Kanata Ueno achieved a controversial knockout at the K-1 World Grand Prix in Tokyo, as he knocked out Sakuya Ueda immediately after a glove touch, raising questions about the fairness of the move.
Kanata Ueno pulled off a knockout straight out of a highlight reel. Yet, it might stir some controversy in the combat sports world. Why, you ask?
During the K-1 World Grand Prix in Tokyo on Friday, Ueno clashed with Sakuya Ueda in a super featherweight showdown. As round two kicked off, Ueda extended his glove for a respectful touch. Ueno accepted it. But then—bam!—right after that moment of sportsmanship, Ueno unleashed a brutal spinning wheel kick, knocking Ueda out cold.
Curious about the finish? Check out the clip below. It’s intense!
Now, here’s where things get murky. In the slo-mo replay from the side angle, it seems like maybe—just maybe—the glove touch was missed? Hard to say if the finishing blow was fair or foul. The jury’s still out.
Oh, and did I mention Ueno is just 18? This year alone, he’s racked up a 3-0 record under the K-1 banner. Not too shabby! He scored a first-round KO back in September and nailed a flying knee stoppage win in July. Quite the resume for such a young fighter!