Andy Hug vs. Mike Bernardo (9/3/95): 

Hug had lost to Bernardo in the opening round of the Grand Prix earlier in the year and this was his revenge fight.  As a result of the first fight, Andy began to focus much more on his boxing and Muay Thai, straying further away from the karate style that he had employed throughout his early K-1 career.  There was lots of dancing by both fighters to start out until Mike unleashes a flurry of punches in the corner that Hug mostly blocks.  Andy throws a 1-2 followed by a high kick that draws cheers from the crowd right before the bell sounds ending the first round.  The second round starts out much like the first, with Mike even showing off some dance moves to the delight of the crowd.  An axe kick by Hug garners a disdainful look from Bernardo, who shrugs his shoulders as if to say “Is that the best you got?”  Andy begins to get busy with the low kicks then throws a left high that is countered by a thunderous right hand from Mike to put Andy on the canvas.  His body is up, but his mind is elsewhere and the ref stops the count, awarding Mike the KO victory at 2:43 of the 2nd round.  This would prove a turning point in both men’s careers, as Andy would dig even deeper in his quest to improve, while Mike would go on to arguably the greatest rivalry in K-1 history with Peter Aerts.

Peter Aerts vs. Sam Greco (9/3/95): 

Aerts was unstoppable at this point, with two consecutive tournament victories and a winnig streak dating back to 1993.  Greco was undefeated in K-1 at this point, but had yet to meet a fighter the caliber of Aerts.  The stage was set for one of the great “lost” matches in K-1 history. There was little feeling out by both fighters to start until Greco goes nuts with punches, backing Aerts into the corner and sending the crowd into a frenzy.  Aerts fires back with punches of his own and a knee, and is almost dumped out of the ring by Greco!  Greco connects with two big right hands and again backs Aerts onto the ropes.  Things calm down towards the end until the bell sounds ending the 1st round.  Aerts comes out aggressively in the 2nd, throwing a spin kick that is answered by a Greco back fist that misses, followed by a blocked high kick.  Aerts seems to be getting into his rhythm, connecting with a few low kicks and some of his trademark knees.  Greco begins to look fatigued, lacking much of the energy that brought him success in the first.  Aerts senses the lack of wind in Greco, and throws a vicious left hook to the ribs that downs him, but Sam is tough, and answers the count.  Aerts smells blood though, and throws a high kick followed by another body hook that drops Greco again.  Greco barely answers the count as soon as the bell rings, gathering applause from the crowd. 

Skip to round 4, as Aerts is feeling it now.  Suddenly Greco explodes with a combo off of the ropes, surprising Aerts and gaining him a temporary reprieve from the onslaught of leg kicks and knees.  Just when you think Greco has run out of energy, he fires back again with another punch or mid kick; but Aerts catches him with yet another hook to the ribs, drawing a grimace from Greco and a standing eight count from the ref.  Greco answers the count, and Aerts pounces on him with hard knees from the clinch.  The crowd is really into now, chanting “Greco, Greco”, while Aerts keeps up the attack.  The final round shows Aerts slowing the pace down, knowing the decision is his if he lasts through the round.  Greco is still game though, keeping Aerts at bay with front kicks and jabs.  Aerts doesn’t force the issue as he knows Greco is like a cornered lion, wounded but still very dangerous.  The final round ends and Aerts is awarded the unanimous decision, but really there was no loser.  Greco had now announced his presence as a player on the K-1 scene, and Aerts had shown once again why he was the two time defending champion.

Peter Aerts vs. Mike Bernardo (5/6/96): 

This was a first round match up in the 1996 Grand Prix and a chance for Mike to avenge his first round KO loss to Aerts six months earlier.  Mike seemed pumped up before the match, but Aerts was the aggressor in the early stages, throwing a flurry of punches and a knee straight up the pipe.  Mike showed he was game with a 1-2 off of a checked Aerts low kick.  Aerts got cut by an accidental head butt somewhere in the clinch but it didn’t seem to slow him.  Aerts again started to get active in the clinch, but as he threw a second knee strike Mike broke out of the clinch with a hook that sent Aerts flailing towards the ropes, and Mike jumped on the opportunity but was stopped by the bell, ending the first round.  Mike connected on a strong hook almost immediately into the second round, putting Aerts on the run where he was rocked by more punches from Mike, who eventually roughed Aerts up enough to result in a debatable down from the ref.  Aerts answered the count immediately with his cut opened up by Mike’s punches.  Mike was really feeling it now, pressuring Aerts heavily and forcing him to clinch to avoid the onslaught of blows.  He paid the price for it, as Mike gave him two or three good shots before Aerts managed to secure a clinch.  Aerts appeared to recover towards the end of the round, throwing a high kick followed by a 1-2 combo, answered by Mike with his own high kick.  The round ended by an Aerts low kick, with the crowd heavily anticipating the final three minutes. 

Aerts started the final round with a few punches followed by a hard low kick, but Mike exploded back with a tremendous right hook, followed up with a left that finished the job and sent Aerts to the canvas with an audible thud.  Mike had redeemed his previous loss and was on the verge of tears as the crowd clapped in unison at the superb bout they had just witnessed.  Aerts’ reign as king of K-1 was over, but everyone in attendance knew he would be back to regain his crown, as well as to seek his revenge on the man who had toppled him from the throne.

Mike Bernardo vs. Musashi (5/6/96): 

A 2nd round match up in the 1996 GP.  Mike had just brutally KO’d Aerts and Musashi was coming off of a TKO victory over Sam Greco, who broke his foot in the first round.  It was an interesting match, with Bernardo as the heavy hitting boxer and Musashi as the fast moving karate stylist.  Musashi seemed to show no fear for Mike’s punches, as he started aggressively with a left high kick to open the bout.  Mike seemed content to block Musashi’s mid kicks and punches, while looking for the opening to unleash his powerful hooks and uppercuts.  Musashi stayed active throughout, peppering Mike with low kicks and scoring with a few punches and high kicks.  Mike finally seemed to come alive in the second round, scoring with some upper cuts from the clinch as well as with a few knee strikes.  Musashi stayed busy as well, but after receiving a few of Mike’s punches, he seemed more wary of Mike’s power than he was earlier in the bout.  Knowing he had to make an impact in the third to win, Musashi came on strong scoring with a left straight which was answered by Mike with a stiff jab, followed by a hard right straight that dropped Musashi to the mat.  Musashi slammed the mat in frustration, sensing that his last chance at victory had faded with the down.  He beat the count and held on until the end, but Mike wound up with the judge’s decision, and a trip to the final match.

Ernesto Hoost vs. Andy Hug (5/6/96): 

One of the more legendary bouts in K-1 history, this was a 2nd round match up in the 1996 Grand Prix Finals.  Hug had come off an easy 1st round KO victory over Duane Van Der Merwe, while Hoost had TKO’d Mirko Filipovic in the 3rd with a low kick.  The two combatants settled into their usual modes:  Hoost as the stalking leopard, and Hug as the quick and agile cheetah, skirting the edge of the ring until he was ready to pounce.  Andy drew first blood scoring with a three punch combo followed by a straight and a low kick.  Hoost retaliated with a knee strike from the clinch, which Hug answered in turn with a hard low kick.  Hoost’s plan seemed to be to back Andy into the ropes, then overpower him in the clinch or score with punches.  Andy seemed to have no answer for Hoost’s power in the clinch, but was scoring with low kicks throughout the first two rounds and kept it even, with some punches that stopped Hoost in his tracks several times throughout the first two rounds.  At one point in the second, Hoost had Andy against the ropes, and Hug threw his patented axe kick, followed by the best punches of the fight up to that point; a left then a right that wobbled Hoost a few seconds before the bell sounded.  Both fighters stuck to their game plans in the 3rd round, as both were exhibiting excellent stamina considering the pace they had set in the first two rounds.  Hoost seemed to be exerting his will until Hug threw a left high followed by a flurry of punches that stunned him.  The third round ended, with no one in attendance certain of the victor.  The judges score cards came back a draw, and a 4th round was scheduled to decide the contest. 

In the extra round Andy appeared to be more aggressive, coming forward with punches and low kicks, as well as an axe kick followed by a left straight.  Hoost began to become less and less active in the clinch, but was also able to score with punches and low kicks of his own in yet another round that was going to be perilously close when the score cards came back.  Hug hit Hoost with a knee strike towards the end of the round, followed by a three punch combo that again staggered Hoost.  Hug appeared to have won the round and the fight, but the judges apparently saw enough from Hoost to score it as another draw, forcing one more round to decide the issue.  Both men appeared near exhaustion, but the most prestigious prize in kickboxing potentially awaited the winner, and neither was ready to back down just yet.  The 5th round was less active than the four whirlwind rounds that preceded it, but it still had its share of action, as Hoost and Hug traded low kicks and punches in the middle of the ring.  It looked like Hoost had taken the fight into his hands when he had Hug backed into the following a flurry of punches, and the round ended with a confident Hoost walking back to his corner.  The score cards came back:  “Hug,” “Hoost,” “HUG!”  A dejected Hoost meandered back to his corner, while an overjoyed Andy celebrated in the ring, victor of one of the most epic battles in K-1 history. To this day Hoost is still upset at the decision and brought this fight up as an example of why K-1 needs international judges during his post fight interview after the 2004 Grand Prix.

Andy Hug vs. Mike Bernardo (5/6/96): 

This was the final of the 1996 Grand Prix Finals, with both men coming off of hard fought decision victories over Hoost and Musashi respectively, particularly Hug, who had battled Hoost in one of the hardest fought bouts that K-1 would ever see.  The story told in this match was an amazing one:  Hug, ready to atone for his failures in the past to achieve K-1’s greatest goal; and Mike, as the man who had stopped Andy twice before in brutal fashion, ready to fulfill his destiny after a career defining win over Peter Aerts.  Both gladiators started off tentative, aware of the dangers each presented to the other.  Mike made it clear early he wasn’t going to lie down, as he fired off some upper cuts in the corner that didn’t connect cleanly, but showed that he definitely meant business.  Hug began to show he was up to the task as well, and began to work on Bernardo’s lead leg with low kicks.  The first round ended with neither fighter clearly ahead.  Hug came out prepared for action in the second round, dropping Mike with a low kick less than thirty seconds into the round.  The crowd began to rumble as Mike made it to his feet, obviously favoring his left leg as he switched stances in an attempt to protect his wounded limb.  He tried to keep Hug at bay with front kicks, but Andy countered this with a beautiful spinning heel kick to the injured leg of Bernardo, dropping him helpless to the mat.  Andy counted along with the crowd as it became clear that Mike wasn’t getting up.  As the count reached ten, Andy and the crowd erupted with a roar, as a new champion was crowned in K-1.  After the match, a humble Andy praised Mike and thanked the crowd for their support in his struggles as well as his triumphs.  This was truly a night to remember for K-1 fans.

Andy Hug vs. Stan “The Man” Longinidis (9/6/96): 

This was a title match for the WMTC Muay Thai Super Heavyweight Title, held by Stan.  Hug was larger than life at this point, having just won the GP in thrilling fashion, and was now trying to capture a major belt.  Andy starts out with a hard low kick, answered by Stan with a low of his own and a strong left hook that Andy ducks.  They circle and Stan throws another leg kick, followed by another left hook that connects.  They tie up against the ropes and Andy bends Stan over the top rope like a seesaw, with Stan’s head almost touching the apron of the ring.  Although it appeared accidental, Stan really wasn’t the same from here on out.  Andy stays with the low kicks, throwing the occasional punch combo and even breaks out the axe kick to the delight of the crowd.  Stan backed Andy into the corner, throwing a knee from the clinch with his corner implying him to “elbow!”  They break and restart in the middle and immediately start exchanging, ending with an Andy left high kick that connects with glove.  Andy connects with a left straight soon after, then drops Stan with another left high that connects.  Stan beats the count but is met almost immediately by a hard left straight, followed by another for good measure, giving Andy the KO win and the belt.

Ernesto Hoost vs. Jerome Le Banner (10/18/96): 

The first in a long series of matches between these two rivals, this has to be one of the most surprising fights in K-1 history.  Hoost was solidly in the top 3 of K-1, and Le Banner was trying to bounce back from a series of mediocre performances following his trip to the final match of the GP in 1995.  Jerome starts out very aggressively, almost connecting with a solid right hand that draws “ooooohs” from the crowd and a smile from Hoost.  Hoost doesn’t seem to be on his game tonight as he slips or falls repeatedly throughout the round as Jerome skillfully uses his strength to his advantage.  Jerome is persistent throughout the first with his jab and mid kicks, with Hoost throwing his patented lows that are consistently met with strong counter punches from Jerome.  Hoost doesn’t seem to have an answer for Jerome’s power, as the start of the second round sees Jerome knocking an off-balance Hoost to the canvas with a left.  Hoost is not one to give up so easily, and continues to move forward, trying to find some answer to Jerome’s powerful techniques.  About a minute into the second, Jerome throws a hard combination which rocks Hoost and Jerome proceeds to turn up the tempo.  Hoost fires back with a right straight of his own that connects, but Le Banner is persistent tonight, moving right through Hoost’s lows and jabs until he has him cornered.  Attempting to escape, Hoost is nailed with a hard right hand, followed by another that drops him like a rock to the mat.  He gets up, extremely wobbly, and can barely move forward at the ref’s command.  Le Banner smells blood, and comes straight forward, easily avoiding a woozy Hoost right, and flooring him with one of his own.  Hoost again makes it to his feet, but his corner man mercifully throws in the towel, resulting in one of the bigger upsets in K-1’s early years.  Great fight.

Peter Aerts vs. Mike Bernardo (10/18/96): 

Rematch of one of the most exciting bouts of the year.  The first rematch in September was marred by an accidental groin shot on Mike by Aerts that resulted in a disappointing DQ finish, so the big rematch was rescheduled for Star Wars in October.  Aerts is looking for revenge, while Mike is looking for KO number 2 on the two-time champ.  Aerts establishes early that he wants to use his low kick, throwing three or four within the first 30 seconds.  Aerts also effectively uses his punches early on, connecting with a right straight and later dropping Bernardo with another one for a quick count.  Mike doesn’t seem to be fazed, but Aerts isn’t letting up, throwing a knee in the clinch followed by a flurry of punches.  It looks like Aerts is ready to take control, but Mike hit’s a right straight to the abdomen, followed up with a right hook that connects solidly.  Mike throws another right that knocks Aerts to the mat, but the ref calls it a slip and the fight continues.  Mike really starts to pressure Aerts with his boxing now, flinging him around the ring with his formidable hooks and straight.  Aerts is hit with a left hook that puts him on his heels, followed by another punch that knocks him off balance to the floor.  This time the ref calls a down, to the shock of Aerts who protests to no avail.  Mike is really starting to get in his groove at this point, shrugging off Aerts’ lows and just bullying him punches that send Aerts reeling with each connection.  To Peter’s credit, he stays up after some very hard shots, but is obviously starting to get groggy, appearing more sluggish as the fight reaches it’s climax.  Less than thirty seconds before the third round ends, Aerts drops his left hand which gives Mike the opportunity to power a right hook to Aerts’ jaw, dropping him facedown to the mat, unconscious.  A huge win for Mike, and coupled with Hoost’s loss earlier in the evening, it catapulted him straight to the top of K-1 with his old rival Andy Hug.

Ernesto Hoost vs. Ray Sefo (12/8/96): 

Sefo’s debut in K-1, and he looks like a cruiserweight here.  A tough match up for him here too, as Hoost was looking to bounce back after his KO loss to Jerome Le Banner in October.  Sefo shows his speed early on, throwing quick lows and punch combinations.  Hoost fires back with some very hard lows of his own, exploiting a weakness in Sefo’s defense that others would try to exploit in the coming years.  Very fast paced, exciting match, with both fighting with the speed of men half their size, surprising considering how Sefo would eventually evolve into a more stationary, boxing oriented fighter who relied more on power than speed.  Hoost continues with the lows throughout, with each successive kick seeming to increase in power and accuracy until he drops Sefo in the middle of a punch combo.  Sefo is up, but Hoost knows the fight is in his hands if he continues with his game plan.  Another low knocks Sefo down again, sending him through the ropes and almost the floor.  Sefo displays the toughness that would endear him to the Japanese fans in the future by getting up. But the writing is on the wall for him in this fight, as one more hard low from Hoost drops him in the fourth, and Sefo makes no effort to beat the count.  An interesting fight, and well-worth watching for Sefo’s employment of a completely different style compared to his later years, as well as for the amazing technical prowess which Hoost displays.

Thank you for reading; I hope you enjoyed reliving these great matches as much as I did!  Part 1 of this can be read here.   You can discuss this article and the fights it is about here.