It's Showtime Preview: The 5 Fights We Most Want To See

This Saturday is It's Showtime's insanely loaded Amsterdam ArenA show.  One of the troubles with a card like this is that there's so many fascinating fights it becomes a bit tough to keep track of them all.  So, to help get you hyped for the show, we'll break it down to the top 5 fights we're most looking forward to:

1. Badr Hari v. Hesdy Gerges - The main event of the evening, and one we are very excited about.  No, it's not as compelling as Hari v. Hoost would have been, or Hari v. Bonjasky, and yes, Gerges has been tarnished a bit as he's coming in off a loss to Brice Guidon.  But still, the inclusion of Hari alone makes this a must watch.  Badr Hari is that rare kind of star where no matter who he fights, you are transfixed.  Will we see him come out super aggressive and swing for the knock out as he did against Schilt at this event last year?  Or will he be more technical, as against Ignashov in his last outing?  Of course, Gerges is not just a punching bag - far from it.  With a win over Ruslan Karaev on his recent resume, Gerges is a tough opponent.  Add in his training with Thom Harinck, and he poses a real challenge.  Is it enough to earn him the win?  Probably not, but we've seen crazier upsets.

2. Artur Kyshenko v. Murat Direkci - Depending on the status of Buakaw, Souwer, and Petrosyan, Kyshenko may just end up a favorite to win this year's MAX GP.  It's a title many fans (including myself) see in Kyshenko's future - the question is just when will it all come together for him to claim it.  Direkci is more overlooked, but no less dangerous.  The best 70kg fighter not in K-1, Murat is coming off a fantastic 2009 that saw him really elevate the It's Showtime 70kg division.  Kyshenko is his toughest test since facing Sato two years ago, and I look forward to seeing how Direkci rises to the challenge.  I'll make no bones about it - I am a big fan of Direkci, and would love to see him get the win here.  I think it will be a tough road, and I'm hesitant to pick him, but my heart says he can score the upset.

3. Melvin Manhoef v. Gokhan Saki - Originally Manhoef v. Tyrone Spong, Saki stepped in last month to replace the injured Spong.  For fans in Amsterdam, this was a let down as Spong v. Manhoef is a much discussed fight, but from an international standpoint, I actually prefer this one.  Saki has been quietly rebuilding himself with some smaller wins since his unfortunate 3 fight losing streak and injury last year.  Against Manhoef, we'll really see if he is back at 100%, as he'll need to be to win here.  Manhoef has actually been on an unusually long layoff for him - 4 months since the knockout loss to Lawler in Strikeforce.  Both men really could use a convincing win here to move up the ladder, and both men are coming it with a lot to prove - and that's exactly what makes it a great fight.  Look for Saki's leg kicks to be in action, and look for Manhoef to fight the slightly more technical, conservative style he's adopted in the last year.  Of course, that's conservative by Manhoef standards, which still is pretty wild.  This could be an easy fight of the year candidate, and the toughest fight to call, though I'll give the nod to Saki.

4. Cosmo Alexandre v. Nieky Holzken - Another late change as Giorgio Petrosyan's injured hand again forced him off the show.  By replacing him with Cosmo Alexandre, It's Showtime actually created a more even fight as, good though Holzken is, he's not yet at Petrosyan's level.  But this should be an excellent fight.  Holzken has been dominating on the European scene in the past two years.  Fans who only know him from his somewhat lackluster loss to Buakaw at the Final 8 last year haven't seen just how skilled and exciting Holzken is.  But Cosmo is also on a rampage, riding an 8 fight win streak that includes 2 tournament wins, and 2 It's Showtime title fights.  He's been brutalizing opponents with knees and kicks, earning 5 straight stoppages, most from nasty cuts.  Like Holzken, some view Cosmo as a bit of a boring fighter, and he has had some boring performances in the past, but his recent work has been so technically proficient that he is a joy to watch.  I'm really looking forward to this one, which is my sleeper pick for fight of the night.

5. Chahid Oulad El Hadj v. Mo Khamal - This isn't even on the main card, which is a shame as it's a great fight.  Both men are hyper aggressive, and should come out swinging to create a very dynamic fight.  The real story to watch here will be how Khamal does against a good 70 kg opponent in Chahid.  Khamal moved up in weight earlier this year to claim victory in a MAX qualifying GP, earning himself a spot in this year's Final 16.  If he has any hopes for MAX success, he'll need a strong showing here.  Chahid meanwhile has just now returned to the winner's circle, beating Warren Stevelmans to snap a nasty four fight losing streak.  You hate to see him lose again, but I really want to see what Mo can do on the big stage.  No matter who wins, this should be a good one.

There's a ton of other great fights and notable stories - check back tomorrow as we round out the card, and don't forget to watch the event this Saturday, available online at http://www.showtimefights.com/.