Kobayashi's getting old (he's in his mid-30's) and it looks like he's not gonna have too many fights left in him, unforunately. Haruaki Otsuki looks promising, but I disagree with his fighting style. Shootboxing has been gaining my interest over the past three years. Shishido is probably my favorite Shootboxer. He's going to fight against Buakaw in K-1 this fall, I'm definitely looking forward to seeing this.
It bothers me too, that K-1 ignores its featherweight, lightweight, welterweight, and light heavyweight divisions. I understand that Ishii wanted to have an open-weight tournament back when K-1 started, but it isn't fair that natural middleweights and light-heavyweights were forced to bulk up against heavier opponents. Look how big Ernesto Hoost got over the years! He used to be a light-heavyweight (185 pounds) like Rob Kaman, he's now 230 pounds. Look at what Andy Hug and Mark Hunt had to go through. They were the smallest K-1 champions (180 cm and 178 cm respectively), and it still amazes that they were able to hang with bigger guys like Aerts, Hoost, Le Banner, Bernardo, etc.
The anti-clinch rule bothers me a lot too...
Shooto has the best basis for MMA in the world. The Shooto commission has its A, B, and C ranks for fighters so that the amateurs can build from experience and rise through the ranks rather than be thrown to the wolves (something that too many underweight and inexperienced Japanese fighters encountered in K-1 and PRIDE).