The first 2023 edition of the SENSHI International gala fight night once again brought the audience to their feet, leaving them breathless
The first 2023 edition of the SENSHI International gala fight night once again brought the audience to their feet, leaving them breathless after 15 incredible and fierce bouts between 30 of the best fighters from 18 countries. During SENSHI 15 in the Varna Congress Hall of the Palace of Culture and Sports, fans of high adrenaline witnessed quality fights, masterful knockouts, exquisite fighting techniques, and many unexpected twists. The spectacular fights were under the rules of KWU Senshi and KWU Full Contact. For the first time in the SENSHI arena, there were also fights under the rules of the KWU Open, which included fights with attractive mixed martial arts with throws, grappling, and everything that is allowed in MMA.
The crowd also enjoyed three impressive knockouts. In the fifth fight of the evening, the successful Bulgarian fighter Mitko Iliev made everyone in the hall stand up on their feet and applaud him after he knocked out the Dutchman Ehsan Sajed in the first round of their fight under the rules of the KWU Open. Iliev pressed his opponent with an intense and offensive pace and managed to bring him down to the ground.
The second knockout came in the eighth round from Romanian “Rambo” Florin Lambadju, who knocked down Michael Lopez da Veiga of France in the last second of the first round, earning him a fifth SENSHI belt.
In the ninth fight, the crowd was once again treated to a masterful knockout thanks to Serbian fighter Nikola Todorovic, who kneed his Moroccan opponent Marwan Toutouh in the chin.
The main fight of the evening was between the Italian champion Giuseppe de Domenico and the repeatedly proven SENSHI fighter Eduard Aleksanyan. Their fight ended after a unanimous decision in favor of the Bulgarian.
There was also a real fighting spectacle between World WMF Pro-AM Muay Thai Champion Marcio de Jesus from Brazil and World WAKO Pro and Superkombat Champion Jonathan Mayezo from France, as well as between the 2019 KWU World Championship and WKF Grand Prix Kyokushin silver medalist Jo Miyahara from Japan and the 2019 IFMA Muay Thai World Champion and 2020 WMF Muay Thai World Champion Murod Akhmedov from Uzbekistan. There was also an attractive clash between Romania’s national sambo champion and five-time SENSHI winner Florin Lambagiu and ISKA world champion who is also French champion Mickaël Lopes Da Veiga and many more.
Look at also the full results of the 15th edition of the SENSHI international professional gala night:
Fight #1
Cat. 60 kg, ruleset: KWU Full Contact
Débora Évora, Portugal vs Montana Aerts, Netherlands
The daughter of K-1 greatness Peter Arts – Montana Aerts, lost from her rival after the unanimous decision in favor of Débora Évora.
Évora made her debut in the SENSHI arena. The battle between the two took place under KWU Full Contact rules in the cat. up to 60 kg
Fight #2
Cat. 80 kg, ruleset: KWU Full Contact
Murod Akhmedov, Uzbekistan vs Jo Miyahara, Japan
2019 IFMA Muay Thai World Champion and 2020 WMF Muay Thai World Champion Murod Akhmedov of Uzbekistan was disqualified in 2nd round due to a head impact. The victory was awarded to his opponent Japan’s Jo Miyahara, who is a 2019 KWU World Championship and WKF Grand Prix silver medalist, as well as the 2018 All Japan Kyokushin Champion and WFKO Champion at The Yamburg Cup – Yamal 2016.
Fight #3
Cat. 70 kg, ruleset: KWU Full Contact
Aydin Aslan, Turkey vs Dragomir Petrov, Bulgaria
Turkish fighter Aydin Aslan lost after the unanimous decision in favor of four-time national kickboxing champion Dragomir Petrov. The two displayed remarkable fighting skills, with their bout taking place under KWU Full Contact rules in the cat. 70 kg. This is Dragomir Petrov’s fifth victory in the SENSHI fighting ring.
In 2016 Aydin Aslan won 3rd place at the WAKO World Kickboxing Championship, and in 2022 he won 2nd place at the WAKO European Kickboxing Championship, 3rd place at the EUSA European Championship, and he is the ISSF Champion.
Dragomir Petrov is the ЕMC European Muay Thai Champion in 2019. He is a winner of the Wizard tournament as well as the Max Fight in 2019. Petrov is also a 4-time Bulgarian kickboxing champion.
Fight #4
Cat. 70 kg, ruleset: KWU Senshi
Jonathan Mayezo, France vs Marcio Jesus, Brazil
World WAKO Pro and Superkombat Champion Jonathan Mayezo won after the decision of the judges Brazilian Marcio Jesus, who is the WMF Pro-AM World Champion.
Fight #5
Cat. 80 kg, ruleset: KWU Open
Ehsan Sajed, Netherlands vs Mitko Iliev, Bulgaria
The International Kyokushin Karate Tournament Champion Ehsan Sajed lost in 1st round after a technical knockout from Bulgarian star Mitko Iliev, who has 6 MMA wins and won 3 of his matches by knockout.
Fight #6
Cat. 75 kg, ruleset: KWU Full Contact
Fernando Martin, Spain vs Atanas Bozhilov, Bulgaria
Intercontinental and Spanish Sub World Champion Fernando Martin lost after the unanimous decision in favor of one of Bulgaria’s most talented kickboxers, Atanas Bozhilov.
Fight #7
Cat. 75 kg, ruleset: KWU Full Contact
Diogo Neves, Portugal vs Žiga Pečnik, Slovenia
WAKO World K-1 Champion and European Full Contact Champion Diogo Neves lost after a split decision with the decision of the judges in favor of his rival Žiga Pečnik, who is the European WAKO PRO champion from 2018 and 2021.
Fight #8
Cat. 80 kg, ruleset: KWU Full Contact
Mickaël Lopes Da Veiga, France vs Florin Lambagiu, Romania
ISKA World Champion Mickaël Lopes Da Veiga lost after unbelievable knockout from Romanian “Rambo” Florin Lambagiu.
Fight #9
Cat. 80 kg, ruleset: KWU Full Contact
Marouan Toutouh, Morocco vs Nikola Todorovic, Serbia
Morocco’s Marouan Toutouh showed enviable fighting skills but lost in 2nd round after a knockout from Serbian Nikola Todorovic who kneed him in the chin.
Todorovic is the winner of two world titles – champion of WAKO PRO in the K-1 style in the cat. to 78.1 kg from 2021 and 3rd place at WAKO that year.
Toutouh is a Kunlun WGP and Enfusion WGP finalist and a Fightsense European Champion, as well as a champion in the BeNeLux Champion WFCA and Dutch Champion MON tournaments.
Fight #10
Cat. – 95 kg, ruleset: KWU Full Contact
Pavel Voronin, Moldova vs Jakob Styben, Germany
Moldovan Pavel Voronin, who is the champion of his country and the champion of Combat League Italy, lost after unanimous decision in favor of his opponent Jakob Styben from Germany, who is the European K-1 style champion, the 2015 Northern Thailand Muay Thai champion, the K-1 and Muay Thai champion of his country.
Fight #11
Cat. +95 kg, ruleset: KWU Full Contact
Bruno Suzano, Portugal vs Claudiu Istrate, Romania
The Portuguese Bruno Suzano, who is ISKA World Champion, European WKU, WKA, and WAKO, won after a unanimous decision over his opponent Romanian Claudiu Istrate, who is the European ISKA Champion and the Venum World Series Champion Panama.
Fight #12
Cat. – 95 kg, ruleset: KWU Senshi
Ivan Bartek, Slovakia vs Olivier Langlois-Ross, Canada
Intercontinental WKU and European WKF Champion Ivan Bartek lost after the unanimous decision in favor of his opponent Oliver Langlois-Ross, who is the K-Energy tournament champion, as well as the W.M.O Thailand and Thepprasit stadium champion.
Fight #13
Cat. 80 kg, ruleset: KWU Full Contact
Mehdi Ait El Hadj, Morocco vs Teodor Hristov, Bulgaria
ISKA European K-1 Champion Mehdi Ait El Hadj lost after the unanimous decision in favor of Bulgarian Teodor Hristov, who is the Intercontinental WKF Champion, having also won championships from the MixFight World, Castle Gladiator, and WAKO Balkan tournaments.
Fight #14
Cat. 85 kg, ruleset: KWU Open
Pedro Oliveira, Brazil vs Mariyan Dimitrov, Bulgaria
Brazilian Pedro Oliveira won in 1st round after his opponent Marian Dimitrov refused the submission after an uncompromising grip.
Dimitrov is a silver medalist at the World Combat Sambo Championship and placed 5th at the World Wrestling Championship.
Oliveira is the winner of COPA PARANA DE MMA 1 and a participant in ROAD TO FUTURE 4, having 6 wins, 2 by knockout, 2 losses, and 1 draw.
Fight #15
Cat. 85 kg, ruleset: KWU Full Contact
Giuseppe de Domenico, Italy vs Eduard Aleksanyan, Bulgaria
ISKA and WFC World Champion who is also European WTKA, Giuseppe de Domenico lost after the unanimous decision in favor of one of the most successful Bulgarian fighters Eduard Aleksanyan. “Mr. Show” is a European WAKO PRO K-1 Champion and two-time National Kickboxing Champion and Savages Tournament Kickboxing Champion.
Special award „Golden belt” for a bright path in Kyokushin karate received by „The Last Samurai” Shihan Akira Masuda (ラスト サムラ) – Winner of the All Japan 1990, completed 100 man kumite in 1991, 2nd place at the 5th World Championships 1991, 3rd place on the 4th World Open Championship 1987. He participated in 4 World Championships always finishing on the podium.
By tradition, at the end of the international fighting gala evening, special awards for the evening were also handed out. The Best Technique award was presented to Atanas Bozhilov by Andy Souwer. The Highest Fight Spirit award went to Diogo Neves of Shihan Ryu Narushima. The Knockout of the Night award went to Pedro Oliveira from Shihan Glaube Feitosa.
Special guests of the attractive fight show were Shihan Akira Masuda and Shihan Ryu Narushima, as well as Shihan Francisco Filho, Shihan Glaube Feitosa, Shihan Semmy Schilt, Peter Aerts, and Ernesto Hoost. The spectacular K-1 Max Champion Albert Kraus, World Kyokushin Champion Sensei Andrews Nakahara, and Multiple winners of the All Japan Championship Sensei Yusuke Fujii will also arrive in Varna, Bulgaria for SENSHI 15.
The star-studded line-up also includes Dutch welterweight kickboxer and mixed martial artist Andy Souwer, who is a two-time K-1 MAX World Champion and a four-time World Tournament Shootbox Champion, as well as the It’s Showtime 70MAX World Champion. European Kyokushin Champion Sensei Jan Soukup, winner of the prestigious All Japan Competition and silver medalist of the Kyokushin World Championship, will also attend the international gala fight night.
Sensei Zahari Damyanov, who is Absolute World Champion in Kyokushin Karate and a four-time European Champion, the World and European Kyokushin Karate Champion in the super heavyweight category, Sensei Petar Martinov, worked as referee of the fight show.
Follow the official SENSHI channels on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube, as well as the website of the chain Senshi.com, for more information.
The fight night will be broadcast live on Bulgaria ON AIR and Max Sport 1 for Bulgaria, as well as in real-time worldwide on American television FITE, Senshi.com, Boec.bg, Boec.com, Kwunion.com, and Kyokushin Karate News.
SENSHI is organized in cooperation with the Professional League of the Kyokushin World Union (KWU International Professional League), as well as with the special support of Armeec Insurance Company, MAX Sport, Bulgaria Air, M Car Group – BMW dealer, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Service and St. St. Constantine and Helena Holding.
SENSHI’s media partners are Boec.BG and Boec.COM, the national television Bulgaria ON AIR, the American online martial arts television FITE, Gol.bg, Topsport.bg, Kwunion.com, the information portal Kyokushin Karate News, Fighto.News and Novinata.bg.
