K-1 World Grand Prix, also known as the K-1 WORLD GP, is an elimination kickboxing tournament that was originally held annually from 1993 by the K-1 organization, under the ownership of the Fighting and Entertainment Group (FEG). Each year, K-1 would hold various 16-men, 8-match grand prix style qualifying tournaments throughout the world to determine which 16 fighters will compete in the main World GP.
Match-ups
Combatants of the quarter-finals of a 16-man 8-match tournament were paired by drawing, with the exception of the final. A lottery draw would take place. The balls represented numbers 1 to 8, which determined the fighters' order in choosing a position (from A to H), and the line-number of the match. The next fighter was able to choose between challenging the one on the stage or an "empty" section. This procedure went on until one fighter had to fill its slot left next to the lone rival.
K-1 World Grand Prix dates and venues EventDate of opening roundDate of final roundCountryK-1 World Grand Prix 1993 N/A April 3, 1993 JapanK-1 World Grand Prix 1994 N/A April 30, 1994 JapanK-1 World Grand Prix 1995 March 3, 1995 May 4, 1995 JapanK-1 World Grand Prix 1996 March 10, 1996 May 6, 1996 JapanK-1 World Grand Prix 1997 September 7, 1997 November 9, 1997 JapanK-1 World Grand Prix 1998 September 27, 1998 December 13, 1998 JapanK-1 World Grand Prix 1999 October 5, 1999 December 5, 1999 Japan K-1 World Grand Prix 2000 N/A December 10, 2000 JapanK-1 World Grand Prix 2001 N/A December 8, 2001 JapanK-1 World Grand Prix 2002 October 5, 2002 December 7, 2002 JapanK-1 World Grand Prix 2003 October 11, 2003 December 6, 2003 JapanK-1 World Grand Prix 2004 September 25, 2004 December 4, 2004 JapanK-1 World Grand Prix 2005 September 23, 2005 November 19, 2005 JapanK-1 World Grand Prix 2006 September 30, 2006 November 25, 2006 JapanK-1 World Grand Prix 2007 September 29, 2007 December 8, 2007 Korea, JapanK-1 World Grand Prix 2008 September 27, 2008 December 6, 2008 Korea, JapanK-1 World Grand Prix 2009 September 26, 2009 December 5, 2009 Korea, JapanK-1 World Grand Prix 2010 October 2, 2010 December 11, 2010 JapanK-1 World Grand Prix 2024N/ADecember 14, 2024 Japan
Champions
Year Winner Runner-up 3rd place 1993 Branko Cikatić Ernesto Hoost Masaaki Satake Maurice Smith 1994 Peter Aerts Masaaki Satake Branko Cikatić Patrick Smith1995 Peter Aerts Jerome Le Banner Mike Bernardo Ernesto Hoost 1996 Andy Hug Mike Bernardo Musashi Ernesto Hoost 1997 Ernesto Hoost Andy Hug Peter Aerts Francisco Filho1998 Peter Aerts Andy Hug Mike Bernardo Sam Greco 1999 Ernesto Hoost Mirko Filipović Jerome Le Banner Sam Greco 2000 Ernesto Hoost Ray Sefo Francisco Filho Cyril Abidi 2001 Mark Hunt Francisco Filho Stefan Leko Alexey Ignashov 2002 Ernesto Hoost Jerome Le Banner Mark Hunt Ray Sefo 2003 Remy Bonjasky Musashi Peter Aerts Cyril Abidi 2004 Remy Bonjasky Musashi Kaoklai Kaennorsing Francois Botha 2005 Semmy Schilt Glaube Feitosa Remy Bonjasky Musashi2006 Semmy Schilt Peter Aerts Glaube Feitosa Ernesto Hoost 2007 Semmy Schilt Peter Aerts Jerome Le Banner Remy Bonjasky 2008 Remy Bonjasky Badr Hari Gökhan Saki Errol Zimmerman 2009 Semmy Schilt Badr Hari Alistair Overeem Remy Bonjasky 2010 Alistair Overeem Peter Aerts Semmy Schilt Gökhan Saki 2024 Ariel Machado Feng Rui Errol Zimmerman Shota Yamaguchi
See also List of K-1 events List of PRIDE events List of male kickboxers
References
External links K-1 Japan Official website K-1 World official website