World Combat Games kickboxing competition starts again tomorrow with the semi-finals in point fighting, low kick and full contact. Here are our predictions for the semi-finals. Add your comments and your predictions and get ready to tune in!
POINT FIGHTING

-60k Women Point Fighting
Shauna Bannon is a strong Irish competitor with some real success in WAKO fighting under her belt. Although South Africa has sent some good fighters, the experience of the European is predicted to prevail. Evelyn Neyes is a good Belgian fighter but Gloria de Bei is the 2011 WAKO World Championship runner-up and just defeated one of the best female fighters in the world in Canada’s Chelsey Nash.

 

Prediction for match-up for final gold medal match: Shauna Bannon (Ireland) vs Gloria de Bei (Italy)

-63kg Men Point Fighting
Ritchie Veres has been having a great year in 2013 and is at the top of his game. The Hungarians train for these types of competitions in a manner that is second to few. His South African opponent is expected to have a difficult time with Veres and Veres is predicted to win. Desmond Leonard of Ireland faced off against an easy opponent in the quarter-finals but he is a talented fighter. However, Adriano Passaro has the experience that should advance him to the next round.
Prediction for match-up for final gold medal match: Richard Veres (Hungary) vs Adriano Passaro (Italy)
-74 kg Men Point Fighting
Laszlo Gombos was the 2011 WAKO world champion and has the experience that his Slovakian challenge will not be able to overcome. Mark McDermott will have an initial fight on his hands with his South African opponent but will be able to handle him during the three rounds for the win.
Prediction for match-up for final gold medal match: Laszlo Gombos (Hungary) vs Mark McDermott (Ireland)
-84kg Men Point Fighting
Robbie McMenamey was the 2011 WAKO World Champion and won his weight class at the 2010 World Combat Games. He he is expected to easily overcome his opponent from Jordan. The Neri Stella and Daniel Colorado match-up is a more difficult one to predict. Stella has the better WAKO fighting style experience but Colorado is no stranger to the point fighting ring. It is going to be a close fight.
Prediction for match-up for final gold medal match: Robbie McMenamey (Ireland) vs Daniel Colorado (Mexico)
LOW KICK
Admittedly, SportMartialArts.com is not as familiar with the low-kick and full-contact competitors.But based on the performances from Monday competition and some discussions with coaches and fighters, here are comments and the predictions for the low-kick and full-contact semi-finals.
In both disciplines, the Russians have offered some of the toughest competitors, plus the Russian fighters are on their home turf. For the women, although we’d love to go with Thi Tuyet Nguyen of Vietnam in at least one of the disciplines since she is the only competitor who is competing in two, we have to go with her opponents in both competitions. In -75kg men, Baratov hits like a freight train. He’s the one Russian upset we are going with for the event.
-52kg Women Low Kick
Prediction for match-up for final gold medal match: Anna Poskrebyshiva (Russia) vs Zehra Gulgen (Turkey)
-67kg Men Low Kick
Prediction for match-up for final gold medal match: Kenan Gunaydin (Turkey) vs Shamil Abdulmedzhidov (Russia)
-75kg Men Low Kick
Prediction for match-up for final gold medal match: Khasenkhon Baratov (Ukraine) vs Kadir Tastan (Turkey)
-81kg Men Low Kick
Prediction for match-up for final gold medal match: Aleksandr Drobinin (Russia) vs Fernand dos Santos (Brazil)
FULL CONTACT
-56kg Women Full Contact
We’re big fans of Sorlie and we see her going to the final round in women’s full contact. Viksten of Finland will make the gold medal round a great fight.
Prediction for match-up for final gold medal match: Tonje Sorlie (Norway) vs Camilla Viksten (Finland)
-63.5kg Men Full Contact
Lipinetc did not have to fight anyone in the quarter-final round. Not only will he be fighting his  Kyrgyzstan opponent fresh, he’s also a former WAKO World Champion.
Prediction for match-up for final gold medal match: Sergei Lipinetc (Russia) vs Gabor Gorbics (Hungary)
-71kg Men Full Contact
Mariscal may be considered a long shot but he has heart and smarts. We think he is going to be able to defeat his Jordanian opponent and move into the finals.
Prediction for match-up for final gold medal match: Nikita Selyanskiy (Russia) vs Jose Mariscal (USA)
-91kg Men Full Contact
Waigel is considered one of the best and we see him advancing. Dmitrienko is Russian, hits hard and takes no prisoners.
Prediction for match-up for final gold medal match: Eugen Waigel (Germany) vs Aleksandr Dmitrienko (Russia)
What are your predictions? We want to hear from you.