Replacing K1

[Bear17]

I love kickboxing and Muay Thai, and its sad to see how it has fallen from the K1 hey days.

Thinking of ways it can get back to that level and there isnt alot of options.
Lion fights is great, but it cant seem to attract crowds outside of friends and family. It deserves far better than that. Glory is ok, but no K1. Japanese people seem to prefer Anime and Hello Kitty to combat sports now, while the lack of money and exposure sends most fighters to UFC and MMA.
In my eyes the only real hope is if China can make it rock again.
China loves fighting, has more money and people to support it, and can sell out stadiums in big cities if its promoted.
Sanda is a very good sport to watch and is pretty much K1 rules nowdays anyway. Take away the silly platform, put a ring in and do it.
If they can offer big bucks like k1 did then the fighters will support it.
Outside of China, who else could do it? ADCC stsrting up a striking game as a well?

 

[Yodsanan]

K1 Japan restructured and is doing pretty great right now.



Ratings are also great on Abema.

 

[Boran]

One FC is doing a good job and just started a kickboxing league too.

I really dislike the American way of promoting like UFC, Bellator and Glory do. I get tired after hearing American commentators for 5 minutes. They scream all the time and everything sounds fake.
It's all about aggression and bad blood between fighters.

One FCs founder Chatri Sityodtong actually has a nice philosophy behind his concept. He wants to promote martial arts with Asian values, such as courage and respect for others instead of aggression and antisocial behavior.

But nothing can compete with K1 in its heydays. Full Tokyo dome, screaming Japanese girls, Japanese commentary, the screaming female ring announcer and the best fighters in 1 event!

 

[MadSquabbles500]

Nah, the leitai is cool especially if surrounded by moat like in the Karate Kid when he goes to Japan

 

[SuperLuigi]

There actually is Sanda in a ring. Heavenly Kagan gave a breakdown of the scene a while back. I prefer the leitai though because it is a big part of how the grappling functions.

On old K-1: I don't really mind that kickboxing doesn't have as much mainstream popularity as it used to. The reality is the vast majority of people just want to come home and put on a ball game to get work off their mind and will never care about fight sports. The important thing is that we the fans who do care still get to see awesome fights, and the fights are just as good as ever if you are willing to put in the effort of following the sport. There are also much more fights and you can watch all of it for free on the internet now.

 

[KenkaBancho]

LOL the japanese have always loved Hello Kitty and anime over fight sports. Anime related shit is big enough to be a factor in their economy

One FC is doing a good job and just started a kickboxing league too.

I really dislike the American way of promoting like UFC, Bellator and Glory do. I get tired after hearing American commentators for 5 minutes. They scream all the time and everything sounds fake.
It's all about aggression and bad blood between fighters.

One FCs founder Chatri Sityodtong actually has a nice philosophy behind his concept. He wants to promote martial arts with Asian values, such as courage and respect for others instead of aggression and antisocial behavior.

But nothing can compete with K1 in its heydays. Full Tokyo dome, screaming Japanese girls, Japanese commentary, the screaming female ring announcer and the best fighters in 1 event!

Chatri BSes as much as Dana White which is why One FC is failing as far as marketing is concered. Their biggest star is just a hot girl from Hawaii. The most exciting thing about it is seeing randoms fight his Evolve team which is like that movie Dodgeball with Ben Stiller. Asian values my ass. K1 was never promoting asian values or japaneseness either... japanese people just wanted to see a global tourney like Street Fighter or tekken IRL which is why their biggest fight was Sapp v Akebono

 

[Julius_Caesar]

K1 Japan restructured and is doing pretty great right now.

Kunlun/Glory >>>> K1

 

[AbeRudder]

Kunlun/Glory >>>> K1

Glory has more talent but I prefer watching K1's shows. The fights are just more exciting generally.

 

[Snubnoze707]

Kunlun/Glory >>>> K1

Not really. The talent pool is a bit thinner but the fight cards always deliver and are consistently more exciting than Glory cards IMO.

Knockout is awesome too...

 

[SuperLuigi]

In Glory's defense I love the frequency of their events. New K-1 cards are amazing but it sucks waiting so long for them.

 

[manlyseaeagle]

Need one top KB organisation and then it will improve but too many different org's will just delete the same.