Event is just about to start here. Live from the Yokohama Arena In Japan. Michael Schiavello, Sugar Ray Sefo and Mike Kogan is the commentary team for HDNet. The first fight will be the reserve bout Aerts vs Saki then the quarterfinal tourney bouts, reserve bout Ghita vs Sergei, the semis, superfight Kyotaro vs Spong and then the final. The opening ceremony is starting. One of K-1′s great opening videos plays. Michael Buffer gets the ceremony starting. Each fighter is walked out and announced in front of a gigantic enthralled crowd.
**Reserve Bout – Peter Aerts vs Gokhan Saki**
Aerts does not enter to his usual Miserlou by Dick Dale, he comes out to Welcome to the Jungle. Round 1 – Both fighters land good kicks. Gokhan throws more combinations with hands and feet. Aerts makes it close with a strong last minute or so. Saki landed the better low kicks. Aerts did land a few nice body kicks during the round.Unofficially 10-9 Saki. Round 2 – More of the same at the start of the round. Saki throwing better combos, Aerts landing some single shots. Saki lands a good hook to Aert’s face. In the last minute of the round Aerts comes on strong with a big knee then drops Saki with a straigth punch. Saki barely makes teh count at the count of about 9. Unofficially 10-8 Aerts Round 3- Aerts lands more single shots on Saki. Saki slowing down slightly but attempting things, he trys a few spinning back kicks. Aerts is landing the better shots here. Unofficially 10-9 Aerts. Unofficially 29-27 Aerts.
Officially Peter Aerts takes a Unanimous Decision
**Quarter Final – Ruslan Karaev vs Badr Hari**
Hari comes out and looks very focused. Karaev dancing into the ring as he always does. Round 1- Hari and Karaev come out guns blazing. Hari drops Karaev with a grazing punch. Karaev makes the count quickly but has a cut. They take a look at the cut and the fight resumes. Hari jumps on Karaev and drops him with a powerful straight punch. Fight’s over. Badr Hari wins at 38 seconds in round one by KO.
** Quarter Final- Alistair Overeem vs Ewerton Teixeira**
Round 1- Tex starts out landing some good kicks. Alistair not throwing much to start off. They clinch up, Alistair throws big knees to Tex’s face. One catches him clean and sends him straight down to the canvas. One of the most brutal looking KO’s in K-1 ever. Alistair wins by KO about a minute in.
** Quarter Final- Jerome Le Banner vs Semmy Schilt**
Schilt enters to his usual tunes. JLB looks in the zone walking out to the ring in what could be his last tourney and last match. Round 1- JLB headhunting to start the fight. Trying to throw big shots to take Semmy off his game. Semmy lands a kick and drops JLB. JLB quickly rises up and the fight resumes. Moments laster Schilt throws a kick to the body and JLB once again drops down. The fight is over. Schilt by 1st round KO in about two minutes.
** Quarter Final- Errol Zimmerman vs Remy Bonjasky**
Remy enters to his familiar Man with The Harmonica while Errol comes out to his familiar song Never Scared by Bonecrusher. Errol once again sporting his trusty skeleton suit to the ring. Round 1- Remy throwing a lot of kicks as usual. Errol not landing cleanly with his punches as expected. Errol also trying some flying knees. Remy lands a punch that drops Errol late in the round. Unofficially 10-8 Remy. Round 2 – More kicks and knees coming from Remy. Errol letting his hands go more in this round. Both men land good shots to the body. Errol unloads flurries at the final moments of the round but most shots are blocked. Unofficially 10-10. Round 3- Errol is very active trying to get through Remy’s guard but it’s not working. Remy lands a few good punches and kicks of his own of course. The story as everyone thought is Remy’s defense and his timely strikes. Unoffically 10-10. Unofficially 30-28 to Remy.
Officially Remy Bonjasky takes a Unanimous Decision
** Reserve Bout -Daniel Ghita vs Sergei Kharitonov**
PRIDE veteran Sergei Kharitonov coming in as a late replacement for Chalid Die Faust, making his K-1 debut. Round 1- Sergei taking a serious beating in the first round. Ghita going to town on the lead leg of Sergei, landing an uncounatble amount of kicks. He also landed some serious knees to the face. Sergei flurried late but its nowhere near enough. Unoffically 10-9 Ghita. Round 2- Ghita landing more leg kicks at will. Everytime Sergei throws his hands hes answered by a hard Ghita leg kick. More knees from Ghita, Sergei is leaving himself open for shots no doubt due to the kicks Ghita is teeing off with. Sergei is trying for some single legs, those won’t score on the judges scorecard. Unoffically 10-9 Ghita. Round 3- More leg kicks from Ghita. No surprise. Sergei drops in agony from the leg kicks. Fight is over. Ghita by third round KO.
–Intermission–
** Semi- final – Badr Hari vs Alistair Overeem**
Again the look in Hari’s eyes is the look of a man who is not going to leave without getting what he wants. Round 1- The crowd is erupting and the tension for this one is heavy in the air. Hari comes out swinging as he always does. Everytime they clinch Alistair ragdolls Hari to the mat. Hari connects with a punch in a flurry and drops Alistair. Alistair is back up and the crowd goes crazy for Hari’s follow up onslaught. Hari lands a fast powerful headkick on Alistair and wobbles him. Fight is called. Hari by first round KO once more.
**Semi-final – Remy Bonjasky vs Semmy Schilt**
Man With The Harmonica resonates through the arena once again whiel Remy strolls to the ring. Schilt once again enters with his normal song, not sure on the song name though. Round 1- Remy comes out unexpectedly fast and drops him with a punch. After Schilt gets up Remy jumps on him trying to hit him with a barrage of punches. The tide now turns with Schilt using his knees and kicks and cornering Remy near the ropes. Schilt drops Remy with a knee near the corner. Crazy unexpected round. Remy barely makes the count and gets up only to take more punishment from Schilt. Remy drops after a kick from Schilt. Schilt wins by first round KO. This is one of the craziest events ever in any combat sport.
–Intermission–
** Superfight – Kyotaro vs Tyrone Spong**
Round 1- Kyotaro starting pretty slow as usual. Nice jab by Spong and some nice kicks to the body and leg. Spong lands a punch to the face of Kyotaro and it stumbles him. Unofficially 10-10 Round 2- Kyotaro throwing some more good kicks. Spong utilizing a crisp jab. Both fighters landed some good shots. Unofficially 10-10. Round 3- Spong taking control of the fight in this round. Very nice jab being used the entire fight. Spong starts throwing punches and knees, backing Kyotaro up. Kyotaro can’t answer Spong, most of his shots are blocked. Unofficially 10-9 Spong. Unofficially 30-29 to Spong.
Officially Tyrone Spong takes a Unanimous Decision
** Final – Badr Hari vs Semmy Schilt**
This time, Hari looks not only focused but is exuding confidence. Hari goes right after Semmy throwing heavy punches and landing some but Schilt remains somewhat composed. Schilt catches Hari and he goes down. Hari rises back up to his feet and keeps going right after Schilt. Schilt answers with a high kick that wobbles Hari and gives him the second count. Hari once again gets back to his feet but Schilt retaliates with a punch sending Hari down for the third time. Schilt wins. A cap on one of the most entertaining events in K-1 and combat sports. Schitl dedicates the win to Vitali Mitu, fallen Golden Glory teammate. Congrats to Semmy Schilt, the 2009 K-1 World Grand Prix Champion.