We have witnessed an incredibly strong year when it comes to athletic performance. A good mix of unexpected and expected results has been seen, and there is no doubt that developments in full contact Karate are moving on.
On general basis,the most of us have lost count of different kind of world championships,countless EC’s etc, and it continues to pop up. But no doubt that those who focus on the right things, in the right order with patience, keeps stability, develops and grows.
Looking forward into 2019, one can only wait with excitements to follow the further development of full contact Karate!
Through a jungle of tournaments and championships, it becomes natural to separate some from each other. With such a diversity – but still with the same titles – one needs some insight. And one must admit that it is a bit special to see athletes attend in 4-5 European Championships in one and the same session. But there has never been so many European Championships/cup, World Championships/cups as now. Some many skilled athletes and competitors with unbelievable hard work.
We starts this with, what we like to call: Kyokushin-candy! From Belgium, every other year, The Diamond Cup. And this time we will open the show with the final in the category for veterans + 80 kg. Two icons in the game with more years on the Tatami than the most: Dimitri Trampov, Bulgaria vs Benno Rasmussen, Denmark.
Both fighters have been top three fighters in the European Championship, for sure that is some years
back. But in 2003 and 2004 both ended at 3rd place, but in different categories. Trampov in light heavyweight and Rasmussen in the heaviest category. The 3rd place in 04 was the last EC medal Trampov capture. As for Rasmussen, he pulled out a second place the year after, and that in front of his home crowd in Denmark who organized the EC, as they did in 1999.
Videos from Olivier Vity visit for more..
Bulgaria will be our next stop, and we take a look at The 32nd European Weight Category Karate Championships IKO. Looking into the results, this was a clean sweep from Russia – as many expected. Special in the men’s divisions this has been the pattern, and for this tournament Russia took 1st and 2nd place in all the men’s divisions. But even so, in this category we are looking into, Heavyweight, Russia had in matter of fact not had a champions since 2010 – Tariel Nikoleishvili. From then and up to now, Ukraine had ruled it, with a French touch last year. Andrei Luzin vs Ivan Aksenenko, Luzin being the favorite, reign Russian champion (2017 & 18) but Aksenenko came in on the 4th place EC 2017. One can also see how the changing of the rules are being handled – or used to get an advantage.
Video from proKyokushin visit for more.
Into the European Championship in weight categories Shinkyokushin, and to the lightest category. The final in under 65 kg men was a rematch between to fighters that have fought each other several times. The European Champion from 2017 – Emin Ismayilli / Azerbaijan was ready for the champion from 2016 – Andrei Zinchenko / Georgia. (as we know Zinchenko do have more than the 2016 title) This EC had 5 finals for men, and this year it must have been a record to go through them in the shortest time ever! Guzauskas knocked out Jakobsen in +90, Mazur clipped Sokolovas in the -95, Dimitrov tamed Hasanov to a win in -85, Svynarenko had success with body-punch vs Suciu in -75. So, how was the lightest category gong down, and who would beat a European Champion?
Videos from Olivier Vity visit for more..
And a look into The 1st WKB European Open Kyokushin Karate Championship (Held in Poland). Their first Open-weight European Tournament held this Autumn as they organized their European Championship for weight categories in the Spring. We take a look at the 3rd place final between Vsevolod Vsevolodov /Ukraine, aka – Piotr Strefner /Poland. Last one with experience from many years back, showing nice timing and give the fight – lets say – a little more air into the fight!
Video from proKyokushin visit for more.
This year we witness a superb tournament in Japan. The 1st International Fullcontact Karate Championship, organized by JFKO. Looking around us, we see tournaments with big names or titles – but unfortunately the content does not always match the packaging. But in this case it’s safe to say that it was not only matching – it was way beyond the most of tournaments we have see lately. In four categories for men, the heaviest was the one with the fewer fighters – with only 59…! The lightest category had 125! But we will look into the lightest category semi finals: Ryu Terasaki vs Harutaka Okazaki..
Video from JFKO 全日本フルコンタクト空手道連盟 visit for more
Several Open-weights was held this Autumn, and one of them was the IKO. Place was Moldova and 26 fighters was ready to fight for the top possession – but it was a real veteran who made it to the final. Alejandro Navarro must be one of, if not the icon of IKO. Navarro keep a tremendous EC Open-weight record with being 7 times EC Open-weight champion – before this one. Here he is in the final vs Dzmitry Varabei / Belarus. Varabei being experienced as well, but not a common name to see at the EC podium, so what could he bring this time? 17th EC Open Final – Alejandro Navarro /Spain – Vorobey Dmitry /Belarus, aka.
Video from proKyokushin visit for more.
An even more crowded Open-weight European Championship went off in Hungary, Budapest. Even with a handful fighters cancelling, 38 fighters was in the line up at the Shinkyokushin Open-weight EC! And proven to be some of the best fighters – not only in the European region, but also in the World scale. With this number of fighters, one must have extraordinary skills to reach the podium. And considering that the tournament was held on one and the same day, the achievements are only set even higher. By now every knows the results (of course) and we have seen many of the fights several times – all ready. This time we haven’t picked some of the finals, in matter of fact in the other end. We gave this fight cred before, and once again. We like the pace and sharpness in the fight – the movement and the constant positioning to be more effective than the your opponent. The techniques come naturally and fluently, effectively without a doubt. Valeri Dimitrov / Bulgaria vs Mihai Prodea / Romania
Video from Chugunkov Dojo visit for more
Kazakhstan have a great reputation when it comes to high level fighters. Each year Astana host different kind of high profiled tournaments. One of them this year was The 2nd KWF World Championship (4th Nov). It was a bit special, however, because KWF had held its EC very short time ahead (22nd September) But good support, especially from Kazakhstan with all organizations, made it entertaining. We are going into the heaviest category: Vasily Samadurov /Russia vs Ilya Yakovlev /Kazakhstan. Samadurov is the reign double KWU World Champion, in would be the high favorite – Yakovlev shown great skills many times, 3rd place Shinkyokushin World championship weight as his highest rank – and that included a victory against Samadurov. Repetition or revival?
Video from カラテイチバンドットコム visit for more.
Last one we pick is from Japan, and once again it’s about a tittle fight. Yuto Fukuchi / Japan Byakuren-Kaikan has been one of the best fighters in 2018. Wining among others the very strong The 1st International Fullcontact Karate Championship JFKO this year. In Europe Daniel Redondo /Spain Rengokai, World Champion from 2015, have been supreme in the British Open, KWU EC and more.
This fight was a “one fight only”, 5 rounds. Yuto Fukuchi is a very lean and technical fighter – could he stop the intense strong all-round fighter from Spain?
Video from РСБИ official Youtube channel
It’s quite characteristic, many of these videos on this page will never be seen here. Because it is to many. Despite the fact that we have not nearly covered all the different EC, World Championships etc. Quality rather than quantity should be a focus.
We bow to practitioners, coaches, organizers and everyone involved doing, and what they have done of hard work in 2018. Osu