Your thoughts on why K-1/Glory hasn't done as well as UFC in the US?

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truthisfreedom

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Just curious to see what you guys thought the reasons were for K-1/ Glory and Muay Thai's relative lack of success in the U.S. Market.

I always thought that the K-1/Glory product /production quality was amazing, and the fights were entertaining as hell. Veerhoven, Ben Saddik, Londt, even older guys like Hari, Bonjasky, Schilt, Hoost. Even in Muay Thai... Buakaw, Seanchai, Yodsanklai, Sittsonpeenong, lots of marketable personalities as well, so why the lack of success in this market?

Does it just come down to a lack of promotion? Or lack of relatable stars to the US market?
 
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Good question actually. Glory looks like great product but i cant make myself care about it.
 
Americans don’t fair as well in K-1.


Who are you gonna rally the Americans behind? Joe Schilling?


<CroCop1>
 
Kickboxing isn't fun to watch. It doesn't put butts in the seats.
 
Striking only sports lead to people shelling up and very technical fights happening, that aren't hugely exciting for newbie fans. Also in MMA you often have huge gaps in striking skills, even in high level matchups leading to more potential violence. Boxing has the historical prestige on it's side.

Also very few high level American kickboxers compared to in MMA and Boxing.
 
I think because MMA is more of a spectacle.

Less rules, smaller gloves, in a cage, etc.

Plus, UFC obviously has better marketing.
 
Frank23 said:
Kickboxing isn't fun to watch. It doesn't put butts in the seats.
Click to expand...

I disagree, but this is the answer to the original question. Americans like the perceived toughman aspect of MMA, whereas kickboxing is viewed as a less manly version of boxing
 
Not really sure either. I certainly enjoy GLORY and K-1 (when it was around.)

Guess you also have to remember that the original Western Kickboxing never got any footing in the US as either. It's possible that people are still equating "kickboxing" with those old rules (must throw certain amount of kicks to punches and all that.)
 
There was this video interview, now taken down, with the founder of Spike TV Albie Hecht.
Hecht said that Spike was interested in airing a combat sport and the UFC wanted to be on TV, but Spike first choice was K1.
He flew to Japan to meet with the K1 boss Ishii, but that guy acted like a mobster on a high horse, so he accepted the UFC deal and the real is history.

https://middleeasy.com/mma-news/spi...ed-a-gangster-s-geisha-and-ruined-a-k-1-deal/

No doubt that the Fertittas and Dana White did an amazing job running the UFC, but they have to thank all those others incompetent promoters that made their life a lot easier.


If K1 expanded when they had the possibility, kickboxing could have been the dominant combat sport worldwide.
In a lot of countries in Europe it's still more practiced than mma and boxing.
 
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For me, I have been watching UFC since UFC 1. It was what got me interested and it's what I have grown up watching, so it is in my DNA now. K1 is good to watch, but I only have so much time to watch MMA, and UFC has 3 shows a month now, so that fills my need to watch violence! I did watch K1 when Semmy Schilt, Badar Hari, and all the big name guys they had back 5-6 years ago were fighting, but have no idea who the name guys are now.
 
I think in the west Kickboxing is in the same spot that MMA was in the early 2000's, It's known but generally not viewed as a mainstream sport. I would go as far to say (at least in the UK) more people are interested in Kickboxing or Muay Thai as something to practice than they are as something to spectate. It doesn't help that there are a lot of small Kickboxing orgs so the general public cannot rally behind someone as they could the UFC champion either. I think a large TV channel needs to risk it and promote Glory, it has the action and is really well produced and we have seen the kind of success K1 and the like have in other foreign locations with big TV corporations backing.
 
I like Kickboxing, I think it's a great sport, but I also just can't bring myself to really follow it.

I guess it's just because MMA is the full package and I'm interested in all styles of fighting. Not just one style against the (pretty much) same.

Good question, though. I have no idea why all the people that whine about wrestlefucking and shit don't watch Glory instead.
 
I know I sound like a puss saying this but

When you watch back old K1 with Hari, Lebanner, Aerts, Graham etc

It does make you wonder how no one died...

Absolute savages
 
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