K-1 Hero's Premium Dynamite

David McKinney · 500 Club Member

K-1 Hero's Premium Dynamite

David McKinney · 500 Club Member

Here are my picks and some commentary:

-Norifumi "Kid" Yamamoto (16-1) vs. Rani Yahya (11-3)
-Sergei Kharitonov (15-3) vs. Siala Siliga (3-0)
-Joachim Hansen (15-6-1) vs. Kazuyuki Miyata (5-5)
-Hideo Tokoro (19-12-1) vs. Kiyoshi Tamura (16-10)
-Kazushi Sakuraba (22-10-1) vs. Masakatsu Funaki (38-11-1)
-Bob Sapp (8-2-1) vs. Bobby Ologun (2-1)
-Melvin Manhoef (18-4-1) vs. Yosuke Nishijima (0-4)
-Ikuhisa Minowa (38-26-8) vs. Zuluzinho (3-3)

Yamamoto, who is ranked by most as the top featherweight in the world, should easily dispatch of Yaha. There is talk that Kid could make his way over to the States sometime next year to face WEC featherweight champion Urijah Faber to determine the top featherweight in the world.

Kharitonov, a PRIDE veteran and one of the more underrated heavyweights in the world, faces boxer Siala Siliga. Siliga is 3-0, but he has not faced anybody the caliber of Kharitnov.

There were rumors that Joachim "Hellboy" Hansen had signed with the UFC, but he apparently seems happy in K-1. He should easily defeat Miyata.

Kiyoshi Tamura is a 195-pound fighter, and Hideo Tokoro normally fights against welterweights. Tamura wins this one easily.

Kazushi Sakuraba, known as The Gracie Hunter (he has defeated Royler, Royce, Renzo, and Ryan), is one of the most popular fighters of all-time. His opponent, Masakatsu Funaki, is a legend, but he last fought in 2000 (a loss to Rickson Gracie). Saku wins this matchup of legends.

There is talk that Bob Sapp could face Kimbo Slice sometime in February in the US, but he has to worry about Bobby Ologun for now. Ologun, who is a bit of a character, seems overmatched in this fight. Sapp is a big man (350 pounds), and although he may not be the most talented, that size creates a problem for anyone.

Melvin Manhoef is an experienced kickboxer, and I can only hope that he doesn't hurt Nishijima in this fight.

Ikuhisa "The Punk" Minowa is famous for taking on some of the more interesting fighters in PRIDE (he holds a win over Butterbean), and he faces another "sideshow freak" in Brazilian fighter Zuluzino. I'd liike to see Minowa submit him with a triangle.