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Sharif Ben Mabrouk Says Hunger Will Drive SENSHI 33 Grand Prix Run Sharif Ben Mabrouk is arriving at the SENSHI 33 Grand Prix with a simple message for the 95kg field: do not count on him to play it safe. The 22-year-old Dutch-Tunisian kickboxer believes his mindset, hunger and willingness to embrace the underdog role can carry him through one of the toughest formats in the sport. Available on DAZN. The light heavyweight tournament takes place Saturday, September 5, at the beach arena in Saints Constantine and Helena near Varna, Bulgaria. Eight fighters will enter the one-night bracket, and the champion must win a quarterfinal, semifinal and final on the same card. Ben Mabrouk opens against Turkey’s Emin Özer, with the winner moving into the final four. Sharif Ben Mabrouk Talks SENSHI 33 “Only God can stop me,” Ben Mabrouk said when asked whether anybody in the tournament can halt his run. That confidence comes with a clear sense of purpose. Ben Mabrouk, who calls himself “The Monster,” said he feels made for this stage and sees a difference between wanting to win and needing to win. “I was born for this,” he said. “I believe nobody has the same hunger as me.” His self-assessment goes beyond pre-fight talk. Ben Mabrouk says his biggest weapon is “my hunger and mentality,” and he approaches every fight with a high-risk, high-output attitude. He describes his style in one word: “Aggressive.” A decision victory holds little appeal for him either. “I only want a knockout,” he said. “A win on decision does not feel like a real win for me.” That outlook could make his SENSHI 33 quarterfinal with Özer one of the card’s most direct matchups. The tournament includes Bulgaria’s reigning SENSHI European champion Eduard “Mr. Action” Aleksanyan, who moves up from 90kg, along with Romania’s Yuri Farcas, Portugal’s Iuri Fernandes, Moldova’s Alexandru Burduja, Italy’s Ramon Quirini and Germany’s Ali Nasir. The four quarterfinal winners return later that night for the semifinals, leaving little time to recover from damage or reset after an opening-round war. Ben Mabrouk does not present himself as the favorite. In fact, he would rather people doubt him. “Please don’t believe it,” he said when asked why fans should expect him to leave with the trophy. “I have always been the underdog and love this position. I am the youngest fighter in the tournament but will show everyone what I’m capable of.” If he gets the chance to choose a final opponent, Ben Mabrouk has his eye on DR Congo’s Bokéme, whom he calls the best fighter in the field. “I know that I need to beat the top to become the top,” he said. The comment fits his long-term plan at SENSHI, where he wants to collect titles at 85kg, 95kg and eventually heavyweight. Outside the ring, Ben Mabrouk is in the final year of a business degree at Erasmus University and has trained in martial arts for four years. He says combat sports helped him redirect anger that had caused problems while growing up. “Fighting took away my anger outside the ring,” he said. “All of that went away when I started kickboxing.” His discipline is the quality he values most, even if that same mentality can become a weakness. Ben Mabrouk admits he can push himself too far in training and be too hard on himself. Still, he sees no reason to soften his approach ahead of a career-defining opportunity. “I want to show my heart,” Ben Mabrouk said ahead of his return to Bulgaria. After a successful SENSHI 32 debut in July, he is now in the main Grand Prix bracket rather than a reserve bout. For a fighter who says he was born for combat, three wins in one night is exactly the assignment he wants. SENSHI 33 streams live and free worldwide on DAZN, with the event scheduled to begin at 7:30 p.m. EEST.