The K-1 World Max has always been one of the most exciting fight leagues throughout the world with some of the greatest fighters on the planet competing for supremacy at 70 kg. Over the years, FEG’s exciting brand has produced many great fights and excellent fighters to go along with them. The K-1 World Max have also gained a huge following with many fans around the world following the brand and now that all of FEG’s brands are being shown on HDNet in the United States, the exposure is even greater than ever. With the finals of the tournament looming over later on today, fans are eagerly anticipating the crowning of this year’s K-1 World Max Champion.

However, for the very first time, last year’s champion will not be taking part in the final four. In fact, last year’s champion never took part in this year’s tournament at all! Masato, the two-time K-1 World Max Champion having won the tournament last year in dramatic and thrilling fashion, announced his shocking retirement on April 1st this year, making it the biggest news of the year in the K-1 World Max brand. As such, FEG officials had set him up with a trilogy of fights leading up to his impending retirement, including an exhibition fight against Masato’s young prodigy, 17 year old HIROYA, who is the 2008 K-1 Koshien Champion, an exciting and memorable battle against DREAM lightweight contender Tatsuya Kawajiri and finally, his retirement fight against the winner of the 2009 K-1 World Max Tournament on New Year’s Eve at Dynamite!! 2009.

Which of course brings us to the four men left in the tournament. A Japanese, an Armenian Italian, a Dutchman and a Thai will be competing tomorrow for one of the richest prizes in all of fight sports. It is sure to be an exciting evening of action when the K-1 World Max 2009 Final take place at the Yokohama Arena later on today, but only one man will leave as champion. Now, we take a look at the two semi finals that will take place and how each men will fare against one another.

Semi-Final: Yuya Yamamoto (Japan) vs. Giorgio Petrosyan (Italy)

When people think of Japanese K-1 World Max fighters, the names Masato, Yoshihiro Sato, Taishin Kohiruimaki, Kozo Takeda and recently, Yasuhiro Kido come to mind. While Yuya Yamamoto is a good fighter, many overlook him as just another Japanese fighter struggling to make the big leagues in the K-1 World Max. However, he made heads turned after defeating Chi Bin Lim during the Final 16, bare in mind as a substitute for the injured Taishin Kohiruimaki, then put on a thrilling showcase against Gago Drago during the Final 8 and beating him to make the semi-finals! In recent times, Yamamoto has gone on from being just another Japanese fighter to a fighter who has a good chance of someday becoming a K-1 World Max Champion, combining unpredictability and amazing skills . While he still has a long way to make it to the level men like Masato and others have, Yamamoto could pull of the success story of the year by winning the K-1 World Max Tournament this year and make a name for himself in the biggest way possible.

His opponent is the Armenian who makes Italy his home, the ever so talented Giorgio Petrosyan. One of the new blood in the K-1 World Max, Petrosyan made a name for himself in the promotion with a bang. During the Final 16, The Doctor took on The Contender Asia Season One’s Dzhabar Askerov, stopping the tough fighter with a low kick KO. He then went on to the Final 8 where he picked up the biggest victory of his career thus far, defeating the very first K-1 World Max Champion Albert Kraus via unanimous decision. Petrosyan is a very dangerous fighter one must defeat in the first round as it is during the first round where he will analyze his opponent’s fighting style and by the time the second round takes place, he finally delivers a gameplan that usually sees him walk out with a victory, a strategy that is truly befitting of the nickname The Doctor.

This will be an exciting fight that will usher a new breed of warriors to step into the K-1 World Max. Both Yamamoto and Petrosyan will be going for broke in what could be a show stealer. In order for Yamamoto to beat Petrosyan, he will have to finish off the intelligent Armenian Italian in the first round, which basically means knocking him out. However, Petrosyan is no easy fighter to knock out and if Petrosyan could go into the second round after studying Yamamoto well, he would have this fight in his hands. Even more impressive is if he would be able to finish off the tough Japanese fighter by knocking him out early to send him into the finals. The world will witness two exciting young fighters battle it out to see who will advance on into the finals of the K-1 World Max Tournament.

Andy Souwer (Holland) vs. Buakaw Por.Pramuk (Thailand)

Andy Souwer is quite possibly one of the best fighters to ever come out of Holland. A popular shootboxer who competes in the S-cup shootboxing promotion, Souwer is a wily veteran with fantastic boxing combinations and strong kicks. Did I also mention that this fighter is also a two-time K-1 World Max Champion, winning the tournament in 2005 and 2007? Souwer had a pretty rough ride heading into the semi-finals. During the Final 16, he had to contend against Leroy Kaestner, a protege of the legendary three-time K-1 World GP Champion Peter Aerts. Then in the Final 8, he met his rival from last year’s semi-finals, the 2008 K-1 World Max Finalist Artur Kyshenko. While Kyshenko was dangerous, Souwer was able to pick the young Ukrainian apart in a very competitive and bloody battle, making it to his fifth straight semi-final in the K-1 World Max Tournament.

Buakaw Por.Pramuk is a legend. He is a name which every Muay Thai enthusiast and kickboxing purist can easily identify. A two-time K-1 World Max Champion himself having won the tournament in 2004 and 2006, Buakaw has quickly risen to become one of the greatest fighters on the planet today. Combining powerful combinations and lethal kicks, this product of the Por.Pramuk Gym is a machine built to for destruction. His amazing run in the 2006 Final Tournament is still talked about till today. In recent years however, some may say that Buakaw has lost the spark that made him such a dominant force since his arrival into the K-1 World Max in 2004. It showed when he was knocked out by Yoshihiro Sato in one of the biggest upsets in K-1 World Max history and in his Final 16 bout against DREAM fighter Andre Amade, Buakaw was knocked down very early in the first round, questioning his once indestructible chin, but was able to fight back and went on to win the fight after taking advantage of Amade’s terrible fatigue. In a fight which was described by commentator Michael Schiavello as a glorified sparring contest, Buakaw easily defeated Nieky “The Natural” Holzken via unanimous decision. After missing out on the semi-finals twice in a row, Buakaw is looking to return with a vengeance as he looks for his third K-1 World Max Title.

Both Souwer and Buakaw have had history dating back to the finals of the 2005 K-1 World Max Tournament, where in a highly competitive battle, Souwer defeated Buakaw after five exhilarating rounds. Buakaw would then return the favor in a big way when he knocked out Souwer a year later in the finals of the 2006 K-1 World Max Tournament. Their match later on today will be the rubber match in one of the most legendary feuds in the history of the K-1 World Max. Just who is the better fighter between these two highly skilled veterans and will we see a three-time K-1 World Max Champion at the end of the night?

Tournaments as prestigious as the K-1 World Max is sure to bring out the best of the fighters and sometimes, injuries can occur during the course of the fights. As such, it is mandatory for every tournament organized by FEG to include a reserve fight in case anything happens to any of the fighters during the tournament. For this year’s tournament, the reserve fight will pit two skilled Japanese fighters, Yoshihiro Sato and Yasuhiro Kido, against each other. After a discouraging loss to Gago Drago in the Final 16, Sato redeemed himself with a victory over Joeri Mes in order to advance to the reserve fight. Meanwhile, Yasuhiro Kido, having been unable to win the K-1 World Max Japan Tournament for the second year in a row much like every fighter who competed and won the tournament, had to take on Su Hwan Lee during the Final 16 reserve fight and defeated him. He then went on to the Final 8 and defeated Leroy Kaestner to advance into today’s reserve fight. Sato is a very tall fighter at 6’1″ and will have a huge reach and height advantage over Kido. However, Kido will not go down without a highly competitive fight and tomorrow’s reserve fight is sure to raise some eyebrows as both of these Japanese fighters are hoping to walk out with a victory and perhaps, a chance to compete in the finals should anything go wrong to any of the fighters competing in the tournament.

In what could very well be one of the most competitive tournaments to date, four hungry fighters are hoping to pick up where the legendary Masato left off and a tournament victory will not only be at stake, but also the opportunity to headline against Masato in his last match on MMA’s grandest stage, Dynamite!!. For Yamamoto, a chance to go up against one of Japan’s greatest fighters would be an excellent passing of the torch to the next generation of hungry Japanese fighters. For Petrosyan, Masato will provide an interesting challenge to showcase his analysis skills against the Silver Wolf. For Souwer, having beaten Masato twice, the third time could be the charm for the shootboxer if he could beat Masato again in their third meeting. For Buakaw, it is all about revenge after losing to Masato two years ago in the 2007 K-1 World Max Tournament. Four men enter the Yokohama Arena looking to etch their name in history, but only one man will be able to do so. Who will walk out as the 2009 K-1 World Max Champion?