10.5.2024

October 5th, 2024, Osaka, Japan. Errol Zimmerman (92 wins (53 KOs), 26 losses), a veteran of the K-1 ring, made his long-awaited return to Japan for the first time in 14 years, coming off a recent victory in Romania against Nidal Bchiri. Zimmerman, famed for his devastating power and vast experience, squared off against Shota Yamaguchi (7 wins (3 KOs)), a younger, undefeated fighter determined to make a statement.

Round 1:
Zimmerman quickly went on the offensive with powerful punches, knees, and kicks. Yamaguchi, however, had a clear strategy—he aimed to tie up Zimmerman’s hands to neutralize his powerful boxing and counter with low kicks. Zimmerman landed hard middle kicks, maintaining control through much of the round. Although Yamaguchi pressed forward with his own low kicks, Zimmerman’s relentless counters with knees and punches allowed him to control the pace. By the end of the round, Yamaguchi’s persistence and low kicks seemed to wear Zimmerman down slightly, and the power in the older fighter’s punches seemed to waver. Although the “Bonecrusher” had predicted the fight would not last 1 minute, Yamaguchi survived Zimmerman’s early onslaught.

Round 2:
The second round saw a shift in momentum as Yamaguchi applied more pressure. He studied Zimmerman’s range carefully, finding opportunities to land effective low kicks, again tying up the older fighter’s hands. Midway through the round, Yamaguchi’s low kicks forced Zimmerman to momentarily switch stances, showing the impact of the consistent low-kicks on the veteran’s lead leg.

As the round progressed, however, Zimmerman once again dialed in his range, and landed several hard punches and low kicks, checking Yamaguchi’s counters with a jab-cross-low kick combination. Yamaguchi managed to land a right hook that seemed to briefly wobble Zimmerman, but the veteran quickly recovered. The round ended with a flashy rolling kick from Yamaguchi that failed to connect.

Round 3:
In the third and final round, Zimmerman came out aggressively once again, attacking with low kicks and calf kicks. He landed a massive jumping knee to Yamaguchi’s head, knocking the younger fighter down and earning him a standing eight count. Smelling blood, Zimmerman followed up with a step-up knee and a right hook, further shaking Yamaguchi.

Yamaguchi, trying to close the distance and tie up Zimmerman’s hands, found himself running into more of the bigger fighter’s powerful knees. As Yamaguchi retreated, Zimmerman unleashed devastating leg kicks, battering Yamaguchi’s legs. Yamaguchi attempted to counter with his own low kicks, but Zimmerman’s uppercuts and a crushing overhand right floored Yamaguchi with 1:44 left in the round.

Zimmerman’s dominant performance in the third round demonstrated the strength and resilience of the older generation of K-1 fighters. His ability to outlast and overpower Yamaguchi proved that at least this veteran still has the fire to win on the biggest stages.

Errol Zimmerman’s return to the K-1 ring in Japan was a triumphant one, as he secured a decisive victory over Shota Yamaguchi. Despite some early resistance from Yamaguchi, Zimmerman’s power and experience carried him to a knockout victory in the third round. This fight served as a reminder that the veterans of K-1 can still dominate the newer generation, and Zimmerman’s performance left no doubt that he remains a force to be reckoned with.