On Saturday, Feb. 25, K-1 World GP returned to the Yoyogi National Gymnasium in Tokyo, Japan for K-1 World GP in Japan 2017 Lightweight Championship Tournament.
In the evening’s tournament action, the inaugural K-1 lightweight championship was on the line when eight kickboxers battled for positioning in the new 62.5-kilogram division. Former K-1 super featherweight champion Koya Urabe took on Thailand’s Gonnapar Weekrasakreck. In the other tournament quarterfinal action, WLF champion Wei Rui defeated KRUSH 63-kilogram champion Daizo Sasaki, top Romanian prospect Cristian Spetcu toppled Japanese journeyman Toshiki Taniyama, and France’s Brice Delval lost a tough fight against Japan’s Ren Hiramoto in a battle of young prospects.
In the night’s co-main event, K-1 super featherweight Japan tournament winner and multiple-time championship tournament runner-up, Taiga, won the K-1 super featherweight title from the champion, Hirotaka Urabe.
The event aired live at 12:30 a.m. ET on AmebaTV and GAORA.
Taiga def. Hirotaka Urabe by unanimous decision – super featherweight title
Hinata Watanabe def. Shintaro Matsukura by unanimous decision
Wei Rui def. Cristian Spetcu by unanimous decision – lightweight tournament semifinal
Ren Hiramoto def. Gonnapar Weerasakreck by knockout (punches). Round 1 – lightweight tournament semifinal
Masaaki Noiri def. Younes Smaili by unanimous decision
Ibrahim El Bouni def. Makoto Uehara by knockout (left hook). Round 2
Cristian Spetcu def. Toshiki Taniyama by unanimous decision – lightweight tournament quarterfinal
Wei Rui def. Daizo Sasaki by knockout (punch). Round 2 – lightweight tournament quarterfinal
Gonnapar Weerasakreck def. Koya Urabe by unanimous decision – lightweight tournament quarterfinal
Ren Hiramoto def. Brice Delval by majority decision – lightweight tournament quarterfinal
Rukiya def. Hiroshi Mizumachi by knockout (jumping switch roundhouse kick). Round 2
Katsuya Jinbo def. Taketo by knockout (body punch). Round 1
Kensei Kondo vs. Atsuto Matsumoto ends in draw
Hiroto Ishizuka def. Yuta Kuwata by unanimous decision