Since its debut on February 23, 2019, the international fight league SENSHI has evolved from an ambitious new project into one of the most recognizable European formats of professional martial arts events. Over seven years, the platform has hosted 30 editions, with the latest taking place on February 28, 2026, establishing a sustainable system of tournaments, athlete development, and international exchange of experience.
Today, SENSHI is more than just a series of spectacular fight nights. It is a fighter development ecosystem, combining professional tournaments, international training camps, and an educational platform where athletes can refine their skills alongside legends of combat sports.
SENSHI Fight Formats: Three Rulesets – One Ring
One of SENSHI’s distinctive features is the use of three different rulesets, making the tournaments especially exciting for both fighters and fans. This combination allows athletes from different martial arts backgrounds and disciplines to compete on the same stage, creating stylistically diverse and dynamic bouts.
The majority of fights take place under KWU SENSHI Full Contact Rules, a format close to classic professional kickboxing. Fighters are allowed to use punches and kicks, sweeps, the spinning back fist, as well as catching an opponent’s leg followed by an immediate attack. A short clinch is permitted with the possibility of delivering one knee strike to the head. This format ensures fast-paced, technical, and spectacular fights.
Under KWU SENSHI Rules, bouts become even more diverse thanks to expanded clinch work and additional techniques. In this format, elbow strikes, active clinch fighting, sweeps, and throws are allowed, bringing the style closer to Muay Thai and traditional martial arts.
The most versatile format is KWU OPEN Rules, where striking techniques are combined with elements of grappling and limited ground fighting. Fighters may execute throws and takedowns, and once on the ground, body strikes and submission attempts are permitted. However, ground fighting time is limited in order to maintain the dynamic pace and spectator appeal of the bout.
It is precisely this combination of three formats that allows SENSHI to unite athletes from different martial arts schools and create a unique tournament atmosphere where various styles and traditions meet in one ring.
SENSHI Growth and Statistics: Seven Years of Development (March 1, 2026)
In a relatively short period of time, SENSHI has built an impressive sporting platform, clearly reflected in the league’s statistics.
Key SENSHI figures (2019–2026)
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30 events (Fight Card Archive)
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360 fights
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373 fighters who have stepped into the ring
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59 participating countries
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122 knockouts
Distribution of fights by ruleset
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KWU SENSHI Full Contact Rules — 84.02%
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KWU SENSHI Rules — 12.12%
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KWU OPEN Rules — 3.86%
Fight outcomes analysis
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Unanimous Decision — 55.28%
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KO — 26.39%
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Split Decision — 7.50%
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TKO — 6.11%
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TKO (Doctor Stopped) — 2.22%
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Majority Decision — 1.67%
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Submission — 0.56%
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Disqualification — 0.28%
These numbers show a balance between technical fights and a high percentage of decisive finishes, making the SENSHI format both strategic and highly entertaining.
The average age of fighters is 25–35, while competitors have ranged from 19 to 44 years old, reflecting a mix of emerging talents and experienced veterans.
Fight Activity by Year
The development of SENSHI is also reflected in the number of bouts held each year:
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2019 - 62 fights
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2020 - 19
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2021 - 38
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2022 - 50
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2023 - 71
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2024 - 57
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2025 - 54
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2026 (first event) - 14
Despite the global pandemic period, the league maintained its momentum and by 2022–2023 reached a new level of activity and scale.
SENSHI Ring Leaders
Top 5 by number of victories
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Atanas Bozhilov (Bulgaria) — 24
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Eduard Aleksanyan (Bulgaria) — 13
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Dragomir Petrov (Bulgaria) — 12
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Petar Stoykov (Bulgaria) — 10
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Ahmed Krnjic (Bosnia and Herzegovina) — 8
Top 5 by number of fights
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Atanas Bozhilov (Bulgaria) — 26
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Dragomir Petrov (Bulgaria) — 17
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Eduard Aleksanyan (Bulgaria) — 15
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Petar Stoykov (Bulgaria) — 12
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Nikola Todorovic (Serbia) — 10
SENSHI Knockout leader
Eduard Aleksanyan (Bulgaria) — 7 KOs.
Development Platform: The Amateur World Cup
Another important direction of SENSHI’s development has been the expansion into amateur sport.
In 2024 and 2025, two international tournaments — the KWU SENSHI World Cup for Amateurs — were held, bringing together young athletes from many countries.
A unique aspect of these competitions was that the World Cup finals were held during SENSHI fight nights, in the same arena and in front of the same audience as the professional fights.
This format gave young fighters a rare opportunity to experience the atmosphere of a professional event — stepping into the same ring as world-class fighters and presenting themselves before an international audience.
The KWU SENSHI World Cup for Amateurs has become an important step in building a complete sporting system where SENSHI serves not only as a professional league but also as a bridge between amateur and professional combat sports.
SENSHI: More Than a Fight League
What sets SENSHI apart from many fight promotions is its combination of competition and education. Unlike promotions focused solely on entertainment, SENSHI integrates tournaments, training camps, and international cooperation between martial arts schools.
Before every event, international training camps are held where fighters from different countries train together and learn from world-renowned martial arts legends. The latest SENSHI Camp gathered over 400 athletes from 27 countries.
Athletes from Kyokushin karate, kickboxing, boxing, Muay Thai, and Kudo train together, creating stylistic diversity and valuable knowledge exchange between disciplines.
The blend of traditional budo values and modern professional combat sports has become one of the defining characteristics of the project.
SENSHI training camp instructors
Shihan Akira Masuda - KWU SENSHI leader and instructor, 9th Dan, President of KWU SENSHI - All Japan Champion 1990, completed 100-man kumite in 1991, 2nd place at the 5th World Championships 1991, 3rd place at the 4th World Open Championship 1987. He participated in four World Championships, always finishing on the podium.
Shihan Semmy Schilt - Glory Grand Slam 16-man tournament champion, Glory World champion, 4 x K-1 Grand Prix champion, K-1 World champion, 3x King of Pancrase, two times World Kudo champion, President of the KWU SENSHI Europe
Ernesto Hoost - Glory Grand Slam 16-man tournament champion, Glory World champion, 4 x K-1 Grand Prix champion, K-1 World champion, 3x King of Pancrase, two times World Kudo champion, President of the KWU SENSHI Europe
Shihan Sam Greco - K-1 Fighter, World Champion, motivational speaker, actor, 3x WAKO World Kickboxing Champion, World Full Contact Karate Champion, 6x Australian Full Contact Champion
Albert Kraus - The first K-1 World MAX champion in 2002 and the first SUPERKOMBAT Middleweight champion, World champion in Kickboxing and Muay Thai, member of the Board of the KWU SENSHI
Andy Souwer - 2-times K-1 World MAX champion and 4-times Shootboxing World champion, Showtime 70MAX World champion, World Muay Thai champion
Shihan Francisco Filho - President of KWU SENSHI South America 2x K-1 Grand Prix Champion, Absolute World Champion 1999, completed 100-man kumite in 1999, World Champion 1997, 4x Brazilian Champion, 3x South American Champion
Shihan Glaube Feitosa - Vice President of KWU SENSHI South America. K-1 World Grand Prix Las Vegas Champion 2005, 2nd place K-1 World Gp 2005, South American Champion, 2nd place at The 1st World Weight Championship, World Champion at The World Team Cup 2002
Shihan Ryu Narushima - 7th World Open Tournament 1999, 8th Place, Champion of The 16th All Japan Weight Tournament 1999, 1st World Weight Tournament 1997, 3rd Place, Champion of the 12th and 13th All Japan Weight Tournament, 11th All Japan Weight Tournament 1994, 2nd Place
Shihan Nicholas Pettas - European and World Karate Champion, the last Uchi-deshi of Masutatsu Oyama, K-1 Japan Grand Prix winner, SENSHI ring announcer, Member of the Board of KWU SENSHI, Head of the PR and Marketing Committee of KWU SENSHI
Sensei Tariel Nikoleishvili - Absolute Kyokushin World champion 2011, completed 100-man kumite in 2014, Absolute champion of Japan 2010, champion of Japan in the weight category 2010, Champion of Europe 2010
Sensei Zahari Damyanov - Absolute Kyokushin World champion 2015, 4-times American Absolute champion, 4-times European champion, Member of the Board of the KWU SENSH
Sensei Ewerton Teixeira - K-1 World GP Fukuoka Champion 2008, Absolute Kyokushin World Champion 2007, Kyokushin World Weight Champion 2005, 5x All-american Champion in Open Weight
Sensei Andrews Nakahara - World Kyokushin Champion 2005, All-american Absolute Champion 2006, 2x South American Champion. He Won 4 of his 11 professional matches by knockout
Sensei Jan Soukup - 2nd place in 9th Kyokushin World Open 2007, European champion, All Japan Tournament winner, Yangame's Fight Night Heavyweight champion
Sensei Petar Martinov - Kyokushin World champion 2014, Kyokushin European champion 2006, 3rd place European Open 2008, 3-times European Tameshiwari champion, Member of the Board of the KWU SENSHI
Sensei Yusuke Fujii - KWU World championships 3rd place, 6x All-Japan champion in open and weight category, Australian and New Zealand full contact champion
Sensei Jo Miyahara - KWU World Championship 2nd place 2019, 2nd KWF Kyokushin World Championship 3rd place 2018, All Japan Champion 2018, Winner of the KWF Grand Prix 2019, Vice Champion of the KWF Grand Prix 2018, WFKO Tournament "The Yamburg Cup - Yamal" 2016 & 2024 champion, SENSHI Professional record 3-1
In February 2026, another icon of the golden era of kickboxing joined the camp as an instructor — Ray Sefo, a six-time world champion in kickboxing and Muay Thai and a member of the Combat Sports Hall of Fame.
Representatives of the Kudo International Federation have also participated:
Shihan Kenichi Osada - The President of the Kudo International Federation
Komatsu Hiroyuki - Secretary of Kudo International Federation
Sensei Kato Kiyotara - Board member of Kudo International Federation
For many athletes, participation in these camps becomes a crucial stage in their professional development.
Grand Prix Tournaments and New Champions
Throughout its history, SENSHI has held two major Grand Prix tournaments:
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Heavyweight +95 kg
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Welterweight −75 kg
Historic victories include:
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Samed Agdeve (Türkiye) — winner of the SENSHI 28 Grand Prix (+95 kg) after defeating Rhys Brudenell (England) in the final
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Zhulien Rikov (Bulgaria) — a 19-year-old Bulgarian fighter who made a strong statement with his victory over Christian Baya (DR Congo) at the SENSHI 28 Grand Prix (-75 kg)
The Grand Prix series will continue in 2026, expanding into additional weight divisions and opening new opportunities for fighters.
SENSHI: Platform for New Stars
SENSHI continues to build its own sporting legacy and development system. The league has become a platform where:
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experienced fighters can continue competing at a high level
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young athletes can present themselves on the international stage
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knowledge is exchanged between generations of martial arts masters
The combination of competitions, training camps, international expertise, and a large professional team behind the scenes makes SENSHI a truly unique project in modern combat sports.
Seven years after the first event, it is clear that SENSHI is no longer just a series of fight nights but a growing international platform shaping the next generation of fighters while uniting the traditions of Kyokushin karate and professional kickboxing.
SENSHI Ring Legends as Referees and Judges
Another element that adds prestige to SENSHI events is the participation of world-renowned martial arts legends not only as training camp instructors but also as official referees and judges.
Over different editions of the gala, bouts have been officiated by prominent champions whose names are well known in the global combat sports community.
Among them are Ernesto Hoost, Semmy Schilt, Ewerton Teixeira, Glaube Feitosa, Francisco Filho, Sam Greco, Albert Kraus, Andy Souwer, Peter Aerts, Tariel Nikoleishvili, Zahari Damyanov, and Jan Soukup.
Their presence in the judging panel enhances the level of expertise in evaluating fights and highlights the high status of SENSHI, where decisions are made by individuals who have themselves walked the path of world champions.
The Invisible Team Behind the Project
However, the ring and training camps represent only the visible side of the project.
Behind every SENSHI event stands a large team of professionals whose work rarely appears on camera but is essential for the success of the tournament.
Hundreds of specialists contribute to each event: organizers, coordinators, athlete registration teams, logistics staff, arena and equipment specialists, medical teams, referees, broadcast technicians, designers, photographers, videographers, and a large media production crew.
Their work ensures the preparation of the arena, coordination with fighters, live broadcast production, and the overall visual identity of the event.
Global Media Presence and Audience
Another key factor in SENSHI’s growth has been its international media presence.
The events reach audiences far beyond the arena through a combination of television broadcasts and digital platforms.
Live SENSHI events are broadcast in Bulgaria on Bulgaria ON AIR and MAX Sport 1, while international viewers can watch through various streaming platforms. In particular, broadcasts are available via Swerve Combat in the United States and Canada, as well as worldwide online through SENSHI YouTube Channel, TrillerTV, Boec.com, KWUnion.com, KWUSENSHI.com, ProKyokushin, and Fighto.News.
This media ecosystem ensures broad international coverage and allows fans across continents to follow the tournaments.
An additional media dimension is provided by the official SENSHI podcasts “Legend Talk” and “Fight Talks,” hosted by the recognizable voice of SENSHI, Grant Waterman — international ring announcer and combat sports commentator, and former UFC, MMA, and K-1 referee.
Through exclusive interviews, expert analysis, and fight predictions, these programs further expand the event’s global audience.
SENSHI Partners and International Support
SENSHI events are organized in cooperation with the KWU International Professional League, emphasizing the project’s connection with the global Kyokushin karate and professional martial arts community.
The development of the tournaments is supported by strategic partners including:
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Armeec Insurance Company
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MAX Sport
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Bulgaria Air
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M Car Group – BMW dealer
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Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Service
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St. St. Constantine and Helena Holding
Media Ecosystem
The project is supported by a broad network of media partners, including specialized combat sports outlets and major news platforms:
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Boec.bg / Boec.com
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Bulgaria ON AIR
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MAX Sport
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TrillerTV
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Beyond Kickboxing
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Gol.bg
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Sportal.bg
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Dir.bg
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Topsport.bg
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KWUnion.com
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KyokushinKarate.News
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Fighto.News
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Vechtsportinfo.nl
SENSHI: An International Martial Arts Platform
Over the years, SENSHI has become not only a stage for spectacular fights but also a platform from which many fighters continue their careers on the international professional scene.
In a relatively short time, SENSHI has grown from an ambitious fighting project into a stable international platform combining professional competition, educational training camps, and a wide media ecosystem.
The tournaments have become a meeting point for different martial arts schools, where the experience of legendary champions is passed on to a new generation of fighters.
Today, SENSHI represents not only thrilling fights and famous names in the ring but also a large international team of athletes, coaches, organizers, media professionals, and partners working together to shape a new tradition of martial arts galas.
And judging by its rapid development, growing global audience, and expanding international participation, many more remarkable chapters in the history of SENSHI are still to come.
SENSHI is no longer just a fight promotion — it is becoming a system. A system where tradition meets modern combat sports, where young fighters grow alongside legends, and where international competition evolves into a shared global experience. With a clear vision, expanding calendar, and growing international presence, SENSHI is not just following the development of the sport — it is actively shaping its future.
Looking Ahead: SENSHI in 2026
As SENSHI continues its rapid development, 2026 is set to be one of the most dynamic and strategically important years in the organization’s history.
The calendar includes four international SENSHI Invitation Training Camps, scheduled for April, June, August, and November. These camps will once again bring together fighters from around the world, offering elite-level preparation and direct access to legendary instructors, further strengthening SENSHI’s role as a global training hub.
Alongside the camps, fans can expect four major SENSHI events taking place in May, July, September, and December, continuing the tradition of high-level fight nights on the international stage.
A key highlight of the year will be the expansion of the SENSHI Grand Prix series, with tournaments planned across four divisions:
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Lightweight
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Middleweight
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Light Heavyweight
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Heavyweight
This expansion marks an important step in the evolution of SENSHI, creating new competitive pathways for fighters and further establishing the organization as a platform where champions are built.
With a structured annual calendar, growing international participation, and continued investment in both competition and education, SENSHI is not only maintaining its momentum — it is solidifying its position as a key player in the global combat sports landscape.
