Why isn't kickboxing more popular?

[FlashKo12345]

Such as Muay Thai and Dutch style western style kickboxing

Etc... Lots of people watch UFC most casual hate watching grappling and they love a stand up war just bleed fest thing is Muay Thai has that so thing is why hasn't it taken off? Boxing has and its just punching what is it about kickboxing that makes it less popular in media?

 

[bad seed]

Because Americans suck at it.

 

[galleryy]

Because people love to see ground work. that's why damien miaa and khabib is so famous and get paid the most money in the ufc

 

[freakyfarley]

Which country are you referring to? The Usa I presume?

 

[Officer_Brown]

- No personalities. (except Badr Hari whos coming back at the end of this year, HUGE FIGHT)
- Americans suck at it
- No big organisations
- All big names already retired
- Bad marketing (needs to be televised on TV)
- All talent going into MMA because there is more money

 

[Degen Gambler]

I dont like the big gloves

 

[scorpipede]

punch, punch, kick, clinch, separate. repeat. I watch but I get why it didn't gain in popularity after casuals see clinching in MMA lead to take downs and submissions.

 

[riitzni]

Such as Muay Thai and Dutch style western style kickboxing

Etc... Lots of people watch UFC most casual hate watching grappling and they love a stand up war just bleed fest thing is Muay Thai has that so thing is why hasn't it taken off? Boxing has and its just punching what is it about kickboxing that makes it less popular in media?

Firstly, don't take the JBG's name (PBUH) in vain.

Secondly, there's a lot of good reasons. It being a primarily European sport, it lacks break out, headline grabbing stars like Ali, Conor, Mayweather. People just don't like it, etc.

My personal view is that the UFC has spent twenty plus years proving to people that combat sports without grappling are fundamentally incomplete and will get their asses handed to them by a grappler. We saw it in 1993, we saw it again with James Toney. MMA casuals love a good stand up war and hate extended periods of non positional grappling, this is true. But taking grappling out of the equation directly affects the basic tenets of the fight - people can get thrown, they can get slammed, they can get arm barred and choked out by trick shot level subs no one saw coming. I think after all this time, the general public understands that a fight is 50/50 stand up and ground work and without it you're watching half the battle. It really hits home when you see boxing and hugging occurs - the number of times a ref has to break up a hug fest is ludicrous when you've seen people get suplexed before. You just can't go back.

 

[Relentless chase]

Such as Muay Thai and Dutch style western style kickboxing

Etc... Lots of people watch UFC most casual hate watching grappling and they love a stand up war just bleed fest thing is Muay Thai has that so thing is why hasn't it taken off? Boxing has and its just punching what is it about kickboxing that makes it less popular in media?

Because Mixed Martial Arts is the greatest sport in the world. UFC is the biggest fight promotion. Glory is big, but not as big as the UFC. plus in mma you make way more money.

 

[Coolidge]

Stupid clown size gloves and constant breaks in the action?

 

[Ceez]

 

[tramendous]

punch, punch, kick, clinch, separate. repeat. I watch but I get why it didn't gain in popularity after casuals see clinching in MMA lead to take downs and submissions.

so why did boxing get popular?


kickboxing never got popular in the US because initially kickboxing was the lame american type where you cant kick people's legs and not the thai/dutch style. also, boxing promotions worked hard to make sure it never got mainstream.

 

[scorpipede]

so why did boxing get popular?


kickboxing never got popular in the US because initially kickboxing was the lame american type where you cant kick people's legs and not the thai/dutch style. also, boxing promotions worked hard to make sure it never got mainstream.

boxing was popular way before MMA grew. It's got a hold.

 

[JosephTessaro]

I like it, Glory is on right now and I am watching it, but will tape the remainder of it because I will have to switch over to my Seahawks in about an hour.

 

[tramendous]

Stupid clown size gloves and constant breaks in the action?

do you mean clown size in comparison to MMA or boxing because boxing gloves are much thicker and boxing is popular but kickboxing is not. what gives?

 

[Coolidge]

do you mean clown size in comparison to MMA or boxing because boxing gloves are much thicker and boxing is popular but kickboxing is not. what gives?

In comparison to MMA. I didn't know boxing gloves were even bigger. Maybe boxing has (well, had) enough good qualities (e.g. personalities, stories, feuds, etc.) to offset the bad? Or maybe glove size is not a factor whatsoever. I don't know.

 

[Blayt7hh]

They tried to make it popular in the 80's and 90's but for whatever reason it never gained any traction. Now there is MMA so I doubt there is really a place for it in the mainstream market here

 

[moreorless87]

Perhaps because Americans are so busy thinking up reasons why its not popular beyond Americans not being top of the sport they don't have time to watch it?

 

[tenniswhiz]

so why did boxing get popular?


kickboxing never got popular in the US because initially kickboxing was the lame american type where you cant kick people's legs and not the thai/dutch style. also, boxing promotions worked hard to make sure it never got mainstream.

The talent pool was so shallow pure boxers would show up and wreck kickboxers.
They had to actually make rules requiring the athletes to throw kicks!

Also TKD guys tend to compete in TKD, karate guys compete in karate, MT guys compete in MT.
There isn't really a legit kickboxing tradition.

 

[OrigFan255]

Why do non-UFC questions keep ending up in UFC forum?

Same reason boxing is boring......Make the gloves smaller and I will watch.

 

[The Natural Born Runner]

Ruleset and divisions are just a little shitty.

Poor advertising also and character building also.

I'm not the biggest fan of the product, but I'm still a student of the game.