marcelt
07-04-2010, 16:02
by Fraser Coffeen ; HeadKickLegend.com ; April 6, 2010
While K-1 has not yet made the official announcement, It's Showtime has gone public with news regarding the 2010 MAX Grand Prix.
No less than 4 fighters of Team IT'S SHOWTIME have been invited to participate with the final 16 of the K-1 Max tournament. These fighters are: Giorgio Petrosyan, Gago Drago, Chahid Oulad El Hadj and Pajonsuk. This year, the final 16 of the K-1 Max tournament will be divided into 2 separate events. The first event will be held in July and the second one in September. The big final will be held at the end of October.
Obviously Petrosyan was expected, and Drago is no surprise, however both Chahid and Pajonsuk are somewhat odd choices. Chahid made his K-1 debut in the GP last year, losing to Nieky Holzken in the round of 16, and has had a number of losses since then, while Pajonsuk only recently made his return to kickboxing after an absence to train for the Olympics. In his return fight, Pajonsuk won by DQ after being KO'd by an illegal blow - not exactly the kind of marquee win you look for before the GP.
These four men will join tournament winners Mootje Khamal, Yuichiro Nagashima, and Vitaly Hurkou, bringing the total fighters up to 7, with an 8th slot still on hold for the Korea GP winner. Of the remaining 8 openings, count on Sato, Kraus, Kyshenko, and Souwer as definite locks. Yamamoto and Holzken were final 8 fighters last year, so should be in, though with Yamamoto losing in the Japan GP he could be knocked out. And of course, if Buakaw returns (and I suspect he will) he would be a lock as well. If those all pan out, that leaves only one remaining slot, though it is still too early to count some of these fighters in just yet.
While K-1 has not yet made the official announcement, It's Showtime has gone public with news regarding the 2010 MAX Grand Prix.
No less than 4 fighters of Team IT'S SHOWTIME have been invited to participate with the final 16 of the K-1 Max tournament. These fighters are: Giorgio Petrosyan, Gago Drago, Chahid Oulad El Hadj and Pajonsuk. This year, the final 16 of the K-1 Max tournament will be divided into 2 separate events. The first event will be held in July and the second one in September. The big final will be held at the end of October.
Obviously Petrosyan was expected, and Drago is no surprise, however both Chahid and Pajonsuk are somewhat odd choices. Chahid made his K-1 debut in the GP last year, losing to Nieky Holzken in the round of 16, and has had a number of losses since then, while Pajonsuk only recently made his return to kickboxing after an absence to train for the Olympics. In his return fight, Pajonsuk won by DQ after being KO'd by an illegal blow - not exactly the kind of marquee win you look for before the GP.
These four men will join tournament winners Mootje Khamal, Yuichiro Nagashima, and Vitaly Hurkou, bringing the total fighters up to 7, with an 8th slot still on hold for the Korea GP winner. Of the remaining 8 openings, count on Sato, Kraus, Kyshenko, and Souwer as definite locks. Yamamoto and Holzken were final 8 fighters last year, so should be in, though with Yamamoto losing in the Japan GP he could be knocked out. And of course, if Buakaw returns (and I suspect he will) he would be a lock as well. If those all pan out, that leaves only one remaining slot, though it is still too early to count some of these fighters in just yet.