The SENSHI fighter development system is yielding impressive results. The latest example is young Polish athlete Wiktor Kolaja, who, following his triumph at the SENSHI World Cup for Amateurs in 2025, now faces the biggest challenge of his career. On May 30, during the international fight gala SENSHI 31 Gladiators in Plovdiv, Bulgaria, he will make his professional debut in the promotion’s elimination Grand Prix tournament in the lightweight division up to 70 kg.
From Kyokushin to Professional Kickboxing
Kolaja began his martial arts journey at just five years old. With more than 300 Kyokushin karate bouts behind him, he enters professional kickboxing with an enormous foundation of experience and determination.
“I’m very excited to be part of the Grand Prix. I didn’t expect everything to happen so quickly. The SENSHI program brought me to the big stage, where the best fighters in the world compete, in an incredibly short time. It was a huge surprise for me, but I feel prepared,” Kolaja shared in an interview for SENSHI Fight Talk.
The young fighter is not intimidated by the level of competition in the tournament, including veterans such as Samo Petje of Slovenia.
“In Kyokushin, I’ve fought in open-weight divisions against people weighing 120 kilograms. So now I’m not afraid of guys who are in my own weight category,” he says confidently.
Mission: Ethics and Discipline in the Era of Trash Talk
In addition to being a fighter, Wiktor Kolaja is also a coach in his hometown in Poland, where he and his brother run their own club. His mission is to bring karate ethics into the world of kickboxing.
“I feel bad about the lack of respect and the insults, e.g., trash talk, that have become popular. In the world of kickboxing, etiquette is not always at the level it should be. In my club, we try to bring the discipline of Kyokushin into kickboxing training—no one talks while the coach is giving instructions. I believe this helps young people become better individuals.”
For Kolaja, martial arts are above all a responsibility:
“It is important to teach young fighters that the ability to fight is not for entertainment. You must control your emotions. Fighting skills are like a weapon—if you know how to use them, you need to have self-control and self-discipline.”
Debut Under the Stars of Ancient Theatre
On May 30, Wiktor Kolaja will step into the Ancient Theatre of Plovdiv, Bulgaria, not only in pursuit of victory but also to defend the honor of traditional martial arts. As a reserve fighter in the tournament, he is prepared for any turn of events, knowing that a single moment could turn him into the new Grand Prix champion. His opening bout in the tournament will be against French kickboxing champion Maxson Vignier.
SENSHI 31 Gladiators promises to be not only a spectacular fight event, but also a lesson in dignity, led by athletes such as Wiktor Kolaja. Don’t miss the opportunity to watch live bouts and matchups between top athletes from 14 countries. Tickets are available through the Eventim.bg network.
SENSHI 31 Gladiators is organized in cooperation with the KWU International Professional League, as well as with the special support of Armeec Insurance Company, MAX Sport, Bulgaria Air, M Car Group – BMW dealer, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Service, and St. St. Constantine and Helena Holding.
The media partners of SENSHI 31 Gladiators are Boec.bg and Boec.com, Bulgaria ON AIR, MAX Sport, TrillerTV, Beyond Kickboxing, Gol.bg, Sportal.bg, Dir.bg, Topsport.bg, КWUSENSHI.com, KWUnion.com, KyokushinКarate.News, Fighto.News and Fight Sports Insider 24/7.
