anuary 2, 2026
K-1 has announced the matchups for the K-1 WORLD GP 2026 -90kg World’s Strongest Tournament, scheduled for Sunday, February 8 at Yoyogi National Stadium Second Gymnasium in Tokyo, Japan.
This one-day, eight-man tournament features thrilling bouts from the very first round. In the opening match, Japan’s own K-Jee (SHINE SPORTS CLUB) will take on Mahmoud Sattari (Iran/TEAM Yamato Damashii), the winner of the 2022 K-1 WORLD GP Openweight Tournament.
K-Jee previously faced Sattari in the first round of the same 2022 tournament, suffering a KO loss by a left hook. Will K-Jee’s signature right high kick—which once knocked K-1 legend Jerome Le Banner out—land this time? Or will Sattari’s heavy right hand, which dropped Thian Tarzan, strike again? A knockout is inevitable in this explosive rematch.
In the 2nd bout, Italy’s Mattia Faraoni (RAINI CLAN) squares off against Romania’s Bogdan Stoica (Stoica Brothers Fight Academy). Faraoni recently knocked out AKIRA Jr with a tornado kick last month. Stoica, known for his thunderous right hook, has faced none other than Israel Adesanya in kickboxing. Expect fireworks when Tornado meets Thunder.
The 3rd quarterfinal fight features the long-awaited return of Ibrahim El Bouni (Morocco/Gym Haarlem), making his first K-1 appearance in over 8 years, as he faces Marco “Black Diamond” (Brazil/LOUTUS MMA). El Bouni brawled in his 2017 K-1 debut press conference and proved his skills by defeating Roel Mannaart en route to becoming the runner-up in the inaugural K-1 Heavyweight GP.
Black Diamond, the winner of the 2026 K-1 South American Qualifier, represents the new wave of Brazilian talent currently sweeping K-1, joining the likes of Ariel Machado (K-1 Heavyweight Champion), Jonas Salsicha (K-1 MAX 2025 Champion), and Dengue Silva (Krush Middleweight Champion). He might become the next star.
Finally, RCC Fair Fight Heavyweight Champion Nikita Kozlov (Russia/ARCHANGEL MICHAEL FIGHT CLUB) faces Aslan Koshiyev (Kazakhstan/Fight Club TITAN). Kozlov holds a decision win over Ariel Machado and pushed Thian Tarzan to the brink in a close fight. Koshiyev, just 20 years old, is a rising prodigy who has won multiple national titles in Kazakhstan and won a medal at the IMMAF World Championships.
This high-level matchup is too good for the first round—can Kozlov prove the pundits right, or will Koshiyev pull off a major upset?
Also announced is a reserve bout between Fair FC Light Heavyweight (-91kg) Champion Lukas Achterberg (Germany/Team CSK/Sparta Aachen) and AKIRA Jr. (Philippines/Team Aj).
Additionally, a Super Bantamweight (-55kg) bout will see Koji Ikeda (Japan/ReBORN Kyodo) face Riki Iwao (Japan/POWER OF DREAM). Both fighters are hungry for redemption—Ikeda looking to break his losing streak, and Iwao aiming to bounce back from a tough loss to Munetaka Oshika.
[Confirmed Fight Card]
[K-1 WORLD GP 2026 -90kg Tournament Quarterfinal (1) / 3 rounds x 3 min, 1 extension round]
Mahmoud Sattari (Iran / TEAM Yamato Damashii)
Born: Feb 22, 1991 / Karaj, Iran / Age: 34 / Height: 186cm / Stance: Orthodox
Record: 25 wins (13 KO) – 4 losses
Titles:
- K-1 WORLD GP 2022 Openweight Tournament Champion
- 2nd Krush Cruiserweight Champion
- M-1 World Heavyweight Champion
- WAKO Amateur Muay Thai World Middleweight Champion
- 2012 Muay Thai President’s Cup Winner
- 2014 Asian Beach Games Muay Thai Champion
- 2017 Asian Indoor & Martial Arts Games Muay Thai Champion
X: @mahmoud_sattari
Instagram: @mahmoud__sattari
K-Jee (Japan / SHINE SPORTS CLUB)
Born: Nov 5, 1990 / Kumamoto City, Japan / Age: 35 / Height: 185cm / Stance: Orthodox
Record: 22 wins (19 KO) – 18 losses
Titles:
- 2nd K-1 WORLD GP Cruiserweight Champion
- Inaugural Krush Cruiserweight Champion
- 3rd place, inaugural K-1 WORLD GP Cruiserweight Tournament
X: @KJEE17
Instagram: @1105.kjee
I miss the tourneys from 20-30 years ago. Fucking golden era that was.
Subbed
I didn’t know K1 was still a thing, I’m assuming they cross promote with Glory?
I don’t know if they do, but I don’t think so. Others here are more qualified to speak than I.
But their international broadcast partners have been a nightmare for them to deal with so they haven’t really had a footprint in the US for some time.
Well sign me up… A one night 8 man tourney for K1. I’m definitely down for that!!!
Working on getting a fire stick so I can watch for free, otherwise I might sign into Japanese servers on my vpn and try to get abuma tv
No they cross promote with Rise tho.
You Da MOMA /
Edit I think K1 cross promote events with KRUSH and BLACK.
GLORY cross promote with RISE.
K-1 was the bomb back in the day