K-1 MAX Madrid on Saturday

K-1 is hosting one of its regional shows in Spain on Saturday, January 8th. The major attraction of K-1 MAX Madrid is the eight man 70kg. tournament that is scheduled. The two biggest names in the tournament are Warren Stevelmans and Rachid Belaini.

UPDATE: Evidently, the quarterfinal bouts aren't going to look like what I first heard they would. It seems Pauwels and Bassou are not competing at all and others have been switched around. Here are the new tournament match ups as I have them:

Rachid Belaini vs. Nick Beljaards

Rafi Zouheir vs. Aydin Tuncay

Alejandro Asumu Osa vs. Rafa del Toro

Warren Stevelmans vs. Jonay Risco

Stevelmans, the South African who was recently mentioned as Mohammed Medhar's opponent at the upcoming It's Showtime 46 in March, will take on Rafi Zouheir in the first round of the tournament. In the quarterfinals of the Isuzu Thai Fight 2010 tournament, Zouheir lost to eventual champion Fabio Pinca. You would also perhaps recognize Zouheir from the second season of The Contender Asia but, well, that never did end up going down.

Like Stevelmans, Mike's Gym product Rachid Belaini was also mentioned recently as a competitor at the upcoming It's Showtime 46, as he will be taking on William Diender. It was back at It's Showtime 43 that Belaini had his moment of brilliance, knocking out Kem Sitsongpeenong. In his first round bout, Belaini will be taking on the WBC Muay Thai super-welterweight kingpin, Alejandro Asumu Osa of Guinea.

Spain's Manzy Pauwels, winner of the K-1 Spain Battles 2009 70kg. tournament, will take on Hass Ait Bassou. Bassou, of the Netherlands, is a ranked by the WBC Muay Thai at super-lightweight and also holds a regional trinket as a welterweight boxer. Local fighters Rafa del Toro and Jonay Risco, who both had success at the national level as amateur kickboxers, will meet to round out the quarterfinal bouts.

The eight man tournament will be complimented by three non-tournament bouts featuring Spanish fighters. In all, this looks like it could be an enjoyable event that will be a nice warm-up for Krush on Sunday. Full list of bouts after the jump.

70kg. Tournament
Warren Stevelmans vs. Rafi Zouheir
Rachid Belaini vs. Alejandro Asumu Osa
Manzy Pauwels vs. Hassan Ait Bassou
Jonay Risco vs. Rafa del Toro

Non-tournament bouts
Daniel Montesdoeca vs. Fran Palenzuela
Zeben Diaz vs. Simon Santana
Mar Rodriguez vs. Orinta van der Zee