K-1 World MAX 2008 World Championship Tournament Final
# K-1 World MAX 2008 World Championship Tournament Final

K-1 World MAX 2008 World Championship Tournament - Final - was a martial arts event promoted by the K-1 organization. It took place on Wednesday, October 1, 2008 at the Nippon Budokan Arena in Tokyo, Japan. It was the 7th annual K-1 World Max (70 kg/154 lbs weight class) World Championship Final, featuring four quarter final winners of K-1 World MAX 2008 Final 8 held on July 7, 2008 in Tokyo, Japan. The card also included a couple of tournament reserve bouts, two Superfights between Takayuki Kohiruimaki vs Joerie Mes and Nieky Holzken vs. Virgil Kalakoda, the ISKA World Lightweight Title Match plus the quarterfinals in K-1's new Koshien King of U-18 series. The four quarter final winners of the K-1 Koshien bouts would qualify for the semi finals at the Dynamite!! 2008 event.

The K-1 World Max 2008 Final attracted a sellout crowd of 15,321 to the Nippon Budokan and was broadcast live in Japan on the TBS network.

## Rule changes

In a press conference at Tokyo's Laforet Hotel, prior to the event, the Event Producer Sadaharu Tanikawa announced a number of rule changes effective on October 1, 2008.

* K-1 World MAX fighter costumes may not cover the body below the knee or above the waist.
* No oil, lotion or potentially stimulative or irritating substances can be applied to any part of the body. Only a minimal amount of vaseline can only be applied to the face and ears.
* Introducing an "open-scoring" system, whereby the judges' cards will be revealed for the fighters and their cornermen as well as fans at the conclusion of each round.

## K-1 World MAX 2008 Tournament

| Final 16 | Final 16 | Final 8 | Final 8 | Final 4 | Final 4 | | Final | Final |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Masato | KO | | | | | | | |
| Virgil Kalakoda | | | | | | | | |
| Virgil Kalakoda | | Masato | DEC | | | | | |
| | | Gago Drago | | | | | | |
| Gago Drago | KO | Gago Drago | | | | | | |
| Gori (kickboxer) | | | | | | | | |
| Gori (kickboxer) | | | | Masato | DEC | | | |
| | | | | Yoshihiro Sato | | | | |
| Yoshihiro Sato | DEC | | | | | Yoshihiro Sato | | | |
| Murat Direkci | | | | | | | | |
| Murat Direkci | | Yoshihiro Sato | KO | | | | | |
| | | Buakaw Por. Pramuk | | | | | | |
| Buakaw Por. Pramuk | DEC | Buakaw Por. Pramuk | | | | | | |
| Albert Kraus | | | | | | | | |
| Albert Kraus | | | | | | | Masato | DEC |
| | | | | | | | Artur Kyshenko | |
| Andy Souwer | KO | | | | | | | | Artur Kyshenko |
| Mike Zambidis | | | | | | | | |
| Mike Zambidis | | Andy Souwer | DEC | | | | | |
| | | Warren Stevelmans | | | | | | |
| Rosario Presti | | Warren Stevelmans | | | | | | |
| Warren Stevelmans | KO | | | | | | | |
| Warren Stevelmans | KO | | | Andy Souwer | | | | |
| | | | | Artur Kyshenko | DEC | | | |
| Chi Bin Lim | | | | | | Artur Kyshenko | DEC | | |
| Yasuhiro Kido | KO | | | | | | | |
| Yasuhiro Kido | KO | Yasuhiro Kido | | | | | | |
| | | Artur Kyshenko | DEC | | | | | |
| Artur Kyshenko | DEC | Artur Kyshenko | DEC | | | | | |
| Jordan Tai | | | | | | | | |

## Results

* Opening Fight: K-1 Rules / 3Min. 3R Ext.1R

    Nieky Holzken def. Virgil Kalakoda
    Holzken defeated Kalakoda by KO (Right Hook) at 1:42 of the 1st Round.
* K-1 Koushien Final 8 (60 kg): K-1 Rules / 3Min. 3R

    Koya Urabe def. Yusuke Tsuboi
    Urabe defeated Tsuboi by TKO (Corner Stoppage) at 0:54 of the 3rd Round.
    Shota Shimada def. Ryo Murakoshi
    Shimada defeated Murakoshi by 3rd Round Unanimous Decision 3-0 (30-26, 30-26, 30-26).
    Ryuya Kusakabe def. Daizo Sasaki
    Kusakabe defeated Sasaki by TKO at 2:43 of the 1st Round.
    Hiroya def. Taishi Hiratsuka
    Hiroya defeated Hiratsuka by KO (Left Hook) at 0:24 of the 1st Round.
* Super Fights: K-1 Rules / 3Min. 3R Ext.1R

    Joerie Mes def. Taishin Kohiruimaki
    Mes defeated Kohiruimaki by KO (Left Hook) at 2:59 of the 3rd Round.
* Reserve Fight 1: K-1 MAX Rules / 3Min. 3R Ext.1R

    Albert Kraus def. Yasuhiro Kido
    Kraus defeated Kido by TKO (Doctor Stoppage) at 0:48 of the 2nd Round.
* Semi Finals: K-1 MAX Rules / 3Min. 3R Ext.1R

    Masato def. Yoshihiro Sato
    Masato defeated Sato by Extra Round Unanimous Decision 3-0 (10-9, 10-9, 10-9). After 3 rounds the judges scored it a Majority Draw 1-0 (29-28, 28-28, 28-28) in favour of Sato.
    Artur Kyshenko def. Andy Souwer
    Kyshenko defeated Souwer by Extra Round Unanimous Decision 3-0 (10-9, 10-9, 10-9). After 3 rounds the judges scored it a Decision Draw 0-0, (30-30, 30-30, 30-30).
* Reserve Fight 2: K-1 MAX Rules / 3Min. 3R Ext.1R

    Buakaw Por. Pramuk def. Kultar Gill
    Por. Pramuk defeated Gill by KO (Right Hook) at 2:18 of the 1st Round.
* Super Fight (60 kg): K-1 Rules / 3Min. 3R Ext.1R

    Haruaki Otsuki def. Ryuji Kajiwara
    Otsuki defeated Kajiwara by 3rd Round Unanimous Decision 3-0 (30-28, 30-28, 30-28).
* ISKA Lightweight World Title Fight (60 kg): Kickboxing Rules / 3Min. 3R Ext.2R

    Daisuke Uematsu def. Susumu Daiguji
    Uematsu defeated Daiguji by KO (Left Knee) at 0:29 of the 1st Round.
* Final: K-1 MAX Rules / 3Min. 3R Ext.2R

    Masato def. Artur Kyshenko
    Masato defeated Kyshenko by Extra Round Unanimous Decision 3-0 (10-9, 10-9, 10-9). After 3 rounds the judges scored it a Majority Draw 1-0 (28-28, 28-27, 28-28) in favor of Masato. Masato is the K-1 World MAX 2008 tournament champion.
