Karate fans around the world are getting ready for action. In Dubai everything is ready for one of the most anticipated events of the season. The Karate 1-Premier League arrives in Dubai for a thrilling event that continues the trend of record-breaking number of participants. The 

Karate fans around the world are getting ready for action. In Dubai everything is ready for one of the most anticipated events of the season. 

The Karate 1-Premier League arrives in Dubai for a thrilling event that continues the trend of record-breaking number of participants in major international Karate competitions. The previous two tournaments of the first-class international series of events this year had smashed the previous tally of karatekas taking part in the competition, and the Karate 1-Premier League in Dubai is not an exception. While over 500 karatekas from 55 nations competed in Dubai in 2016, nearly 900 competitors from 77 countries are getting their karategis ready to jump into the tatami this year. 

Main storylines of Karate 1-Premier League Dubai

Rafael Aghayev’s return. With five world championships under his belt and thousands of followers worldwide, Rafael Aghayev is arguably one of Karate’s biggest stars. Since his appearances in Karate 1-Premier League are usually quite scarce, the Azerbaijani’s hero presence in an event is celebrated by Karate enthusiasts as an opportunity to see in action the 32 year-old world ranking leader of the Male Kumite -75kg category. In his three participations in Karate 1-Premier League last year, the defending world and European title-holder claimed two bronze medals and one gold, precisely in Dubai. So the fan favourite will try to beat the likes of Karate Star Thomas Scott and 2016 Grand Winner Majed Alkhalifah to earn his second consecutive title in the Emirate city. 

Ryutaro Araga’s run of victories. Following his impressive triumphs in the World Championships last year and in the first two Karate 1-Premier League events of the season, Japan’s Ryutaro Araga acts as one of the main dominating figures of international Karate nowadays. His superiority in the Male Kumite -84 kg category is so outstanding that the Japanese Karate Star has not lost a bout in nearly two years. His victory in Rotterdam barely two weeks ago over local hero Rene Small represented his eight gold medal in Karate 1-Premier League, a tally that the 26 year-old karateka will try to increase against rivals such as 2016 Grand Winner Valerii Chobotar of Ukraine or World championships runner-up Aykhan Mamayev of Azerbaijan, among others.

World champions and Grand Winners on the line. The Karate 1-Premier League in Dubai will not only be remarkable for the large number of competitors but for the notorious presence of the biggest names of the sport. Six World Champions, nine Karate Stars and all the twelve 2016 Grand Winner will compete in Dubai. The spectacular level of competition is therefore guaranteed thus showcasing a memorable clash for Karate’s domination. 

Two young karatekas to watch. With two Karate 1-Premier League victories in the two events this year, Sadriddin Saymatov of Uzbekistan is set to become the biggest surprise of the season in international Karate. At only 19 years-old, the Shotokan practitioner shocked with his triumphs in Paris and Rotterdam over Malaysia’s Senthilkumaran Selvarajoo and Latvia’s Kalvis Kalnins, so one of the big highlights of the event will be the young karateka's quest to continue his impressive level of performance. Meanwhile, 24-year old Ayumi Uekusa will try to defend her status of World champion and claim her second consecutive gold medal in Karate 1-Premier League this year after her victory in Rotterdam.

Local karatekas clashing for glory. Representatives of the host nation hope to succeed at home this weekend so to take the flag of the organising country to the top of the podium. Nearly 40 karatekas from the Emirate nation aim at using the home-ground factor in their favor at the event. Athletes from the UAE form one of the biggest delegations participating in Karate 1-Premier League in Dubai this weekend. The largest team will be presented by Iran with 114 competitors, followed by Russia and Turkey with 62 and 52 athletes respectively.   

Live on Karateworld.tv. The Karate 1-Premier League in Dubai will be streamed live on Karateworld.tv. By signing to the Karate World TV Channel, Karate fans will receive all the excitement of the 2017 Karate 1-Premier League in HD, including all five tournaments LIVE, On-demand event replays, Video On Demand and Exclusive Content. 

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About Karate 1 – Premier League 

The Karate1-Premier League- is the most important league event in the world of Karate. It comprises of a number of the most prominent Karate competitions, with the cities of Paris (France), Rotterdam (Netherlands), Dubai (UAE), Rabat (Morocco) and Halle/Leipzig (Germany) acting as the stops of this year’s edition.

The Karate 1-Premier League will also be one of the key elements in the road to the Olympic qualification since the points to be allocated in Karate 1-Premier League tournaments will play an essential role in the configuration of the World ranking.