8?

Chances of making the Final 8: 87%

Ewerton Teixeira (Brazil)

One of the top young stars in the K-1 World GP, Ewerton Teixeira is a product of the legendary Kyokushin Kaikan dojo. The young Brazilian with the dreadlocks is, like most karatekas that come out of that particular dojo, a strong kicker. Making his K-1 debut early last year, he was able to defeat Yusuke Fujimoto, then three Japanese fighters including Kyotaro to become the 2008 Japan GP Tournament winner. He then went on to defeat Musashi to earn himself a place in the Final 8 that same year. Many critics bash Teixeira for his lack of boxing skills, but he silenced his critics and put on an amazing performance against generation rival Errol Zimmerman in the Final 8, despite suffering his very first loss against Zimmerman. A huge victory over Jerome LeBanner at the season opener this year made him a stronger fighter and this year, it looks like Teixeira will be able to accomplish what his peers Francisco Filho and Glaube Feitosa has been unable to achieve, the K-1 World GP Title.

But it won’t be an easy task for the young Brazilian. First, he must be able to defeat the powerful Singh “Heart” Jaideep, who will be a very tough opponent for Teixeira. Will Teixeira make use of his improved boxing skills and powerful kicks to make it to the Final 8?

Chances of making the Final 8: 82%

Singh “Heart” Jaideep (India)

Throughout K-1’s existence, there has never been an Indian that has made it to the Final 16 up until today. Sing “Heart” Jaideep may have been raised in Japan throughout his life and speaks little to no English (and quite possibly a bit of Tamil or Hindi), but he is a proud Indian and joins a list of many great Indian athletes who are quickly making an impact in the sporting world. Jaideep is 6′5″, making him a tall and formidable opponent and his power is second to none. His knee has been his best friend and has helped him score victories against Yong Soo Park and Min Ho Song during this year’s Asian GP. He then used his knee to his fullest advantage, scoring a much needed victory against the tough veteran Taiei Kin to capture the Asian GP and earn a spot in the Final 16.

Jaideep has a bright future ahead of him due to his size and power and he will want to use them to his advantage when he takes on Ewerton Teixeira this Saturday at the Final 16. Many see him as Asia’s very own Semmy Schilt, but will he be able to achieve the feat of becoming Asia’s very first K-1 World GP Champion?

Chances of making the Final 8: 60%

Peter Aerts (Holland)

Call him what you want. Whether it’s Mr. K-1, the Dutch Lumberjack or the Living Legend, nobody embodies the heart and soul of K-1 than the three-time former K-1 World GP Champion Peter Aerts. Aerts is a legendary figure, a true test for any fighter that dares to step into the ring against him and prove that they can hang around legendary fighters such as him. Aerts is known for his legendary battles against the likes of the four-time K-1 World GP Champion Ernesto Hoost, Ray Sefo, Jerome LeBanner, Musashi and Semmy Schilt among others and his patented left roundhouse kick has sent many of his opponents out of the arena on a stretcher. After suffering a crushing loss to Badr Hari during the Final 8, Aerts has decided to enlist the help of his former trainer Tom Harinck, who helped guide him to his first two K-1 World GP Championships and ever since then, has been in the best shape in recent years. A strong victory over Errol Zimmerman and a dominating performance over Yosuke Nishijima helped Aerts to convey a strong message: That he is back and on his way to claiming his fourth K-1 World GP Title.

Aerts however has a very tough and hungry opponent looking to make his mark in the K-1 World GP, the hulking Alistair Overeem. Aerts is known for his amazing strategy and as noted, has some of the most powerful kicks in the game. Even at 38 years old, Aerts is still a very strong fighter and his power could very well carry him way into the tournament. Having competed in every single K-1 World GP Tournament since the inaugural tournament, it’s very hard to imagine a Final 8 Tournament without Peter Aerts.

Chances of making the Final 8: 95%

Alistair Overeem (Holland)

Another tall fighter standing 6′5″, mixed martial arts fighter Alistair Overeem is a huge threat to every fighter competing in the K-1 World GP Final 16. The current Strikeforce Heavyweight Champion and current DREAM fighter uses his size and immense power to his benefits and his brash attitude seems to match his skills very well. Overeem has competed in several K-1 events in the past, but only recently has he shown his capabilities as a very strong standup fighter. His KO victory over Badr Hari at Dynamite!! 2008 sent a very stern warning to any K-1 fighter who dares step into the ring against him and it was then that Remy Bonjasky answered the challenge when he was able to defeat Overeem after a strong unanimous decision. Overeem’s performances and love hate relationship among the K-1 fans have mad ehim a popular choice when FEG decided to hold a poll to determine who should enter the Final 16 and Overeem was the top pick to enter the tournament according to fans who voted in.

Overeem has fought two top-tier fighters and will now be facing a third one in the form of the legendary Peter Aerts. In this highly anticipated showdown, Overeem has the clear advantage with his height and power, but he lacks in experience, which is to Aerts’s favor. Despite that, he will look to create an impact and by beating one of the greatest fighters of all time, he could possibly do just that.

Chances of making the Final 8: 75%

Errol Zimmerman (Curacao)

Errol Zimmerman is a young fighter fighting out of the world-renowned Golden Glory Gym along with fellow Final 16 participant Semmy Schilt. Born in Suriname, Zimmerman is known as the Bonecrusher after he broke his opponent’s arm in the ring. To add to that, Zimmerman would always make his entrances by wearing a skeleton attire and dancing his way to the ring. Zimmerman was known for winning the European GP last year, defeating Attila Karacs, Bjorn Bregy and Zabit Samedov to capture the tournament. He earned a spot in the Final 8 after a dominating performance over Glaube Feitosa and fought a competitive battle against Ewerton Teixeira. In the semi-finals, Zimmerman had a brief taste of glory when he scored a knockdown over Badr Hari before being knocked out himself by the tough Moroccan. Zimmerman thus far is on a three-fight losing streak, losing also to Peter Aerts during the season opener this year and to Mourad Bouzidi in Holland for the It’s Showtime promotion. Add to the loss to Ikuhisa Minowa at Dynamite!! 2008 under mixed martial arts rules and Zimmerman hasn’t been on the great streak he was in prior to the Badr Hari loss.

Ironically enough, his opponent in the Final 16 this weekend is the same man he defeated last year, Glaube Feitosa. Zimmerman is sure to let his hammering fists do the talking much like it did last year when he pummeled the Brazilian several times during their bout. Add to his blinding speed and this young fighter has everything it takes to become a future K-1 World GP Champion.

Chances of making the Final 8: 90%

Glaube Feitosa (Brazil)

A product of the Kyokushin Kaikan dojo, Glaube Feitosa is the 2005 K-1 World GP Finalist and since then, has been clamoring to one day make it to the finals again. One of the true veterans of the sport, Feitosa has been throwing his patented roundhouse kicks dubbed the Brazilian Kick over the years, knocking out many of the brand’s toughest fighters. Feitosa has had some fierce battles in the past against the likes of Masaaki Satake, the late K-1 World GP Champion Andy Hug, Alistair Overeem, current UFC fighter Cheick Kongo, Peter Aerts, Semmy Schilt, Ernesto Hoost, Musashi and Remy Bonjasky. Feitosa however had a terrible year in 2008, losing to Badr Hari in a fight for the K-1 Heavyweight Title and then losing to Errol Zimmerman during the Final 16 that year. After training with Francisco Filho and renowned South American boxer George Alias, Feitosa’s boxing has improved tremendously and his win over Junichi Sawayashiki proved that his boxing should not be underestimated anymore. Originally, Mirko “Cro Cop” Filipovic was intended to compete in this tournament as he had the third most votes in the fan poll to determine who gets to enter the Final 16 Tournament. However, due to his contractual obligations to the UFC (and his subsequent retirement from MMA recently), this gave Feitosa, who received the fourth highest votes, the chance to compete in the tournament.

Feitosa may want to use his newfound boxing skills and stronger conditioning in his upcoming fight against the man who defeated him in this very tournament last year, Errol Zimmerman. If he can use those boxing skills coupled with his Brazilian Kicks, he could very well be making it to the Final 8 once again after missing it last year. This is also quite possibly Feitosa’s final run before his impending retirement as an active K-1 fighter, so he would want to go all out in this fight this weekend.

Chances of making the Final 8: 84%

Remy Bonjasky (Holland)

The current three-time K-1 World GP Champion, Remy Bonjasky would like to erase the disappointing images of last year’s bittersweet title victory by winning his fourth K-1 World GP Title this year. The Flying Gentleman is a hit and miss with the fans as some feel that he is the weakest K-1 World GP Champion in history, but that doesn’t stop this high-flying Muay Thai specialist from being one of the most entertaining fighters in the K-1 World GP. Bonjasky has fought a who’s who in the K-1 World GP, including Musashi, Peter Aerts, Jerome LeBanner, Glaube Feitosa, Semmy Schilt and also Ernesto Hoost. Last year, Bonjasky was flying high to a perfect K-1 World GP Title victory until he met Badr Hari in the finals. Disaster struck as Hari knocked him down, then went for a ground and pound followed by a stomp to the head which was clearly illegal under K-1 rules. Hari’s behavior towards Bonjasky’s team further earned him a red card due to both the illegal stomp and unsportsmanlike behavior, thus giving Bonjasky the controversial K-1 World GP Title win. After defeating Alistair Overeem at the season opener this year, Bonjasky is ready to fly high and become the K-1 World GP Champion once again.

His opponent is no slouch. Melvin Manhoef is a feared striker, but Bonjasky has his number. Having defeated Manhoef twice, Bonjasky has the clear advantage psychologically going into this fight and perhaps if we see that flying knee again, Manhoef might lose another tooth or two.

Chances of making the Final 8: 94%

Melvin Manhoef (Holland)

While Melvin Manhoef completes primarily as a mixed martial arts fighter under the It’s Showtime promotion and DREAM brand, he is also a feared kickboxer known for his powerful combinations and lethal strikes. Manhoef is a ferocious fighter known for his intimidating presence and aggressiveness in the ring and it is through those traits that make him the hungry pitbull that he is. Known as “No Mercy”, Manhoef has fought against the likes of Ray Sefo, Paul Slowinski, whom he obliterated during their fight in the Final 8 last year, Ruslan Karaev, Kyotaro and Stefan Leko. Despite his short stature, don’t be fooled. This was the same man who gave super heavyweight fighter and former K-1 World GP Champion Mark Hunt his very first KO loss at Dynamite!! 2008! As such, Manhoef was the second most popular choice among the fans in the fan poll, whom many want to see compete in the Final 16 this year.

Manhoef however has a very huge challenge ahead. Remy Bonjasky is not only the defending K-1 World GP Champion, he also has Manhoef’s number. Having beaten him twice and also breaking his tooth in their second fight, Manhoef is looking for revenge, but is this fearsome fighter ready to prove his worth as a top level K-1 fighter or will third time be the charm for the Flying Gentleman?

Chances of making the Final 8: 56%

Jerome LeBanner (France)

Born and bred in the city of Le Havre, Jerome LeBanner is one of the true living legends of the sport. Many consider LeBanner to be the greatest fighter to have never won the K-1 World GP Title thus far. A very powerful fighter known for his strong punches, the Hyper Battle Cyborg as LeBanner is known strikes fear into the hearts of every fighter he steps into the ring against. LeBanner has fought against many big names throughout his illustrious K-1 fighting career, including Peter Aerts, Remy Bonjasky, Ray Sefo, Hong Man Choi, Don Frye and one of his toughest rivals, Mark Hunt. However, during the finals of the K-1 World GP Tournament in 2002, LeBanner suffered a devastating arm injury when it was shattered by Ernesto Hoost and ever since then, LeBanner was never the same again. While LeBanner is still a tough and fearsome fighter, he doesn’t have the knockout power that he is well known for throughout his career. In fact, his last KO victory came by beating Yong Soo Park back in 2007.

This weekend, LeBanner will be facing a fellow K-1 World GP Finalist in the form of Musashi. This could be a huge opportunity for LeBanner to becoming one step closer to making it to the Final 8 and possibly a run at the K-1 World GP Title this year. If LeBanner could prevent his arm from being prone to another injury and if he can stay as mentally focused as before, we might be seeing France’s very first K-1 World GP Champion.

Chances of making the Final 8: 78%

Musashi (Japan)

Quite possibly the most controversial choice in this tournament, Musashi gained entry into the tournament by way of the officials’ pick over Catalin Morosanu, who received more votes than Musashi. This will be Musashi’s final hurrah as an active fighter as age and the lack of power that he once had in the past has slowed his pace tremendously. He announced his retirement about a month or so ago and had begged for the chance to make one last run at the K-1 World GP Title, a title that has alluded him for many years. Having faced the likes of Remy Bonjasky, Peter Aerts, Ernesto hoost, Semmy Schilt, Ray Sefo, Bob Sapp, Glaube Feitosa, Ewerton Teixeira and Gegard Mousasi, Musashi seems destined to once again make it to the Final 8 having missed out from the tournament for three straight years. He made it to the finals twice against Remy Bonjasky, but came short of winning the title on both occasions.

If Musashi intends on finally becoming Japan’s very first K-1 World GP Champion, he will have to up his game, especially since this will be his final run at the title. In order to do so, he will have to get past Jerome LeBanner first and that is no easy task. Both of these fighters have slowed down tremendously in the last few years, but this time, it is not about technique or power, but the will to survive and the desire to finally become champion. Will Musashi be able to finally live out his dream and make it to the Final 8? Moreover, will he be able to finally become the K-1 World GP Champion before he retires for good?

Chances of making the Final 8: 49%

And there you have it. 16 of the top fighters in the world vying for a chance to solidify his place into the Final 8. These men are one step closer to making it to the Final 8 Tournament to be held at the Yokohama Arena in Japan this coming December. The question is, who will the eight fighters be that will remain in the hunt to become the K-1 World GP Champion?

The biggest standup fighting tournament in the world is happening this Saturday as the world awaits an exciting night of action at the K-1 World GP 2009 in Seoul Final 16 Tournament!

Rafael Dos Anjos, a member of the official Evolve Fight Team, secured a unanimous decision victory against Rob Emerson at UFC 103. Gordinho’s older brother, Gordo (head of Evolve Brazil), cornered Dos Anjos for the fight.

Here is a detailed play-by-play (Courtesy of Sherdog.com):

Round 1
Dos Anjos, from a southpaw stance, lands a nice leg kick to open the fight. He shoots but Emerson defends well and gets back to the center to the cage. Emerson fighting more of a counter-striking style while dos Anjos is initiating more of the action. Dos Anjos lands a nice left hook to the jaw of Emerson but he shakes it off. Emerson defends another shot by pushing dos Anjos head down and retreating from danger. Dos Anjos is in on a single but Emerson grabs a whizzer trying to stave off the attempt but this time dos Anjos gets it. With only a few seconds left in the round, dos Anjos grounds and pounds to the bell. Sherdog.com scores the round 10-9 for dos Anjos.

Round 2
Dos Anjos kicking to the legs of Emerson, they are starting to take a toll. Emerson finally checks a kick and lands a straight right hand and another. Emerson has found an effective attack and scores with yet another right. Dos Anjos shoots but Emerson defends. Emerson defends another takedown, dos Anjos ducked under a right hand but Emerson sprawled. A big inside leg kick to Emerson’s lead left leg from dos Anjos backs up the Californian. Dos Anjos presses him against the cage as the 10-second warning sounds. Sherdog.com scores the round 10-9 for dos Anjos.

Round 3
After a brief exchange to start the third dos Anjos gets in deep on a shot. Emerson sprawls but he cannot defend and is pulled to the canvas along the cage. Dos Anjos tries to take his back and gets a hook in before attempting a choke that Emerson defends by turning back into him. Emerson gets his guard back but dos Anjos is dropping punches and elbows from the top. Emerson pushes dos Anjos back with his legs and tries to stand but the Brazilian dives back into his guard before passing to half and then side-control. Emerson escapes back to his feet but dos Anjos grabs double underhooks and presses him against the cage. Emerson frees himself from dos Anjos’ clutches but finds himself on the receiving end of yet another brutal inside leg-kick. An exhausted Emerson is throwing single right hands looking for the finish but dos Anjos keeps landing the inside leg-kick to Emerson’s lead leg before circling away. The round comes to a close with Emerson still chasing the elusive dos Anjos. Sherdog.com scores the round 10-9 dos Anjos.

All three official judges score it 30-27 for dos Anjos, who takes the unanimous decision.

Evolve Mixed Martial Arts® is pleased to announce that it will be opening its 3rd and largest location in the coming weeks. Please stay tuned for exact details of the opening.

Designed by one of Singapore’s top design firms, Evolve Far East Square will be the largest facility of its kind in Asia. It will redefine the standards of excellence for martial arts academies around the world. Evolve has recruited several more World Champions and elite Instructors in Muay Thai, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, and MMA.

* 12,000 square feet of state-of-the-art, temperature-controlled space
* Separate full Muay Thai training area
* Separate full Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and MMA training area
* 20 Muay Thai heavy bags from Thailand
* Official Octagon MMA Cage from the US
* Official MMA grappling mats from the US
* Knee and hook stations
* Full FightShape Kettlebell and TRX station from the US
* Thai pads, low leg pads, punching mitts, and skipping ropes from Thailand
* MMA and Wrestling dummies from the US
* Sleek, high-end locker rooms with 240 full size lockers
* 27 individual shower units with rain forest shower capability
* Modern restrooms
* Retail Store
* Members Lounge
* Juice Bar with lounge area
* Outdoor cafe area
* State of the art sound system

With 2 locations in Singapore and 1 in Brazil, Evolve Mixed Martial Arts® is Asia’s premier brand of MMA academies.

In the last few days or so, I have been watching some vintage fights from PRIDE FC and as I watch them, I begin to regret not being fully into it back then. Yes I do have a fair share of favorites from PRIDE, with two of them currently fighting in the UFC (former PRIDE and UFC Interim Heavyweight Champion Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira and UFC Middleweight Champion Anderson Silva) and one of them currently fighting for DREAM, Strikeforce and the K-1 World GP (Strikeforce Heavyweight Champion Alistair Overeem), but perhaps my bias towards FEG was a lot stronger than it would’ve been had I gotten into PRIDE.

But looking back at the fights, it made a lot of sense as to why PRIDE was at one point the number one MMA organization in the world. Right off the bat, you can tell that PRIDE had some of the best production ever in sports. From the elaborate entrance sets to the astonishing graphics during fighter entrances, PRIDE’s presentation is top-notch and dare I say, a whole lot better than the WWE. Even the opening ceremonies were top-notch with the fighters standing on the stage and Lenne Hardt delivering her trademark introductions of the fighters.

What about the fights themselves? Well, many fans of MMA truly believe that some of the greatest fights to ever take place in MMA were held in PRIDE and there were just so many of them. Some of these include the unforgettable slugfest between Don Frye and Yoshihiro Takayama, the strong showing of Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira when he fought Bob Sapp in front of 70,000 plus fans at the Tokyo National Stadium, the epic battle between Fedor Emelianenko and Mirko “Cro Cop” Filipovic and of course, the memorable battle between Kazushi Sakuraba and Royce Gracie that lasted for more than an hour! Simply put, PRIDE boasted the greatest MMA fights of our time and these days, while it is possible, it is very hard to replicate the greatness that was PRIDE Fighting Championships.

While PRIDE was known for their heavyweights such as Fedor Emelianenko, Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira, Mirko Filipovic, Heath Herring, Mark Hunt, Kazuyuki Fujita, Hidehiko Yoshida, James Thompson, Mark Coleman and Josh Barnett, the promotion also has their share of elite fighters in the middleweight, welterweight and lightweight classes. These include the likes of Kazushi Sakuraba, Wanderlei Silva, Quinton “Rampage” Jackson, Dan Henderson, Takanori Gomi, Shinya Aoki, Joachim Hansen, Hayato “Mach” Sakurai, Anderson Silva, Ryo Chonan and Akihiro Gono. As you can see, PRIDE had a diverse roster boasting world-class athletes spanning four different weight classes and most of these fighters are consistently in the top ten rankings of the best MMA fighters in the world up till today. In fact, up till today, Fedor Emelianenko has been on top of the top ten heavyweight ranks around the world ever since he captured the PRIDE Heavyweight Title from Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira in 2003!

Sadly, allegations of the yakuza’s involvement forced PRIDE to close it doors and while co-promotion efforts between PRIDE and the UFC were all the buzz after Zuffa bought PRIDE over from DSE, the buzz died down when UFC President Dana White stated that it was impossible to run PRIDE events as they were unable to get a TV deal due to the scandal. Thus PRIDE, once the number one MMA organization in the world, has become a distant memory.

While PRIDE dominated the Japanese MMA world during its time, another major MMA promotion was looking to become a major player in the industry. Due to the popularity and success of the MMA fights that took place at PRIDE/K-1 Dynamite!! (or Shockwave in the United States), as well as subsequent MMA events, FEG decided to establish their own MMA brand. The seeds were planted earlier when FEG helped in the co-promotion of the Rumble on the Rocks MMA events in Hawaii, then they decided to establish an MMA brand of their own titled ROMANEX. The inaugural event took place in 2004 at the Saitama Super Arena, where FEG collaborated with New Japan Pro-Wrestling and ran a series of MMA fights between their fighters and New Japan wrestlers. Unfortunately, FEG suffered a huge embarrassment from the pro-wrestling promotion as their fighters all lost in the series of fights between FEG’s fighters and New Japan’s wrestlers. ROMANEX was then scrapped and after toying around with several MMA rules during K-1 Premium 2004 Dynamite!!, FEG established HERO’S in early 2005.

While HERO’S had great production of their own, it was not up to the same level as PRIDE’s production. Nevertheless, the brand made the best out of what they have and they do have a solid roster of their own. While nowhere near the level of talents of the fighters from PRIDE, the HERO’S roster boosted a list of who’s who such as Yoshihiro Akiyama, Genki Sudo, Norifumi “KID” Yamamoto, Hideo Tokoro, Caol Uno, Royler Gracie, Melvin Manhoef, Shungo Oyama, Kazuyuki Miyata, Gesias Calvancante, Antonio Silva, Rani Yahya, Remigijus Morkevicius, Min Soo Kim and Dong Sik Yoon. The brand also made use of several K-1 fighters to compete in MMA fights under the brand such as Peter Aerts, Ray Sefo, Mighty Mo, Jerome LeBanner, Bob Sapp, Taiei Kin and Kazuya Yasuhiro and in turn, some of the HERO’S fighters would also compete in K-1 fights. Towards the end of their run, HERO’S were able to acquire many of PRIDE’s alumni that didn’t sign up with the UFC. These included the likes of Kazushi Sakuraba (who joined in 2006 while PRIDE was still around), Kiyoshi Tamura, Alistair Overeem, Sergei Kharitonov, Denis Kang and Kestutis Smirnovas (who also joined in 2006).

HERO’S was no doubt a great MMA brand. Several memorable moments took place during the brand’s two-year tenure. These included the memorable kung fu inspired entrance from Genki Sudo during a HERO’S event back in March, Norifumi Yamamoto’s stunning four second KO on Kazuyuki Miyata at a May HERO’S event, Yoshihiro Akiyama’s emotional HERO’S Light Heavyweight Title win over Melvin Manhoef and triumphant return to the brand after being suspended due to the “Greasegate” incident at K-1 Premium 2006 Dynamite!! and of course, Kazushi Sakuraba’s shocking appearance at HERO’S, signaling his impending debut with the brand.

However, much like PRIDE, HERO’S also faded away after its final event in Seoul. Fortunately, HERO’S exit from the MMA industry wasn’t a controversial one as it was a precursor to FEG’s latest brand, which was run by the same team that brought us HERO’S and PRIDE after the success of both K-1 Premium 2007 Dynamite!! and Yarennoka!, DREAM. This new brand is now the leading MMA promotion in Japan and featuring elements and fighters from both PRIDE and HERO’S, is the promotion to look out for as the sport continues to grow rapidly as ever. Meanwhile, the UFC has now become the number one MMA organization in the world due to the acquisition of top fighters from PRIDE and the fact that most of the top fighters in the world are fighting under the UFC banner.

Nevertheless, the memories of PRIDE and HERO’S, while both long gone, will forever remain in the minds of MMA fans worldwide. As we move forward into the future of MMA, one must never forget the greatness that both PRIDE and HERO’S brought us over the years.