# Cyril Abidi

Cyril Abidi (born February 25, 1976), nicknamed "The Marseille Bad Boy", is a French former heavyweight kickboxer and mixed martial artist. A professional competitor from 1998 until 2007, he is perhaps best remembered for his upset first-round knockout win over Peter Aerts, which he followed up with another win in the rematch a month later. Abidi also defeated K-1 standouts Ray Sefo and Petar Majstorovic.

## Background

Abidi grew up in the north quartiers of Marseille (Consolat), in a modest Tunisian family. When he was 6, his mother took him to judo classes to keep him off the streets. He practiced judo for four years until he was inspired by Bruce Lee, his childhood idol, and started taking karate lessons.
When he was 18, he discovered Thaiboxing and became French champion at the age of 20.

## Career

A year later, he entered K-1, fighting against Petar Majstorovic in Zurich, Switzerland, and winning by a unanimous decision. Later that year, he faced legendary Dutch fighter Peter Aerts on July 7. A heavy underdog, Abidi surprised many by knocking out Aerts with a right cross at 2:13 of the first round. A month later, the two squared off again at the 2000 Heavyweight Grand Prix in Yokohama, with Abidi winning again in the first round after Aerts' corner threw in the towel. After causing another mild upset with a win over Ray Sefo later that night, Abidi faced Francisco Filho for the heavyweight final. Abidi lost after his corner threw in the towel in the second round. Later on December 10 of that same year, Abidi and Aerts faced off for a third time at the 2000 Japan World Grand Prix, with Aerts this time winning via unanimous decision. Later that night, Abidi fought in a rematch with Ray Sefo, their last bout being the semifinal of the Yokohama Grand Prix. Sefo avenged his defeat via first-round TKO.
After starting off 2001 with a decision win, Abidi was upset by South African Andrew Thomson, losing via TKO just 1:15 into the first round. He fought just once more in 2001, winning via fourth-round TKO. After a KO win in May 2002, it was announced Abidi would face then PRIDE Middleweight contender and future UFC Light Heavyweight Champion, Quinton Jackson. Many pundits did not expect Jackson's wild brawling style to be adaptable to K-1 competition against a well-rounded striker such as Abidi. However, Abidi lost via upset after being knocked out just under two minutes into the first round. After losing to Bob Sapp in another quick first-round defeat, Abidi faced Jackson in a rematch at the Inoki Bom-Ba-Ye event in 2002. Abidi lost again, this time via decision after three rounds.
In his short foray into mixed martial arts, Abidi lost to Nigerian comedian Bobby Ologun in his first fight in MMA. Abidi was a last minute replacement for Mike Bernardo who was injured. The events surrounding the outcome raised suspicion of a fixed fight and Abidi seemed to lend credence to this in a post match interview.
   I didn't have enough time to prepare for this fight, but I think I did do a good job for my first time. It was really good that my opponent is not so strong…..If he was a really strong fighter, I would have had had a hell of a time.
   Why I am smiling a lot? Even though I lost this fight, I don't have any feelings that I really lost a realistic fight. Maybe this was as expected.
His fight against fellow Frenchman and rival Jérôme Le Banner at K-1 World Grand Prix 2005 in Paris, on May 27, 2005, is considered to be one of the greatest battles in K-1 history. Abidi lost by a technical knockout. After losing the fight, Abidi stirred controversy by throwing three strikes at Le Banner, who deflected them but both fighters would have to be restrained by their corners and the officials ringside.

## Titles

* 2003 K-1 World GP 3rd place
* 2003 K-1 World Grand Prix in Paris runner up
* 2000 K-1 World GP 2nd place
* 2000 K-1 World GP in Yokohama runner up
* 2000 Thai Boxing World champion
* 2000 French Heavyweight Amateur Boxing champion
* 1996 French Kickboxing champion

## Kickboxing record

25 Wins (17 (T)KOs, 8 Decisions), 16 losses (10 (T)KOs, 7 Decisions) :
| Date | Result | Opponent | Event | Method | Round | Time |
| April 3, 2007 | Loss | Mitsugu Noda | K-1 World GP 2007 in Yokohama | Decision | 3 | 3:00 |
| March 5, 2006 | Loss | Hiraku Hori | K-1 World Grand Prix 2006 in Auckland, New Zealand | TKO (Corner Stoppage) | 2 | 3:00 |
| October 15, 2005 | Win | Stephane Reveillon | TK2 World MAX 4ever Edition, Paris | KO (Punch) | 1 | 0:11 |
| May 27, 2005 | Loss | Jérôme Le Banner | K-1 World Grand Prix 2005 in Paris, France | TKO (Referee stoppage) | 5 | 2:53 |
| April 12, 2004 | Loss | Gary Goodridge | K-1 World Grand Prix 2004, Japan | KO (Punch) | 1 | 3:00 |
| September 25, 2004 | Loss | Musashi | K-1 World Grand Prix 2004 Final Elimination, Japan | Decision (Unanimous) | 3 | 3:00 |
| February 4, 2004 | Win | Hocine Boutrek | TK2 Kickboxing, Marseilles, France | Decision | 5 | 2:00 |
| March 27, 2004 | Win | Hiraku Hori | K-1 World Grand Prix 2004 in Saitama, Japan | TKO (Referee stoppage) | 3 | 2:58 |
| December 16, 2003 | Loss | Remy Bonjasky | K-1 World Grand Prix 2003, Japan | KO (Flying knee strike) | 1 | 1:46 |
| December 16, 2003 | Win | Francois Botha | K-1 World Grand Prix 2003, Japan | Decision | 3 | 3:00 |
| November 10, 2003 | Win | Francois Botha | K-1 World Grand Prix 2003 Final Elimination, Japan | Disqualification | 1 | |
| July 13, 2003 | Loss | Ernesto Hoost | K-1 World Grand Prix 2003 in Fukuoka, Japan | Decision (Unanimous) | 2 | 3:00 |
| June 14, 2003 | Loss | Alexey Ignashov | K-1 World Grand Prix 2003 in Paris, France | TKO (Corner stoppage) | 3 | 0:20 |
| June 14, 2003 | Win | Chalid Arrab | K-1 World Grand Prix 2003 in Paris, France | KO (Punch) | 2 | 1:32 |
| June 14, 2003 | Win | Aziz Khattou | K-1 World Grand Prix 2003 in Paris, France | Decision (Unanimous) | 3 | 3:00 |
| May 17, 2003 | Win | Daniel Lentie | TK2 Kickboxing, Marseilles, France | KO | 3 | |
| June 4, 2003 | Win | Shingo Koyasu | K-1 Beast 2003, Japan | Decision (Unanimous) | 5 | 3:00 |
| December 31, 2002 | Loss | Quinton Jackson | Inoki Bom-Ba-Ye 2002, Japan | Decision | 3 | 3:00 |
| September 22, 2002 | Loss | Bob Sapp | K-1 Andy Spirits Japan GP 2002 Final, Japan | TKO (Referee Stoppage) | 1 | 1:17 |
| July 14, 2002 | Loss | Quinton Jackson | K-1 World Grand Prix 2002 in Fukuoka, Japan | KO (Punch) | 1 | 1:55 |
| May 22, 2002 | Win | Nick Murray | K-1 World Grand Prix 2002 in Paris, France | KO | 1 | 2:05 |
| August 10, 2001 | Win | Tatsufumi Tomihira | K-1 World Grand Prix 2001 in Fukuoka, Japan | TKO (Referee stoppage) | 4 | 2:30 |
| July 20, 2001 | Loss | Andrew Thomson | K-1 World Grand Prix 2001 in Nagoya, Japan | TKO (Referee stoppage) | 1 | 1:15 |
| March 17, 2001 | Win | Great Kusatsu | K-1 Gladiators 2001, Japan | Decision (Split) | 5 | 3:00 |
| October 12, 2000 | Loss | Ray Sefo | K-1 World Grand Prix 2000, Japan | TKO (Referee stoppage) | 1 | 1:45 |
| October 12, 2000 | Loss | Peter Aerts | K-1 World Grand Prix 2000, Japan | Decision (Unanimous) | 3 | 3:00 |
| October 11, 2000 | Win | Andrei Zuravkov | La Nuit des Champions, Marseille, France | | | |
| August 20, 2000 | Loss | Francisco Filho | K-1 World Grand Prix 2000 in Yokohama, Japan | TKO (Corner stoppage) | 2 | 0:25 |
| August 20, 2000 | Win | Ray Sefo | K-1 World Grand Prix 2000 in Yokohama, Japan | TKO (Corner stoppage) | 2 | 3:00 |
| August 20, 2000 | Win | Peter Aerts | K-1 World Grand Prix 2000 in Yokohama, Japan | TKO (Corner stoppage) | 1 | 2:42 |
| July 7, 2000 | Win | Peter Aerts | K-1 Spirits 2000, Japan | KO (Punch) | 1 | 2:13 |
| March 19, 2000 | Win | Nobu Hayashi | K-1 Burning 2000, Japan | TKO | 2 | 1:52 |
| November 20, 1999 | Win | Jean-Claude Leuyer | Kickboxing Gala, Marseilles, France | KO | | |
| July 18, 1999 | Loss | Stefan Leko | K-1 Dream '99 Semi Finals, Nagoya, Japan | Decision (Unanimous) | 3 | 3:00 |
| July 18, 1999 | Win | Kirkwood Walker | K-1 Dream '99 Quarter Finals, Nagoya, Japan | KO (Low kicks) | 1 | 0:33 |
| May 6, 1999 | Win | Petar Majstorovic | K-1 Fight Night '99, Zurich, Switzerland | Decision (Unanimous) | 5 | 3:00 |
| February 27, 1999 | Win | Nash Urladzic | La Nuit des Champions, Marseilles, France | Decision | 5 | 3:00 |
| 00/11/1998 | Win | Gardois de Tholomese | La Nuit des Champions, Marseilles, France | KO | 4 | |
| 00/09/1998 | Win | Alexandre Chvarev | La Nuit des Champions, Marseilles, France | KO | 1 | |

## Mixed martial arts record

| Res. | Record | Opponent | Method | Event | Date | Round | Time | Location | Notes |
| Loss | 0–2 | Bobby Ologun | Decision (unanimous) | K-1 Premium Dynamite!!, Japan | December 31, 2004 | 3 | 3:00 | Osaka, Japan | |
| Loss | 0–1 | Don Frye | Submission (rear-naked choke) | Inoki Bom-Ba-Ye 2001, Japan | December 31, 2001 | 2 | 0:33 | Saitama, Japan | |