August 21, 2026
K-1 has officially announced the matchups for the opening round of the K-1 WORLD MAX 2026 -70kg World Tournament, which will bring together top fighters from around the globe to determine the best -70kg fighter in the world.
K-1 WORLD MAX 2026 will take place on Saturday, September 12, 2026, in Tokyo, Japan.
The event will feature a highly anticipated clash between last year’s world champion Jonas Salsicha and Zhora Akopyan, who was regarded as a tournament favorite last year before being forced to withdraw. The lineup also includes some of the world’s top fighters, including last year’s runner-up Darryl Verdonk and former GLORY World Champion Serhiy Adamchuk.
”The Reigning Champion Who Fought His Way Up from the Favela vs. The Baby-Faced Monster with One-Shot Knockout Power’
“Last Year’s Champion Faces the Uncrowned Favorite“
Last year, Akopyan displayed overwhelming strength in his opening tournament bout, but was forced to withdraw midway through the tournament due to injury. The “dream matchup” that would have taken place had he not withdrawn will now finally become a reality in the opening round.
K-1 WORLD MAX 2026 -70kg World Tournament Opening Round ①
Jonas Salsicha (Brazil) vs. Zhora Akopyan (Armenia)
Standing 191cm tall, Salsicha is known as the Brazilian Colossus. In the K-1 WORLD MAX 2025 -70kg World Tournament, he defeated Ouyan Feng, Jonathan Aiulu, and Darryl Verdonk to win the tournament championship for the first time. Now, as the defending champion, he will look to win for a consecutive year.
Akopyan knocked out Aymeric Lazizi with a left hook in the quarterfinals of the -70kg WORLD MAX tournament in November 2025, but was forced to withdraw from the semifinals due to injury. He made his successful return in his most recent bout against Kazuki Matsumoto.
The two were originally scheduled to meet in the semifinals of last year’s tournament, but Akopyan’s injury prevented the highly anticipated matchup from taking place. Akopyan is skilled at dealing with taller opponents, making him a potentially difficult stylistic matchup for Salsicha. If there is going to be a major upset in the opening round, this could be the fight where it happens.
The People’s Champion vs. Italy’s Muay Thai World Champion
K-1 WORLD MAX 2026 -70kg World Tournament Opening Round ②
Darryl Verdonk (Netherlands & Indonesia) vs. Lorenzo Di Vara (Italy)
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:Another Classic in the Making!
Verdonk has shown the spirit of K-1 by consistently delivering unforgettable battles that stir the emotions of fans. Standing in his way is Lorenzo, who fought his way through a stacked Italian qualifier.
Verdonk knocked out Stoyan Koprivlenski in the semifinals of last year’s K-1 WORLD MAX World Tournament, before battling Jonas Salsicha for the championship in the final. This April, he faced Salsicha again and pushed him to the brink by nearly knocking the champion out.
Di Vara is the ISKA Muay Thai World Super Welterweight (-70kg) Champion who emerged victorious from the Italian qualifier. In the World Final Qualifier held in Fukuoka, he defeated Spanish qualifier winner Sergio Sanchez by decision.
With his proven track record in K-1, Verdonk will be looking for a dominant victory here as he continues his pursuit of K-1 gold that narrowly eluded him again and again. However, Di Vara is a highly technical fighter who excels at circling and positioning. Against Verdonk’s high-volume offense, Di Vara could land a devastating counter and pull off a major upset.
The Polish Samurai vs. Former GLORY World Champion
ET ALL
Cool poster
Man I’m so out of the K1 loop these days
I can barely name any
Yep. In!
