K-1 MAX Tournament Video: A Look Back at Last Year's Tournament Final

by Fraser Coffeen on Jun 21, 2011 12:03 PM EDT in Kickboxing

This Saturday, K-1 makes its return to action with the K-1 WORLD MAX 2011 -63kg Japan Tournament FINAL streaming live and for free throughout the world on Saturday, June 25. Check back this week for more on this show, including a live discussion thread in the early morning hours on Saturday. In anticipation of the event, let's take a look back at last year's very exciting tournament final.

Tetsuya Yamato vs. Yuta Kubo
K-1 WORLD MAX 2010 -63kg Japan Tournament FINAL
July 5, 2010

K-1 spent the early part of 2010 largely focused on this new 63 kg division, as they introduced a new group of fighters through a 22 man tournament. The entire tournament was thrilling, with a number of big upsets and huge KO's. In the end, the event came down to two men: Tetsuya Yamato and Yuta Kubo.

Yamato's path to the finals was tough. In the opening round, he was paired with the heavy favorite to win the entire tournament, Masahiro Yamamoto. Yamato upset him, making his way to the final 8, where he defeated heavy-handed Yuki and the brash Kizaemon Saiga, both via KO. Kubo had made it to the finals of a similar tournament last year, and was the favorite here. He came to the finals by defeating Dream fighter DJ.taiki, Keiji Ozaki, and then Yoshimichi Matsumoto in one of the best KO's of 2010.

A few things to watch for here. Kubo is the more technical striker - keep an eye on the way he utilizes a range of kicks, mixing it up so that he strikes the leg, the body, and the head. Also, watch how good Kubo is at finding the holes in Yamato's defense, particularly in round 1. Yamato is a bit more sloppy, but has very good hooks when he gets inside. Yamato is in blue gloves, Kubo in red.

Video in the full entry.

All around great action here and a very dramatic final, with Kubo looking like he would dominate, only for Yamato to gut it out and pull off the comeback win.

Be sure to tune in on Saturday to see if this year's final tops it, and don't forget to check out our friends at Head Kick Legend for more in-depth coverage of K-1 and the world of kickboxing.

Interested in checking out this weekend's show (or any other K-1) but have questions about scoring, rules, or anything else? Ask away in the comments and I will be sure to help fill you in.

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Comments

not a lot of love for kickboxing today

Follow me on Twitter @KidNate

by Nate Wilcox on Jun 21, 2011 12:30 PM EDT reply actions

Kick-what?

by Brent Ducharme on Jun 21, 2011 1:13 PM EDT up reply actions

Meh the Japan tournament.

It's just a world, it's just a life.

by DirtyML on Jun 21, 2011 1:56 PM EDT up reply actions

I'll show some love.

That fight was awesome.

" Its like when I'm right I'm right, when I'm wrong I coulda been right, so I'm still right cause I coulda been wrong, you know, and I'm sorry cause I could be wrong right now, I could be wrong, but I'm right..." Bama

by 40 Cal. on Jun 21, 2011 12:54 PM EDT reply actions

Such an awesome fight.

Don’t know who to root for Kubo or Saiga! Saiga has his hands full that’s for sure

Be like water making its way through cracks. Do not be assertive, but adjust to the object, and you shall find a way round or through it. If nothing within you stays rigid, outward things will disclose themselves. - Bruce Lee

by MSEMCEE on Jun 21, 2011 1:04 PM EDT reply actions

Really great fight. Dramatic and exciting. Both guys really were trying to put each other away here.

by PlutoCps on Jun 21, 2011 1:11 PM EDT reply actions

Another good little warm up for this event would be the recent Krush tournaments.

They ran tournaments at 55 kg., 60 kg., and 63 kg. – about half of the K-1 tournament field was included between 60 and 63 kg., and I posted a bulk of the videos from the tournament finals over at Head Kick Legend a while back.

by Brent Ducharme on Jun 21, 2011 1:14 PM EDT reply actions

Really looking forward to this event, should be lots of fun. Lucky for me, it’ll be an early morning (8:30) rather than a late night like you yanks. See y’all in the showthread!

by Horselover Fat on Jun 21, 2011 2:12 PM EDT reply actions

I'm holding you to that.

by Brent Ducharme on Jun 21, 2011 2:29 PM EDT up reply actions

Good, good!

by Horselover Fat on Jun 21, 2011 2:59 PM EDT up reply actions

Is this Friday night into Saturday Morning?

Or Saturday into Sunday.

Either way, I am all over this like fuzzy crap on velcro.

Official sponsor of Michael Chandler.

by inadvertentgroinstrike on Jun 21, 2011 3:40 PM EDT reply actions

It's going to be the 25th in Japan, so effectively Friday into Saturday.

Although it’s not going to start until after midnight for us in the US (or at least most of us) if my math is correct.

by Brent Ducharme on Jun 21, 2011 4:19 PM EDT up reply actions

Yep, I believe it’s 1:30 am Saturday morning (or late Friday night if you prefer to look at it that way) EST.

Staff Writer - BloodyElbow.com
Follow me on Twitter: @FCoffeen

by Fraser Coffeen on Jun 21, 2011 4:36 PM EDT up reply actions

AW HELZ YEA

Internet gets uncapped (Yo, fuck direcway) at 2AM, after that I can watch it. Should be awesome. BE Night Crew Assemble, etc

Official sponsor of Michael Chandler.

by inadvertentgroinstrike on Jun 21, 2011 4:57 PM EDT up reply actions

Great fight

I was wondering about the clinch – how come the ref just shouts at them instead of separating them? There were a few instances where the ref pulled them apart but mostly he’d just shout and they’d sort of let go of each other. Kubo seemed to land quite a few punches on the exit, almost as if Yamato didn’t expect them. Is this normal?

by wonderfulspam on Jun 21, 2011 6:15 PM EDT reply actions

The clinch is such a weird thing in K-1. Last year they changed the clinch rules, and it was kind of in transition at the time of this fight – they had announced that you would no longer be able to strike from the clinch, but they had not yet implemented the rule. So the ref yells at them because it will soon be illegal, but it’s not technically illegal right now. Weird, eh?

For Saturday’s show, you can’t strike while clinching an opponent with two hands, but you can strike once if holding an opponent with one hand.

Staff Writer - BloodyElbow.com
Follow me on Twitter: @FCoffeen

by Fraser Coffeen on Jun 21, 2011 8:39 PM EDT up reply actions

Thanks

That is weird.

The tournament airs at 8:30am CET so I’ll definitely do my best to get up in time. It makes a pleasant change from staying up til 5am to watch UFC cards.

by wonderfulspam on Jun 22, 2011 6:51 PM EDT up reply actions

Wow

Excellent fight.

I need HDNet badly.

Tweet!

"eat a dick" - Chris Barton

by BeardedNerd on Jun 21, 2011 6:25 PM EDT reply actions

Actually, all you need is a computer! The next show, and it looks like maybe all the K-1 shows this year, will be streamed.

Staff Writer - BloodyElbow.com
Follow me on Twitter: @FCoffeen

by Fraser Coffeen on Jun 21, 2011 8:34 PM EDT up reply actions

For those interested in the tournament field...

Here is a quick post over at HKL with fight videos from the recent Krush Triple Final event, which saw half of Saturday’s competitors fight – Koya Urabe, Kizaemon Saiga, and Ryuji Kajiwara at 63 kg. and Masaaki Noiri at 60 kg.

by Brent Ducharme on Jun 21, 2011 8:42 PM EDT reply actions