+85㎏ Men heavy-weight The heaviest category is a very solid category and it contains 32 fighters. That mean no 1^st round walk, and 5 fights to secure the tittle. This category contains some of the strongest fighters across the world – and the status to win is sky-high!

+85㎏ MEN HEAVYWEIGHT

First one out Eventas Gužauskas / Lithuania – European Region vs Ali Nasarovedi / Iran – Middle East region. Nasarovedi is unknown for us, and we do not know anything about the level he possesses. Gužauskas being one of the favourites in relation to reach the podium. Has been on a winning streak for some time taking 4 EC titles since 2020. EFKO EC just before the lockdown, two times in the regular EC weight category 2021/22 and secured the EFKO Open Weight December 2021. If we step outside the European region Gužauskas became 6^th I the 12^th World Championship 2019, and that is a very strong achievement. The explosive finish of Gužauskas are well known but he is no stranger to pull something new out of his pocket either. The need for that might come in the second fight all ready.

The second fight Dávid Ádám / Hungary vs Kosei Ochiai / Japan. It is almost ten years in between them, and that is ten years of fighting in Ochiai favour. Since he won the 45^th All Japan Open in 2013, more of us notice him, but he has been fighting and present in the top 8 before that. Representing Japan in World Championships many times, Open Weight in Japan but also the Weight category championship as he did in 2013 and again in 2017. His timing are very good, that makes his counter-punch very effective. He will stalk you down and punish you when you try do attack. Dávid Ádám is a promising young fighter moving forward in his carrier. He mixes up a good package with punches and kicks, especially lowkicks and does have good high knee attempt as a variation. Good stamina to last longer fights. Ochiai can for sure takes some lowkicks and Ádám can throw them – could we see a longer fight in this one? It might happen and we can have a fight decided by the persons with the nice shirts.

The next fight is between Marek Wolny / Poland and Kazuya Kusaka / Australia – South Pacific region. We do not know so much about Kusaka, only what obeys. Wolny can celebrate (if he wants) that it is ten years since he took his first EC (senior) medal. He did it this year as well; during the ten years, he has been fighting and fighting a lot. It is hard to predict the outcome since we do not know the level of Kusaka. What we do know is that to beat Wolny and advance in the tournament on do have to have a good level. We falls toward Wolny on this one.

North America Region represented by Massimiliano Tilli / Canada will face Ilya Yakovlev / Kazakhstan – Central Asia Region. Yakovlev made it to top 8 in the 12^th World Championship, 3^rd place in the 6^th World Championship in weight category back in 2017 fighting on home soil. Yakovlev is a veteran from so many championships. Tilli will get a great experience and boost in his early senior career facing Yakovlev who tuned in the machinery by winning the IFK World Championship in June. That said the challenge would be far more difficult this time.

Paulius Žimantas /Lithuania vs Bishnu Sharki / Nepal representing the Asia region. Žimantas impressed all with his strong performance entering the senior division some years back. In this fight, we must say that Žimantas would be the favourite. Žimantas has kept his level and been quite successful in the heavyweight category. Every notice the punching capacity – the power, timing and accuracy. However, we must say when we see glints of his kicking capacity we got a hunch that it is more to come.

Sandile Mahlangu / South Africa will face Kodai Suzuki / Japan. Mahlangu is unknown for us Kodai Suzuki a little more known but does not have the record comparing to other top fighters. First time we saw Kodai Suzuki was back in 2017 in the 49^th All Japan Open – had a very hard day at the “Office” facing Kembu Iriki in the 1^st round. Kodai Suzuki participated up to now in JFKO All Japan Open and the All Japan Open weight – still not getting top possessions. Last year in the 53^rd All Japan Open attracted our interest by advancing through a victory over Sho Shigematsu. (Shigematsu being the 5^th World Cup champion of Rengokai) facing Mahlangu is one thing – if Kodai Suzuki advanced most likely, Žimantas will be the one on the opposite side of the tatami.

Nikita Garas / Kazakhstan – Kyokushin-Kan vs Ezequiel Gularte / Uruguay – South America Region. Garas is international merited with a couple 3^rd places in IFK and KWU World championships – Ezequiel Gularte cannot come up with that. Gularte represented Uruguay in the 12th World Championship and did a good figure going up against merited Kęstutis Radvila / Lithuania.

Alisher Kuvandikov / Uzbekistan – central Asia Region will face one of the most interesting fighter from Japan: Yusaku Watanabe. Watanabe being of the better heavy weight I Japan and that says a lot. Looking into the record one could might say “It should be more medals” But the loss he have are more or less against his own calibre. The explosiveness that Watanabe possesses is shocking, and a heavyweight fighter who can move and hold the speed of a lightweight fighter – but with the power of a heavyweight fighter – there you have it. We can easily see him moving on in the Championship – and maybe we can have a little “dream fight” in a possible 3rd. round fight: Žimantas vs Watanabe.

Edgard Sečinski / Lithuania – European Region Vs Seyed Sajad Razavi / Iran – Middle East Region. Once again, we do not know the level of a fighter, Seyed Sajad Razavi. The good thing is that we will get to see him and others in this championship. When it comes to Sečinski the most of us are sure that, he holds a top level. Effective with high knees and accurate punching. Fought his way to 7^th place in the 11^th World Championship and made it to top 16 in the 12^th World Championship. Have a three on a row EC championship as we speak – Sečinski will be a factor.

Sota Ochiai / Japan vs Máté David / Hungary. David has been on the podium last two EC, and established himself among the best in the heavyweight regarding to the European region. If we see him up against fighters outside the European region, advancing to the 2^nd day in the 12^th World Championship would be a good example. Collecting a very good victory in the 3^rd round facing two times JFKO All Japan Open Champion Syota Yamaguchi (Byakuren-Kaikan) Sota Ochiai will be the challenge, and the time will show what he will bring to the mat.

When Yuki Okada / Japan vs Ihor Kotliarevskyi / Ukraine meet, we have a little expectation to see an entertaining fight with two aggressive fighters. Kotliarevskyi has been active in the European region for some time, and has represented Ukraine in the World Championship in Japan. Kotliarevskyi fight very direct and aggressive keep on going hard for how long it takes. The interesting thing is that Okada have some of the same attitude, and first time we saw him back in 2014, in The 29th All Kansai Karate Tournament, the fight he fought was aggressive all in and ended with a spectacular K.O.

South American Region representative Bronel Jose Eduardo / Brazil have the honour facing the vice World Champion of the 12^th World Championship Maciej Mazur / Poland. Since the incredible achievement in 2019, Mazur pulled back from fighting in major tournaments. No doubt, that he still holds a significant level, the question for many is how much has the break done – if it measurable. Anyway, the fact that he enters the championship raises the expectations – before any fight has started!

Orestas Abazorius / Lithuania had a breakthrough in 2019 entering the EC podium and later same year representing Lithuania in the 12^th World Championship in Japan. In Japan Abazorius continued to impress, made it to day 2 and ended up among top 32 in the world. 3^rd in the EFKO EC in 2020 Climbing higher in the EC 2021 and enters the final. Abazorius will face Phumelela Mhlong / Africa representing South Africa Region. Mhlong has been successful in his region with god results and did represent in the 12^th World Championship. Looking at the results would be one thing; facing each other will be another. We thing this falls towards Abazorius and Lithuania in this fight.

Takeru Osaka / Japan will fight Dávid András / Hungary. Osaka have a forward aggressive style and the pace are quite good especially when we think of the heaviest weight-category. Aggression and hard punch can Dávid András take. Will the pace be a factor? The decisions can come fast in the preliminary rounds that might be a tactic for Osaka, as it seems that he are in for higher pace fights.

Rustam Avzalov / Kazakhstan – central Asia vs Vasil Dimitrov / Bulgaria – Kyokushin-Kan. Both recently active in the IFK World Championship, Avzalov in the U-21 Dimitrov in the regular category. That said the age difference is only a year. Vasil Dimitrov got his merits from KWU championships, became the runner up in 2021 KWU EC and will be the one seems the have the upper hand.

Alexander Kocic / Australia – South Pacific region vs Kembu Iriki / Japan. One could use “veteran” about Kocic. Been in the game for many years, represented Australia, and the south Pacific several times in the World Championship in japan and the World Championship in weigh categories.

The record of Iriki is very strong. He belongs to the absolute top elite. Iriki’s low-kicks tears fighters down. On a certain level, everybody kicks hard – and everybody can take quite much. The way Iriki uses his low-kicks and the variation how he use them makes a difference. A master to secure his “hit” with extraordinary timing. Iriki will be one to count in – and we have a hunch that he will be in the championship for a while.