Last-Minute Changes for K-1 World GP Final

[broncofan]

K-1 promoter Fight Entertainment Group has made a couple of last-minute changes to the World Grand Prix Final, scheduled for Saturday at the Yokohama Arena in Japan.

Injuries have forced Ray Sefo, Chalid Arrab and Souleimane Konate out of their reserve and super fights respectively.

Sefo was set to face Paul Slowinski in the tournament's first reserve bout. However, the 36-year-old fan-favorite, who was a World Grand Prix finalist in 2000, aggravated a wrist injury and will be unable to participate.

The second reserve fight between "Mighty Mo" Siala Siliga and Chalid Arrab also lost one of its participants when "Die Faust" was diagnosed with appendicitis. As a result, Slowinski and Siliga will now face each other in a Polish-Samoan encounter.

Also off the card is Frenchman Souleimane Konate, who was injured in training. David Dancrade, a teammate of Konate and a two-time muay Thai champion in France, will step in against two-time K-1 World GP finalist Musashi in the night's lone super fight.

While FEG was lucky that the injury bug didn't bite one of the main draw fighters, the reserve match participants are just as important historically. Last year, three-time champion Peter Aerts started as a reserve. After Remy Bonjasky was unable to continue following his quarterfinal clash with Stefan Leko, the wily veteran took his place and made it to the final.

A similar case took place in 2005, when Brazilian Kyokushin fighter Glaube Feitosa also made it to the final after not being among the original eight competitors.

All undercard changes aside, two-time defending champion Semmy Schilt remains a heavy favorite with the bookmakers at a value of 2-1, followed by his predecessor as champion, Bonjasky, at 5-1 and the duo of Choi and Hari at 6-1. Glaube Feitosa and Junichi Sawayashiki are the biggest outsiders at 26-1 each.

http://www.sherdog.com

That sucks that Sefo is not fighting!