Countless championship and countless fights this year. It is hard to select “the right one” where to find them, and why it should be selected. We gathered some fights across organisations and championships – for joy and inspiration – some veterans some new blood coming up. Photo by the never resting: Okiem Sportowca
I.K.O.N Nakamura 6th All Japan Karate Championship (Kyokushin Grand Prix 2025) -75 kg. I.K.O.N has been more visible around the World, also in Europe. Many of you might remember different events in Poland. To promote some of these events, Japan has been sending their representative – Kaito Yoshioka. Having a very good fight with Oskar Gębala 2024 Polish Open. Final 6th All Japan: Hiroichi Sho VS Kaito Yoshioka.
The 47th British Open: 1/4 -70kg, Daniel Gimeno (Spain, aka) vs Hans Kristian Havreberg (Norway) Hans Kristian Havreberg is the leading athlete from Norway. Well known for performing high in both disciplines Kata as well as Kumite. In this fight, the fight was not decided on points, warnings or referee decisions…a complete Karateka must know every element.
JKJO 17th All Japan Open Rai Hayakawa / Sakurajyuku vs Yuhei Ashitaka / Rengokai. Ashitaka has been the top fighter for many years in Rengokai battling the top spot vs Sho Shigematsu. This year Ashitaka took the 54th All Japan Open title Shigematsu 2nd. Both became World champions in the 7th Kyokushin Union World Cup (different weight category) Yuhei Ashitaka JKJO champion in 2023 – Hayakawa in 2024, now in 2025 they meet in the final.
39th Hokushinetsu Kyokushin Karate Tournament 2025. Fuga Horioka (Japan) vs Hugo Cruz (Spain) This tournament have a great tradition, rooted all the way back in 1981. Mainly been competitors from Japan, but in recent years overseas fighters also joined in. Hugo Cruz has been busy in 2025, joined a lot of competitions and interesting to follow. Became KWF World Champion – 2nd place 2nd AUSTRIAN K.O.CUP, 2nd in the 7th Kyokushin Union World Cup. Competed in WFKO – out in the preliminaries, for so winning the 6th All Japan Open Nakamura (+75kg)
World Fullcontact Karate Organisation 1st World Championship High profiled World Championship in Japan, with qualification to enter. Men Heavy Weight Final Nariyoshi Tada / WKO vs Yuta Goto / MAC. Goto has been unlucky several times when it comes to the decisive moments. Photo from Karate-do MAC – visit for more
A very strong fighter and he certainly shows a lot of good Karate technique. Nariyoshi Tada, reigning All Japan champion, with his intense forward driving style. Strong pressure, and in-fight as his strongest card. A battle of the styles indeed.
7th IFK World Championships Characterized by large replacements from last time to this time, only a handful of top 8 in each category attended this year compared to 2023. It makes the championship a little more unpredictable, but highly interesting. For Salahat Hasanov who became the winner in -80kg, it was probably also an unpredictable year.
Failed the qualification in EFKO to WFKO in a dramatic exit due to warnings. So instead of WFKO world championship – plan B IFK World Championship! On the other side of the tatami: Bekzat Orynbassarov / Kazakhstan. This fighter was 3rd in Kyokushinkan Royama World Championship in 2023 and this year as well.
The 57th All Japan Open Karate Championship IKO. Kaito Nishimura / Japan vs Konstantin Kovalenko Russia. Little surprise for those who are following that these to meet in the final. They have taken turns winning in recent years. The did also meet in the final 7th World Weight Category Tournament this year.
World Tournament of Champions Limanowa 2025 – with handpicked fighters from across the world, to face fighters from Poland. Olaf Szempliński / Poland vs Genki Kamei / Japan. Most of you know Kamei trough many years of fighting at top level.
Lately he has been more exposed in Europa trough these tournaments. Two years ago SUPER FIGHT Genki Kamei vs Szymon Olpiński (who also fought in this version 2025) Olaf Szempliński Also very active, up and coming not afraid of facing the very best – is the WKB 8th European Champion -85kg.
IKO EC Open Weight Gino Cosentino (France) – Patryk Sypień (Poland, aka) The 22nd European Open Karate Championship Gino Cosentino won the open-weight EC in 2024, Patryk Sypien in 2023. This year they met in the semi-finals. Patryk Sypień must be considered the veteran and thus the favorite – measured in terms of results and merits. On the other hand, Cosentino is the reigning champion.
57th. All Japan Open WKO Shinkyokushin – Anjey Kinzersky vs Kazushi Watanabe. This is one of the most talked about moments in 2025 – since we had a historic result. Everyone knows how this went, and for Anjey Kinzersky it was a particularly strong Autumn in terms of results. We think that the result is important in a wider perspective as well.
7th IFK World Champ -80kg Nutlykhan Sadvokasov (Kazakhstan) vs Grzegorz Kędzierski (Poland, aka) We have to add another match from the 7th IFK World Championship. This is the first match of the day for Grzegorz Kędzierski, the second for Nutlykhan Sadvokasov. The match has a very good content, and not least, it is a tremendously strong effort. The fact that it is going so hard early on reminds us of how fierce this sport is.
4th. Kyokushinkan World Championship (Royama) Nikita Garas / Kazakhstan vs Ruslan Sukhov / Russia. After breaking with KWU, Kyokushinkan has established “its true self” again. The capacity and level are good, and there is no doubt that a worthy World Championship was held. One would have liked for a little more variety in the results – and one of those who did something about it was the very talented Nikita Garas.
IKO Nishio Sakuya / Japan vs Brice Konda / France – 38th EUROPEAN WEIGHT CATEGORY KARATE CHAMPIONSHIPS. First, it is not so normal (for us) to have Japanese people participating in a European Championship. Not unique, but a bit unusual. Once it is, this Japanese athlete ends up in the final, where he, Nishio Sakuya, takes on all the challenges that come his way.
Batumi Grand Prix 2025 – The men’s division was also stacked with top fighters from Europa and Kazakhstan. The winner with five fights / wins trough the day gives a respectable achievement to pull off. Anjey Kinzerskiy / Kazakhstan vs Davit Mskhaladze / Georgia in the final – a dream match up. The podium, with Patrik Lajtos / Hungary and Rustam Avzalov / Kazakhstan 3rd – tells us about the quality.
2nd. AUSTRIAN K.O.CUP 2025 IFK – with two young fighters in the middleweight final. Kolláth Zétény / Hungary vs Filiph Larsson / Sweden. These two have despite their young age already good experience, and record to back it up. Zétény – 2nd in the WKB 8th European Championship. Larsson: World Champion 7th IFK U-21 -80kg.
Kokoro Cup 18 was held in December. Highly professional tournament with a great mix of fighters from around the world. All fighters known from before.12 fighters from nations in an Open-Weight tournament. Photo by the never resting: Okiem Sportowca
Who could see that a lightweight fighter would go all the way? Mateusz Dyniewicz / Poland did win as you probably know. We would show you his first fight of the day vs Laurynas Vaičikauskas /Lithuania