Semmy Schilt, Ernesto Hoost, Albert Kraus, Andy Souwer and more iconic names will serve as instructors at the SENSHI training camp
Four of the biggest names who defined K-1’s golden era will reunite in Varna, Bulgaria, for SENSHI 33 Grand Prix. Semmy Schilt, Ernesto Hoost, Albert Kraus and Andy Souwer will be among the special guests at the combat gala on September 5, when eight elite fighters will enter a direct-elimination Grand Prix tournament in the division up to 95 kg.
Combat sports fans will have the opportunity to see the legendary champions up close as they take part in the event as judges, commentators and official representatives of KWU SENSHI. In the days leading up to the gala, they will also share their experience with participants in SENSHI’s international training camp.
The culmination of the fight week will be SENSHI 33 Grand Prix, taking place on September 5 at 7:30 PM ЕЕТ /12:30 PM EST/ on the beach in Sts. Constantine and Helena Resort in Varna, Bulgaria. Tickets for the event are available through Eventim.bg.
Leading the star-studded line-up is Shihan Semmy Schilt of the Netherlands, President of KWU SENSHI Europe, four-time K-1 World Grand Prix Champion, GLORY World Champion and winner of the GLORY Grand Slam 16-Man Tournament.
Joining him will be Ernesto Hoost of the Netherlands, known as “Mr. Perfect” and regarded as one of the defining figures in K-1 history. He is also a four-time world champion of the most prestigious tournament in the history of professional kickboxing.
Also arriving in Varna, Bulgaria, are Albert Kraus of the Netherlands, the inaugural K-1 World MAX Champion, and Andy Souwer of the Netherlands, a two-time K-1 World MAX Champion and four-time Shootboxing World Champion. Today, all four are members of the KWU SENSHI leadership and continue to play an active role in the development of the organization and the next generation of fighters.
They will be joined by Shihan Nicholas Pettas of Japan, a European and world karate champion, winner of the K-1 Grand Prix Japan and the final uchi-deshi of Kyokushin karate founder Masutatsu Oyama. Pettas serves as the ring announcer at SENSHI combat galas and is a member of the KWU SENSHI Board of Directors.
SENSHI 33 will also bring together some of the world’s most successful Kyokushin karate competitors. Among those travelling to Bulgaria are Sensei Tariel Nikoleishvili of Georgia, the 2011 World Open Champion and one of the few fighters to have completed the legendary 100-Man Kumite, and Sensei Zahari Damyanov of Bulgaria, the 2015 World Open Champion, four-time All American Open Champion and four-time European Champion.
They will be joined by Sensei Jan Soukup of the Czech Republic, a European champion and medallist at the Kyokushin World Open Championship, and Sensei Petar Martinov of Bulgaria, a Kyokushin world and European champion.
The legendary fighters will not be in Varna solely for the gala event. From September 3 to 6, they will lead SENSHI’s international training camp, where fighters from different countries will have the opportunity to train and learn directly from world champions.
The transfer of knowledge from champions to the next generation now extends beyond SENSHI’s international training camps. Sensei Tariel Nikoleishvili and Sensei Zahari Damyanov are among the instructors in KWU SENSHI’s new global Uchi-Deshi program.
The international initiative was created for young fighters seeking intensive, personalized training under the direct guidance of some of the world’s most respected Kyokushin masters.
The program develops technical skills and physical conditioning, as well as mental resilience, discipline and a deeper understanding of the philosophy of Kyokushin. Participants can choose a duration that suits their goals – from three days to one, two or four weeks.
The culmination will be SENSHI 33 Grand Prix on September 5. Eight fighters will enter the tournament in the division up to 95 kg, and the future champion will have to secure three victories in a single night to lift the title.
The fight card will also feature two reserve bouts, a third-place contest and three Super Fights. A total of 13 countries will be represented at the beach arena in Varna, Bulgaria.
Over the course of four days, SENSHI will bring the past and future of combat sports together in one place – the champions who turned K-1 and Kyokushin into global phenomena and the new generation of fighters determined to compete for the sport’s next major titles.
SENSHI 33 Grand Prix is organized with the support of the KWU International Professional League and the special support of Armeec Insurance Company, MAX Sport, Bulgaria Air, M Car Group – BMW Dealer, and St. St. Constantine and Helena Holding.
Media partners of SENSHI 33 Grand Prix are Boec.bg and Boec.com, Bulgaria ON AIR, MAX Sport, TrillerTV, Beyond Kickboxing, Gol.bg, Sportal.bg, Dir.bg, Topsport.bg, KWUSENSHI.com, KWUnion.com, KyokushinKarate.News, Fighto.News, and Fight Sports Insider 24/7.
