On December 7, the "Congress Hall" of the Palace of Culture and Sports in Varna became the battleground for thrilling action at SENSHI 24. The event saw five spectacular knockouts, a hard-fought defense of the European SENSHI title, and four special awards, marking the final international martial arts gala of the year. The competition featured intense bouts under the KWU Full Contact and KWU SENSHI rules.
The evening's highlight was the European SENSHI Title defense, where Bulgarian Dragomir Petrov faced Italy’s Ivan Naccari in a gripping contest. After three intense rounds, the judges awarded the victory to Petrov, allowing him to successfully retain his title. The event was further electrified by the fact that half of the matchups ended in knockouts, keeping the audience on the edge of their seats throughout the night.
SENSHI Gala 24 Results:
Fight #1: -70 kg KWU FULL CONTACT Rules
Ognyan Mirchev (Bulgaria) triumphed over Walter “Le Cogneur” Christopher (France), winning by unanimous decision.
Fight #2: -75 kg KWU FULL CONTACT Rules
Daniele Valente (Italy) defeated Petar Stoykov (Bulgaria) via unanimous decision after an extra fourth round.
Fight #3: -75 kg KWU FULL CONTACT Rules
Atanas Bozhilov (Bulgaria) dominated Manuel "White Shark" Sembera (Austria), securing a unanimous decision victory.
Fight #4: -80 kg KWU FULL CONTACT Rules
Michael Samperi (Italy) defeated Constantin "Lion Crusher" Rusu (Moldova) by knockout in the second round at 2:59.
Fight #5: -80 kg KWU SENSHI Rules
Aziz “The Sultan” Felak (Morocco) defeated Omar "El Marsiano" Moreno (USA) via TKO due to a doctor's stoppage in the second round at 2:10.
Fight #6: -70 kg KWU FULL CONTACT Rules
Bruno Gazani (Brazil) knocked out Marius-Cristian "The Mad Man" Cimpoieru (Romania) in the first round at 2:37.
Fight #7: 95+ kg KWU FULL CONTACT Rules
Francesko “Smile” Xhaja (Albania) won by knockout over Massinissa "Massacreur" Hamaili (Algeria) in the first round at 0:59.
Fight #8: 95+ kg KWU FULL CONTACT Rules
Giannis “Hercules” Stoforidis (Greece) secured a technical knockout victory over Nidal "The Soldier" Bchiri (Morocco) in the second round at 1:53.
Fight #9: 95+ kg KWU FULL CONTACT Rules
Bruno “Muhammad Ali” Chaves (Brazil) triumphed over Jahfarr Wilnis (Suriname), claiming a unanimous decision victory.
Fight #10 European Title Match -70 kg KWU FULL CONTACT Rules
Dragomir Petrov (Bulgaria) successfully defended his European title in a fiercely contested matchup against Ivan Naccari (Italy), securing the victory by split decision.
SENSHI Gala 24 Special Awards:
• "Knockout of the Night": Awarded to Francesko Xhaja for delivering one of the fastest knockouts of the evening, with the award presented by legendary fighter Glaube Feitosa.
• "Fighting Spirit" Award: Recognizing Petar Stoykov for his relentless determination, the award was presented by martial arts icon Francisco Filho.
• "Best Technique" Award: Given to European title contender Ivan Naccari, who captivated the audience with his exceptional style and performance.
• "Helmet of Spartacus" Award: The prestigious honor for Best SENSHI Fighter of the Year went to Giannis Stoforidis, in recognition of his outstanding achievements throughout the year.
SENSHI 24 was organized with the support of the KWU International Professional League, along with partners Armeec ISG, MAX Sport, Bulgaria Air, M Car Group – BMW Dealer, and St. St. Constantine and Helena Holding.
Media partners are Boec.BG, Boec.COM, Bulgaria ON AIR, MAX Sport 1, TrillerTV, Dir.bg, Gol.bg, Topsport.bg, Kwunion.com, Kyokushin Karate News, Fighto.News, and Novinata.bg.
