angryjonny

This event is looking pretty sweet. I haven't been able to watch K1 for awhile due to my poor non-cable affording butt. I will consider ordering this at my parents house though because I really want to see it now. Here is an article from MMAWeekly regarding specifics of the card.

TOKYO -- A draw was held to establish who will fight whom at the November 19 Tokyo Dome Final. The pairings were determined under K-1's traditional selection system, which combines elements of choice with a bit of good old fashioned luck.

All eight fighters first reach in turn into a box to blindly choose from balls, these bearing the numbers one through eight. Next, fighters proceed, in the order dictated by their number, to the stage. There they are free to stand in any available fighters' spot indicated as A through H. This becomes the tournament tree -- A vs B and C vs D being the first bracket; E vs F and G vs H being the second.

Generally, fighters opt to position themselves in earlier bouts (positions A and B being the first fight), as these spots on the card will afford longer rests for those who advance. But after the first selection has been made, strategy also enters into the process. If, for example, the selector likes his chances against someone already committed, he can place himself beside that fighter if the position is still available. Or, if the selector prefers to avoid an already committed fighter, he can install himself elsewhere -- beside either another fighter or a vacant position.

Picking along with Defending WGP Champion Remy Bonjasky of Holland today were Peter Aerts (Holland), Hong-Man Choi (South Korea), Ruslan Karaev (Russia), Jerome LeBanner (France), Musashi (Japan), Semmy Schilt (Holland) and Ray Sefo (New Zealand).

Sefo got first ball, and installed himself in position "C," the red corner of the second bout. Next up was Hong-Man Choi, who elected to avoid Sefo and instead take the blue corner for the first bout. When Bonjasky selected third, he was faced with the choice of taking a second bracket berth or else lining up beside either Sefo or Choi. After careful consideration, Bonjasky decided to step into the red corner of the first bout and a date with Choi.

Said Bonjasky: "I chose Choi because he is the new guy in K-1, and he's a great guy and I want to test him. He's big and tall, but I think if I jump then I can reach him with my knees!"

Semmy Schilt had the next number and rather venture into the second bracket, walked straight up and paired off with Sefo.

"I had a feeling beforehand that I was going to end up fighting one of the big guys, either Choi or Semmy" said Sefo, "and that prediction came true. I have another prediction, which I am going to keep to myself for now, but you will all find out when the night of the Final arrives."

Jerome LeBanner then went to the red corner for the third bout, giving the next selector, Ruslan Karaev, the opportunity to step in beside him. But Karaev declined, preferring to take his chances in the fourth bout. Musashi drew the seventh ball, and was so had the choice of either LeBanner or Karaev. After a quick huddle with his brother Tomo, the Japanese fighter planted himself in the red corner of the last match, beside Karaev. It therefore fell by default to Aerts to fight LeBanner in the third bout.

Said LeBanner, "I would have preferred to fight a young guy, because Peter is my friend, but as Peter knows it's friendship outside the ring and war inside the ring!"

After Karaev remarked that he was going to focus his training on defensive techniques in advance of the Final, Musashi drew a laugh from the crowd with his comments: "If Ruslan wants to fight more defensively, then I will oblige him by fighting even more aggressively!"

The K-1 World Grand Prix 2005 Final is set for Tokyo Dome on Saturday November 19. It will be same-day broadcast across Japan by the Fuji TV Network

I hope Semmy wins but I think Sefo is a tough dude. Semmy will pull it off, hopefully with an impressive knockout. Semmy by KO.

I can't wait to see Jerome and Aerts go at it. I like Jerome because he is not afraid to put the friendships aside and beat the crap out of them! Jerome wins by TKO.

I think Remy will take Choi because of experience but I would like to see the big man hold his own against him. I predict a KO in this match from Remy.

I don't know much about Karev and Musashi. It seems that with everyone laughing at Karev during the conference when he addressed his opponent shows that he will be an underdog in this fight. His comment doesn't make me excited to see him fight though. If he is just going to play defensively that is going to make Musashi look so much better. Musashi will win by a late KO or UD for being aggressive.

AikaImmortal

Good luck actually FINDING it on PPV.. i rarely see K-1 on us ppv unless its a K-1 USA event. I keep up with K-1 thru other means though.. so PM me

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angryjonny

Dang it! I kind of figured as much though. I don't ever recall seeing K1 on PPV so I just wasn't sure since it has been so long since I've had more than like 5 channels that I don't watch regardless. I really do want to see this though.

AikaImmortal

Musashi is one of the favorites in japan, finalist in the 2003 and 2004 GPs.. good all around fighter who sadly is followed by some who feel his decision wins are due to his nationality.

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angryjonny

Okay I finally got to see this. Oh my god! I was blown away by the whole thing but...Semmy won!!!!! I couldn't believe how he dismantled everyone. He pretty much had Sefo out but that guy just wouldn't quit. Then he freaking knocked Remy and Feitosa out! Holy crap it was so awesome. That Van Damme-like kick by Hari was amazing too. Man I still have an adrenaline rush from the whole thing. If anyone hasn't seen this it needs to be seen.

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AikaImmortal

I still havent seen it yet.. hopefully someone in japan will come through for me

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angryjonny

Ahhh. Sorry bro. I forgot about spoiler warnings. I was just so excited that Semmy pulled it off. It's still worth it of course. I don't know if you have seen all the results and has as a terrible time resisting looking at the spoilers as I did, but I was able to do it somehow.

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[Danny]

Feitosa surprised the crap out of me. An alternate going to the finals. My hat tips to him.

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Crashsti

i really wish K-1 was more accessible to USA audiences. the more i read about K-1 in Japan the more i want to watch it. i like that they often put the big guys and the small guys together to battle it out.

[Danny]

I like it's MMA show way better than it's kickboxing show. Well, I do like K-1 MAX. It doesn't have a circus aspect to it. Though straight K-1 does have some awesome fighters.

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