Exclusive | Lukas Achterberg talks dominating the K-1 Grand Prix and future matchups

Lukas Achterberg, the new K-1 Grand Prix champion and holder of the prestigious silver belt, recently discussed his dominant and historic run in Japan. Achterberg secured the 90kg World Grand Prix title with a series of first-round knockouts, employing diverse techniques including a powerful left hook, a precise toe kick, and a devastating calf kick to mark his brutal ascent to the pinnacle of kickboxing.

Lukas Achterberg’s comeback from injury and staying in the sport

Following a two-year hiatus after his sole career loss in the Senshi promotion, Lukas Achterberg confessed he had initially intended to leave kickboxing for good. His plans shifted, however, when he received an unexpected invitation to compete in the 2026 K-1 Grand Prix. Achterberg shared his thoughts:

“Actually, my plan was to stop kickboxing. I was focusing on MMA and made my debut last year. I was supposed to fight in November, but I got a staph infection and had to cancel.”

“For me, it was always a dream to fight for K-1. I’m 29, so I grew up watching K-1 on Eurosport in Germany with all the legends. This was something I wanted to do for myself and my career. If you have the chance to fight in Japan, you take it, right? One guy got injured, I got the offer to fight Satari in the first fight, and suddenly I’m in the tournament. I had nothing to lose and everything to win.”

Achterberg's transition to MMA was put on hold by the unexpected opportunity to compete for K-1 glory, which he seized successfully. Discussing the growing popularity of the 'J-kick' style in Japan, championed by fighters like Yuki Yoza, Achterberg explained the development of his own diverse and effective striking arsenal that dismantled his K-1 opponents:

All I do is watch fights. I put a lot of time into the sport outside of the ring. I keep an open mind because anyone can teach you something. With my height, I can’t fight like other people; I have to do it differently.

When questioned about his historical achievement as only the second German fighter, following Enriko Kehl, to win a K-1 Grand Prix – and notably, the first in this specific format – Achterberg responded with a touch of melancholy:

“That sounds great. If people in Germany realized it, it would be even better. Kickboxing isn’t that big over here, so there isn’t much media talking about it. But I love this sport and I’m very proud of myself.”

Now a beloved and historic champion, particularly among Japanese fans, Achterberg addressed a potential matchup against the current champion, the formidable Thian De Vries, with whom he has previously trained:

“I think the people want to see the Thian fight. That’s what the media in Japan asks about, and we are here to give the fans what they want. I want the gold belt. I know Thian; we’ve trained together before. He’s a great guy and what he’s done in a short time is impressive. But if we have to go, we have to go. We’ll see what the matchmakers have, but I’m ready to fight anybody.”

Considering his substantial frame, standing at 6’6” even for the cruiserweight division, Achterberg entertained the prospect of a future move to heavyweight:

Let’s go. No weight cut is better for me. I’d like to be around 105kg for heavyweight—I don’t want to be too heavy because it doesn’t fit my style. I train with heavyweights, so I’m used to it.

With his presence firmly established in Japan's K-1 landscape, and as ONE Championship expands into the region with its 'ONE Samurai' series, Achterberg was asked about potentially facing top ONE talent like Roman Kryklia and fellow Senshi veteran, the new heavyweight champion Samet Agdeve.

That would be a great fight. He’s a very good fighter—strong, heavy, good technique, and a good eye.

However, he firmly stated his immediate focus remains on his current career trajectory.

But you have to think about the next fight first. Everything after that is just dreaming. I’m focused on what happens next.

Having made a triumphant return, the future appears exceptionally bright for the German kickboxing sensation, the "High Tower" Lukas Achterberg!