The next K-1 World Grand Prix 2021 event is set for Yokohama on September 20th. It will feature the kickboxing debut of former Olympic judo gold medalist Satoshi Ishii.
Ishii is the reigning Heat heavyweight champion and recently switched nationality to represent Croatia. He faces former K-1 cruiserweight title challenger Ryo Aitaka in a super heavyweight bout on his first ever foray into the world of kickboxing.
Reigning K-1 cruiserweight champion Sina Karimian is also on the card although his title won’t be on the line. He is facing Kyotaro Fujimoto in a heavyweight bout.
Meanwhile former K-1 lightweight champion Kenta Hayashi is moving up to super lightweight. He faces reigning Krush super lightweight champion Daizo Sasaki.
The event will feature a one day welterweight Grand Prix. The participants are Ruku Kojima, Ali Ayinta, Kona Kato, Masaaki Noiri, Rukiya Anpo, Alan Soares, Riki Matsuoka and Maki Dwansonpong.
Anpo is the former K-1 super lightweight champion while Noiri won the K-1 super lightweight tournament in 2017. The Grand Prix has an international feel with Maki Dwansonpong representing Thailand and Alan Soares representing Brazil.
Two former Krush bantamweight champions will face off in a super bantamweight fight when Akihiro Kaneko takes on Koki. Former Krush featherweight champion Kaito Ozawa is also on the card and has been matched with Yuta Kunieda in a featherweight fight.
K-1 World Grand Prix 2021, Yokohama, September 20th
Kenta Hayashi vs. Daizo Sasaki (Super Lightweight)
Kotomi vs. Rikako Sakurai (Catchweight)
Kaito Ozawa vs. Yuta Kunieda (Featherweight)
Hirotaka Asahisa vs. Momotaro (Super Featherweight)
Ryusei Ashizawa vs. Hirotaka Urabe (Super Featherweight)
Yasuhiro Kido vs. Yutaro Yamauchi (Super Welterweight)
Satoshi Ishii vs. Ryo Aitaka (Super Heavyweight)
Kyotaro Fujimoto vs. Sina Karimian (Heavyweight)
Akihiro Kaneko vs. Koki (Super Bantamweight)
Toma Tanabe vs. Tatsuki Shinotsuka (Featherweight)
Taito Gunji vs. Takahito Niimi (Featherweight)
Hasumi Hikaru vs. Ryuka (Lightweight)
Toshiki Taniyama vs. Yuto Shinohara (Lightweight)
Ruku Kojima vs. Ali Ayinta (Welterweight Grand Prix 1/4 Final)
Kona Kato vs. Masaaki Noiri (Welterweight Grand Prix 1/4 Final)
Rukiya Anpo vs. Alan Soares (Welterweight Grand Prix 1/4 Final)
Riki Matsuoka vs. Maki Dwansonpong (Welterweight Grand Prix 1/4 Final)