We Have a New Front-Runner for ‘Gnarliest Broken Nose of 2012? [VIDEO]

(Props: ITSSHOWTIME via MiddleEasy. The big reveal comes at the 0:49 mark.)

We usually judge fucked-up noses on a scale of Owen Wilson to Ryan McGillivray — but Rustemi Kreshnik may have just redefined what’s possible. Over the weekend, the Albanian heavyweight kickboxer got his nose kneed halfway around his face by Mourad Bouzidi at It’s Showtime 57 in Brussels, Belgium. As the color-man puts it, “That’s gonna have to be put back in place.” Oh do you think so, doctor?


(Props: ITSSHOWTIME via MiddleEasy. The big reveal comes at the 0:49 mark.)

We usually judge fucked-up noses on a scale of Owen Wilson to Ryan McGillivray — but Rustemi Kreshnik may have just redefined what’s possible. Over the weekend, the Albanian heavyweight kickboxer got his nose kneed halfway around his face by Mourad Bouzidi at It’s Showtime 57 in Brussels, Belgium. As the color-man puts it, “That’s gonna have to be put back in place.” Oh do you think so, doctor?

The Buzzards Are Circling K-1


(Rutz and K-1 head Tanikawa pretending things aren’t so bad)

Apparently K-1 is in the death throes.

After a year of speculation about if and when the revered kickboxing and MMA promotion would pack it in, it appears that the financially troubled organization may be living on borrowed time.

IT’S SHOWTIME president Simon Rutz shed some light on the current state of the former Japanese kickboxing powerhouse who has made more headlines the past couple years due to the fact that it hasn’t paid many of its champions like Alistair Overeem and Bibiano Fernandes.

According to Rutz, K-1 officials are scrambling to find potential investors an/or a buyer for the struggling franchise, which he says has run out of money. As such, they have decided to cancel the finals of the K-1 heavyweight grand prix after reportedly telling fighters a week ago that they would only be paid a portion of money owed to them and that their participation in the tournament would have to come at a reduced price.

Check out Rutz’s state of the K-1 union address after the jump.


(Rutz and K-1 head Tanikawa pretending things aren’t so bad)

Apparently K-1 is in the death throes.

After a year of speculation about if and when the revered kickboxing and MMA promotion would pack it in, it appears that the financially troubled organization may be living on borrowed time.

IT’S SHOWTIME president Simon Rutz shed some light on the current state of the former Japanese kickboxing powerhouse who has made more headlines the past couple years due to the fact that it hasn’t paid many of its champions like Alistair Overeem and Bibiano Fernandes.

According to Rutz, K-1 officials are scrambling to find potential investors an/or a buyer for the struggling franchise, which he says has run out of money. As such, they have decided to cancel the finals of the K-1 heavyweight grand prix after reportedly telling fighters a week ago that they would only be paid a portion of money owed to them and that their participation in the tournament would have to come at a reduced price.

Check out Rutz’s state of the K-1 union address below:

Because there is no information regarding the new start of K-1 coming from Japan, I will clarify the situation for everyone.

FEG, the parent company of the former K-1 brand, is technically bankrupt. The name K-1 lays now at the Japanese company Barbizon. There are 2 serious parties now, which try to pull the K-1 brand name towards themselves and place this in a new company.

The first one to find an investor is FEG’s president, Mr. Tanikawa. He has found a Korean investor who has big plans with the K-1 label. This investor claims to have a verbal agreement with Mr. Ishii and Barbizon regarding the takeover of the K-1 label. Details were already discussed and agreed upon, but the only missing thing is the necessary signature of Mr. Ishii.

The second one to find a potential investor is Bas Boon. He has found an American company which also has big opportunities to bring the K-1 brand to high levels. However, also this company needs the signature of Mr. Ishii.

In the meanwhile, even a third potential investor has reported itself to take over the K-1 label, but this investor has presented itself only a couple of days ago.

All three companies have big plans to bring the K-1 label back to the place where it belongs and therefore make sure that the brand of K-1 has a healthy future.

All investors understand that a good cooperation with IT’S SHOWTIME is essential to prevent future conflicts of interest and to make sure that in the future all world elite fighters will participate to the tournaments; that means the fighters of both IT’S SHOWTIME as the ones of Golden Glory. We from IT’S SHOWTIME support the plans to make the K-1 label a strong brand again, because this is in the best interest of the sport, the fighters and the millions of fans around the world.

• This year there will be no K-1 Final Elimination and K-1 World Grand Prix Final for the following reasons:

• It’s currently unknown which investor gets Mr. Ishii’s signature

• There’s not enough time left to organize such a big event

• The visas for the fighters to travel to China haven’t been arranged and these are essential to be able to fight there

• The decision to not rush into crazy things is a wise one, because severe mistakes that could cause more unnecessary damage to the K-1 label are being prevented.

From next year there will be a new and healthy company that will work on the worldwide brand of K-1.

For the fighters who were already preparing to fight on October 29 in China this will be a hard pill to swallow, but on the other hand, these developments offer enough perspective to positively look ahead to the future.

I hope I have answered the many questions and to have clarified these matters.

Best regards,

Simon Rutz

IT’S SHOWTIME
———-

Looking at the situation from an objective opinion, things don’t look good for K-1, especially when many of its stars like Overeem, Badr Hari and Gokhan Saki have recently decided to leave the kickboxing world in favor of MMA and boxing. Without big name stars, kickboxing may suffer the same shift in popularity of fans over to MMA that boxing has experienced in recent years, which is too bad for those of us who enjoy the sport and having some variety.

DVR Alert: Shark Fights on FUEL TV, It’s Showtime Amsterdam on HDNet


(The poster for tomorrow night’s “Shark Fights 16: Neer vs. Juarez” card — look for the broadcast soon on FUEL. Image courtesy of SharkFights.com)

As if you didn’t have enough MMA to deal with this weekend — what with Strikeforce Challengers tonight, Bellator 46 on Saturday night, and UFC Live: Marquardt vs. Story on Sunday night, not to mention Spike TV’s counter-programming efforts — we have another recommendation for your MMA viewing pleasure.

Last week, FUEL TV kicked off a weekly Friday-night broadcast highlighting Shark Fights‘s best recent events. Tonight starting at 9 p.m. ET/PT, they’re airing highlights from Shark Fights 15, which featured the controversial draw between Joey Villasenor and TUF 11 castmember Chris Camozzi, and Dave Branch vs. Jeremy May. Coincidentally, Shark Fights is also holding their 16th event tomorrow night in Odessa, Texas, featuring interim welterweight champion (and UFC vet) Josh Neer taking on Bellator/MFC standout Jesse Juarez.

Also? Tonight at 11 p.m., HDNet is airing the It’s Showtime 2011 Amsterdam card from last month, which was headlined by accused coke-smuggler Hesdy Gerges vs. Chris Knowles. In other words, this is one of the busiest weekends in the history of combat sports. Enjoy, and please stay hydrated.


(The poster for tomorrow night’s “Shark Fights 16: Neer vs. Juarez” card — look for the broadcast soon on FUEL. Image courtesy of SharkFights.com)

As if you didn’t have enough MMA to deal with this weekend — what with Strikeforce Challengers tonight, Bellator 46 on Saturday night, and UFC Live: Marquardt vs. Story on Sunday night, not to mention Spike TV’s counter-programming efforts — we have another recommendation for your MMA viewing pleasure.

Last week, FUEL TV kicked off a weekly Friday-night broadcast highlighting Shark Fights‘s best recent events. Tonight starting at 9 p.m. ET/PT, they’re airing highlights from Shark Fights 15, which featured the controversial draw between Joey Villasenor and TUF 11 castmember Chris Camozzi, and Dave Branch vs. Jeremy May. Coincidentally, Shark Fights is also holding their 16th event tomorrow night in Odessa, Texas, featuring interim welterweight champion (and UFC vet) Josh Neer taking on Bellator/MFC standout Jesse Juarez.

Also? Tonight at 11 p.m., HDNet is airing the It’s Showtime 2011 Amsterdam card from last month, which was headlined by accused coke-smuggler Hesdy Gerges vs. Chris Knowles. In other words, this is one of the busiest weekends in the history of combat sports. Enjoy, and please stay hydrated.

Watch Badr Hari’s Documentary and Then Decide Whether Or Not He’s a Crazy Motherf*cker

(Video courtesy of YouTube/Undubately)

If you’re unfamiliar with who Badr Hari is, watch this documentary and familiarize yourself with kickboxing’s answer to Mike Tyson.

“The Golden Boy” is candid and honest about his issues with anger inside and outside of the ring in the short doc that aired last week on Dutch TV. I don’t know what makes a crazy, out of control person who stomps on downed opponents and knocks people who piss him off out in the street so polarizing, but it’s stories like these that I’d read about or watch any day of the week.

If you’re like me and the show left you wanting to hear more from Hari about himself, you’re in luck. Michael Schiavello announced during the HDNet broadcast of last weekend’s Titan Fighting event that he recently sat down with the beleagured Dutch-born Morroccan fighter to shoot an episode of  his acclaimed “The Voice vs.” series and that it was the most intense interview he’s ever done. The Voice vs. Badr Hari will air June 24 at 10 pm ET on HDNet.

Check out parts 2 and 3 of the documentary after the jump.


(Video courtesy of YouTube/Undubately)

If you’re unfamiliar with who Badr Hari is, watch this documentary and familiarize yourself with kickboxing’s answer to Mike Tyson.

“The Golden Boy” is candid and honest about his issues with anger inside and outside of the ring in the short doc that aired last week on Dutch TV. I don’t know what makes a crazy, out of control person who stomps on downed opponents and knocks people who piss him off out in the street so polarizing, but it’s stories like these that I’d read about or watch any day of the week.

If you’re like me and the show left you wanting to hear more from Hari about himself, you’re in luck. Michael Schiavello announced during the HDNet broadcast of last weekend’s Titan Fighting event that he recently sat down with the beleagured Dutch-born Morroccan fighter to shoot an episode of  his acclaimed “The Voice vs.” series and that it was the most intense interview he’s ever done. The Voice vs. Badr Hari will air June 24 at 10 pm ET on HDNet.

Check out parts 2 and 3 of the documentary below.

Part 2


(Video courtesy of YouTube/Undubately)

Part 3


(Video courtesy of YouTube/Undubately)


(Video courtesy of YouTube/ZP420MMA)

Badr Hari is a Free Man…At Least For Now

("A statement? I got your statement right here.")
The Dutch newspaper, de Telegraph is reporting that badboy K-1 standout Badr Hari was released from prison in Amsterdam yesterday after serving less than a month behind bars for an a…


("A statement? I got your statement right here.")

The Dutch newspaper, de Telegraph is reporting that badboy K-1 standout Badr Hari was released from prison in Amsterdam yesterday after serving less than a month behind bars for an alleged assault on a bouncer earlier this year.

According to police, in February Hari and a group of friends were refused entry to a club because their attire did not conform to the dress code set by the bar. An argument escalated to a physical altercation that allegedly saw Hari break the doorman’s nose and eye socket. 

Maybe K-1 fighters just need to stay out of nightclubs.

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