Plenty of ink has been spent this year looking at the trials and tribulations of K-1 MAX in 2010. From the loss of their marquee star, to a reduced schedule, to a reduced roster, this definitely has not been a banner year for the division, and when the year is done, these troubles will likely be the focus of any look back.
But what an emphasis on these problems fails to take into account is the simple fact that K-1 MAX has put on some of the best kickboxing action to be found anywhere in the world this year. Starting with the excellent Japan GP, MAX continued with the superb Final 16 event in October. Mired in questions surrounding the departure of top stars Andy Souwer and Buakaw Por. Pramuk, this turned out to be one of the year's best shows, packed with exciting and dramatic fights, and capped off by Chahid Oulad El Hadj v. Mike Zambidis in the fight of the year (and if you have not yet watched that one, do it now).
This Monday, the 2010 MAX season draws to a close as the company crowns their 9th Grand Prix champion. And while their are legitimate questions about just how strong a field this GP is, there's also every reason to believe this should be another top quality show with some of the best action you're likely to see this year. A fight like Gago Drago v. Mohamed Khamal is almost guaranteed to be all action, while Zambidis will likely turn in another big outing against Yuichiro Nagashima.
But the big story of Monday's final has to be the 2nd Grand Prix appearance of reigning champion Giorgio Petrosyan. Last year, Petrosyan entered K-1 behind high expectations from hardcore fans who had seen him defeat Souwer and stand toe to toe with Buakaw. Petroysan did not just meet those expectations, he annihilated them, storming his way through the Grand Prix with not one of his opponents even coming close to defeating him. Now he comes in on an astounding 3 1/2 year, 26 fight undefeated streak. He's one of the top pound for pound fighters in the world, and at age 24, shows no sign of stopping. So is there anyone who can stop him this year?
The first man to take a crack at it will be the #4 ranked Albert Kraus. The first ever MAX champion, Kraus has been on a career resurgence lately, winning 12 of his last 13. That hot streak has led a number of fans to pick him as the man to stop Petrosyan in their quarter-final encounter. Trouble is, that one loss Kraus has registered came against Petrosyan in the Final 8 last year. In that first meeting, the eventual champion made Kraus look pedestrian, picking him apart over 3 round to cruise to an easy victory. It's tempting to think Kraus will correct those mistakes and come to a different conclusion this year, but the reality is many of those 12 wins have come against less than stellar opponents, and I see no reason that Petrosyan can not control him once again.
The other candidate to take out Petrosyan is K-1 veteran Yoshihiro Sato. These two were originally scheduled to meet earlier this year, and a lot of analysts thought Sato's combination of reach, technical mastery, and Muay Thai skills would make him a stiff challenge for Giorgio. But when Petrosyan dropped out of the fight due to an injured hand, that challenge was put on hold. For Sato to get his shot now, he'll need to make it to the finals, defeating Michal Glogowski and the winner of Drago/Khamal along the way. Sato has looked strong in many recent outings, but has also struggled against the top level competition he's faced, logging loses to Pajonsuk, Drago, Kyshenko, and Masato. I think Sato has what it takes to make the finals, but he would need the fight of his life to take out Petrosyan once he gets there.
Which leads us back to the main question - can anyone stop the champ from repeating? In this year's line-up, I'm not sure they can. And for me, that makes this an extremely exciting event. This is a chance to see a field of excellent fighters step up and take their shot at bringing down the best 70kg kickboxer the world has to offer. Even if they are not favored, seeing them get that chance will be a thrill, as will seeing the immaculate technique Petrosyan will show along the way in defense of his crown.
And in those moments, as a worthy challenger tries his hand, and a dominant champion works to turn him away, any concerns about the business side of MAX will be swept away. What we'll be left with is yet another night of MAX fighters turning in the kind of high-end action that reminds us why we all became fans in the first place.
