MUSASHI: Musashi is a Seido Kaikan Karate practitioner with a 42-21-5-1 (12 KO) record in K-1. He is the former WAKO PRO world heavyweight Thai boxing champion and took fourth place in the 1995 Karate World Cup. In ’96 he placed third in the K-1 Grand Prix and then he really started putting things together. Musashi won the K-1 Japan Grand Prix in ‘99, ‘00, ‘02, and ’03. He also made it to the finals of K-1 Japan Grand Prix in ’01 and made it to the finals in the K-1 World Grand Prix in ‘03.

With so many titles to his credit, his list of opponents is both lengthy and impressive. Musashi has battled Glaube Feitosa, Jerome LeBanner (Pictures), Gary Goodridge (Pictures), Ray Sefo (Pictures), Peter Aerts (Pictures), Remy Bonjasky, Ray Mercer, Cyril Abidi (Pictures), Rick Roufus, and Francois Botha (Pictures). And Sapp won’t be his first giant opponent either, having battled Montana Silva (twice), Akebono and Semmy Schilt (Pictures), losing only to Schilt.

Musashi, who is recovering from mouth and arm injuries from his fights with Ruslan Karaev and Glaube Feitosa, also feels Sapp is running his mouth too much and has a “present for his fans” on New Year’s Eve night.

SAPP: University of Washington product Bob Sapp (Pictures) was a third-round pick of my hometown Chicago Bears but made the rounds to the Minnesota Vikings, Oakland Raiders, Baltimore Ravens, the NFL Europe World League and then moved on to professional wrestling.

According to a 1997 pre-draft bio, Sapp had already been involved in an “extreme fighting bout” and beat up former Chicago Bear William “The Refrigerator” Perry in a Toughman competition.

At 6’ 4” and 370 pounds (with 10 percent body fat), Bob signed on with K-1 and has been training in Japan with Pancrase fighter Ryushi Yanagisawa at Seido-Kaikan Dojo. He also trains in the U.S. with Maurice Smith, Josh Barnett (Pictures) and Matt Hume (Pictures)’s guys at AMC Pankration. “The Beast” sports a record of 8-2-1 in MMA, 10-5-1 (4 KO) under K-1 rules and recently won the K-1 World Grand Prix in Hiroshima Championship. He also is a pro wrestler in Japan and “won” eight of his 10 performances.

Sapp has competed against K-1 top performers Ernesto Hoost (Pictures), Mirko Filipovic (Pictures), Ray Sefo (Pictures) and Remy Bonjasky and former PFC heavyweight champion Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira (Pictures) and Jerome LeBanner (Pictures) under MMA rules. He’s also faced well-known fighters Kazuyuki Fujita (Pictures), Akebono, Kimo Leopoldo (Pictures), Seth Petruzelli (Pictures) and Hong Man Choi in the ring of K-1.

MY PICK: Musashi. There was talk Sapp would be facing a well-known MMA fighter in the ring on the Dynamite card but negotiations fell through and Musashi was eager to take on Sapp. “Cro Cop” and Sefo were able to knockout the big man due to determination and superior execution of their game plan. Hoost wasn’t so efficient. If Sapp isn’t on his game, Musashi has a ton of experience, has beaten big men and will find a way to win. I feel it will be Musashi by decision.