K-1 Fighting Network holds three-day event in Sangju

A Korea-Japan national team competition organized by domestic standing-combat promotion EMA Championship and Japanese martial arts organization K-1 was held in Sangju, North Gyeongsang Province.

The event, officially titled "EMA Championship Presents K-1 Fighting Network in Sangju Korea 2026," ran from Friday to Sunday at the new annex of Sangju Indoor Gymnasium.

About 400 amateur athletes took part, with five domestic professional bouts and four Korea-Japan national team matchups on the card. Organizers estimated the crowd at around 3,000.

The event served as the Korean leg of K-1 Fighting Network, a global project in which K-1 works with local promoters in each country to scout fighters and connect them to the international stage. EMA said the Sangju event was registered on K-1's official schedule, with EMA Championship listed as the Korean partner and host organization.

In the headline Korea-Japan national team bouts, the two sides split the four matches two wins apiece. In the women's 54-kilogram class, Kim Min-ji of Gumi Yeongmu defeated Japan's Melty Kira by decision. In the men's 63-kilogram class, Japan's Harada Toki beat Lee Hyun-seok of Jeju Ildo by decision.

At 70 kilograms, Japan's Oishi Masaki stopped Yang Hong-cheol of Busan Dream by first-round knockout. Kim Hyun-jun of Taehan Muay Thai then defeated Japan's Oda Jinku by decision in the same weight class, leaving the series tied at two wins each.

EMA has been hosting international events centered on Sangju since 2019, staging bouts featuring fighters from Japan, Thailand, Brazil and Europe alongside prospect development competitions. This year, the organization joined forces with K-1 to broaden its pathways to the international stage.

"Through our collaboration with K-1, we have created new opportunities for Korean fighters to reach the world stage, and we are proud to demonstrate the appeal of combat sports and the potential for regional revitalization in Sangju, an area facing population decline," EMA Championship representative Bae Young-jun said. "We will continue working to develop Korean combat sports and help our fighters advance overseas."