Two mixed martial artists had very different results when they took on kickboxers at the New Year’s Eve Dynamite!! event in Japan, as Gegard Mousasi put on a striking clinic in beating K-1 heavyweight champion Kyotaro, while Shinya Aoki was knocked out by Yuichiro Nagashima.
Mousasi is first and foremost an MMA fighter, but he showed once again that he has K-1-level striking. Mousasi was nothing short of sensational in beating Kyotaro, knocking down the Japanese champ in the second round with a beautiful combination of punches. It was the second time Mousasi has beaten an experienced K-1 veteran under K-1 rules on a New Year’s Eve card in Japan; Mousasi also beat the Japanese kickboxer Musashi two years ago.