September 12 (Sat) 'K-1 WORLD MAX 2026' Fight Card Announced! Full 5-Match Lineup Confirmed Including 4 Major Title Fights and Heavyweight Showdown, with Momona Kimura Joining

The press conference for the fight card of 'K-1 WORLD MAX 2026,' to be held on Saturday, September 12, at Yoyogi National Gymnasium No. 2 in Tokyo, took place on Wednesday, July 8, at a venue in Tokyo. K-1 producer Genki Sudo announced a total of five fights, including four major title matches and a highly anticipated heavyweight bout. Champions and challengers took the stage one after another, resulting in a high-energy press conference filled with provocations, declarations of war, and even some 'memorable quotes.'

Fighter lineup: https://www.k-1.co.jp/k-1wgp/schedule/16669

Champion Ryota Ishida faces Rui Okubo for the first time! 'Not chills, but excitement' (Ishida), 'Win on my birthday for the best day ever' (Okubo)

Champion Ishida (left) and Okubo face off

[Presented by SHOKUN HAYATO Co., Ltd.] K-1 WORLD GP Featherweight Title Match / 3 min x 3 Rds, Ext. 1 Rd: Champion Ryota Ishida (Japan / POWER OF DREAM) will defend his title for the first time against challenger Rui Okubo (Japan / K-1 Gym Wolf TEAM ASTER).

Ishida won the 9th Krush Featherweight Championship in June 2024 by winning the tournament. In May 2025, he defeated Kosei Sekiguchi by 1R KO in the 7th K-1 WORLD GP Featherweight Championship tournament to become the new champion. He has since vacated his Krush title and declared full focus on K-1.

Okubo defeated Shoji Kukamura by decision in the semifinals of the 2024 K-1 -55kg World Tournament, then lost to Akira Kaneko in the final, finishing as runner-up. His February 2025 bout against Kaneko was a non-title fight due to weight overage, ending without a result. In April, he moved up to featherweight and defeated Takashi Niimi.

The event coincides with Okubo’s 22nd birthday. Ishida showed confidence, saying, 'I want to win and give him a birthday cake,' while Okubo declared, 'I want to win on my birthday and make it the best day ever.'

The two had previously clashed on social media over whether they would fight, even before the matchup was official. This was brought up during the press conference. It was reportedly Okubo’s post that sparked the tension, but he playfully defused it, saying, 'It’s like romantic teasing,' drawing laughter. Ishida added with a wry smile, 'You took the long way around (laughs).' When Ishida remarked, 'I prefer someone a bit more straightforward,' the room burst into laughter.

When asked about his feelings toward the fight, Ishida said, 'I don’t get chills, but I’m excited.' While he believes he is the strongest in the featherweight division, he admits he hasn’t proven it yet. He reiterated his intention to prove his strength by facing the top four fighters he has publicly named as 'must-beat opponents.'

[K-1 WORLD GP Featherweight Title Match / 3 min x 3 Rds, Ext. 1 Rd]

Ryota Ishida (Champion / Japan / POWER OF DREAM)

7th K-1 WORLD GP Featherweight Champion

9th Krush Featherweight Champion

Born Nov 25, 2002 / Osaka Sayama City, Osaka Prefecture / 23 years old / 173cm / Southpaw / 15 fights, 14 wins (7 KOs), 1 loss

<Main Titles>

K-1 Koshien 2019 -60kg Champion

K-1 Koshien 2019 West Japan Qualifier -60kg Winner

X: @ishida_ryota_35

Instagram: @ryota_3535

Rui Okubo (Challenger / Japan / K-1 Gym Wolf TEAM ASTER)

Born Sep 12, 2004 / Utsunomiya City, Tochigi Prefecture / 21 years old / 177cm / Orthodox / 17 fights, 14 wins (3 KOs), 2 losses, 1 no contest

<Main Titles>

Inaugural Krush Flyweight Champion

K-1 WORLD MAX 2024 World Strongest Tournament Runner-up

K-1 Koshien 2021 -55kg Champion

11th K-1 Amateur All-Japan Challenge A Class -55kg Winner

37th K-1 Amateur Challenge A Class -55kg Winner

X: @rui912912

Instagram: @rui_912

'Soul Natto' Kiyomitsu Samuel Nagasawa taunts champion Yuzuki Satomi: 'Is this guy scared?'

Champion Satomi (left) and challenger Nagasawa

[Presented by Mirai HR Co., Ltd.] K-1 WORLD GP Lightweight Title Match / 3 min x 3 Rds, Ext. 1 Rd: Champion Yuzuki Satomi (Japan / team NOVA) will defend his title for the first time against challenger Kiyomitsu Samuel Nagasawa (Japan & Bolivia / B Make). This is a rematch, with Satomi having won by KO in their previous encounter.

Satomi won the 8th Krush Lightweight title in June 2023 by defeating Fumiya Osawa. After knocking out Nagasawa in August 2024, he defeated Yukiyo Asahiro in February 2025 to become the 7th K-1 WORLD GP Lightweight Champion. He is currently on a six-fight winning streak.

Nagasawa rose to No.1 in the lightweight division in Shin Nippon Kick, won the Japan Kick lightweight title, and captured the WBC Muay Thai Japan Unified Lightweight title. In July 2022, he became WMO International Lightweight Champion, achieving a triple crown in kickboxing. In September 2025, he won by extended decision over Kota Ueno, KO’d Yuuma Saikyo in February 2026, and defeated Ryuuya Ooiwa in May.

Satomi revealed he personally requested producer Sudo to hold another press conference, saying, 'I want to win with even greater impact than last time,' showing his champion’s pride. He had hoped for a 'world-class strong opponent,' and with Nagasawa on a three-fight winning streak, he became the top candidate.

Nagasawa, on the other hand, is fueled by the desire for revenge after being knocked out two years ago. He provocatively responded to Satomi’s comments: 'Is this guy scared?' Nagasawa described his theme as 'One Grain, One Strike,' declaring, 'I want to knock him out with one punch, so I’ll put my entire soul into that single strike.'

[K-1 WORLD GP Lightweight Title Match / 3 min x 3 Rds, Ext. 1 Rd]

Yuzuki Satomi (Champion / Japan / team NOVA)

Born Dec 3, 1997 / Miura City, Kanagawa Prefecture / 28 years old / 172cm / Southpaw / 39 fights, 25 wins (10 KOs), 12 losses, 1 draw, 1 no contest

<Main Titles>

7th K-1 WORLD GP Lightweight Champion

8th Krush Lightweight Champion

X: @YuzukiBoxing

Instagram: @k1yuzuki

Kiyomitsu Samuel Nagasawa (Challenger / Japan & Bolivia / B Make)

Born Nov 10, 1989 / Yoshimi Town, Hiki District, Saitama Prefecture / 36 years old / 170cm / Orthodox / 50 fights, 32 wins (13 KOs), 14 losses, 4 draws

<Main Titles>

WMO International Lightweight Champion

WBC Muay Thai Japan Lightweight Champion

2nd Japan Kickboxing Association Lightweight Champion

X: @sam12kick

Instagram: @kiyomitsu12

Champion Akira Kaneko’s 5th title defense themed on 'Brain Juice'! Challenger Rimei Bu: 'This time, I’m confident'

Champion Kaneko faces Rimei Bu in his 5th title defense

[Presented by Land Housing Co., Ltd.] K-1 WORLD GP Super Bantamweight Title Match / 3 min x 3 Rds, Ext. 1 Rd: Champion Akira Kaneko (Japan / K-1 Gym Jiyugaoka / FROG GYM