FUKUOKA, June 29, 2008 -- Twenty-six-year-old kyokushin fighter Ewerton Teixeira of Brazil won the K-1 Japan Grand Prix 2008; while Semmy Schilt and Badr Hari defended their Championship Belts tonight at the K-1 World Grand Prix 2008 in Fukuoka.

Held on the Japanese southern island of Kyushu, the event comprised the eight-man Japan GP 08 elimination tournament; a Superfight between veteran superstar Peter Aerts and Jan "The Giant" Nortje; and a couple of highly-anticipated title matches -- Schilt versus Jerome LeBanner for the Super Heavyweight Belt; and Hari versus Glaube Feitosa for the K-1 Heavyweight Belt.

The Super Heavyweight title match featured Defending K-1 World GP and Super Heavyweight Champion Semmy Schilt. The 6'11"/211cm - 128kg/282lbs Dutch seidokaikan karate fighter stepped in against one of K-1's most respected veterans, Jerome LeBanner of France.

Fighting from a southpaw stance, LeBanner answered Schilt's early low kicks in kind, but Schilt soon tagged him with a right straight punch. With his 22cm/9" height advantage and long reach, Schilt made it look easy -- leaning forward to casually throw the right, closing and pulling his opponent's head downward to deliver the knee. A spunky LeBanner kept his guard relaxed, putting aggressiveness ahead of defense, ever flirting with danger. The Frenchman closed repeatedly, landing a left to come out of the first round ahead on one judge's card. In the second, Schilt went with low kicks and approached with the fists, scoring with both the right and left. LeBanner meanwhile struggled to get through, often leading with the left, but not finding his distance against the Tower of Power.

Schilt put in punches and the knee and spun around a back kick that just missed to start the third. LeBanner continued to press, leading again with the left, getting the crowd into it when he put a punch up on Schilt's collarbone. LeBanner's pesky low kicks were part of his in-and-out strategy here, but these did not appear to bother the Dutch behemoth, who gave back more than he got during the exchanges. As the clock timed out, Schilt simply stayed back and waited, hoisting the big knee when his opponent got close.

Schilt by majority decision. With the victory, Schilt both defended his belt and set a new K-1 record -- his 14 consecutive victories bettering the string of 13 wins Peter Aerts put together in '93-'96.

"I want to thank all my fans," said Schilt from center ring, "and send a special thanks to my fans in Holland, because I know they're all watching. I also want to thank my wife and my son, because they give me great inspiration!"

"I've defended my belt three times now," said Schilt in his post-fight interview, "and I think people expect me to always win by KO. But that's difficult, I just concentrate to win the fight, that's my goal. I've heard that Badr Hari wants to fight me, if that's set up then I'm happy to meet him, but he should know that I won't give away my belt so easily!"

The K-1 Heavyweight title match presented a study in contrasts. Defending Champion Badr Hari of Morocco is an explosive fighter whose long reach, aggressive style and singular bravado have made him a fan favorite. His opponent was one of the most technical K-1 fighters, soft-spoken kyokushin stylist Glaube Feitosa of Brazil.

Hari surprised Feitosa early with a couple of quick left straight punches, and continued to strike to effect, pounding in a punishing right to the midsection. Feitosa tested with the low kicks, but Hari stayed back to avoid these before approaching aggressively with the fists, a right high kick, a knee and then more fists to prompt a standing count. Feitosa was rattled, and after resumption Hari coolly laid in once again with punches, landing a terrific hook to finish the Brazilian. Nothing short of spectacular, this performance by the 23 year-old Moroccan, who immediately went to Feitosa's corner and bowed in respect.

"Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls," said an elated Hari from center ring, "I want to thank my trainer, my sparring partner, my girlfriend and I want to thank all you fans who supported me. I'll keep doing my best, showing you great knockouts. This is the new generation of K-1, and there's more to come!"

"I said I would win by KO, and I did, so I'm very happy with that," said Hari in post-fight interview. "I think I've shown I'm the number one K-1 Heavyweight, and now my goal is to also win the Super Heavyweight belt. I'm ready, and I believe I can KO Semmy Schilt!"

In the evening's Superfight, it was a couple of veterans -- Peter Aerts and Jan "The Giant" Nortje.

They call Aerts "The Lumberjack," but now he also carries the honorific "Mr. K-1." Incredibly, the 38-year-old Dutch kickboxer has competed in every K-1 WGP Final since the sport's inception in 1993, winning it all three times. Victories last autumn over Ray Sefo and Remy Bonjasky suggest that Aerts still has plenty of fight left in him.

Nortje, meanwhile, is a former South African Super Heavyweight kickboxing champion. At 6'11"/211cm - 148kg/311lbs, "The Giant" is always a threat.

Aerts threw the jab, tossed in low kicks and launched a couple of high kicks in the first round. But Nortje's defense was sound and the Giant responded with a couple of hard low kicks of his own to stay close. In the second, Aerts came in again, pounding punches into his opponent's midsection. His guard low, Nortje met Aerts' approaches with the uppercut, and got through nicely with a left straight midway through.

In the third, Aerts connected with a couple of straight punches, opening a nasty cut over the Giant's left eye to prompt a check by the ringside doctor. Nortje was cleared to continue, but now Aerts moved in more aggressively with the fists, making good contact to prompt another doctor's check. After resumption, Nortje lumbered forward to engage his opponent, but again found himself on the receiving end of a barrage of punches. Aerts now fired a right high kick to the face and followed with several tight hooks and that was it -- the referee stepped in to stop the fight. An impressive victory for Aerts.

"Six months ago I hurt my knee at the World Grand Prix Final," said Aerts afterward. "So I started slow tonight, testing myself. But by the second round I'd found my rhythm. I feel great, I'm ready to fight in September, and I hope my opponent is Semmy Schilt!"

Schilt's dance card is filling up quickly.

Prominent on tonight's card