Gabala karate challenger Rafael Aghayev, fighting also for the Azerbaijan national team, won the title the best of 2018 as the Karate1 Premier League reveals seven contests’ results of the year. The 5-time world champion and 11-time European champion came out as the best of all his opponents in 75 kg after winning Premier League in Dubai (UAE) and Rabat (Morocco), as well as losing only in final in Paris (France) and Berlin (Germany). He also ended with bronze in Rotterdam (Netherlands). His evident lead was sealed even well before the last Premier League match in Tokyo, Japan. And this reached Aghayev to the high-class title for his first experience ever.