K-1 World GP 2010 Final Preview – It’s going to be EPIC!

RCV’s Note: Johan Yusof is an up and coming singer / actor from Malaysia. He also happens to be a die hard K-1 and JMMA fanatic, having flew to Japan to watch Dynamite 2009 last year and witnessed Masato’s retirement fight against Andy Souwer. It is with great pleasure, that we introduce him as a guest blogger for Rabbit-Punch.net! I recommend you guys follow him on Twitter @JOHANYUSOF85.

On December 11th 2010, eight of the top Kickboxers in the world will congregate at Tokyo, Japan’s Ariake Coliseum to determine who will become the king of kings, the rightful best in the world, the 2010 K-1 World GP Champion. Though a few notable stars are missing from the tournament, this year’s final looks to be an exciting one as an eclectic mix of champions, veterans and newcomers will go head to head in a fierce battle for supremacy. Let’s take a close look at the four bouts that will take place to determine who will be the next K-1 World GP Champion.

Mighty Mo (USA) vs. Peter Aerts (Holland)

A fight between two hard-hitting veterans, both Mighty Mo and Peter Aerts are known for their devastating knockout power. Mo favoring his famed Samoan right hook that he used to slay the 7’3” giant Hong-Man Choi while Aerts being a staunch user of the high roundhouse kick that has knocked out so many opponents throughout his decorated career and on occasions, sent his opponents out on a stretcher. It’s Mighty Mo’s second foray into the tournament after being humiliated with a KO loss to the smaller Kaoklai Kaennorsing back in the 2004 K-1 World GP Final. While Aerts, the man known as “Mr. K-1″ and “The Dutch Lumberjack”, enters his 17th tournament after losing out on entering last year’s tournament. Though Mo is promising to send Aerts to the retirement home, as well as debuting a six-pack, Aerts is one man who would not back down easily and despite being 40 years of age and the eldest in the K-1 World GP roster. The former three-time K-1 World GP Champion can still put on a tough battle, just like he did in his last bout with Ewerton Teixeira. I can expect both of these men to try and knock one another out, but it won’t surprise me to see both Mo and Aerts battle to a decision.

Semmy Schilt (Holland) vs. Kyotaro (Japan)

Semmy Schilt is a monster. At 6’11” tall and weighing in at 290 pounds, the four-time and current K-1 World GP Champion is the largest fighter in the tournament and is the outright favorite to take the tournament once again. Kyotaro maybe the smaller fighter at only six feet tall and weighing in at 219 pounds, but he possesses one of the deadliest counter-right hands in the business. Not only that, he holds notable victories over the likes of Melvin Manhoef, Gokhan Saki, Peter Aerts and Jerome LeBanner, making him one of the greatest underdogs to compete in the tournament. Only problem is that Schilt is not just another “freak show attraction” the likes of which we have seen with Akebono, Bob Sapp, Montanha Silva and Hong-Man Choi. Combined with his long reach and power are his techniques, which include accurate striking and a great game plan going into his fights. A tournament powerhouse, Schilt has never been able to walk out a loser in any K-1 World GP tournament he has taken part in, be it a regional or championship tournament. Kyotaro will have a tough time dealing with the man known as “The Hightower” and with Schilt feeling disgusted that he is not the main poster boy of the K-1 World GP 2010 Final despite being the current champion. It only fuels him to crush anyone standing in his way and unfortunately, it looks like Schilt might be en route to a KO victory over Kyotaro, unless the crafty Japanese fighter has something up his sleeve.

Gokhan Saki (Turkey) vs. Daniel Ghita (Romania)

This is a barn-burner of a fight if I’ve ever seen one. When Daniel Ghita walked over to Gokhan Saki to determine Saki’s opponent in the Final during the Final Draw, fans around the world salivate with delight knowing that two of the hardest-hitting young guns of the K-1 World GP will go head to head, in a collision course that is guaranteed to rock the Ariake Coliseum to its very foundation! Saki proved how brutal he is with a stunning, yet devastating beat-down on Freddy Kemayo at the Final 16 Tournament. Not to be outdone and probably sending an early indication of who he wanted to face in the Final, Ghita turned in an equally brutal performance, knocking out Saki’s best friend and teammate Errol Zimmerman. Both men are highly competitive fighters who possess punishing strikes, solid techniques and are looking to knock each other out. Saki is known as the dark horse of the tournament, but he promises to make YOU believe that he is anything but a dark horse by winning the tournament. Ghita, who chooses to go by the way of the samurai, looks to his katana-like legs to chop Saki’s legs down, which ironically enough is one of Saki’s famed attacks as well. Unfortunately, only one of these talented young fighters will make it on into the tournament, but the question is, which of these two men will be knocked out in spectacular fashion? Combat sports fans would not want to miss out on this fight!

Alistair Overeem (Holland) vs. Tyrone Spong (Suriname)

The man known by such nicknames as “The Reem”, “The Demolition Man”, “The Dutch Cyclone” and of course, “Ubereem”. Alistair Overeem looks to erase the painful memories of the previous year, when he was knocked out of a chance to compete in the tournament finals by a rampaging Badr Hari. He’ll be taking on a man he has a long personal history with, the ever-so talented “King of the Ring”, Tyrone Spong. Both men have trained together early in their careers before setting off to make a mark on their own in the combat sports world. While Overeem choose to make Mixed Martial Arts his main battleground, Spong decided to continue fighting in Muay Thai and modified Muay Thai rules, winning championships in different weight categories as a middleweight, light heavyweight and heavyweight fighter. Though Overeem has had mixed success as an MMA fighter and has faced some of the toughest fighters in MMA today, he does have in his possession the Strikeforce Heavyweight Title. By taking the tournament, Overeem has the chance to make history by becoming the first man to simultaneously hold both a major MMA title in the Strikeforce Heavyweight Championship and the ever-prestigious K-1 World GP Title. Like Semmy Schilt, Overeem is a powerful fighter who has solid techniques, thanks in part to his years of Muay Thai training which has produced some of the most brutal knockouts in K-1 history, like his devastating knockout victory over Ewerton Teixeira during last year’s tournament. Spong on the other hand is one of the more well-rounded fighters in the roster and only gets better every single time he competes, thanks in part to his current trainer, former four-time K-1 World GP Champion Ernesto Hoost. Will Spong pull off an upset over the man heavily tipped to win the K-1 World GP Title this year or will Ubereem continue his reign of destruction over the man he once considered his training partner?

The Ariake Coliseum will play host to the K-1 World GP for the first time after the world-renowned tournament had been held in venues such as the Yoyogi National Gymnasium, the Tokyo Dome and in recent times, the Yokohama Arena. Eight fighters will walk into the arena with one goal in mind, to become the rightful “King of Kings”, but in the end, only one man will walk out as the 2010 K-1 World GP Champion!

The Last Emperor wrote:Im absolutely watchin this finals. Our proud Saki going to destroy everyone.

Mighty Trust Krusher wrote:If the portal is featuring K-1, i'll be there.

two and half more days for the east coasters, I can't wait.

BrittanyAnnMMA wrote:Overeem vs Tyrone Spong
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i39HIFMHL40
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I2uutmh5CKg

BrittanyAnnMMA wrote:was anyone up watching?