Karate Combat is gearing up for a significant event in its heavyweight division, announcing a high-stakes, one-night tournament featuring eight formidable competitors. This grand prix is set to unfold at Karate Combat 55 on July 18 in Miami, marking the opening night of a double-header event weekend.
The prize for navigating this challenging single-elimination bracket? A guaranteed title shot against the promotion`s reigning two-division champion, Sam Alvey. This structure ensures that the contender earning the first crack at Alvey will have truly proven their mettle under extreme pressure and quick turnaround times.
The roster for the tournament brings together a diverse mix of talent from various combat sports backgrounds. Headlining the list are names familiar to fight fans: UFC veteran Robelis Despaigne and former BKFC champion Alan Belcher.
Despaigne, known for his astonishingly fast knockout victories since joining Karate Combat – with three finishes totaling just 24 seconds of fight time – faces a stern test in the opening round against former GLORY light heavyweight champion Saulo Cavalari. The victor of this explosive matchup will advance to the semifinal to face the winner of a clash between seasoned MMA heavyweights Tim Johnson and Chase Sherman.
On the opposite side of the bracket, Alan Belcher makes his tournament debut against fellow Karate Combat newcomer Zac Pauga. The other quarterfinal bout pits Daniel James against Braxton Smith. The winners of these two fights will square off in the second semifinal.
Adding to the intensity of the one-night format, the quarterfinal and semifinal rounds will be contested over two three-minute rounds. The final, determining the ultimate victor, will extend to three three-minute rounds. Should any bout end in a draw after the scheduled rounds, a sudden-death round will be implemented to ensure a clear winner emerges, leaving no room for ambiguity in this high-stakes competition.
The July 18th event, KC 55, will also feature a bantamweight title fight between Arturo Vergara and Adam Noi, serving as the main event alongside the tournament. The following night, July 19th, Karate Combat 56 continues the Miami action with a lightweight unification bout between Shahzazib Ring and Luiz Rocha headlining, and a flyweight championship co-main event pitting Alex Pereira’s sister, Aline Pereira, against Fani Peloumpi. The heavyweight tournament, however, stands out on the first night as the ultimate test of endurance and skill, where eight fighters step in, but only one will earn the coveted shot at heavyweight gold.
