Both fighters venture into new territory: Gunji steps into the cage, while Sattari faces off in the Ganryujima ring.
On October 10, at the press conference for the “10.19 JAPAN MARTIAL ARTS EXPO PROLOGUE,” the ISKA Intercontinental Title Match between Taito Gunji (K-1) and Cristian Bogdan, as well as the participation of Mahmoud Sattari (K-1), was announced.
Gunji made his professional debut in Krush in 2015. After winning the K-1 Koshien Championship in 2016, he went on to claim the 2nd Krush Bantamweight Championship in 2017. In 2021, he challenged and defeated Tatsuya Tsubakihara to become the 5th K-1 Featherweight Champion. He then won the K-1 Featherweight World Championship Tournament in 2022.
Now, just 20 days after his last fight, Gunji is stepping away from his home turf to take on the ISKA rules in a cage for the first time, marking his kickboxing debut under these conditions. All eyes are on Gunji as he takes this bold step forward.
Sattari made a name for himself in amateur Muay Thai and had a sensational debut in Krush in 2021, delivering a one-punch KO against Seiya Tanigawa. In 2022, he entered the K-1 Open Weight Tournament, defeating K-Jee in the first round, Kyotaro in the semifinals, and Seiya Tanigawa again in the finals to claim the championship.
This time, Sattari has announced his first foray into mixed martial arts under Ganryujima rules. The organizers are reportedly negotiating with capoeira expert Marcus “Lelo” Aurelio, a prominent figure in Ganryujima, as a potential opponent. Although the weight difference presents a challenge in the negotiations, if the match goes ahead, it promises to be a dream showdown between the K-1 champion and Ganryujima’s foreign ace. Fans eagerly await further updates.
For fighters, mixed martial arts contests naturally become a stage for new challenges. We hope fans will rally their support for these warriors as they embark on their latest battles.
Below are the comments from Taito Gunji and Mahmoud Sattari, who appeared at the press conference.
Taito Gunji (K-1)
“I’ve never had a match scheduled just 20 days after another fight, especially after a loss. Honestly, after the last fight, I was wondering what to do next. I wasn’t satisfied with the decision in that title defense, so that makes me even more eager to win this time.
When I received this offer, even though it’s so close to my previous match, I thought about the ISKA Oriental rules—it’s a different rule set and will be 5 rounds of 3 minutes each. Everything about this fight is new to me, and I think it’s going to be a battle filled with risks. But at this point, I feel like I have nothing to lose. Instead of playing it safe, I want to take on a more aggressive approach moving forward, which is why I accepted this offer.”
Mahmoud Sattari (K-1)
“The Ganryujima rules offer an exciting new challenge for me. Fighting under an unfamiliar mixed martial arts rule set is a personal test, and I’m highly motivated. I’m really looking forward to the match. In K-1, I have the physique of a middleweight but have faced heavyweight opponents as well. This mixed martial arts fight is yet another challenge for me.
As for my preparation, I have some experience with jiu-jitsu and have done grappling training. I’m mostly a striker and have focused mainly on striking techniques, I’m also interested in the grappling and push-out aspects of Ganryujima’s rules. Sanda is also quite popular in Iran, and I feel confident in my ability to adapt to mixed martial arts. I believe this will be a very interesting fight.”
Taito Gunji (Kickboxing/Japan)
Date of Birth: January 17, 1999
Height: 167 cm
Weight: 57.5 kg
5th K-1 WORLD GP Featherweight Champion
Winner of the K-1 WORLD GP 2022 Featherweight World Championship Tournament
Gunji made his professional debut in Krush in 2015. He won the K-1 Koshien Championship in 2016 and then claimed the Krush Bantamweight Championship in 2017. In 2021, he challenged and defeated Tatsuya Tsubakihara to become the 5th K-1 Featherweight Champion. In 2022, he also won the Featherweight World Championship Tournament.
Cristian Bogdan (Kickboxing/Romania)
Date of Birth: May 17, 2003
Height: 178 cm
Weight: 59 kg
- ScCombat ProAm National Champion
- Extreme Fighters Professional Champion
- MTWS Professional Champion
Mahmoud Sattari (Kickboxing/Iran)
Date of Birth: February 22, 1991
Height: 186 cm
Weight: 90 kg
Winner of the K-1 WORLD GP 2022 Open Weight Tournament
Sattari made a name for himself in amateur Muay Thai and had an explosive debut in Krush in 2021, delivering a one-punch KO against Seiya Tanigawa. In 2022, he entered the K-1 Open Weight Tournament, defeating K-Jee in the first round, Kyotaro in the semifinals, and once again overcoming Seiya Tanigawa in the finals to claim the championship.
– Event Details –
Noto Peninsula Earthquake Charity Event
JAPAN MARTIAL ARTS EXPO PROLOGUE
Date & Time: Saturday, October 19th, 2024. Doors open at 12:30 PM, Event starts at 2:00 PM.
Venue: Yokohama BUNTAI
2-7-1 Furo-cho, Naka-ku, Yokohama, Kanagawa 231-0032
Organizer: Japan Martial Arts Consortium
Ticket Prices: Arena Reserved Seating: ¥10,000 (excl. tax) (Reserved Seating)
General Admission: ¥3,000 (excl. tax) (Open Seating)
Ticket Sales: Tickets will be available starting Tuesday, October 1st, 2024, through e-plus and other outlets:
e-plus (from Oct 1st)
Ticket Pia (from Oct 2nd)
Lawson Ticket (from Oct 2nd)
Official Event Website: https://jmaexpo.com/
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