More on the MAX Grand Prix Card, Including the Return of Buakaw?
by Fraser Coffeen on Sep 12, 2010 12:21 PM EDT
in K-1 MAX News
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Earlier this week we gave you the line-up for the remaining fights in the Final 16 round of this year's MAX Grand Prix. Now, we have the complete line-up for the October 3 card.
In addition to the 5 Final 16 fights, there will be 6 superfights.
In the MAX division, it will be Pajonsuk v. Jae Gil Noh and Chi Bin Lim v. Hideaki Kikkawa. Pajonsuk was originally pegged to be the Thai representative this year if Buakaw was out, however that slot was given to Sagadpet, while Pajonsuk will now be in non-tournament action. Tanigawa addressed this, noting that Pajonsuk uses a lot of clinching (a common Muay Thai technique) so he wanted to give him a non-tournament fight to prepare him for K-1 rules. His opponent, Jae Gil Noh, is one of the new crop of strong Korean talent making a name for themselves in international competition. Noh's countryman, Chi Bin Lim, has been the Korean MAX representative for the past few years, but he has not been particularly active this year, and will step out of the tournament. His opponent, Kikkawa, is a Team Dragon fighter making his K-1 debut.
In 63kg action, two of the division's most outsized personalities will be featured, as young punk Kizaemon Saiga faces Sung Hyun Lee, while fan favorite Fire Harada meets Tae Hwan Kim. Both Lee and Kim are Korean fighters who have fought in K-1 Youth fights, with Kim also having a loss to Jae Hee Cheon at last year's Asia GP.
The two final fights that round out the card are something of a departure for K-1. First, in a women's match, Su Jeong Lim faces an opponent TBA. K-1 rarely features women's action, though Lim has fought for them twice before. One of those fights was a victory over Shootboxing queen RENA in March 2009. Finally, though not listed on their website, reports are that K-1 will feature their first ever MMA fight as DREAM fighter Andrews Nakahara faces an opponent yet to be determined.
And finally - the name that has been most notably absent from all MAX discussion is two time MAX GP champion Buakaw Por. Pramuk. All year, we heard rumors that he would not be in the GP, and now those rumors have sadly turned out to be accurate. However, Buakaw may not be done with K-1 entirely - Tanigawa revealed that they had offered Buakaw a fight in the 63kg division, which may still be added to the card. This certainly is a surprise, and I am not sure what would prompt such a move, but if it leads to Buakaw v. Yamato, I certainly won't complain!
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He started at 126 I think
so 63 kg (139?) shouldn’t be a problem, and it’s probly a good Idea to fight guys his size or smaller seeing how he’s a geezer, but I hope they bring in atleast 5-10 good Thai’s or it won’t really be competative. Those Jap kids at 63kg are bums, mid-high level mma striking is good when mixed with the rest of mma, not put over as great kickboxing lol.
That is more skillfull than anything on that K-1 tourney
but still not worthy of “Great” and would be crushed by a geezer crumbled chined Buakaw, and also WTF is a Fire Harada?
Fire Harada is awesome.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zv2TdCSwK_g
Think, guy who isn’t very good buy cries a lot, gives super emotional promos and gets the shit beaten out of him.
Head Kick Legend
Twitter @HeadKickLegend
I like that in rasslin'
not in a respected fighting organization
In K-1 the line is blurred.
Always has been and always will be.
There is also a video floating around of Great Sasuke wishing Harada luck and Harada watching it and crying.
Head Kick Legend
Twitter @HeadKickLegend
now way.
Buakaw would have to drop 20 pounds to hit 63kg.FEG is out of money and they are just bullshiting to keep a sinking ship afloat.
@Karaev_fan
I don’t want Buakaw to beat them, I just don’t think he should even fight them. Buakaw is better than them. K-1 is supposed to be for top fighters, and these guys are bums. Maybe 1 or 2 clubfighters. I don’t hate them, but Buakaw shouldn’t fight bums, thats what you call a bully. If K-1 doesn’t bring in competition, I don’t see why he would fight at 63kg. It doesn’t do anything for him, and is unfair to those low level fighters and he knows that. I doubt he will do it unless they bring in some Thai’s.
And being only 17 doesn't mean anything
I think Buakaw was like 17 or 18 when he won his 126lb belt
No one bashed anyone
Bum is not a term meant to insult but is a place in the Hierarchy of fighters. At the bottom. Can only beat other bums. Maybe they’re better than Bums, not better than a clubfighter. (Local guy who beats local bums) But thats not bashing, its saying they shouldn’t be fighting a supposed contender in a higher weight class.
What if Rampage came into your town and fought some local 185 pound guy? First off it wouldn’t happen because you have commisions, and no one in thier right mind would sanction it because Rampage would kill the guy, very possibly he would really kill him.
If Manny Pacquiao fought some local Filipino bum, he would lose so many fans, and he would drop on everyones rankings just on principle. Everyone would be killing him on a boxing forum.
No one bashed anyone, I stated that he won’t fight those guys because they’re not as good as him. Why would you fight someone who you already know you will destroy?
Yeah, just like Athletic Commisions didn’t sanction Kyle Maynard to fight or Randy Couture vs James Toney for example. Oh wait, no…
You’re disrespectful to fighters who actually fight unlike you and you’re a blatant fanboy. If you would actually watch some of the fighters in 63kg division and look up their records you would know that they aren’t club fighters and certainly not bums. Yet you decided to come out as a dick just to show how much an idiot you are. I’m done talking with you. And I still hope guys running this site will do something about this.
Let’s all take a collective deep breath… inhale… exhale…
Now that that’s done…
If Buakaw stepped into next year’s 63kg GP, he would be the easy favorite. But that does not mean all those fighters are bums by any means. Why does it have to be so “either/or”? Can’t someone be not as good as Buakaw but still be a pretty good fighter? You want to call a guy like Fire Harada beneath Buakaw, that’s fine (though you should do so in a respectful manner). But Yamato? Kubo? I don’t see what makes them any lesser opponents than Andre Dida – and lest we forget, Dida nearly beat Buakaw. What about Jordan Watson? What qualification makes him a worthy opponent, while GP champ Yamato would be a bum?
Part of sports is the idea of the underdog. These guys would be the underdog against Buakaw for sure. Just like Colossa was the underdog against Yod, just like Sato was the undersog against Buakaw in 08… You don’t have to be Thai to be able to compete with a Thai fighter.
HeadKickLegend.com
by Fraser Coffeen on Sep 13, 2010 3:14 PM EDT up reply actions
I think your poor word choice is the problem here.
“Bums” and so forth.
I think a lot of these guys that K-1 selected for the -63kgs class won’t get some respect until we see a more diverse lineup at -63kgs; bring in some Thai, Dutch and Brazilian strikers to balance stuff out.
Head Kick Legend
Twitter @HeadKickLegend
Buakaw at 63kg!?
This sucks, Buakaw should be at 70 kgs with the bad boys in the MAX GP. He got shamefully robbed against Andy Souwer last year, no disrespect to Andy, and he’s one of the few top guys/former champions that hasn’t fought Petrosyan. I don’t know why K1 isn’t offering him a spot in the MAX GP this year, but I think it’s the wrong decision. pMaybe they want new guys to come up, but Buakaw is definately better than 90% of the guys getting shots at the MAX GP. Who wouldn’t want to see him fight Petrosyan? Who?
Petrosyan/Buakaw
They actually have fought once before, in 2007. Buakaw was the K-1 champ and hadn’t been defeated in 2 years. Petrosyan was 21 years old. They fought to a draw. It’s one of the only 3 times in his career Petrosyan has not scored the win, and he’s won every fight in the 3 years since.
Which is a long winded way of saying I really, REALLY want to see them fight again.
HeadKickLegend.com
by Fraser Coffeen on Sep 14, 2010 7:27 PM EDT up reply actions
That would be a sad day
Buakaw would probably be at a huge disadvantage in the speed, power, athleticism department at this point. Petro also gots a good amount of size and reach on him. Also theres the problem of Buakaw’s chin thats turning to rubble. His skills are there, but I dont think that fight is that difficult to predict. They drew when Buakaw was on his way down and Petro was on the way up, and now Petro is just seamingly getting into his prime and Buakaw has regressed. Maybe Buakaw’s skill can overcome in a 3 round fight, but I couldn’t watch it. Maybe if he was 5 years younger.
I would like to see a rematch with Souwer though or even Masato if he unretired.
Buakaw Por. Pramuk VS Masato, 8 round Welterweight Title Fight! Thats what I want to see.
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