▼9th Match / ISKA Oriental Rules / 3 minutes, 5 rounds / 59kg Contract / ISKA Intercontinental Championship Deciding Match
〇 Taito Gunji (K-1, Japan)
Decision 3-0 (49-46, 49-46, 50-45)
● Cristian Bogdan (Kickboxing, Romania)
※Gunji claims the ISKA Intercontinental Championship.
Gunji is a homegrown fighter who has held titles in K-1 amateur, Krush, and K-1. He won the K-1 WORLD GP 2022 K-1 Featherweight World’s Strongest Deciding Tournament, achieving a remarkable 13-fight winning streak. However, he lost his title to Takumi Terada on September 29 in K-1, making this a comeback fight within a short time span.
In contrast, Bogdan is a tall fighter at 178 cm, known for his kicking techniques. His title history includes being the ScCombat ProAm National Champion, Extreme Fighters Professional Champion, and MTWS Professional Champion.
In Round 1, Gunji threw a left jab, but Bogdan’s kick resulted in a low blow. After the restart, Gunji closed the distance and landed left and right hooks as well as body shots from a guarded position. Bogdan responded with right low and left middle kicks, but Gunji continued to rotate with left and right hooks and straight punches. Bogdan pressed Gunji against the cage, landing left and right hooks.
In Round 2, after taking a middle kick, Gunji combined body shots while using a left jab to keep Bogdan at bay. Bogdan focused his attacks on middle and low kicks, while Gunji mixed punches to the body and face. Bogdan also threw hook punches at various intervals, but Gunji kept advancing with punches.
In Round 3, Gunji raised his guard and advanced, landing a right straight, left body shot, and left crescent kick. Bogdan attempted to counter with front kicks. Gunji then landed clean body shots at close range and continued to attack with left crescent kicks, left and right body shots, and a right high kick upon disengaging. Gunji also threw right uppercuts at close distance.
In Round 4, Gunji landed a left body shot followed by a right low kick and calmly jabbed with his left. Bogdan retaliated with low and left middle kicks, but Gunji maintained his attack with right low and body strikes. Bogdan’s output decreased, leading him to absorb several body shots from Gunji. Gunji maintained control without reducing his output.
In Round 5, both fighters exchanged punches, with Bogdan landing a left middle kick. Gunji observed his opponent, connecting body shots followed by multiple punches to Bogdan’s face. He evaded Bogdan’s forward movement and landed a powerful left hook and right straight. Bogdan retaliated with a close-range knee strike, but Gunji maintained his pace with left and right hooks and straights in the clinch.
All three judges supported Gunji, who achieved a decisive victory by decision and claimed the ISKA Intercontinental Championship.
Taking the microphone, Gunji said, “Nice to meet you, I’m Taito Gunji from K-1. I couldn’t defend my title in K-1 in September and lost the belt, but I received an offer three weeks later. Thank you to Mr. Tanigawa, Mr. Carlos, and Mr. Miyata. Since this organization exists, I believe we can put together some exciting matchups, so Ryusei, let’s do this when I eventually move up to weight class. I will be fighting in K-1 in December, so I hope everyone here can come and support me at Yoyogi.”
Comments from the post-fight press conference
Taito Gunji (K-1/Japan)
Thoughts on the fight)Honestly, I’m glad I accepted this offer. If I had won the previous title match in K-1, I wouldn’t have had this fight. But being known as the ‘prodigy of rebellion,’ I’m glad I could rebel here. However, my rebellion is not over, and I’ll continue to do that in K-1.
-Your first time experiencing several things
It was my first time fighting five rounds, and also my first time with the 1-catch, 1-attack rule. I didn’t get a chance to practice in a cage, and there was no ring check, so I was thrown straight into it. I got hit with a knee at the end of the first round and lost points, but it was a good experience.
-About the knee strike in the first round
It didn’t land that cleanly, but since I hadn’t practiced for it, it didn’t go as planned even though I had practiced how to dodge.
-How did you handle your opponent’s attacks?
I was wary of his strong middle kicks, but he surprised me with calf kicks.
-Defense against calf kicks?
I’ve been working on blocking them since my last fight with Terada. So, I was able to deal with them. I’m not going to fall from a mere calf kick.
-Short turnaround after the fight with Terada. Any damage?
Honestly, my fists were pretty damaged. I got the offer about five days after the fight, and they wanted a response within three days. I didn’t know how my fists would heal, but I accepted because I wanted to prove that I wasn’t still affected by the damage from the last fight. But to be honest, my fists hurt during this fight too.
-How effective were your body shots?
I could tell all of them were landing well. He was tough, but since I didn’t have much time before the fight, I couldn’t press the attack as much as I wanted to.
-Did you have a chance to get a KO?
Yes, during the third round, I was told to go for it. But I kind of wanted to experience five rounds (laughs). Outside of K-1, five rounds are usually for title matches, so it was good to experience that global standard.
-How was your stamina for five rounds?
I couldn’t prepare in two weeks, so I was worried about whether it would hold up.
-Your strategy from the first round?
I was planning to watch and wait.
-Your thoughts on winning the belt?
That wasn’t my goal, so I wasn’t particularly excited. I even took it off on my way home. My goal now is to reclaim the K-1 belt.
-Do you want a title match next?
If possible, I’d like to have it in December in K-1. I want to get the belt back by the end of the year.
-There was some back-and-forth with Takumi Terada on social media about a rematch
Yeah, I was aiming for that too. But I don’t feel like I lost. I just need to knock him out next time.
-You also called out Ryusei
Regarding Ryusei, I feel like I ‘cleaned up his mess with this fight. Whether we fight or not is uncertain, especially since we’re in different weight classes.
-Your fight this time at the 59kg weight limit?
After the fight, my weight didn’t increase much, so the weight cut was easy, and I actually moved better. I didn’t feel the opponent’s power, so I think I can fight at 60kg too.
-How was fighting in a cage?
It was tough. It was harder to escape. I focused on practicing catching and countering when grabbed, but the knees from the clinch were scary.
-Will this experience be useful for the future?
It was my first time going five rounds. I also won the ISKA belt, so I think I’ll be able to fight the opponents I want to from here on.
-Do you have plans to fight internationally?
I don’t have any clear plans yet, but ONE has a lot of strong fighters. I’m not saying I’ll go to ONE, but I think opportunities will arise through cooperation. If that happens, I might be looking at more five-round fights.”
Event Overview
Noto Peninsula Earthquake Charity Event
JAPAN MARTIAL ARTS EXPO PROLOGUE
Event Date: Saturday, October 19, 2024
Doors Open: 12:30 PM, Event Starts: 2:00 PM
Venue: Yokohama BUNTAI (2-7-1 Furocho, Naka Ward, Yokohama, Kanagawa 231-0032)
Organizer: Japan Martial Arts Consortium
Ticket Prices: Arena Reserved Seats ¥10,000 (excluding tax) / General Admission (Free Seating) ¥3,000 (excluding tax)
Tickets on Sale: From Tuesday, October 1, 2024, via ePlus and other ticketing services.
How to watch：
12:30-（JST) U-NEXT（Only in Japan・Free）
https://video.unext.jp/livedetail/LIV0000006877?rid=FS00040
14:00-（JST) TrillerTV（Worldwide exlculding Japan・PPV）
https://www.trillertv.com/watch/japan-martial-arts-expo-2024/2pfqy/
14:00-（JST) Fight Plus（Worldwide excluding Japan・PPV）
https://fightplus.eu/item.html?id=4949480
Official Website：https://jmaexpo.com/
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