TAIPEI, July 13, 2008 -- Russian kickboxer Ruslan Karaev, 25, captured the K-1 Asia GP 2008 Championship; while Remy Bonjasky KO'd Volk Atajev and Zabit Samedov upset Ray Sefo by split decision at tonight's K-1 World Grand Prix 2008 in Taipei.

In the evening's Main Event, two-time K-1 World GP Champion Remy Bonjasky of Holland stepped in against Russian power-puncher Volk Atajev.

Bonjasky confessed before the match the he was largely unfamiliar with his opponent. "I've only seen 30 seconds of one of his fights on You Tube, and it's difficult to fight a guy you don't know," said the "Flying Gentleman." Atajev reckoned he could exploit this: "If Remy doesn't know me, but I know him and his techniques -- the flying knees and so on -- maybe that gives me an edge?" Maybe, and maybe not.

With his guard high and close, Atajev threw the low kicks to begin. The Russian landed a weak spinning back kick to Bonjasky's midsection, but seconds later launched a similar attack with greater gusto, this time grazing Bonjasky's head. Bonjasky launched high kicks, but the Russian blocked these and responded capably with body blows.

In the second Bonjasky tossed in some body blows of his own, then low kicks, and began to test with the knee. The fighters stood toe to toe, Atajev repeatedly going to the body, Bonjasky hoisting the knee then falling back to throw the low kicks.

Bonjasky continued constructing combinations with low kicks to start the third. Picking up the pace, he began slapping low kicks in from both sides and dashing forward with the fists, chasing his opponent across the ring. With Atajev in full retreat, Bonjasky fired up a left high kick and followed with a right flying knee that made full contact, sending Atajev down hard. A KO win capping a perfect performance by Bonjasky -- the technical start developing to third round crescendo and spectacular finish.

The Taiwanese fans showed Bonjasky a lot of love as he left the ring, and the fighter returned the feeling in his post-fight interview: "I love Taiwan, it is a great place and the people are very nice. I'm happy I won, it doesn't always work out that way, but luckily I was able to set up my flying knee!"

In another Superfight it was affable K-1 veteran Ray Sefo New Zealand and Zabit Samedov, a gritty Belorussian kickboxer. Sefo came to the ring riding the longest losing streak of his K-1 career -- four bouts dating back to March 2007. Samedov, meanwhile, had won six of his last eight. A longtime fan of Sefo, Samedov wasn't going to let admiration interfere with his goal: "I like Ray, but I also want to knock him out!"

Samedov started with the kicks, while Sefo closed with the jab then tucked in a couple of body blows. Too much clinching through the first round, although Samedov and Sefo both landed high kicks -- Sefo doing a better job of blocking when the foot came to his head. Sefo closed again in the second, getting a right uppercut in before Samedov was cautioned for clinching. Samedov took a page from Sefo's book midway through, dropping his guard and monkeying, then tagged Sefo when he did the same. A nice move by Samedov later in the round, ducking forward to throw the left than following with an overhand right that caught Sefo. Spirited action and good sportsmanship here -- the crowd loving it.

In the third both fighters let the fists fly -- Sefo good with the hooks, Samedov making contact with an acrobatic right straight and a high kick. More clinching followed, for which Samedov was shown the yellow card and docked one point. Samedov in with a right uppercut late in the round, Sefo chasing him down with a right at the bell.

One judge liked Sefo and two saw a draw, and so this one went to an extra round. An early exchange of low kicks to start, Samedov scoring with a left hook. Sefo's tight combinations were working, and he landed a right uppercut and more low kicks at the midway point. Samedov just missed with a high kick then planted a spinning back kick at the bell. The judges still couldn't make a call, the fighters now even on all cards, and so a second and final tiebreaker round was prescribed.

Samedov with an early right hook and Sefo with an uppercut, the blocking sound but the power diminishing as both men fought past their usual distance. Samedov landed another left and threw the quick low kicks to effect, while a fatigued Sefo struggled to match.

A split decision, the win going to Samedov by the narrowest of margins.

Sefo was less than pleased with the result: "I feel upset, and I feel ripped off. What more can I say? I feel like I won the first three rounds, and then he got the yellow card. And when we went into extension rounds he just ran and clinched when I got close. What is that about? But most of all I want to apologize to the fans."

Not surprisingly, Samedov had a different perspective: "He didn’t hurt me and I was able to get away from most of his attacks, I feel just fine about the decision."

The third Superfight featured 23 year-old Japanese kickboxer Junichi Sawayashiki, who scored a shocking upset over K-1 veteran Jerome LeBanner last year; and Romania's rising star -- the meat-and-potatoes Catalin Morosanu, a 26 year-old former rugby player.

Due to delays in transit, Morosanu had arrived in Taipei just 24 hours before fight time. Nevertheless he dominated here, marching in from the opening bell with punching attacks while adeptly interjecting hard low kicks to control the distance. Sawayashiki attempted to get through on counters, and landed a knee -- but otherwise the Japanese fighter was simply outmuscled. Morosanu scored three downs in quick succession -- a left hook, a middle kick, and the decisive left hook to the temple to end it at just 2:04.

A superb power performance from a fellow who should have been hopelessly jet-lagged.

A spot at this year's K-1 World GP Final 16 Tournament was up for grabs in the K-1 Asia GP 2008. This was a classic K-1 elimination tournament -- eight fighters meeting in quarterfinal bouts, the winners advancing to a pair of semifinals, the victors there going head-to-head in the final. Thus, the man who would be this year's Asia GP Champion had to prevail in three bouts.

The first of the quarterfinals saw the always-dangerous Ruslan Karaev, whose technique, power and speed won him the World GP 2005 in Las Vegas; stepping in against the always-tough Japanese karate fighter Tatsufumi Tomihira, who brings a big heart and a never-say-die