YOKOHAMA, December 6, 2008 -- Remy Bonjasky won the K-1 World Grand Prix 2008 Final tonight, scoring KOs against two fighters, then taking the Championship Belt when his final opponent, Badr Hari, was disqualified for unsportsmanlike conduct. It was the third K-1 World GP title for the 32 year-old Dutch muay thai fighter, who also took the honors in 2003 and 2004.

The K-1 World GP Final is the culmination of 12 months of international qualifying and elimination tournaments. It sets the year's top eight fighters clashing in quarterfinal bouts, winners there advance to the semis, from which the top two warriors emerge for the final showdown, the victor earning the K-1 World GP Championship.

Held before a sellout crowd at the Yokohama Arena, this year's WGP Final comprised both proven veterans and newcomers with something to prove. The prize was the planet's most prestigious fightsport title and a purse of US$400,000. All bouts were fought under K-1 Rules, with three rounds of three minutes each and a possible tiebreaker.

In the first quarterfinal it was Dutch kickboxer Peter Aerts and Moroccan muay thai fighter Badr Hari.

Aerts, 38, has participated in every K-1 World Grand Prix Final in a career spanning the sport's 16 year history. The "Dutch Lumberjack" has taken the crown three times, and earned his spot here by eliminating 2007 WGP Champion Semmy Schilt in September.

Aerts was the runaway tournament favorite in fan polling on the K-1 Japanese Website, but that did not faze the 23-year-old Hari, as the two-time and defending K-1 Heavyweight Champ brazenly predicted he would KO the legend. And so he did.

Hari dominated in the first, powering past Aerts' guard to score a down with a right hook. Hari had it happening in the first, repeatedly scoring with the fists while showing excellent evasions. Aerts kept closing, but despite landing some late low kicks never really threatened.

Hari's speed and creativity proved the difference in the second, as he deftly followed a flying front kick with a right hook to score another down. Aerts beat the count but was badly rattled, and Hari was now in control. The Moroccan put his opponent on the ropes and laid in with fists to the head and body. Aerts got clear but was stumbling badly, and the referee prudently stepped in to call it for Hari at 1:39.

At 22 years of age, Surinamese-Dutch kickboxer Errol "Bone Crusher" Zimmerman is a rising K-1 star. After making his entrance in a skeleton suit, the hard-hitting Zimmerman stepped in against Brazilian kyokushin karate master Ewerton Teixeira. Coming into the contest, both these fighters had fought five K-1 bouts, and neither had yet to lose.

Zimmerman landed a nice right early, but Teixeira was better on counters through the first, pointing with low kicks and picking his spots well on counters to take the round on all judges' cards

K-1's new open scoring system allows both the crowd and the fighters to see the scorecards after each round. Aware he was trailing, Zimmerman came out swinging in the second. But Teixeira continued to read his opponent well and make good with counters. The boys exchanged a couple of good hard middle kicks here, Zimmerman relaxing his guard to close with uppers; Teixeira scoring with a late left straight punch to maintain his one-point lead heading into the third.

Faced with Teixeira's high close guard, Zimmerman started with roundhouses. Both fighters were tiring by midway through the round, as Teixeira corralled Zimmerman into the corner only the fire fists into his guard. With time running out Zimmerman got a break, landing a right straight then a right upper to down the Brazilian. Zimmerman finished the round in control, with enough points to squeak out a majority decision and earn a date with Hari in the semifinals.

Russian dynamo Ruslan Karaev and intrepid Turk Gokhan Saki are a couple of kickboxers at the vanguard of K-1's new generation. These guys don't pull any punches, and their bout showcased that spirit.

Saki was the aggressor from the opening bell, snapping in kicks while ducking under Karaev's hooks, while smartly closing up to block when the Russian closed. Saki's speed -- particularly with the left on counters -- earned him an edge after the first round. In the second Karaev closed with punches but Saki blocked the blows and did better on counters, the exchanges leaving Karaev fatigued, while Saki's uppercuts and high kicks maintained his advantage.

Saki had a narrow lead going into the third, and started strongly -- surprising Karaev with a spinning back punch to earn a down. Karaev's increasingly desperate attempts to catch up left him vulnerable to counters, and Saki exploited this -- getting lots of good stuff through to finish with a comfortable unanimous decision.

In his first fight of the night, Remy Bonjasky faced French veteran Jerome LeBanner -- widely regarded as the best K-1 fighter never to have won the WGP. Both men had put tough times behind them to enter the tournament as more than a few experts' picks to win.

The pair are a study in contrasts -- Bonjasky cool as a cat, possessed of lightning quick and lethal leaping leg attacks; LeBanner a meat-and-potatoes slugger with fire in his eyes. LeBanner planted himself in the center of the ring and Bonjasky circled -- guard up and chin down -- firing in kicks and scoring with a flying knee that split the Frenchman's guard. LeBanner was not keen to close, and although both fighters remained cautious, Bonjasky's combinations helped him emerge from the round up one point on one card.

Action slowed in the second, Bonjasky connecting with a few low kicks and LeBanner pumping punches to the body, but neither fighter doing any damage. The third started promisingly, Bonjasky approaching with kicks, LeBanner answering in kind and bringing the fists in when the distance closed. During an exchange in the corner a Bonjasky middle kick caught LeBanner on the left forearm, and the Frenchman turned away with a grimace of pain. The referee issued a standing count, then asked the ringside doctor to have a look.

Unfortunately for LeBanner, the strike had aggravated a previous injury and he could not continue. Under K-1 rules the win and a spot in the semifinals were awarded to Bonjasky.

The first of the semis featured Badr Hari and Errol Zimmerman. Hari's positioning and timing were exemplary through the first, as he twice sent Zimmerman stumbling with middle kicks and