K-1 has handed three fighters their next assignments and nobody is getting a free pass back into the win column. Darryl Verdonk faces Hyun Jun Kim, Alassane Kamara meets Shu Inagaki, and Ouyang Feng takes on Koya Saito at K-1 REVENGE II on November 23, 2026, at Tokyo's Korakuen Hall. The matchups were announced at an October 9 press conference.
With Verdonk, the job is repairing the damage from September's K-1 WORLD MAX tournament opener. The 2025 tournament runner-up suffered a knockdown against Italy's Lorenzo Di Vara and exited the competition at the first hurdle. Now he faces a South Korean newcomer who has been chasing a K-1 opportunity, including sending messages asking to join the promotion.
Darryl Verdonk vs. Hyun Jun Kim
Kim, nicknamed "Shotgun," earned his opening with a decision win over former Krush super welterweight champion Hirohisa Oda at K-1 FIGHTING NETWORK in Sangju on September 19. The 25-year-old southpaw holds EMA and KICK HEROS titles at 70 kg and brings a listed record of 12 wins, three losses and one draw.
His message ahead of the Verdonk fight, he expained: "My opponent is not an easy opponent, but I will prepare harder with the feeling that I am representing Korea."
Alassane Kamara vs. Shu Inagaki
Kamara and Inagaki, meanwhile, have something in common: Taio Asahisa spoiled their championship plans. Inagaki lost their November 2025 super lightweight title bout by a 0-2 decision before beating Takuma Tsukamoto in May. Kamara challenged Asahisa in September and also lost on the scorecards. Their meeting gives both a chance to push back toward the title picture.
Inagaki is aiming to keep the judges out of it. After spending two months training at Thailand's PK Saenchai gym following his title defeat, the former Krush champion says he wants a knockout and another shot at Asahisa next spring. Kamara has described this comeback as his "last chance," putting pressure on himself before the opening bell.
Ouyang Feng vs. Koya Saito
Ouyang's return comes against a champion moving up in weight. Saito won the Krush welterweight belt last December and stopped TAaaaCHAN in the first round at RIZIN in June. Injury cancelled his September title defence, but he says he recovered before October. This will be his first fight at 70 kg.
Ouyang lost to Jonas Salsicha in last November's WORLD MAX quarterfinals and missed this year's tournament because his training arrangements were not ready. He returned in China on October 2 with a second-round knockout of Sudsakorn Sor Klinmee. Saito expects their meeting to finish by knockout, too.
K-1 Revenge 2
The card also includes Daizo Sasaki against Yuki Sakamoto and three super bantamweight contender bouts feeding into a December final. The card also includes Koji Ikeda vs. Eito Kurokawa, Futa Hashimoto vs. Kaito Kikuchi, and Chikara Iwao vs. Kengo Murata in super bantamweight contender bouts. Two of the three winners will be selected for a final eliminator on December 29 at Yokohama BUNTAI, with the winner earning a February 2027 title shot against Riamu Former featherweight champion Ryudai Ishida will move to super featherweight, with his opponent still pending.
With Verdonk, Kamara and Ouyang, November 23 is a chance to put their names back in the title conversation. Kim, Inagaki and Saito have their own plans, though, and none involves playing a supporting role in someone else's comeback. At Korakuen Hall, the revenge theme comes with one catch: the opponent has to cooperate.
Source: beyondkick.com