Hiroki Kurosawa vs. Marcus Lewis 0:56 R1
Wisam Feyli vs. Masaaki Miyamoto 3R UD
Takayuki Kohiruimaki vs. Ramon Dekkers 3:00 R1
Tsuyoshi Nakasako vs. Marten Sijmons 3R UD
Hiromi Amada vs. Nobu Hayashi 0:50 R3
Peter Aerts vs. Akio Mori 1:25 R4
Oceania Grand Prix 2000 Quarterfinals
Gurkan Ozkan vs. Traill Dowey R2 2:05
Phil Fagan vs. Harry Munt R1 2:54
Mark Hunt vs. Clay Aumitagi R2 1:56
Rony Sefo vs. Fadi Haddara 3R unanimous decision
Semifinals
Gurkan Ozkan vs. Phil Fagan 3R unanimous decision
Mark Hunt vs. Rony Sefo 3R unanimous decision
Women's Super Fight: Amanda Graver vs. Ena Cavanagh 4R unanimous decision
Final: Phil Fagan vs. Mark Hunt R2 0:30
Andy Hug vs. Musashi
Mirko CroCop vs. Hiromi Amada
Nobuaki Kakuda vs. Hiroki Kuroda
Ralf White vs. Nobu Hayashi
Stan The Man vs. Tsuyoshi Nakasako
Tournament Quarterfinals
Matt Skelton vs. Gary Turner
Shaun Johnson vs. Mark Russell
John Wyatt vs. Duncan A. James
Ricky Nicholson vs. Wayne Turner
Tournament Semifinals
Matt Skelton vs. Mark Russell
John Wyatt vs. Ricky Nicholson
Final: Matt Skelton vs. Ricky Nicholson
Highlights from 2/27/00 World Grand Prix Oceania-Australia & 4/16/00 UK Grand Prix
Ernesto Hoost vs Sam Greco
Stefan Leko vs Xhavit Bajrami
Lloyd Van Dams vs Samir Benazzouz
Peter Aerts vs Ray Sefo
Andy Hug vs Graube Feitosa
Jerome Le Banner vs Francisco Filho
Musashi vs. Tatsufumi Tomihira 3R
Toru Oishi vs. An Hu 3R
Tsuyoshi Nakasako vs. Noboru Uchida 3R
Hiroki Kurosawa vs. Great Kusatsu 4R
Nobu Hayashi vs. Teng Jun 4R
Shunichiro Matsuda vs. Masashi Suzuki R1 2:37
Hiromi Amada vs. Masaaki Miyamoto R1 2:19
Super Fight: Jerome Le Banner vs. Jan "The Giant" Nortje R1 1:07
Super Fight: Ernesto Hoost vs. Rani Berbachi R3 3:00
Bjorn Bregy vs. Reinhard Ulz R2
Azem Maksutaj vs. Faizel Reding R2
Xhavit Bajrami vs. Samir Benazzouz 5R unanimous decision
Marino Deflorin vs. Taishin Kohiruimaki 5R unanimous decision
Stefan Leko vs. Ricky Nickolson 5R unanimous decision
Andy Hug vs. Mirko CroCop 5R unanimous decision
Japan Grand Prix Tournament Quarterfinals
Musashi vs. Ryushi Yanagisawa
An Hu vs. Tsuyoshi Nakasako
Teng Jun vs. Hiroki Kurosawa
Hiromi Amada vs. Masashi Suzuki
Superfight: Andy Hug vs. Nobu Hayashi
Japan Grand Prix Tournament Semifinals
Musashi vs An Hu
Hiromi Amada vs Teng Jun
Superfight: Cyril Abidi vs. Peter Aerts
Final: Musashi vs Hiromi Amada
Quarterfinals
Ernesto Hoost vs. Paris Vasilikos R3 2:20
Tatsufumi Tomihira vs. Lloyd van Dams R2 2:07
Nicholas Pettas vs. Ricky Nickolson R1 1:27
Jerome Le Banner vs. Mark Hunt 3R
Semifinals
Ernesto Hoost vs. Lloyd van Dams 3R
Jerome Le Banner vs. Nicholas Pettas R1 3:00
Final: Ernesto Hoost vs. Jerome Le Banner R1 3:00
Taiei Kin Retirement Super Fight: Taiei Kin vs. Stan The Man 3R
Quarterfinals
Andrei Dudko vs. Roman Roytberg R2 0:59
Paul Lalonde vs. Jean-Claude Leuyer R2 2:31
Tomasz Kucharzewski vs. Jason Johnson R1 0:56
Glaube Feitosa vs. George Randolph R1 1:07
Semifinals
Andrei Dudko vs. Paul Lalonde R1 0:16
Tomasz Kucharzewski vs. Glaube Feitosa R1 2:03
Final: Andrei Dudko vs. Tomasz Kucharzewski R2 1:25
Quarterfinals
Peter Aerts vs. Cyril Abidi R1 2:42
Frank Otto vs. Ray Sefo R1 2:24
Matt Skelton vs. Alexey Ignashov 3R unanimous decision
Tsuyoshi Nakasako vs. Francisco Filho 3R unanimous decision
Semifinals
Cyril Abidi vs. Ray Sefo 2R
Matt Skelton vs. Francisco Filho R2 2:42
Final: Cyril Abidi vs. Francisco Filho R2 0:25
Andy Hug documentary
Stan The Man vs. Hannes Van der Berg 1R
Africa GP 2000 Final: Andrew Thomson vs. Donovan Luff
Mike Bernardo vs. Sergio Espedito 1R
Lee Stevens vs. John Abirached
Murat Mehmet vs. Ben Smullen
Birol Simseker vs. Roy Hronas
Atal Kakkar vs. Paul Lee 3R
Paul Robinson vs. Mita Aporo 3R
Baris Nezif vs. Bruce MacFie R1
Peter Graham vs. Gurkan Ozkan 4R
Quarterfinals
Mike Bernardo vs. Jorgen Kruth R1 2:24
Andrew Thomson vs. Stefan Leko R2 1:50
Tomasz Kucharzewski vs. Hiromi Amada R1 1:49
Glaube Feitosa vs. Mirko CroCop 3R
Super Fight: Hiroki Kurosawa vs. Shingo Koyasu R1 1:22
Semifinals
Mike Bernardo vs. Andrew Thomson R1 0:34
Hiromi Amada vs. Mirko CroCop 3R
Super Fight: Nicholas Pettas vs. Michael McDonald 5R
Final: Mike Bernardo vs. Mirko CroCop R1 1:07
9/10/00 Melbourne Crown Casino Ballroom: Peter Graham def Gurkan Ozkan 4R
Nick Barns vs. Gary King
Colin O'Heaney vs. Lee Gallaty
Semifinals
Nathan Briggs vs. Aaron Malt R1
Matt Samoa vs. Nayef Kang R2
Glenn Hodgens vs. Dylan Bradley
ISKA Muay Thai World Middleweight Title: Scott Bannanm vs. John Wayne Parr R2 2:09
Final: Nathan Briggs vs. Matt Samoa R1
Joe Calabro vs. Ian Hughes 5R
Semifinal: Auckland Auimitagi vs. Kevin Blanch 3R
Semifinal: Hape Ngaronoa vs. Glenn Sewell 4R
Stuart McKinnon vs. Chris Barat R1
Steve Douet vs. Lester Ellis 10R
Final: Auckland Auimitagi vs. Hape Ngaronoa 3R
Kenichi Ogata vs. Sakon Kubosaka 5R 2:03
Rambaa Somdet M16 vs. Susumu Daiguji 5R UD
Takashi Ito vs. Takashi Ono 5R UD
ISKA Oriental World Welterweight Title: Morad Sari vs. Masato R2 0:48
ISKA Oriental World Super Welterweight Title Decision: Takayuki Kohiruimaki vs Neil Woods R3 0:47
Akiomi Nitta vs Ramon Dekkers 5R. Digest
Quarterfinals
Rony Sefo vs. Josh Khan R2
Mita Aporo vs. Shane Wijohn 3R. R3 only
Auckland Aumitagi vs. Gary Hart 3R
Andrew Peck vs Foma'l Taho-Tusa R1
Semifinals
Rony Sefo vs. Shane Wijohn 3R Decision
Andrew Peck vs. Auckland Aumitagi R2
Final: Rony Sefo vs. Andrew Peck 1R 0:54
Semifinals
Phil Fagan vs. Paul Robinson 3R UD
Chris Chrisopoulides vs. Gurkan Ozkan R2
Mike Zambidis vs. Baris Nezif 12R
Lester Ellis vs. Richard Walsh R1
Final: Phil Fagan vs. Chris Chrisopoulides 3R
Stan The Man vs. Peter Graham 12R
Highlights of 2/27, 4/16, 5/12 GP
6/24 Belarus GP highlights
6/24/00 GP Final: Alexei Ignashov vs. Sergei Arkhipov
8/5 Las Vegas GP highlights
8/5/00 GP Final: Glaube Feitosa vs. Tomasz Kucharzewski
Highlighs of 7/30 & 8/20 GP
K-1 WORLD GP 2000 Quarterfinals:
Ernesto Hoost vs. Mirko Cro Cop 4R
Francisco Filho vs. Stefan Leko 5R
Peter Aerts vs. Cyril Abidi 3R
Ray Sefo vs Musashi R1 1:38
K-1 WORLD GP 2000 Semifinals:
Ernesto Hoost vs Francisco Filho 3R
Ray Sefo vs Cyril Abidi R1 1:45
Vale Tudo Match: Frank Shamrock vs Elvis Sinosic 5R
K-1 WORLD GP 2000 Final: Ernesto Hoost vs Ray Sefo 3R
Takayuki Kohiruimaki vs Wilfred Montagne R5 1:46. A dull fight with neither combatant fighting aggressively. There were few combinations, as both were content to squeeze in a low kick without taking a shot back. Still, most of the strikes were blocked or checked. Montagne pressed some in the third, but intention only goes so far when the opposition is content to backpedal and guard. Kohiruimaki’s KO was highly impressive with a middle knee and body blow setting up the right high kick. Below average match.
K-1 WORLD GP 2000 Quarterfinals:
Ernesto Hoost vs. Mirko Cro Cop 4R. A very close fight with neither gaining any real advantage in the first two rounds. Hoost did a little better in the third, but not enough to warrant giving him the fight. Hoost fought the extra round as though it were life and death, very aggressively pressuring Mirko. We knew Hoost was the stronger of the two, and it was no surprise that he was able to win the clinches and get Cro Cop against the ropes, so one has to wonder why it took Ernesto so long. He should have forced the action from the outset, as Cro Cop is a bully who doesn’t handle his opponent taking it to him too well. You could see Cro Cop was a bit rattled in the extra round, and even if he didn’t exactly get beat up, he had no real answer. Hoost won a unanimous decision. Above average match.
Francisco Filho vs. Stefan Leko 5R. A matchup suitable for both kickboxers on paper, as Leko wants to constantly attack and Filho wants to counter. Filho showcased his impressive counter kicks in the first, actually forcing Leko to back up and defend. However, Leko countered with some good low kicks while Filho moved in to attack, leading to a closer 2nd round. Leko wasn’t getting off in the third because Filho either attacked or threw when Leko moved into range. I felt Filho won rounds 1 & 3, but only one judge gave him the victory. Filho’s failure to secure the decision prompted him to be more aggressive in the extra round, but forcing the issue killed his accuracy. I felt this was the most even round, and there was really no way you could not send it to the second extra round. Both men were tired and cautious in the fifth, though Filho was still afraid to fight his fight because the judges might give Leko the fight on aggression. Again, there was nothing to warrant giving the decision to either man, but at this point they had to make a decision, so they perhaps gave it to Filho based on being the better fighter over the course of the bout. Above average match.
Peter Aerts vs. Cyril Abidi 3R. Though he failed to garner the bye known as Musashi, Aerts had the easiest path to the finals with arguably the three worst fighters in his half of the bracket. Unfortunately, fighting an easy opponent given the stage, and I suppose I’m not being fair saying Abidi is easy given he was 11-2 at this point including two first round wins over Aerts, doesn’t mean that opponent isn’t a sinister sore loser. When Abidi got over aggressive, Aerts put him down with two short counter punches. A seemingly unphased Abidi didn’t change his strategy, continuing to take it to Aerts. When he couldn’t beat him with strikes, he scooped him up and dumped him. Abidi only grew more out of control as the fight progressed, badly busting open a cut he legitimately opened in the first with a third round headbutt. Though Abidi was a wild man who was going to piss Aerts off if he couldn’t beat him, I shouldn’t make it sound as though Abidi had no chance and was simply taking short cuts. Although he charges in headfirst, he’s younger and more energetic so the more he pushed the pace, the quicker he gained perhaps his only advantage, stamina. Abidi was more than willing to mix it up with Aerts, though Aerts is more powerful and accurate, so he was winning all the exchanges. The fight was quite entertaining in the typical all offense K-1 manner, with an especially big flurry at the end of round 1. Abidi came on in round 2, but threw everything full force, so he rarely landed and actually wound up being the more tired of the two in the third. Aerts really wanted to finish Abidi because he was sick of his questionable tactics, but Abidi finished him so to speak, as although Aerts won a unanimous decision, the cut prevented him from continuing on in the tournament. Very good match.
Ray Sefo vs Musashi R1 1:38. Next to Bob Sapp, Sefo is my pick for the most overrated fighter in K-1 history. He made his name with this run to the finals, but as usual he didn’t beat anyone good. Musashi was better in later years, in fact he avenged this loss at the 2003 WORLD GP Finals on 12/6/03, but at this point he’d lost to almost every non-native they put him up against. Sefo actually had an excellent balance of power and speed at this point, but this was still the typical one-dimensional Sefo match where he comes out slugging and either knocks his opponent out or gets knocked out. In this case, Musashi couldn’t handle his barrage of punch combos.
K-1 WORLD GP 2000 Semifinals:
Ernesto Hoost vs Francisco Filho 3R. Hoost pressured Filho just as Leko did, but was far more accurate with his punching, throwing crisp combinations that didn’t leave Filho many openings to fire back. Hoost’s combinations are on such a high level he almost doesn’t care if you block, as it really only prolongs your agony. He throws one blow with the next in mind, and if you defend it he gets off his follow up before you can launch your counter attack, so he hits you sooner or later. Filho rocked Hoost with a left uppercut in the third, but it was his only shining moment. Hoost won a unanimous decision. Above average match.
Ray Sefo vs Cyril Abidi R1 1:45. I hate these old tournaments where they don’t have any alternate matches. One Abidi loss was more than enough for me, but since the doctor wouldn’t allow Aerts to fight, we got to see him made a fool of a second time. The matchup was actually favorable to Abidi, as he had defeated Sefo in their previous match on 8/20/00, ironically a tournament semifinal after defeating Aerts for the second time in 2000. Sefo once again landed a barrage of punches early in the first for a quick knockdown, but Abidi, who fights a similar go for broke style, came right back with all guns blazing. Sefo stunned him with a left high kick though, then took him out with a punch combo. Exciting match.
Vale Tudo Match: Frank Shamrock vs Elvis Sinosic 5R. Shamrock was winning in standup and on the ground, stunning Elvis with a few punches then taking him down and trying to submit him. Sinosic could pull guard to avoid standup, but Shamrock hasn’t lost via submission since an early Pancrase fight with Minoru Suzuki on 4/8/95. Sinosic wasn’t too likely to get submitted either, though Frank possibly could have taken him out with a rear naked choke in the first if it wasn’t for the 3 minute rounds. The way to beat Elvis is through ground and pound, but Shamrock preferred not to go that route, only doing the bare minimum to try to open up a submission. They tired after round 3, but Shamrock continued to win every en route to the unanimous decision. Average match.
K-1 WORLD GP 2000 Final: Ernesto Hoost vs Ray Sefo 3R. Sefo was in the big leagues now, and well, in case you don’t know the story as of 10/10/08 his career record against Hoost is 0-3, Andy Hug is 0-2, Semmy Schilt is 0-2, Remy Bonjasky is 0-1, and Peter Aerts is 1-2. But hey, he did beat Bob Sapp. Sefo had some success with punches on the inside, but kept getting trapped against the ropes and in the corner, which made it even more difficult to defend Hoost’s offensive barrages. Though he kept looking to the ref to help him out with a break, Sefo actually defended well enough to stay in the match. The problem is even though he’s purely an offensive fighter, since he couldn’t stop Hoost from moving forward the entire fight, he was rarely able to take the offensive. Hoost won a unanimous decision. Above average match.