Company type | Private |
---|---|
Industry | Martial-arts entertainment planning and promotion |
Founded | 1993 |
Founders | Kazuyoshi Ishii |
Headquarters | , |
Owner | M-1 Sports Media Co., Ltd |
Website | k-1.co.jp |
K-1 is a professional kickboxing promotion established in 1993 by karateka Kazuyoshi Ishii.
Originally under the ownership of the Fighting and Entertainment Group (FEG), K-1 was considered to be the largest Kickboxing organization in the world. [1] The organization was known for its heavyweight division fights and Grand Prix tournaments. [2] K-1 also promoted mixed martial arts events, with some events having both kickboxing and MMA matches on their cards (such as their Dynamite!! series). The promotion has also held several tournaments under K-2 and K-3 banners from 1993 to 1995.
FEG would later face financial issues in the 2010s, and eventually went bankrupt in 2012. [3] That same year, K-1 Global Holdings Limited, a company registered in Hong Kong, acquired the rights to K-1. In 2023, global rights to the K-1 brand were acquired by M-1 Sports Media. [4] [5] [6]
The letter K in K-1 is officially designated as a representation of words karate, kickboxing and kung fu. Nevertheless, some reports suggest that it represents the initial K found in competing disciplines such as karate, kickboxing, kung fu, kempo, kakutougi (the generic Japanese term for "combat sports"), and taekwondo. [7] Another theory claims that the K simply comes from kakutougi and the "1" component pertains to the single weight division (in earlier competition) and the champion's unique position. [8]
K-1 has its own unique ruleset different from other styles of Kickboxing. Because it has become so popular, K-1 is also seen as its own style of kickboxing and sometimes is erroneously considered as a standalone martial art/combat sport. [9] Kickboxing governing bodies such as the ISKA and WKN have also crowned their own "K-1 rules" champions. [10] [11]
K-1's predecessor, Seidokaikan Karate, was formed in 1980 by Kazuyoshi Ishii, a former Kyokushin karate practitioner who had formed his own organization to help promote the best stand-up martial artists. [12] Seidokaikan arranged several successful challenge events against other martial arts organizations, originally using rules based on the Kyokushin Knockdown karate rules, but gradually adapting and changing closer to kickboxing rules. In 1993, Mr. Ishii founded the K-1 exclusively as a kickboxing organization, closely cooperating with, but independent from Seidokaikan. [8]
In 2010, rumours began to surface regarding financial issues with K-1, and parent company FEG. [13] Simon Rutz, the owner of the Dutch-based kickboxing promotion It's Showtime, claimed in January 2011 that some fighters from It's Showtime had not been paid for fights in K-1. [14]
In early 2011, FEG publicly announced that they were facing financial problems and that the organization would take some months off to restructure. Many fighters and managers spoke out against FEG, due to unpaid fight purses, as well as objections to the direction that its owner was taking K-1. [15]
The entire K-1 brand, along with most of its trademarks, with the exception of, 'K-1 Koshien', 'K-1 MAX' and 'Dream', were sold to Japanese real estate firm, Barbizon Corporation Limited, on July 28, 2011. [16]
On February 1, 2012, EMCOM Entertainment Inc. purchased K-1 from Barbizon. [17] In March 2012, It's Showtime announced that EMCOM Entertainment established a new company K-1 Global Holdings Ltd. in Hong Kong. K-1 Global Holdings, Ltd., became the new official owner of the K-1 brand. K-1 Global's agreement with promotion required that certain fighters signed under It's Showtime appear in upcoming K-1 Global events. [18] [19]
The K-1 World MAX Final 16 took place on May 27, 2012, at the Palacio Vistalegre in Madrid, Spain. After the event, controversy and rumors circulated over fighters not being paid for their performances, unpaid financial obligations of FEG, and the incomplete transfer of ownership of the K-1 name. As a result, the K-1 World Grand Prix scheduled for 2012 would be cancelled if these issues were not resolved. [20] The chairman of the new K-1 resolved these issues by paying fighters what was owed and including a 50% bonus. [21]
It was announced in June 2012 that It's Showtime was purchased by Glory Sports International, eventually to be merged in their new promotion GLORY. [22]
On August 10, 2012, K-1's co-promotion agreement with Romanian-based kickboxing promotion SUPERKOMBAT was announced. [23] Though the agreement would eventually end, SK president Eduard Irimia stated that while its company will be independent in 2013 it will still continue to have cooperation with any interested promotion, including K-1, by offering fighters. [24]
On May 29, 2014, the launch of a "K-1 World League" in Japan was announced. It is considered to be a separate entity from the K-1 of 2012, with the World League acquiring naming rights and exclusive license for the Japanese region from K-1 Global Holding Ltd. [25] "K-1 World League" would focus on fighters in the 55 kg, -60 kg, -65 kg, -70 kg and heavyweight weight classes; and would be structured around professional events, amateur competitions and K-1 gyms. M-1 Sports Media is in charge of planning and production. [26] "K-1 World League" was subsequently renamed K-1 World GP on September 24, 2014. [27]
After its formation, "K-1 World League" formally incorporated the Krush brand. [26] Launched prior to the folding of FEG, in 2009, Krush was a collaboration between K-1 and AJKF. It was seen at the time as the second tier of K-1 competition, [28] and produced a number of future K-1 fighters such as Takeru Segawa, Tatsuya Tsubakihara and Leona Pettas, among others. K-1 would later add the KHAOS brand, which is seen as the third tier of competition, as a stepping stone between amateur and professional competition. K-1 maintains a number of gyms throughout Japan, from which potential kickboxers can transition from training to amateur competition to professional competition. A fighter can viably spend their entire career under the K-1 umbrella. [29]
On September 20, 2016, "K-1 World GP" executive producer Kensaku Maeda retired, [30] and was subsequently replaced by the Krush executive producer Mitsuru Miyata. [31]
From June 2017 onward, "K-1 World GP" started once again started holding events at the Saitama Super Arena. It was further revealed that fighters were signed exclusively to K-1, which wasn't the case previously. [32]
On December 17, 2018, it was announced that the former Krush and K-1 commentator and martial arts writer Takumi Nakamura would replace Mitsuru Miyata as the executive producer. [33]
On January 26, 2019, Krush was renamed "K-1 KRUSH FIGHT" to further announce the connection between the two brands. [34] However, on December 7, 2019, it was renamed back to Krush. The aim of renaming the competition back to Krush was to dispel the image of the brand as the second tier of K-1. [35]
On February 10, 2023, K-1 agreed on a mutual exchange of fighters with fellow Japanese promotion RISE, [36] [37] after they successfully co-promoted the Tenshin Nasukawa vs. Takeru crossover pay-per-view event, known as "THE MATCH 2022". [38]
On February 28, 2023, M-1 Sports Media acquired the global licensing rights for the K-1 brand, which was from that point forward managed by K-1 International Federation (KIF). [4]
On July 17, 2023, Takumi Nakamura stepped down stepped down from the position of producer. [39]
Former Glory Japan General Manager Carlos Kikuta was announced as the new K-1 producer on July 18, 2023. That same day, K-1 announced a collaborative event with Quintet called ReBOOT, which will be held on September 10, 2023. [40] The promotion subsequently announced their intention to re-brand their weight classes (under the "K-1 WORLD GP" and "K-1 WORLD MAX" banners, for heavyweights and fighters weighting -75 kg and under, respectively), that they would hold a heavyweight World Grand Prix, as well as a new partnership with Kyokushinkaikan. [41]
On August 8, 2023, former executive producer Mitsuru Miyata was appointed as the Krush producer. [42] On January 19, 2024, Kazuyoshi Ishii was appointed as an advisor. [43]
K-1 rules are as follows: [44] [45]
While under FEG ownership, K-1 events were centred around the K-1 World Grand Prix, including qualifying tournaments and preliminaries held around the world.
Under the "K-1 World GP" brand from 2014 to present, K-1 events almost exclusively took place in Japan. Its event schedule would feature a mix between traditional, single-fight events, and events featuring one-night tournaments to determine the champion in one of its weight classes. [46]
The following is a list of countries that K-1 has held events in chronological order:
The original K-1 Grand Prix was a single-event tournament held in Japan where competitors participated on invitation. By 1998, K-1 introduced the K-1 World Grand Prix format composed of K-1 Regional Elimination Tournaments (theoretically amounting to six), which qualify fighters for the K-1 World Grand Prix Final, along with licensed K-1 Fighting Network events designed to hold national preliminaries for regional qualification.
K-1's popularity differs greatly among six K-1 regions, which may limit the number of actual elimination tournaments or change locations. K-1 attempted to gain popularity in the United States by holding two GPs, however only a few Americans have ever qualified for the Finals. In 2006, one of the American GPs was relocated to Auckland. Additionally the K-1 Paris GP lost its qualifying right in favor of Amsterdam. Eventually, Amsterdam would lose it in favor of Łódź, and then Łódź in favor of Bucharest.
K-1 World Grand Prix Final Eliminator ("Final 16") is an event where 16 participants compete for the final eight spots in the Final ("Final 8"). Eight participants from the Final Eliminator meet at the K-1 World Grand Prix Final. Other elements of the tournament format would be modified over the years. The final was held at Tokyo Dome from 1997 to 2006, while the 2012 final took place for the first time in history outside Japan, in Zagreb, Croatia.
By 2002, K-1 started the K-1 World MAX ("Middleweight Artistic Xtreme") tournament for 70 kg (154 lb) Middleweight division, following a similar scheme to K-1 World Grand Prix (with theoretically four regional eliminators). In 2007, K-1 introduced two new title belts separate from K-1 World GP Champions, Super Heavyweight World Title for fighters over 100 kg/220 lbs and Heavyweight World Title for fighters under 100 kg/156–220 lbs.
K-1 events have been shown on the Tokyo Broadcasting System and Fuji TV during FEG ownership. [47] Following the reformation of K-1 under the "K-1 World League" & "K-1 World GP" banners, events would air through other broadcasters such as GAORA SPORTS, BS Sky PerfecTV! and TV Tokyo. [48]
K-1 events are currently broadcast through streaming service Abema TV domestically in Japan. [49] The promotion regularly uploads full fights, press conferences, and general media to its global YouTube channel. [50]
On August 30, 2023, it was announced that DAZN would begin distributing future K-1 events in 200 countries, beginning with the ReBOOT~K-1 ReBIRTH~ event on September 10. [51] [52] [53]
Division | Champion | Since | Title defences |
---|---|---|---|
Super Heavyweight (+100 kg) | Vacant | 0 | |
Heavyweight (-100 kg) | Roel Mannaart | 2018 | 1 |
Cruiserweight (-90 kg) | Liu Ce | 2024 | 1 |
Middleweight (-75 kg) | Shintaro Matsukura | 2023 | 0 |
Super Welterweight (-70 kg) | Ouyang Feng | 2023 | 0 |
Welterweight (-67.5 kg) | Vacant | 0 | |
Super Lightweight (-65 kg) | Yodkhunpon Weerasakreck | 2024 | 0 |
Lightweight (-62.5 kg) | Vacant | 0 | |
Super Featherweight (-60 kg) | Leona Pettas | 2022 | 0 |
Featherweight (-57.5 kg) | Taito Gunji | 2021 | 1 |
Super Bantamweight (-55 kg) | Akihiro Kaneko | 2022 | 2 |
Bantamweight (-53 kg) | Toma Kuroda | 2022 | 0 |
Women's Flyweight (-52 kg) | SAHO | 2024 | 0 |
Minimumweight (-48 kg) | Vacant | 0 | |
Atomweight (-45 kg) | Miyuu Sugawara | 2023 | 0 |
Masaaki Noiri is a Japanese kickboxer, currently competing in the Featherweight Division of ONE Championship. He is a two-weight K-1 champion, having held the K-1 World GP Super Lightweight Championship between 2017 and 2018 and the K-1 World GP Welterweight Championship between 2021 and 2024, as well as a one-time Grand Prix winner, having won the 2021 K-1 World Welterweight Grand Prix.
Takeru Segawa is a Japanese kickboxer currently competing in the Flyweight divisions of ONE Championship. He is the former K-1 Super Featherweight champion, K-1 Featherweight champion and K-1 Super Bantamweight champion. He is the only three weight champion in K-1 history. Takeru is considered by many to be a generational talent and one of the greatest kickboxers in the modern history of the sport, alongside his compatriot Tenshin Nasukawa. He is currently ranked #2 in the ONE Flyweight Kickboxing rankings.
Taiga Kawabe is a Japanese kickboxer, currently signed with RISE, where he is the current RISE Super Featherweight (-60kg) champion. He is the former Krush Super Bantamweight and K-1 Super Featherweight champion, as well as a two-time K-1 Grand Prix runner-up.
Ren Hiramoto is a Japanese mixed martial artist and former kickboxer, currently fighting in the featherweight division of Rizin FF. A professional competitor since 2015, he is the 2016 Krush and 2017 K-1 lightweight tournament runner-up.
Akihiro Kaneko is a Japanese kickboxer, currently competing in the super bantamweight division of K-1. A professional competitor since 2016, Kaneko is the current K-1 Super Bantamweight champion, having held the title since 2022, and the former Krush Bantamweight champion, having held the title from June to December 2018.
Yuto Shinohara is a Japanese kickboxer, currently competing in the lightweight division of K-1. A professional competitor since 2014, he is the former Krush Super Lightweight champion and a one-time Krush Lightweight title challenger.
Masashi Kumura is a Japanese kickboxer, currently competing in the super bantamweight division of K-1. He is the former Krush Super Bantamweight champion, having held the title between 2019 and 2021. Kumura is a two-time K-1 World Grand Prix finalist, having finished as the runner-up in the 2019 and 2022 super bantamweight tournaments.
Yuki Egawa is a Japanese kickboxer, currently competing in the super featherweight division of K-1. A professional competitor since 2013, he is the former Krush Featherweight and K-1 Featherweight champion.
Leona Pettas is a Japanese kickboxer, currently competing in the super featherweight division of K-1, where he is the Super Featherweight champion. He took the family name of his first trainer Karateka Nicholas Pettas. Pettas is the 2022 K-1 Super Featherweight World Grand Prix winner, the former Krush Super Featherweight champion and a one-time K-1 super featherweight title challenger.
Kotaro Shimano is a retired Japanese kickboxer, who fought out of Futtsu, Japan. He is the former Krush Super Featherweight champion. Shimano was continuously ranked as a top ten –60 kg kickboxer by Combat Press between May 2019 and June 2021.
Tatsuya Oiwa is a Japanese kickboxer, currently competing in the super featherweight division of K-1. He is a two-time Krush Super Featherweight title challenger.
The year 2021 is the 28th year in the history of the K-1, a Japanese kickboxing promotion. The year started with K-1: K’Festa 4.
Kazuki Miburo is a Japanese kickboxer. He is the former Krush Bantamweight champion.
Toma Kuroda is a Japanese kickboxer currently fighting in K-1, where he is the K-1 Bantamweight champion. He is the 2021 K-1 Japan Bantamweight Grand Prix and 2022 K-1 World Bantamweight Grand Prix winner.
Toma Tanabe, better known as Toma (斗麗), is a Japanese kickboxer, currently competing in the featherweight division of K-1. He is a one-time Krush Featherweight title challenger.
Krush is a martial arts entertainment planning and promotional brand established in 2008. Currently based in Japan, it is the sister brand of K-1. Krush promotes kickboxing events across ten male and three female weight classes. It is considered to be the second tier of K-1, and has produced numerous K-1 competitors; such as Takeru Segawa, Tatsuya Tsubakihara and Yuki Egawa.
The year 2022 is the 29th year in the history of the K-1, a Japanese kickboxing promotion. The year started with K-1 World GP 2022 Japan.
Miyuu Sugawara is a Japanese kickboxer, currently competing in the atomweight divisions of K-1 and Krush, where she is the former Krush Atomweight champion and the current K-1 Atomweight champion.
The year 2023 is the 30th year in the history of the K-1, a Japanese kickboxing promotion. The year will start with K-1 World GP 2023: K'Festa 6.