Women middleweight -55 kg – a category stacked with top fighters from all over the world. That include world champion IFK, and world champion KWU and top of that WKO world champion – no once but twice.

－55㎏ WOMEN MIDDLEWEIGHT

This category have sixteen fighters. It is quite similar to the -50kg category when it comes to nations and regions that are represented. Again, Japan and Europe will be the two leading regions / countries top fighters as well as number of fighters.

First one out: Yuki Yoshida / Japan will be one of the favourites. Coming of a fresh top spot in the 7^th JFKO All Japan Open, victories in the final vs very experienced top fighter Sayaka Kato. In the final Yoshida kept a very strong pressure through the whole fight, locked down the kicking capacity of Kato and secured a 3-2 win. The pressure at the intensity will challenge her opponents in this championship also.

Yuki Yoshida faces Valentyna Kurmin / Lithuania, and Yoshida will be the favourite. Kurmin with 3^rd place in this year EC 2022, and came second in the qualifying European Karate Cup 2021, but that contains four victories, four victories for Yoshida taking 1^st place in the 7^th JFKO. We assume that the level would be “tighter” reaching the top of an All japan Open. Kurmin aim her punches well to the body, can it slow down and choke the strong pressure from Yoshida? On the other hand, will Yoshida power forward making it hard to hold on to the accuracy and the timing of her opponents techniques?

The next fight between Katherine Loyola / Chile vs Anastasia Mikhalova / Germany. Anastasia has been on the European Championship podium several times, in different occasions. Showed good endurance fighting trough extensions keeping the pace and intensity. Katherine Loyola must have a good stamina and a suited all-round basis to keep up. That might be so time will show. Nevertheless the winner must raise the level even higher going into round two, where the possibilities to face All Japan Open Champion Yuki Yoshida.

Home fighter Anna Bielska / Poland will take on Japanese Honoka Inoue / Japan. Inoue is not at the same level as Kato as an example, but we does not doubt her level. In this fight, we think that Bielska can keep the pace at the same (if not higher) and have enough “tools” to make it very interesting. A pattern that might can be typical would be a hard press and strong drive from Inoue, countered by technical variation in a high pace by Bielska. Bielska is dangerous with kicks and knees, and that can be a possibility – but if the pressure is on it can be hard to land a scoring kick as well. This will be a very interesting fight.

The winner will fight the second round vs Nika Jakobovic / Croatia or Fatemeh Ruzbahani / Iran. We know very little about the level of the top fighters from Iran, so this will be a possibility to get an insight. Jakobovic have we seen several times before, and see does have the merits. Two times the runner up in the European Championship. We think Nika will be too strong and will advance, and should it be Anna Bielska in match two, it will be a rematch from the European Championships this spring. Should it be Inoue, there will be unknown water for Nika – and the same for Inoue in matter of fact.

On paper, Sayaka Kato / Japan will be one of the heaviest merited fighters in this category. Maybe many forget, but Kato did win the World Karate Championship in Weight Categories (Named World Cup) back in 2013. At the time in the lightweight (5^th World Cup had only three weight categories) She reached the final in 2017 as well, losing to Minamihara. It is safe to say that Sayaka Kato is a veteran in the fighting game with merit to prove it. Kato will face in our eyes another veteran: Kimm Carriere (Kimberly Carrière) / Canada.

Carriere are one of the very few from Canada who fights in the different European tournaments. Has been doing so for almost ten years, and has been the natural represent of Canada in World Championships. In this set up, Kato will be the favourite; it will be interesting to see what Carriere can bring to the mat. Thinking of the record, Carriere have nothing to lose, as Kato have the pressure on regarding to the many who expect victory.

Dana Abduraimova / Kazakhstan is one of three in this category that are 18 years. Besides her Yoshida and Tomimura 18 years. In Japan, we see fighters under 18 fight and make very strong results in the regular (seniors) tournaments. This is not so often to see in Europe or other places. Abduraimova have not yet achieved a strong senior record so what she bring in will be a question. On the other hand, Kazakhstan known for very high level all over. Lithuania is also a country that can be associated with high level. Dana Abduraimova / Kazakhstan will face Evelina Bidžanova / Lithuania. Bidžanova has a height/ reach advantage tactically this can be used. None of these two brings heavy merits on the table, Bidžanova qualifying by winning the European karate Cup with 5 other fighters in the category, looking strong in the final scoring with an ippon vs Valentyna Kurmin. This fight seems to be in reach, but next round would likely be Kato – or Carriere. How long can Bidžanova manage to reach, if she overcome her young opponent in the first fight?

Above we mention being 18 year, record and more – in this fight with Nichika Tomimura / Japan we have the example. Tomimura, runner up in the 7^th JFKO All Japan Open this year. Already been fighting in the senior division for a while. Some of us was very impressed when she took on Sayaka Kato in the 52^nd All Japan Open 2020 (open weight) (second fight for Tomimura) Tomimura held Kato to extension before losing 3-2 on the flags. At the time Tomimura only being 16 years old. This year Tomimura became the runner up in the 7^th JFKO All Japan Open.

No doubt, that Nichika Tomimura have great skills, and that will be needed facing the fresh IFK World Champion: Iya Kostova / Bulgaria Kyokushin-Kan. Kostova well known from the KWU, EC been three times runner up, two times 3^rd World Championship. Kostova won the 6^th IFK WT final recently. She seems to be good at keeping the fight at her distance, which gave her the benefits of straight punches and knees. With an advantage in height and range, it seemed logical and efficient. Is this useful time as well? Even so, Tomimura at young age – she made it to the final in a division holding 29 fighters, fighting in Open-weight tournaments as well – this fight gives us good reasons to be excited. Battle of the styles? -Or who can surprise their opponent?

In the last fight of the category with Khethiwe Mkhize / South Africa vs Teona Gazdeliani /Georgia, we are quite sure that the extraordinary meritorious Gazdeliani will take it. In some cases the distance are very far between the fighters, and we feel that this is a case like that. Anyway, Khethiwe Mkhize must, and will for sure – come into the fight with nothing to lose. Full of Kyokushin spirit – the way we know. Gazdeliani looking at a long tournament must secure the win – without receiving damage that can hold her back later.

If we look at the possible round two fight, with Teona Gazdeliani vs Nichika Tomimura or Kostova. This is what one can expect when you have a Championship with qualified participants. Sometimes already in the first fight you can face very strong opponents – contra a championship where it is free or open for anyone to participate. It is a very big difference and we must be aware of that. That said, we like both versions – but we like to know about the differences.