King of Kings Tournament 1999 - AbsoluteAstronomy.com

The King of Kings Tournament 1999 was a series of three separate mixed martial arts

Mixed martial arts

Mixed Martial Arts is a full contact combat sport that allows the use of both striking and grappling techniques, both standing and on the ground, including boxing, wrestling, Brazilian jiu-jitsu, muay Thai, kickboxing, karate, judo and other styles. The roots of modern mixed martial arts can be...

events held by the Fighting Network Rings

Fighting Network RINGS

Fighting Network Rings, trademarked as RINGS, is a Japanese combat sport promotion that has lived three distinct periods; puroresu promotion from its inauguration to 1995, mixed martial arts promotion from 1995 to its 2002 disestablishment, and the revived mixed martial arts promotion from 2008 to...

(RINGS). The tournament took place in both Tokyo

Tokyo

, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...

and Osaka

Osaka

is a city in the Kansai region of Japan's main island of Honshu, a designated city under the Local Autonomy Law, the capital city of Osaka Prefecture and also the biggest part of Keihanshin area, which is represented by three major cities of Japan, Kyoto, Osaka and Kobe...

between October 28, 1999 and February 26, 2000. The tournament was the first of two King of Kings tournaments. The tournament matched up 32 of the best fighters from nine different countries.

The tournament had two qualifying events.

King of Kings 1999 Block A
King of Kings 1999 Block B

And one final event to determine the winner of the tournament.

King of Kings 1999 Final

King of Kings 1999 Block A

The first event of the tournament took place on October 28, 1999 at the Yoyogi National Stadium in Tokyo, Japan.

Results

Round of 32 (16 Fighters)

Lee Hasdell

Lee Hasdell is a former British mixed martial artist, kickboxer and promoter. He promoted the first professional mixed martial arts events in the United Kingdom. Lee Hasdell began his professional career as a Kickboxer in 1989, eventually winning three British Kickboxing titles...

vs.

Achmed Labasanov

Achmed Labasanov is a Russian former mixed martial artist who competed in the heavyweight division and has fought the majority of his fights for RINGS and IAFC...

Hasdell defeated Labasanov via TKO (Kick) at 3:33 in round 2.

Renato Sobral

Renato da Cunha Sobral , also known as "Babalu", is a Brazilian mixed martial artist, and former Strikeforce Light Heavyweight Champion. He is regarded as one of the best light heavyweights of the night, and noted for his aggressive style, grappling prowess, and high-caliber submissions. Sobral...

vs.

Zaza Tkeshelashvili

Zaza "Grom" Tkeshelashvili is a Georgian retired Freestyle wrestling Olympic competitor for Georgia in 1996 Olympic Games Atlanta and mixed martial artist. He formerly competed in the Heavyweight division, most of which he fought with Fighting Network RINGS where he was known as Zaza Grom...

Sobral defeated Tkeshelashvili via Submission (Kimura) at 1:11 in round 2.

Yuriy Kochkine vs.

Alistair Overeem

Alistair Cees Overeem is a British born Dutch mixed martial artist and kickboxer, signed to the Ultimate Fighting Championship. He is the former Strikeforce Heavyweight Champion, Dream Interim Heavyweight Champion, K-1 World Grand Prix Champion, and made history by being the only fighter in combat...

Kochkine defeated Overeem via majority decision.

Antônio Rodrigo Nogueira

Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira

Antônio Rodrigo Nogueira is a Brazilian mixed martial artist known for his technical mastery of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. He competes in the heavyweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship, where he is a former UFCInterim Heavyweight Champion...

vs.

Valentijn Overeem

Valentijn Overeem is a Dutch mixed martial artist who competes as a heavyweight. He has previously competed for the PRIDE Fighting Championships, RINGS and Strikeforce...

Nogueira defeated Overeem via Technical Submission (Keylock) at 1:51 in round 1.

Hiromitsu Kanehara

is a Japanese mixed martial artist who competes in the light heavyweight division.Although starting as a professional wrestler in 1991, Kanehara did not have much success as such, and eventually abandoned professional wrestling when his then-home circuit, Fighting Network RINGS, abandoned the...

vs.

Jeremy Horn

Jeremy Graham Horn is an American mixed martial artist. He is one of the most experienced fighters in the sport with a professional record of 88–21–5...

Kanehara defeated Horn via majority decision.

Dan Henderson

Daniel Jeffery Henderson, is an American mixed martial artist and former Olympic wrestler, who competes as a middleweight and light heavyweight in the Ultimate Fighting Championship. He is the former Strikeforce Light Heavyweight Champion and was the last Welterweight and Middleweight champion...

vs.

Bakouri Gogitidze

Henderson defeated Gogitidze via Submission (Knee to the Ribs) at 2:17 in round 1.

Mikhail Illoukhine

Mikhail Illoukhine is a Russian former mixed martial artist who competed in the light heavyweight division. Mikhail Illoukhine holds notable wins over Igor Vovchanchyn, Tsuyoshi Kohsaka, Volk Han, Masayuki Naruse and Randy Couture...

vs.

Justin McCully

Justin McCully is an American mixed martial artist who most recently fought in the UFC heavyweight division.He has a professional fight record of ten wins, five losses, and two draws...

Illoukhine defeated McCully via Technical Submission (Achilles Lock) at 4:48 in round 1.

Brad Kohler

Brad Kohler is an American mixed martal artist who competes in the Heavyweight division.-Career:Kohler's most notable fight occurred at UFC 22 against Steve Judson, where he scored one of the more infamous knockouts in MMA history. 30 seconds into Round 1, Kohler feigned a takedown attempt, only...

vs.

Yoshihisa Yamamoto

Yoshihisa Yamamoto is a Japanese mixed martial artist and professional wrestler. He has competed for Rings, WEF, PRIDE Fighting Championships, and HERO'S. He has fought notable opponents such as Mirko Filipović, Rickson Gracie, Guy Mezger, Bob Sapp and Semmy Schilt...

Kohler defeated Yamamoto via Submission (Smother) at 1:57 in round 1.

Round of 16 (8 Fighters)

Renato Sobral

vs.

Lee Hasdell

Sobral defeated Hasdell via unanimous decision.

Antônio Rodrigo Nogueira

Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira

vs.

Yuriy Kochkine

Nogueira defeated Kochkine via Technical Submission (Armbar) at 0:40 in round 1.

Dan Henderson

vs.

Hiromitsu Kanehara

Henderson defeated Kanehara via majority decision.

Mikhail Illoukhine

vs.

Brad Kohler

Illoukhine defeated Kohler via Submission (Armbar) at 2:16 in round 1.

King of Kings 1999 Block B

The second event of the tournament took place on December 22, 1999 at the Osaka Prefectural Gymnasium in Osaka, Japan.

Results

Round of 32 (16 Fighters)

Andrei Kopylov vs.

Leonardo Castello Branco

Kopylov defeated Branco via Submission (Kneebar) at 0:16 in round 1.

Ricardo Fyeet

Ricardo Fyeet is a Dutch Kick boxer and former mixed martial arts fighter. He debuted for RINGS Holland in 1998, defeating Andrew Keja by knockout...

vs.

Tyrone Roberts

Tyrone "Native Warrior" Roberts born in USA is a mixed martial arts fighter. He competes in the Middleweight division. He won his last fight at RCF 10 - Revolution Cage Fighting 10 against Bryan Robinson on December 8, 2007.-Mixed martial arts record:...

Fyeet defeated Roberts via KO (Kick) at 0:09 in round 2.

Maurice Smith vs.

Branden Lee Hinkle

Branden Lee Hinkle is an American mixed martial artist. Hinkle has fought in UFC Ultimate Fight Night 5, UFC 57, and has a notable win over the famed Sean Gannon at UFC 55.- Titles :Hinkle has held the following titles:* NCAA DIV II national wrestling champ...

Smith defeated Hinkle via majority decision.

Renzo Gracie

Renzo Gracie is a Gracie Barra Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt under Carlos Gracie Jr. and a former mixed martial arts competitor in the Ultimate Fighting Championship . He is member of the Gracie family of Brazil. He is the son of Robson Gracie, grandson of Carlos Gracie, nephew of Carlos...

vs.

Wataru Sakata

is a Japanese professional wrestler and mixed martial artist. He has a professional MMA record of 11-13-0 as of December 31, 2003.He started his career in Akira Maeda's Fighting Network RINGS in 1994 after being trained by Animal Hamaguchi. He made the transition to mixed martial arts in the late...

Gracie defeated Sakata via Submission (Armbar) at 1:25 in round 1.

Gilbert Yvel

Gilbert Ramon Yvel is a Dutch heavyweight mixed martial artist associated with the Vos Gym training camp in the Netherlands. He has competed in the Pride Fighting Championships, Affliction Entertainment and Ultimate Fighting Championship promotions...

vs.

Tariel Bitsadze

Yvel defeated Bitsadze via Submission (Armbar) at 2:18 in round 1.

Tsuyoshi Kosaka

is a Japanese retired mixed martial artist. He has competed in notable mixed martial arts promotions like the Ultimate Fighting Championship, RINGS, and Pancrase. He holds notable wins over Kimo Leopoldo, Mario Sperry, Volk Han, Gilbert Yvel and Egan Inoue. He is one of only four fighters to defeat...

vs.

Chris Haseman

Chris Haseman is a former Australian mixed martial artist. He is currently competing in the Light Heavyweight division.He lost his fight at Spartan Reality Fight 9 against Bill Mahood in 2004, retiring afterwards...

Kosaka defeated Haseman at split decision.

Borislav Jeliazkov vs.

Tim Lajcik

Tim "The Bohemian" Lajcik is a retired American mixed martial artist who competed in the Heavyweight division. He lost his last fight at WFA 2 - Level 2 against Kimo Leopoldo on July 5, 2002.-Mixed martial arts record:|Loss...

Jeliazkov defeated Lajcik via Submission (Rear Naked Choke) at 2:23 in round 1.

Kiyoshi Tamura

is a Japanese middleweight professional wrestler and mixed martial artist.Once a student of legendary Pro Wrestler Akira Maeda, Tamura is known for his skill in catch wrestling as well as his ability to deliver exciting and realistic professional wrestling bouts....

vs.

Dave Menne

David Jeremy Menne is an American mixed martial artist who has fought in the Ultimate Fighting Championship and Rumble on the Rock. He was the first ever UFC Middleweight Champion and is known for his fight against Phil Baroni in which he got knocked out and tried to fall to the ground, only to...

Tamura defeated Menne via unanimous decision.

Round of 16 (8 Fighters)

Andrei Kopylov vs.

Ricardo Fyeet

Ricardo Fyeet is a Dutch Kick boxer and former mixed martial arts fighter. He debuted for RINGS Holland in 1998, defeating Andrew Keja by knockout...

Kopylov defeated Fyeet via Submission (Achilles Lock) at 0:08 in round 1.

Renzo Gracie

vs.

Maurice Smith

Gracie defeated Smith via Submission (Armlock)at 0:50 in round 1.

Gilbert Yvel

vs.

Tsuyoshi Kosaka

Yvel defeated Kosaka via TKO (Cut) at 1:17 in round 1.

Kiyoshi Tamura

vs.

Borislav Jeliazkov

Tamura defeated Jeliazkov Submission (Rear Naked Choke) at 1:17 in round 1.

King of Kings 1999 Final

The third and final event of the tournament took place on February 26, 2000 at the Nippon Budokan

Nippon Budokan

The , often shortened to simply Budokan, is an indoor arena in central Tokyo, Japan.This is the location where many "Live at the Budokan" albums were recorded...

in Tokyo, Japan.

Results

Quarterfinals (8 Fighters)

Renato Sobral

vs.

Mikhail Illoukhine

Sobral defeated Illoukhine via Submission (Armbar) at 0:40 in round 3.

Dan Henderson

vs.

Gilbert Yvel

Henderson defeated Yvel via unanimous decision.

Antônio Rodrigo Nogueira

Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira

vs.

Andrei Kopylov

Nogueira defeated Kopylov via majority decision.

Kiyoshi Tamura

vs.

Renzo Gracie

Tamura defeated Gracie via unanimous decision.

Alternate bout

Bobby Hoffman

Bobby "The Truth" Hoffman is a retired American mixed martial artist who competed in the Heavyweight division. He won his last fight at Mainstream MMA - Inferno against Chuck Grigsby on August 12, 2006...

vs.

Zaza Tkeshelashvili

Hoffman defeated Tkeshelashvili via KO (Punch) at 0:34 in round 1.

Semifinals (4 Fighters)

Dan Henderson

vs.

Antônio Rodrigo Nogueira

Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira

Henderson defeated Nogueira via split decision.

Renato Sobral

vs.

Kiyoshi Tamura

Sobral defeated Tamura via majority decision.

Alternate bout