Kickboxing is a full-contact hybrid martial art and boxing type based on punching and kicking. Kickboxing originated in the 1950s to 1970s. The fight takes place in a boxing ring, normally with boxing gloves, mouth guards, shorts, and bare feet to favor the use of kicks. Kickboxing is practiced for self-defense, general fitness, or for competition. Some styles of kickboxing include: full contact karate, Muay Thai, Japanese kickboxing, Lethwei, Sanda, and Savate.
The Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) is an American mixed martial arts (MMA) promotion company based in Las Vegas, Nevada. It is owned and operated by TKO Group Holdings, a majority owned subsidiary of Endeavor Group Holdings. It is the largest MMA promotion in the world as of 2023. It produces events worldwide that showcase 11 weight divisions and abides by the Unified Rules of Mixed Martial Arts. As of 2022, it had held over 600 events. Dana White has been its president since 2001 and CEO since 2023. Under White's stewardship, it has grown into a global multi-billion-dollar enterprise.
Paramount Network is an American basic cable television channel owned by the MTV Entertainment Group unit of Paramount Media Networks, a division of Paramount Global. The network's headquarters are located at the Paramount Pictures studio lot in Los Angeles.
Middleweight is a weight class in combat sports.
Welterweight is a weight class in combat sports. Originally the term "welterweight" was used only in boxing, but other combat sports like Muay Thai, taekwondo, and mixed martial arts also use it for their own weight division system to classify the opponents. If used, welterweight is typically between lightweight and middleweight.
IMG, originally known as the International Management Group, is a global sports, fashion, events and media company headquartered in New York City. The company manages athletes and fashion celebrities; owns, operates and commercially represents live events; and is an independent producer and distributor of sports and entertainment media. It has been owned by Endeavor since 2013.
A combat sport, or fighting sport, is a contact sport that usually involves one-on-one combat. In many combat sports, a contestant wins by scoring more points than the opponent, submitting the opponent with a hold, disabling the opponent, or attacking the opponent in a specific or designated technique. Combat sports share a long history with the martial arts.
The International Waterski & Wakeboard Federation (IWWF) is the world governing body for all towed water sports. Founded in Geneva, Switzerland in 1946, it is recognized by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) as the sole authority governing all towed water sports and has 91 affiliated member federations worldwide. The IWWF is also an affiliate member of the Global Association of International Sports Federations (GAISF) and is one of the seven founding sports of the World Games.
Amateur boxing is a variant of boxing practiced at the collegiate level, at the Olympic Games, Pan American Games and Commonwealth Games, as well as many associations.
The Professional Karate Association (PKA), later Professional Karate & Kickboxing Association, now—effective March 1, 2022 PKA Worldwide--was originally a martial arts sanctioning organization, now transformed into a martial arts promotion company.
Zuffa was an American sports promotion company specializing in mixed martial arts. It was founded in January 2001 in Las Vegas, Nevada, by Station Casinos executives Frank Fertitta III and Lorenzo Fertitta to be the parent entity of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) after they purchased it from the Semaphore Entertainment Group.
Fight Network is a Canadian English language Category B specialty channel owned by Anthem Sports & Entertainment. The network broadcasts programming related to combat sports, including mixed martial arts, boxing, kickboxing, and professional wrestling.
Boxing on NBC is the de facto title for NBC Sports' boxing television coverage.
Glory, formerly ‘Glory World Series’ is an international combat sports league based in the United Kingdom. It is owned by Pierre Andurand, Yao Capital, Scott Rudmann and other investors.
One Championship is a multinational combat sports promotion founded on 14 July 2011 by Chatri Sityodtong and Victor Cui. Originally focused on mixed martial arts (MMA), ONE has since expanded to regularly hold events featuring Muay Thai, kickboxing, and submission grappling bouts, while also previously promoting boxing and Lethwei matches. One held its first event on 3 September 2011 at the Singapore Indoor Stadium, and has since held over 200 events across Asia.
Jonathan Hamm is a former standout amateur boxer, actor, football player, and current mixed martial artist. Hamm was the #1 Super-Heavyweight Amateur boxer in the United States in 2011 after winning the 2011 U.S. Nationals. Hamm was an alternate in the super-heavyweight division of the 2012 London Olympic Games for the U.S. Hamm earned Black College All-American, 1st Team All Conference, 1st Team All-Region, and The Marion E. Jackson Defensive Player of the Year in 2006. Hamm is originally from Atlanta, Georgia, and trained out of Jackson's Submissions Fighting in Albuquerque, New Mexico. His manager was Malki Kawa, founder of First Round Management out of Miami, Florida, who houses UFC stars Jon Jones, Benson Henderson, Carlos Condit, Miesha Tate, and Frank Mir.
Premier Boxing Champions (PBC) is an ongoing series of televised boxing events connected to manager Al Haymon.
Peter Matthew Hutton is a multiple board member working in the sports industry. Among his current roles are board responsibilities at Sporttotal, the Saudi Professional (soccer) league, the Professional Triathlon Organisation, HYPE and the Rugby League as well as consultancy agreements with Greenfly, YBVR and other sport related organisations.
Friday Night Lights Out is the branding formally used for broadcasts of combat sports on the American cable network Spike.
Marshall Zelaznik is an American sports industry executive and the current CEO of GLORY kickboxing promotion.
