The Lightweight division at Karate Combat is arguably the most explosive division in the league. With a roster containing talent like Luiz Rocha, Gabriel Varga, Edgars Skrivers, Bruno Souza, and more, it's a guaranteed fireworks display whenever two fighters from this division meet in the pit.
With so many stars in competition, it’s time we map out our metaphorical constellation and speculate what’s next for each athlete. Especially when two of the five fighters mentioned in this article are competing at #KC37, this Saturday, December 17th. Learn How To Watch it for Free.
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LUIZ ROCHA - CHAMPION
Rocha won a very intense and competitive catchweight Super Fight vs. Welterweight Champion Josh Quayhagen
The Pitbull sits as the leader of the Lightweight dog pack.
Working one’s way to the rank of champion is no easy task. Once a fighter reaches that spot, their work only gets more difficult.
A champion will forever fight the second greatest fighter in their division until they either retire or are dethroned. So Luiz needs to stay ready at all times.
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EDGARS SKRIVERS - MAKING A COMEBACK
Skrivers defeated Bruno Souza in Main Event that lead to a Sudden Victory 6th Round
A new chapter has been written in the Legend of the Bearslayer.
After witnessing an out-of-character performance against now champion Luiz Rocha, fans were questioning if Skrivers still had the tenacity needed to be a champion. That question was answered at KC36 when Skrivers went to war with Bruno Souza in what led to Karate Combat’s first ever 6th round sudden victory battle.
Edgars was pulled into deep waters, but demonstrated the discipline needed to pull out a victory. Edgars may very well have earned a rematch with Rocha after his most recent performance.
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BRUNO SOUZA - THE NEXT BIG THING
Though he came up short, Souza impressed fans in a 6 Round War with former champ Skrivers
Speaking of Bruno Souza, he’s quickly becoming the Lightweight division’s most entertaining fighter. We were thrilled by his back and forth battle against Maciej Tercjak and we’ve already discussed his 6 round thriller against Edgars Skrivers.
As a Machida Karate prodigy and former LFA champion, we shouldn’t be surprised that he’s always a Fight of the Night Contender. He’s recently stated that there’s only room in the Light Weight Division for one Bruno, and we would LOVE to settle who’s the better Bruno between him and Bruno Assis.
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SAMUEL ERICSSON - EVERYTHING TO PROVE
Ericsson defeated Alberto Ramirez by Split Decision
We can’t bring up Samuel Ericsson without discussing his controversial split decision win over Alberto Ramirez. Both Karate Combat debutants at the time, Ericsson edged out a win in what was arguably the most contested decision by Karate Combat fans around the world.
Ericsson has an opportunity to silence the naysayers by giving a sound performance against Karate Combat newcomer and fellow social media star, Tarek Khelifi.
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GABRIEL VARGA - ANTICIPATING A TITLE FIGHT
Varga gave up round 1 in his debut, acclimating to the Karate Combat environment, then cleanly won 2 & 3
There’s a fighter in the Lightweight division who has won more championships than some athletes have fights. Gabriel Varga returned from a two year combat sports hiatus to put on a phenomenal display of skill against Bruno Assis at KC35, and he’s looking to add the Karate Combat Lightweight Championship to his collection of accolades.
Varga’s resume alone validated an immediate attempt at a Golden Belt, but it seems he isn’t in a hurry for that challenge. That might be a good thing, because it appears that seldom few fighters in the division want to meet him in the pit. Multiple potential opponents dropped out for a chance to compete against him at KC37, and thankfully Tommy Azouz was brave enough to take the challenge.
Should Varga end the night victoriously, there's no question that his next fight is for the championship belt. If for some reason that's not the case, it would be a match made in heaven to see Varga face off against the former champion Edgars Skrivers. The Bearslayer’s style against Varga would warrant a certain fight of the night. Both fighters are tenacious, have endurance for days, and are two of the highest skilled fighters in their respected division. If this isn’t their next fight, they are destined to meet at the top for the title eventually.
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Who are you most excited to see enter the pit next?
Share your thoughts with the Karate Combat community on our social media pages and join our DISCORD.
And don't miss Ericsson & Varga, each fighting capable contenders at #KC37, this Sat, Dec 17th at 7:00PM ET.
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