Nobuaki Kakuda
In 2003, K-1 founder, Kazuyoshi Ishii was charged and subsequently found guilty of tax evasion, by which he had to serve 22 months in prison. Former K-1 fighter and part-time event referee Nobuaki Kakuda, business man Sadaharu Tanikawa and fighter Bob Sapp took over as head producers of K-1 ensuring its survival. However the dynamics of K-1 changed, showcasing big muscular men that would wow the crowd with their size if not their skills. These shows were nicknamed "Beast" shows, sharing the same nickname as Bob Sapp. Even though Bob Sapp became a sensation in Japan the previous year the two "K-1 Beast" events held were disappointments in both match quality and revenue.