I think k-1 actually cost itself the deal. With no mma in the way k-1 becomes the UFC but bigger. Bob sapp, badr, remy, buakaw, petro, and fighters from k-1 America reality show establish themselves. A lot of mma guys would switch over. K-1 would have to have atleast some champions and have a big tournament at end of the year a different way. Where do you think the sport is if this became reality?
What happens if spike chooses k-1 over UFC in 2006?
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K-1 was on ESPN all the time and they did gimmick stuff with Mike Tyson to try and promote it (Tyson vs Sapp!!!).
Kickboxing is kickboxing, UFC is "real" and because of that it had a car crash, rubberneck effect. Also had the right characters, both in and out of the cage.
Kickboxing is kickboxing, UFC is "real" and because of that it had a car crash, rubberneck effect. Also had the right characters, both in and out of the cage.
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It would have flopped. Wasn't no US Kickboxers, wouldn't have had a fight with the impact of Griffin vs Bonner.
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Reality is the American casual viewers cannot relate to k-1 kickboxing. Most of them are just plain not good at it, so they don't watch it. Similar to soccer, most Americans are not good at that (on the elite world level) so they choose to watch sports that are more familiar to them like baseball, American football, wrestling. These sports are engrain in their upbringing (wrestling, football, baseball) as youths in schools. Most youth males wrestled and if not, think they can box (because that's all they are good at, its easy to throw a haymaker then to throw a balanced kick in a bar fight).
In MMA, particularly UFC, the rule set favors the wrestler (no spike elbows, no kick/knee to the face on the ground, lay and pray to win). Most casual viewers are able to relate to this style because wrestling and boxing is American, similar to American Football and baseball. So kickboxing/muaythai never caught on in the American main stream because plain and simple most Americans are not good at kickboxing, but most Americans can relate to wrestle+throwing a punch so MMA/UFC caught on quick. Typical, bar chugging bum would think he is a mma fighter, than an elite kickboxer any day because he will be unable to perform the skills of an kickboxer. Easier to grab and throw punches, so casual viewer can relate to this more and buy more pay per views.
In MMA, particularly UFC, the rule set favors the wrestler (no spike elbows, no kick/knee to the face on the ground, lay and pray to win). Most casual viewers are able to relate to this style because wrestling and boxing is American, similar to American Football and baseball. So kickboxing/muaythai never caught on in the American main stream because plain and simple most Americans are not good at kickboxing, but most Americans can relate to wrestle+throwing a punch so MMA/UFC caught on quick. Typical, bar chugging bum would think he is a mma fighter, than an elite kickboxer any day because he will be unable to perform the skills of an kickboxer. Easier to grab and throw punches, so casual viewer can relate to this more and buy more pay per views.
The UFC paid spike ten mill to even get the first season on air American fans then just wanted stand up fights. Everyone I know my age knows k-1. Promoted by spike k-1 is too exciting to not have gotten big at tht time UFC would of sold if not for spike
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Let's clarify something, Americans don't watch Soccer and aren't good at it because they don't play it because it SUCKS.
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K-1 conquered the world, not like MMA. UFC is considered way too violent in many parts of Europe, but that"s why the arenas are full because people are like animals. They like violence.
Let"s clarify that UFC even in golden era, in terms of quality and sport was under K-1. But they had the stories. Also in terms of organization, Japan was far superior to the US. Those K-1 shows in Japan, you also know Pride, were huge investments even regarding show and entrances.
Hoost, Aerts, Schilt, Sapp, Le Banner, etc, looked like real stars.
Let"s clarify that UFC even in golden era, in terms of quality and sport was under K-1. But they had the stories. Also in terms of organization, Japan was far superior to the US. Those K-1 shows in Japan, you also know Pride, were huge investments even regarding show and entrances.
Hoost, Aerts, Schilt, Sapp, Le Banner, etc, looked like real stars.
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Today UFC are funny considering their higher professionalism in comparison to the kickboxers. MMA"s world might not be big in Europe, but in the USA certainly is. And from Russia (USSR) there is also the talent.
So MMA really lacks talent. The past was much, much greater. Now they only sell "words". Funniest was about Ronda Rousey. I appreciate her a lot, but she wasn"t invincible as striking. The kickboxers in UFC proved it. The Canadian was really good, not like this McGregor that was knocked out by Nate Diaz.
)
Meanwhile, kickboxing also lacks more talent, but it"s mainly due to limited area AND PROMOTIONS AVERAGENESS. There are tons of promotions now, but not many new discovered heroes, fighters, plus they are all average in comparison to former K-1 (including Glory now).
So MMA really lacks talent. The past was much, much greater. Now they only sell "words". Funniest was about Ronda Rousey. I appreciate her a lot, but she wasn"t invincible as striking. The kickboxers in UFC proved it. The Canadian was really good, not like this McGregor that was knocked out by Nate Diaz.
)Meanwhile, kickboxing also lacks more talent, but it"s mainly due to limited area AND PROMOTIONS AVERAGENESS. There are tons of promotions now, but not many new discovered heroes, fighters, plus they are all average in comparison to former K-1 (including Glory now).
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Soccer is played by over 13 million people in the U.S., making it the third most played sport in the U.S., more widely played than ice hockey and American football. - Wikipedia
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Yes and 90% of them are under 13 years of age. It's a kid sport that doesn't evolve into a career because their is no interest outside of the World Cup.
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And we can't beat a country whose entire population is 10% of that.
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You should be better informed. All my friends are informed, you are not informed.
Soccer is played by over 13 million people in the U.S., making it the third most played sport in the U.S., more widely played than ice hockey and American football. - Wikipedia
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Read my follow up. That stat is completely void of context. It's a game children play then get out of by High School.
The only people that play Soccer in adulthood are Mexican imigrants.
If a good soccer player wants a career he becomes a Kicker for an American Football team. There is NO MONEY in soccer here...
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It also lacked the lowbrow white trash antics that we were a custom to with late 90s/ early 2000s action movies and "reality tv" shows.
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to piggy back what some one else said. Not only are americans not familiar with the sport, the skill level of alot of the fights that have been aired in the USA, are not elite level fighters. high class level boxing is much more fun to watch then a slugfest, so I think this may have something to do with why its not popular in america as well. it has grown alot indirectly through MMA though.
Most Americans know kickboxing and even k-1! My age range 25-40-45
Kickboxing used be big here and K-1 was always on espn ppl love kickboxing and kickboxing cardio classes r bigger than bjj karate is huge. K-1 used play all the time on espn.
Kickboxing used be big here and K-1 was always on espn ppl love kickboxing and kickboxing cardio classes r bigger than bjj karate is huge. K-1 used play all the time on espn.
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K-1 never caught on in America.
Nothing against kickboxing, but why watch that when you have MMA and Boxing. Kickboxing is not even the inbetween of both sports considering no grappling/clinching, and even then, people won't settle for something in the middle of the spectrum.
I like how people say well...kickboxers would do better than boxers in MMA, making it more versatile...Actually not really.
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I think you're overstating it's reach. Sure K-1 was on ESPN2 for maybe 2 years before FEG pulled the plug on that.
Cardio Kickboxing is the McDojo equivalent if not worse. Their is Kickboxing all around but not much legit stuff influenced by the Japan/Euro scene, and even the gyms that I've trained at that are fairly legit (teaches real technique and training methods) there is no infrastructure for building actual pro fighters, just smokers fighting against Hell's Angels. It's a bit better inside the Bay Area but even then that's fallen off especially after Fairtex pulled out of the area it seemed they were sponsoring a lot of shows, granted with a Muay Thai slant.
People also don't know shit about the sport when talking to people at gyms. Mostly just know MMA.
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