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NOVEMBER 2013




"Bring It On" & "Lets Do THIS" Are Both Fight Sport Trademark of IKF & ISCF Fight Sports!

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FRIDAY, November 29th, 2013, AT 8:20 AM/ PST

Absolute Adrenaline & Phoenix Fight Night Presents
"STAND & DELIVER"
Bournemouth, England


  • WHEN: Sunday, December 1st, 2013
  • WHO: Absolute Adrenaline & Phoenix Fight Night
  • WHERE: Littledown Centre, Bournemouth, England
  • WHAT: IKF KICKBOXING, ISCF MMA, & K-1 & IAB Boxing
  • IKF/ISCF/IAB Event Representative: Lee Beeston
  • IKF/ISCF/IAB Event Referee: Trevor Chamberlain
  • IKF/ISCF/IAB Judges: Graham Robinson, Sarah Beeston, Keith Adams
  • Ringside Physician (MD): Dr. Micah Atkinson & Ambulance: Jon Acc Paramedic Services
  • IKF/ISCF/IAB Timekeeper: Dean Alexander
  • Promoter: Mr. Carl Sams & Mr Jimmy Johnstone At (01202) 294223
  • ON THE WEB: www.PhoenixMMAuk.co.uk



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  • FIGHT CARD AS OF Friday, November 22, 2013 11:48 AM /PST

    1. Lonsdale White Collar BOXING - 3 x 2
      Lee Mackeckie (England) VS Maciej Borkzynski (England)

    2. Lonsdale White Collar BOXING - 3 x 2
      Tom Chubb (England) VS Ray Batsun (England)

    3. Lonsdale White Collar BOXING - 3 x 2
      Jack Eason (England) VS Steve Barthlumue (England)

    4. ISCF AMATEUR MMA - 3 x 2
      Julian Kerr (England) VS Ben Griffiths (England)

    5. IKF AMATEUR KICKBOXING - 3 x 2
      Darren Peterson (England) VS Jimmy Killick (England)

    6. Lonsdale White Collar BOXING - 3 x 2
      Gary Rooke (England) VS Les Symons (England)

    7. IKF AMATEUR K1 KICKBOXING - 3 x 2
      Luke Butcher (England) VS Matt Cox (England)

    8. IAB PRO BOXING - 4 x 2
      Adam Urban (England) VS Danny Knight (England)

    9. IAB PRO BOXING - 4 x 2
      Paul Williams (England) VS Roger Dorway (England)

    10. IAB PRO BOXING - 4 x 2
      Clara Norman (England) VS Gemma Hewitt (England)

    11. IAB PRO BOXING - 4 x 2
      Fran Paz (England) VS Danny Salter (England)

    12. IKF AMATEUR K1 KICKBOXING - 3 x 2
      Marina Nash (England) VS Kate Bowerbank (England)

    13. IAB PRO BOXING - 4 x 2
      Justin Hicks (England) VS James Crow (England)

    14. Lonsdale White Collar BOXING - 3 x 2
      Gary Landers (England) VS John Hassett (England)

    15. IKF AMATEUR K1 KICKBOXING - 3 x 2
      Jamie Hopcroft (England) VS Henri Burnaham (England)

    16. IAB PRO BOXING - 4 x 2
      Jake Best (England) VS Harrison Western (England)

    17. IAB PRO BOXING - 6 x 2
      John Orchard (England) VS Martin Durrant (England)

    18. IAB PRO BOXING - 6 x 2
      Mo Kargbo (England) VS Dan Guthrie (England)

    19. IAB PRO BOXING - 4 x 2
      Rich Walker (England) VS Kai Larson (England)

    20. IAB PRO BOXING - 4 x 2
      Sam Morrison (England) VS Paul Morby (England)

    21. IKF PRO K1 KICKBOXING - 3 x 3
      Dan Winstanley (England) VS Ed Kelly (England)

    22. IAB PRO BOXING - 4 x 2
      Alex Thorne VS Dean Woodyatch - TBA


  • TBC
    • ISCF PRO MMA - 3 x 5
      Andy Manzola (England) vs Dave Gibson (England)



TUESDAY, November 26th, 2013, AT 5:50 PM/ PST

Robinsons Promotions Presents
"SUPERFIGHTS-2"
Nashville, Tennessee, USA


  • WHEN: Saturday, November 23rd, 2013
  • WHO: Robinsons Promotions
  • WHERE: POUND FOR POUND, 400 Harding Industrial Drive, Nashville, Tennessee, USA
  • WHAT: IKF Amateur Kickboxing Exhibitions And Pro Boxing
  • & IKF Event Representative: Johnny Davis
  • Promoter: Mr. Bernard Robinson at (615) 732-2662 or at robinsonpromotions615@gmail.com


Tennessee's Robinson's Promotion Scores
Well for Kickboxing Startup!
November 23rd, 2014


Kickboxing Champion Bernard "Swiftkick" Robinson of Nashville, Tennessee revives his devotion to rebuilding the sport he loves in hosting Professional Boxing and an exciting undercard of Kickboxing exhibitions to the delight of the fans in attendance. Robinson, who held several Kickboxing titles, was clear "I want to revive the standup game. I have nothing against MMA but my love is the standup game and that is what I plan to promote. This is why we have brought in the IKF to sanction our events and give the fighters the recognition they deserve. "

Hosting the event in his six thousand square foot fully equipped gym nestled in rural Nashville, local fight fans came out in respectable numbers to support local fighters on a night where international televised Kickboxing and Boxing events controlled the air-waves. Based on a few standing ovations and the cheers coming from the boisterous group, they will be coming out to many more events in Tennessee! President of AK Promotions and IKF Representative Johnny Davis noted "Bernard and his wife Tina have an excellent opportunity to grow the sport of kickboxing in this area. I want to be sure that I offer my experience and knowledge to assist them in obtaining their goals. We will have a nice climb with this project but for sure, fighters and fans in the area should get pumped for the great events to come! We will begin IKF sanctioning of Robinson's Promotions for Kickboxing, IKF Point Kickboxing in 2014 and may also be crowning some very talented Boxers on the card with IAB Championships as well."
(The IAB is the International Association of Boxing…a sister organization of the IKF that sanctions Professional and Amateur Boxing Eventswww.IABBoxing.com)

Moreover, "I wanted to make sure and clearly explain to kickboxers, trainers as well as commission officials the rules and conduct the IKF will require of their promoters on future shows. Former IKF & ISCF Promoter and now Tennessee State Commissioner Jeff Mullins and his officials were excited about the arrival of kickboxing back into the area."

Davis also mentioned that as part of his personal goals to rebuild Kickboxing on the East Coast that he will now be offering seminars in "How To Promote Top Level Kickboxing and Boxing Events." He feels that he can save promoters a lot of money by teaching some tricks of the business and by avoiding mistakes he's made over the approximate 25 years of promoting events. It's pretty simple, the more professional and organized the events are, the more fans will enjoy the shows and will want to return.

Those who may be interested in seminars and, or Consulting Services by Davis can contact him at johnnyd@akpromotions.org or by calling (843) 773-1005. In Closing, Robinson's fight style was "Getting in your face and fight!" It is clear that he was not only a very good Kickboxer but his vast experience in the game will make him a successful promoter. He has a supportive wife and a host of support at his club and for sure the sky is the limit for Robinson Promotions, which is a win-win for fighters and fans in the Tennessee area!

Expect Robinson to get in the face of all obstacles and knock them out…one by one as he continues to rebuild Kickboxing in Tennessee! For more information on Bernard Robinsons Promotions…contact him at (615) 983-0823.




MORE IKF RESULTS...


Results From Vinny O Brien's
"IKF Junior National Irish Championships"
November 24th, 2013 - Waterford, Ireland


  • WHO: Vinny O Brien
  • WHERE: Sports Centre In Dungarvan, Co. Waterford, Ireland
  • WHAT: IKF Junior National Irish Championships
  • & IKF Event Representative: Pete Foley
  • IKF Event Referee: TBA
  • IKF Judges: TBA
  • Ringside Physician (MD): Dr Maura Grummell - Order Of Malta
  • IKF Timekeeper: TBA
  • Promoter: Mr. Vinny O Brien At 083 4218676


The IKF Junior National Ireland Championships in Dungarvan on Sunday last, which was hosted this year by IKF Secretary Mr. Vinny O Brien, was a resounding success. Mr. O Brien had two full sized boxing rings in operation all day as well as two matted areas (one for warm up). Over 200 enthusiastic kids from as young as 5 years old up to 17 years old battled it out all day for the beautiful medals on offer. With a Doctor on duty throughout the day as well as a full ambulance service, thankfully, there were no injuries worth talking about. Vinny and IKF Ireland President Pete Foley were on hand all day to deal with any issues or complaints. However, all coaches, fighters and spectators seemed happy enough and although the tournament went on a little longer than expected, most people understood this was just due to the high volume of competitors. Mr. O Brien would like to thank all the fighters, coachs and parents who travelled from all over Ireland, Dr. Maura Grummell, The Ambulance Crew, The Management of the Dungarvan Sports Centre, The IKF, all the coachs who helped out all day with judging, refereeing, timekeeping etc. and made no bones about it (it can be a thankless job at the best of times) and indeed anyone who helped make the day a success.

Results are as follows:

  1. Girls -75kg
    Gold - Kayleigh Croan - K2C, Cork.

  2. Girls -64kg
    Gold- Grace Still - Emerald Kickboxing, Carrick-An-Suir

  3. Girls -60kg
    Gold- Beth McCarthy Raging Bulls, Waterford.
    Silver- Pauline Szmist - North Side Kickboxing, Limerick.

  4. Girls -54kg
    Gold- Saoirse Joyce - Black Dragon, Galway

  5. Girls -50kg
    Gold- Chloe Quinn - Tipperary Fight Factory.

  6. Girls U14 +5ft
    Gold- Mollie McNevin - Black Dragon, Galway.
    Silver- Taylor Brennan - Black Panther, Tallaght.
    Bronze- Megan Lennon - Deise kickboxing, Dungarvan.

  7. Girls U14 -5ft
    Gold- Ciara Ryan -Northside Kickboxing, Limerick.

  8. Girls U12 +5ft
    Gold- Chloe Collins - Black Dragon, Galway.
    Silver- Shannon Bush - Top Pro, Kilkenny.
    Bronze- Kia Maher - Top Pro, Carlow

  9. Girls U12 -5ft
    Gold- Saoirse Still - Emerald Kickboxing, Carrick An Suir.
    Silver- Zara White - Raging Bull, Waterford.
    Bronze- Sarah Phelan - South Kilkenny

  10. Girls U10 -4ft 6"
    Gold- Billie Maher - Black Dragon, Carlow.
    Silver- Asha Ryan - Raging Bull, Waterford.
    Bronze- Alicia Chambers - Tipperary fight factory

  11. Girls U10 +4ft 6"
    Gold- Robin King - Raging Bull, Waterford.
    Silver- Caroline O Donoghue - Tuathe De Deana, Portlaoise.

  12. Girls -4ft 6"
    Gold- Rihanna Lynch - Deise Kickboxing Dungarvan.
    Silver- Aleisha Da Cruz - Phoenix Kickboxing, Tullamore.
    Bronze- Sadbh Moran - Dragons Lair, Kilkenny.
    Kayla Daly - Dragons Lair, Kilkenny.

  13. Girls U8 +4ft 6"
    Gold- Ebony Bolger Martin - Raging Bull, Waterford.
    Silver- Catriona Kinsella - Black Dragon, Carlow

  14. Boys +81kg
    Gold- Ciaran Shanahan - Thurles Kickboxing.
    Silver- Ryan Spillane - K2C, Cork.
    Bronze- John O Rourke - Top Pro, Kilkenny.

  15. Boys -75kg
    Gold- Eric Nolan - Celtic Kickboxing, Carlow.
    Sliver- Aaron Joyce - Black Dagon, Galway.
    Bronze- Martin Cronin - K2C, Cork.

  16. Boys -71kg
    Gold- Patrick Stokes - Raging Bull, Waterford.
    Silver- Matty Nufkfjowski - Tuatha De Deana, Portlaoise.
    Bronze- Oisin Brophy - Emerald Kicboxing, Carrick An Suir.

  17. Boys -64kg
    Gold- Adam Asdurchen - Top Pro, Carlow
    Silver- Anthony Kirwan - Top Pro, Carlow.
    Bronze- Billy Walker - Raging Bull.

  18. Boys -57kg
    Gold- Kalem Sullivan - Ragin Bull, Waterford.
    Silver- Peter Jazzcczuk - Emerald Kickboxing, Carrick An Suir.
    Bronze- Owen Maher - Top Pro, Carlow.

  19. Boys -50kg
    Gold- Ryan Keegan - Black Panter, Tallaght.
    Silver- Paul Hayden - Top Pro, Kilkenny.
    Bronze- Tommy lee - Thompson Black Dragon, Carlow

  20. Boys U14 +5ft
    Gold- Patrick Kearns - Black Panter, Tallaght.
    Silver- Shane Connolly - Raging Bull, Waterford
    Bronze- Rytis Danielius - Raging Bull, Waterford

  21. Boys U14 -5ft
    Gold- Welsey Ward - Black Dragon Galway.
    Silver- Aaron O Donoghue - Raging Bull, Waterford

  22. Boys U12 +5ft
    Gold- Karl Mahoney Dragons lair
    Silver- Alex Fitzpatrick - Black Dragon, Galway.
    Bronze- Morgan McEnroe - Dragons Lair.

  23. Boys U12 -5ft
    Gold- Ryan Walsh Raging Bull
    Silver- Scott Lennon - Deise Kickboxing, Dungarvan.
    Bronze- Kian Farrell - Tipperary Kickboxing
    James Hayes - Bo Ju Kai, Nenagh.

  24. Boys U10 -4ft 6"
    Gold- Alex Heffernan - Phoenix Kicboxing, Tulamore.
    Silver- Kyle Coleman - Black Dragon, Carlow.
    Bronze- killian Kelly - Dagons Lair, Kilkenny.

  25. Boys U10 +4ft 6"
    Gold- Charlie Burke - Dragons Lair.
    Silver- Scott Carey - Tipperary Kickboxing.
    Bronze- Niall Rowe- Top Pro, Kilkenny

  26. Boys U8 +4ft 6"
    Gold- Laslo Zsakai - Deise Kickboxing, Dungarvan.
    Silver- Daniel Jurzyk - Phoenix kickboxing, Tullamore.

  27. Boys U8 -4ft 6"
    Gold- Calum Moran - Raging Bull, Waterford.
    Silver- George Hayes - Bo Ju Kai, Nenagh
    Bronze- Evan Burke - Dragons Lair.

  28. Boys U6 Gold
    Martin Wall - Raging Bull, Waterford.
    Silver- lee Doran - Top Pro, Carlow.
    Bronze- Alex Mitchell - Raging Bull, Waterford




MORE IKF RESULTS...

Results From Deleotega MMA's
IKF Point Muay Thai Kickboxing Tournament
November 16th 2013 - Stockton, California, USA






MONDAY, November 25th, 2013, AT 3:00 PM/ PST


Two Time IKF World Kickboxing Champ
Sheppard To Box Tarver.

-NABA Heavyweight Title-

Two time IKF World Champion Mike Sheppard of Elizabeth, West Virginia, USA (Boxing: 21-15-1 with 9 KO's) will face off against 5 time world champion Antonio"Magic Man" Tarver of Lutz, Florida, (29-6 with 20 KO's) tomorrow night at the BB&T Center in Sunrise Florida. On the line will be the vacant interim NABA (North American Boxing Organization) heavyweight title.

Sheppard holds two IKF Pro World titles under Full Contact rules and International rules. Along with being a Pro boxer he has fought in almost every style of fighting with a record of 23-7-1/18 in Pro Kickboxing, 2-1/2 in Team style with the former WCL and even Mixed Martial Arts.

He first won the IKF FCR Pro Cruiserweight World title on April 19th, 2008 in Morgantown, West Virginia, USA when he defeated Antoine McRae (25-5-2/10, AKB: 9-0/5) of Elizabeth New Jersey by unanimous decision.

He next won the IKF IR Super Cruiserweight World title on March 24th, 2012 in Robina (Gold Coast) Queensland, Australia when he defeated Robert Wilesmith (15-1/14) by TKO at 1:33 of round 3. Having never been challenged for either title Mike has kept busy in Pro boxing which he has been doing since 1997. mike is trained by class act Leon Ramsey also of West Virginia, USA.

A 16-year pro, Sheppard has the veteran experience needed to beat a fighter like Tarver, as he will not be intimidated by any foe in the ring. Winner of six of his last nine bouts, including an August victory over Justin Novaria, Sheppard is amped up to score the upset and get a career-defining win.

"Beating someone like Antonio Tarver would be career-altering for me," said Sheppard. "I know what he's accomplished in the sport, but I'm hungry for this and you're going to see the best Mike Sheppard yet."

Tarver last fought on June 2nd, 2012 when he faced off against Lateef Kayode (18-0) at the Home Depot Center in Carson, California, USA. The bout was for Tarver's IBO (International Boxing Organization) Cruiserweight title. After 12 rounds the bout ended in a split decision draw with judge David Denkin scoring it 113-115, judge Max DeLuca scoring it 115-113 and judge Dave Moretti giving it a draw at 114-114.

Tarver had won the title on July 20th, 2011 when he defeated Danny Green (31-3) at the Entertainment Centre in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. In round 9, Green got a little reckless before Tarver opened up and landed a barrage of power shots near the end of the round. Green walked to the wrong corner and was on wobbly legs, forcing his cornermen to stop the bout.

A 1996 Olympic Bronze medalist for the United States, Florida's Tarver is one of the premier fighters of this era, having dominated the light heavyweight division with his signature wins over Roy Jones Jr., Glen Johnson, Eric Harding and Clinton Woods. Now looking for another world title at heavyweight, the southpaw is prepared to take on and beat all comers.

"I'm looking forward to getting back into the ring and showing the world that the 'Magic Man' is better than ever and ready for the big fights," said Tarver. "This is the perfect opportunity to make a statement at home and I can't wait."

The 10 round Tarver vs Sheppard Title bout is presented by Golden Boy Promotions and sponsored by Corona and O'Reilly Auto Parts. The BB&T Center doors open at 7:00 PM/ET and the first bell rings at 8:PM/ET. The FOX Sports 1 and FOX Deportes bi-lingual simulcast will air live at 9:PM/ET/6:PM PT. Tickets priced at $150 (VIP Tables), $75, $50, $40 and $25.




FRIDAY, November 22nd, 2013, AT 3:00 PM/ PST




THIS WEEKENDS IKF ACTION...

Adrenalin Fight Nights Presents
"ADRENALIN SPIKE"
Swansea, Wales






MORE IKF ACTION THIS WEEKEND...

Robinsons Promotions Presents
"SUPERFIGHTS-2"
Nashville, Tennessee, USA






MORE IKF ACTION THIS WEEKEND...

TKO Promotions Presents
"KOMBAT ZONE TRIBAL GATHERING"
Kent, England





MORE IKF ACTION THIS WEEKEND...


Vinny O Brien Presents
"IKF Junior National Irish Championships"
Waterford, Ireland







MORE FIGHT ACTION THIS WEEKEND...


Pete Foley Presents
"IAB BOXING"
Galway, Ireland





THURSDAY, November 21st, 2013, AT 5:00 PM/ PST


KEEP MOVING FORWARD

Day after day,
year after year
I have dedicated time, effort and sacrificed often
to make all forms of fight sports succeed.
I have seen
Trainers, Officials, Fighters, Promoters
and even other Sanctioning Bodies come and go.
All of them had plans
to be the next big thing,
but not all knew the true
secret to success and of those who may have,
they were not willing to do what it takes to succeed.
Through it all, I have failed many times.
However, those failures have always been overshadowed
by the successes and proud accomplishments
I have witnessed either by my doing
or the MANY others around me.
All of us want the easy answer to succeed.
However, as time passes,
I am always reminded of the real reason people succeed…
That when you
fall down 6 times, you get up 7.
Persistence - Perseverance
is indeed the secret of all triumphs.
After all, it was by perseverance
the snail reached the Ark…
See you at the Ark my friends…




GET INSPIRED
CLICK HERE

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TUESDAY, November 19th, 2013, AT 5:00 PM/ PST


Fighter Stats Requested for Potential
North Carolina Kickboxing Card
Set For February Or March 2014.

Dear Trainers and Fighters,
AK Promotions is looking at starting their promotions year and looking at several dates to do events starting as early as Saturday, February 1st, 2014 or later in the month. The venue will be in the North Carolina area and will be at a very nice facility. If all moves forward, they will have about 15 to 20 bouts on the card that evening including Men and Women Fights. They may also do a couple of junior bouts but must keep in mind that this will be an adult Las Vegas style atmosphere and alcoholic beverages will be sold. There will also be great music and great food for a great night out on the town!

From AK Promotions Johnny Davis (L): "For the most part, we will be looking for fighters in and around a 3 to 5 hour driving distance or so from the NC area. To get things going, you will be asked to assist with your travel and hotel rooms as well as sell tickets to your club and family members to support the show. However, those fighting for a title may get some assistance with travel etc. There will be more assistance to all fighters on the card as the shows continue to grow and we can reignite the energy for Kickboxing on the Southeast Coast…as many of you know, we have some work to do to get our sport back on the map in this aforementioned region…but it can be done…if we are willing to work together! So, if you want to see more Kickboxing events in the Southeastern part of the United States, have a gym etc., here is your chance to support the sport in what will be some first class events to invite your friends and family while you showcase your skills! Again, the goal of the promotions of course is the re-ignite the sport in the Southeast and find recognizable champions! Who's Next! "

What can you do to get things started
Send your fighter stats to AK Promotions asap for consideration for the first potential show in February 2014. In the next couple of weeks, AK Promotions should have more solid confirmation on dates and will let everyone know. Feel Free to pass this on to others as AK Promotions is willing to work with all groups as long as they are willing to keep their word and support the shows.

SEND FIGHTERS STATS By November 26th
Once AK Promotions get the stats, they can then see what potential fights they have in the area and, or lack thereof and go from there. If for some reason there is not currently the right matches in the area, AK Promotions will consider another route in order to start rebuilding the sport and kick-off their full contact promotions at a later date.

Finally, feel free to give AK Promotions a call if you have questions. (843) 773-1005 or Email to johnnyd@akpromotions.org
AK Promotions
P.O. Box 1804
Dillon, SC, 29536.




MORE FIGHT NEWS...


Don 'The Dragon' Wilson And Cynthia Rothrock
Strike Back With A New Martial Arts Film

Martial arts stars Don "The Dragon" Wilson (The Whole World at Our Feet) and Cynthia Rothrock (No Retreat, No Surrender II) have announced a new project, which will also mark the first film of TraditionZ Movie 1 LLC – a subsidiary to Wilson's TraditionZ clothing line - in association with MASBTV. Producers for the movie include Cheryl Wheeler Duncan (martial artist noted for her stunt work on Point of No Return and Lethal Weapon 4) and James Wilson, former trainer and brother of Don. Michael Baumgarten and Adam W. Marsh (Monster Mountain) have been hired to write the film.

Although the working title hasn't been released to the public, shooting is expected to begin around March in such locations as Cocoa Beach, Florida and Los Angeles, California. Back in 2012 another Wilson/Rothrock movie called White Tiger was reported, which also starred Matt Mullins, Thai actress Yui and the late Joe Lewis, will hopefully be released soon. Another project of Wilson's is the proposed B-Team, which could be best described as a "straight-to-video" Expendables.

The most recent movie that Wilson appears in has been completed (or at least in post-production phase) is the Kazakhstan-produced film The Whole World at Our Feet.

Bolo Yeung, Don 'The Dragon' Wilson and Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa Have
"The Whole World at Our Feet"

The movie called "The Whole World at Our Feet" (billed as a "low-budget Expendables") is almost completed. This Kazakhstan-produced film features a mixture of stars you would never expect in the same movie: Bolo Yeung (Bloodsport, Chinese Hercules), Don "The Dragon" Wilson (Bloodfist), Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa (Showdown in Little Tokyo), Armand Assante (Judge Dredd), Tommy 'Tiny' Lister (Jackie Brown), Micheal Madsen (Reservoir Dogs) and Peter O'Toole (Lawrence of Arabia).

The Whole World at Our Feet is by first-time director Salamat Mukhammed-Ali. Not much is known about the plot, but judging from the trailer, it looks impressive, fun and action-packed with its Mad Max/Machete-style approach. The movies filming wrapped in 2011 and a worldwide release is expected soon.


"The Whole World at Our Feet"
TRAILER



MONDAY, November 18th, 2013, AT 4:20 PM/ PST


Results From Phoenix Kickboxing's
"Fight Of The Phoenix II"
November 17th, 2013 - Tullamore, Ireland



The midlands premier fight promoter Mr. John Quigley from the Phoenix Kickboxing Gym, hosted his annual IKF sanctioned "Fight Of The Phoenix 2" Kickboxing promotion in the beautiful Bridge House Hotel in Tullamore, Co. Offaly on Sunday evening. The show was a big success with a huge crowd of extremely vocal and sporting fight fans that gave every fighter that entered the ring, whether they were home or away, a big welcome. All the fights were very evenly matched which made for a very entertaining night and Mr. Quigley spared no expense with every fighter taking home a beautiful trophy. With 14 fights on the card including three IKF All Ireland Title fights, there was certainly no shortage of excitement.

Results as follows:

  1. IKF Junior Light Contact Kickboxing
    Sergio Sheehen from Phoenix, Tullamore defeated Adam Walsh from Galway Black Dragon by decision, 20-19, 20-18, 20-18.

  2. IKF Junior Light Contact Kickboxing
    Simon Hayes from John Ryans Gym in Nenagh defeated John Mc Donagh from Phoenix, Tullamore by decision, 18-20, 18-20, 18-20.

  3. IKF Junior Light Contact Kickboxing
    Alex Heffernan from Phoenix, Tullamore and Kyle Coleman from Carlow Black Dragon fought to a draw, 19-19, 19-19, 18-19.

  4. IKF Junior Light Contact Kickboxing
    James Kelly from Galway Black Dragon defeated Tadgh Phelan from Phoenix, Tullamore by decision, 19-20, 19-20, 18-20.

  5. Exhibition Bout
    Eilish Dunne from Phoenix, Tullamore and Danielle Cooney from Carlow Black Dragon fought a non decision exhibition bout.

  6. IKF AMATEUR FULL CONTACT RULES
    David Ahern, (Offaly, Ireland, 2-0, 75kg, 178cm, 08-23-90, John Quigley, 086 6660474)
    defeated Simon Ryan, (Nenagh, Ireland, 0-1, 73.5kg, 5'10, 11-20-88, Padraig Hennessey, 086 0831312) by withdrawal in round two.

  7. IKF AMATEUR FULL CONTACT RULES
    Johnny Mc Donagh, (Wexford, Ireland, 6-1, 68kg, 5'8'', 01-18-90, Brian Roche, 087 2036936)
    defeated David Kapinga, (Tullamore, Ireland, 3-1, 69kg, 5'8'', 11-23-80, John Quigley, 086 6660474) by decision, 27-29, 27-30, 28-29.

  8. IKF AMATEUR FULL CONTACT RULES
    Paul Johnston, (Tullamore, Ireland, 2-0-1, 63.9kg, 5'6'', 08-04-81, John Quigley, 086 6660474)
    and Connor Mooney, (Derry, Ireland, 0-1-1, 66kg, 5'11'', 05-01-91, China Coyle, 07999521755) fought to a "Split Decision" Draw, 29-30, 30-27, 29-29.

  9. IKF AMATEUR FULL CONTACT RULES
    Daniel Quigley, (Tullamore, Ireland, 4-2, 66.8kg, 5'10'', 11-11-98, John Quigley, 086 6660474)
    defeated John Cawley, (Piltown, Ireland, 65kg, 6', 08-25-92, Vinny O Brien, 083 4218676) by decision, 29-28, 28-27, 30-29.

  10. IKF AMATEUR FULL CONTACT RULES
    Sebastian Szope, (Nenagh, Ireland, 1-0, 74kg, 174cm, 06-25-81, Kevin Mahon, 086 8776737)
    defeated Miklos Pataki, (Tullamore, Ireland, 0-1, 73.5kg, 175cm, 05-04-80, John Quigley, 086 6660474) by decision, 30-29, 27-30, 29-30.

  11. IKF AMATEUR WOMEN'S FULL CONTACT RULES
    ALL IRELAND WELTERWEIGHT TITLE
    Mary Mc Auley, (Derry, Ireland, 8-2, 64.5kg, 5'6'', 01-16-801, China Coyle, 07999521755)
    defeated Lindsay Graham, (Laois, Ireland, 6-1, 65.5kg, 12-22-86, John Quigley, 086 6660474) by majority decision to win the Ladies IKF Welterweight Title, 47-49, 47-48, 48-48.

  12. Mark Comerford, (Carlow, Ireland (4-1, 80.6kg, 5'9'', 04-12-92, Larry Brennan, 085 7560083)
    defeated Damien Mitchell, (Nenagh, Ireland (0-2, 77kg, 5'9'', 04-07-87, Padraig Hennessey, 086 0831312) by withdrawal in round three.

  13. IKF AMATEUR WOMEN'S FULL CONTACT RULES
    ALL IRELAND SUPER LIGHTWEIGHT TITLE
    Ciara Leavy, (Tullamore, Ireland, 4-2, 61.7kg, 5'6'', 10-26-90, John Quigley, 086 6660474)
    defeated Jennifer Baranyai, (Galway, Ireland, 9-8-2, 61.7kg, 5'8'', 11-15-78, Pete Foley, 087 8119227) by unanimous decision to win the Ladies IKF Super Lightweight Title, 50-47, 49-46, 50-45.

  14. IKF AMATEUR INTERNATIONAL RULES
    ALL IRELAND HEAVYWEIGHT TITLE
    Aaron Wogan, (Wicklow, Ireland, 5-0-1, 97.2kg, 6', 01-06-90, Stefan Moriarty, 085 7588377)
    defeated Derry Guinan, (Tullamore, Ireland, 3-4-1, 96.2kg, 5'10'', 03-29-89, John Quigley, 086 6660474) by decision to win the IKF Heavyweight Title.




FRIDAY, November 15th, 2013, AT 10:10 AM/ PST




THIS WEEKENDS IKF ACTION...

Deleotega MMA Presents
IKF Point Muay Thai Kickboxing Tournament
Stockton, California, USA





MORE IKF ACTION THIS WEEKEND...


Phoenix Kickboxing Presents
"Fight Of The Phoenix II"
Tullamore, Ireland





MORE IKF NEWS...



Results From Mick Burke's
"IKF JUNIOR LIGHT CONTACT KICKBOXING"
November 10th, 2013 - Meath, Ireland



IKF promoter and P.R.O. for IKF Ireland Mr. Mick Burke and his hard working PMA team, hosted an exciting Junior Kickboxing tournament in the Ashbourne Community Centre in Co. Meath last Sunday where a multitude of young Kickboxing talent came from all accross the country to hone their skills ahead of the IKF Junior National Championships in Dungarvan on November 24th. Mick had two matted areas for the younger kids and a full size boxing ring for the older ones and the day ran without a hitch, starting just after 12 noon and wrapping up just after 4PM. All the kids got some invaluable experience and there was even a Low Kick Light Contact section which proved very popular, particularly with the many MMA and Muay Thai clubs that have come on board to support the IKF in recent times. It was also great to see the many clubs coming together and helping out with judging and refereeing and general running of the event. Mick and his team wish to thank everyone who supported the show and to everyone who helped out all day. We look forward to seeing as many clubs as possible at the IKF Junior Nationals in Dungarvan on November 24. The future is bright with the IKF!



FRIDAY, November 8th, 2013, AT 1:30 PM/ PST




THIS WEEKENDS IKF ACTION...


Mick Burke Presents
"IKF JUNIOR LIGHT CONTACT KICKBOXING"
Meath, Ireland





THURSDAY, November 7th, 2013, AT 4:30 PM/ PST


The NEW
Lumpinee Stadium

Lumpinee Boxing Stadium is an indoor sporting arena located in Bangkok, Thailand run by Royal Thai Army on behalf of Thai Government. Although it opened more than a decade later than Rajadamnern Stadium it has become the symbol of Muay Thai. Muay Thai fighters are honored and held in prestige with the title of "Muay Thai Champion of Lumpinee"

While countries like USA can boast about great Football Stadiums and other countries boast about their impressive Soccer Stadiums, Thailand can boast about their new Muay Thai Stadium. The heart of Muay Thai in Thailand has always been Lumpini Stadium. However it will be torn down and replaced with a modern facility in northern Bangkok. The New Lumpinee Stadium is due to open in February 2014. It will be located at the Royal Thai Sports Center on Ramintra Road in north Bangkok.

The new facility will have much better seating as well as impressive facilities for the fighters. Some of the additions include much better parking due to the new 5 story car park building that can hold 300 cars. The stadium will have central heat and AC and be much more accessible to the elderly and disabled. The stadium floor itself can be adjusted or folded for competitive sports and includes it's own modern light and sound system.

2014 brings about the closing of not just a stadium, but an era of Muay Thai. Established in 1956, Lumpini Stadium has been holding championship bouts with famous fighters for over half a decade. So why tear down a monument site? It all had to do with money as the rising value of the land it sits on proved the value of the dollar is worth far more than the traditional stadium's survival.

(fightliveshare.com) The new venue will be located on Ram Intra road which could cause some confusion as it will retain the Lumpini name. The location is not nearly as convenient, specially tourists coming from areas like Sukhumvit or Khao San. Lumpini stadium operates a two-tier pricing plan for Thais and foreigners, with a good portion of their income coming from inflated foreign tickets. Will the reduced foreigner attendance have an effect? Who knows. The other concern is the stark contrast between the two stadiums. The Lumpini we know and love has a very raw and nostalgic atmosphere. Water dripping from the ceiling while you sweat it out among a hoard of passionate gamblers in the standing zone. The vibe that you get watching live fights there is something that cannot be replicated in a modern facility with air conditioning in my opinion.



The Original Lumpinee Boxing Stadium

In June of 2001, IKF President Steve Fossum, trainer Andy Khensemphaph and 3 fighters (Shannon Ritch, Alberto Ramirez, Doug Evans ) travelled to Myanmar to participate in a traditional Myanmar Boxing event. It was the first time ever that fighters from the USA fought in Myanmar (Formally Burma). The bouts were fought under Full Traditional Myanmar Boxing Rules.

After the event the group flew to Bangkok, Thailand. They spent the rest of the trip seeing sites around Bangkok which included the famous Lumpinee Boxing Stadium.

Not only did they visit the stadium they also got to watch an event there. It was at this event where Fossum and the others saw that there were vast differences between what "American" Muay Thai fighters think Muay Thai is vs what "True" Muay Thai actually is.

From ring protocol, fighting rules, ringside officials, as well as how the fighters fought, Muay Thai in Thailand was far different than Muay Thai in the USA.

The group also visited the Twins Special store (Kickboxing & Boxing Equipment) located within the actual stadium. The visit proved to be not only interesting but educational as well as they found out where and how a lot of equipment is made.


First Look Inside New Lumpinee Stadium


Lumpinee Stadium


Promo From Thai TV


Photo By IKF Pro World Champion Rudi Ott taken when he was at Lumpinee Stadium in November of 2013.

Rudi Ott: "From my first visit in 2000 to last November when this pic was taken, it has always been a must when traveling to Thailand.
The energy is palpable! The history of those who've battled in its ring is ever present.
I'm disappointed I was not able to go one last time but I will never forget the experience of being there. Kap Khun Kap!"




WEDNESDAY, November 6th, 2013, AT 4:30 PM/ PST


Thoughts On K-1's Move
Away From
Tournaments
Written By Dave Walsh of LiverKick.com

The big news that we broke on Monday was that K-1 has decided to move to a format that is more standard for combat sports; multiple divisions with champions in each division. For combat sports fans it is a format that we all know very well, as it is a staple in Boxing as well as MMA. For many fans, the idea of K-1 moving away from the tournament structure is blasphemous, as K-1 made its name as a company with its yearly World Grand Prix tournament which has helped to build up stars like Peter Aerts, Remy Bonjasky, Masato, Buakaw Por. Pramuk and many more.

Of course, K-1 isn't going to abandon the tournaments altogether, as they plan to run them every few years as opposed to yearly, but for fans the sting is still the same. I've seen and heard it all in regards to this news now; K-1 is dead, GLORY rules, etc. The irony here is that even GLORY has moved away from the big tournament format. They ran one 16-man Heavyweight tournament and one 8-man Lightweight tournament before moving to a much more svelte one night 4-man format, which with a reserve fight only takes up four fights on one card.

The truth of the matter is this; the market has changed drastically in the last few years and it is no longer a viable business model to hold these big tournaments. The proof is in the pudding when GLORY held a giant 16-man Heavyweight tournament in Japan and the only way they could sell tickets to the show was to tack on a DREAM card to it and to place the DREAM card before the Kickboxing card to ensure that the arena wasn't empty. Reports from inside of the stadium were of confusion, dread and boredom when it came to GLORY's Heavyweight Grand Slam, regardless of the actual quality of the event and the big, recognizable names on the card.

The big tournament format for Kickboxing was forged in Japan in the early 90's and for that place and time it was a hit. It was what the fans were hungry for and what they were willing to consume. K-1 is no longer a Japanese-centric organization anymore, in fact, their office is in China right now. This is all for good reason, too, as the Japanese fighting market is deader than dead right now. Smaller organizations still exist and draw decent crowds, but Japan has always been a fad-based culture and quite frankly, kakutougi is not in fashion right now.

I think that the occasional tournament will actually hold more weight than a yearly one at this point, especially with the market as fractured as it is right now. As much as fans are willing to immediately extol the benefits of GLORY, the creation of GLORY changed the Kickboxing market for good, fracturing up the fanbase and the talent pool. A good portion of the world's recognizable Heavyweight talent is currently signed to GLORY's roster, while the other weight classes are more of a tossup. I'm not sure if it makes sense to hold a Heavyweight WGP this year with the talent that is available on the market. The K-1 World Grand Prix is a name that holds weight and is prestigious, I'm not sure that I want just any sixteen names tossed into a pool under the name K-1 World Grand Prix to play make believe like everything is as it was in 2001.

It's not 2001 anymore, Japan isn't the booming market that it was and Kickboxing has adapted to work outside of the Japanese market. Part of this adaptation has been showcasing talents from all over the world in different weight classes. There is less of a need for the "freakshow factor" of having huge Heavyweights and Super Heavyweights battling it out like titans while Japanese audiences oooh and ahh. The MAX/70kg division means a lot more right now than a division created to feature the talented and uber-pretty MASATO to draw in younger female crowds.

While we as fans may have appropriated K-1 to mean whatever it is that we feel it was, it doesn't mean that it always has to be that. The Asian MMA market has reached a point of it being just comical due to the endless attempts to emulate the "feel" of PRIDE FC. PRIDE FC is dead and no low level emulation of PRIDE is going to bring back those memories, much in the same way that those old memories of K-1 World Grand Prixs of past years are just that, memories. There is no better point to hammer this home with than Peter Aerts, Remy Bonjasky and Semmy Schilt retiring.

The guys managing K-1 now are a new team that were brought in this year, given a mess of an organization and a limited budget and told "fix it." If everyone really considers themselves such hardcore K-1 fans, you'll recognize the hard work that has gone into reviving the brand and to do so in a way that promotes growth and restraint, not one that involves tossing millions of dollars away per show in a feeble attempt to pretend that they are healthy. It was precisely that type of promoting that led to the giant collapse of FEG's K-1 in 2010 and left in its wake fighters who were promised big money contracts without any of that money and no answers. I'd much rather see thought being put into the future of K-1 than K-1 Global performing a blitzkrieg to keep the internet happy, only to implode within a few months and leave fighters unpaid, unhappy and harm the whole sport all over again.




MORE FIGHT NEWS...



POSTED AT 1:45 PM/ PST

Results From Golden Cobra Center of Fitness'
New York Style Throwdown
October 19th, 2013 - Cottonwood, Arizona, USA



  1. IKF JUNIOR MUAY THAI
    Ethan Zepeda ( Cottonwood, Arizona, USA, 2-5, 55.2, 4'2", 11-5-04, Champs Gym ) VS Tyler Morales ( Las Vegas, Nevada, USA, 3-2, 56, 4'2", 11-6-04, One Kicks Gym)
    Winner: Morales by unanimous decision, 29-28 on all 3 judges cards.

  2. IKF JUNIOR MUAY THAI
    Joseph Zepeda ( Cottonwood, Arizona, USA, 2-3, 83, 4'10", 4-2-03, Champs Gym ) VS William Reid ( Gilbert, Arizona, USA, 2-0, 79, 4'10", 9-8-02, Danny Brandt, (623) 570-2750)
    Winner: Reid by majority decision, 30-29, 30-29, 29-29.

  3. IKF JUNIOR MUAY THAI
    Marcos Santiago ( Flagstaff, Arizona, USA, 4-2, 69, 5'1", 9-10-02, Mike Martinez, (928) 600-3170) VS Glen Lady ( Las Vegas, Nevada, USA, 3-1, 68, 5'1", 2-21-02, Master Nick)
    Winner: Lady by majority decision, 28-29, 29-28, 30-28.

  4. IKF "FULL" MUAY THAI
    France Atala ( Surprise, Arizona, USA, 1-0, 154, 5'10", 10-18-85, Shehan Nick, (602) 446-5458 ) VS Dan Terrell ( Gilbert, Arizona, USA, 0-1, 154, 5'10", 9-29-84, Danny Brandt, (623) 570-2750 )
    Winner: Atala by unanimous decision, 30-25, 30-26, 30-27.

  5. IKF "FULL" MUAY THAI
    Marcos Ramirez ( Flagstaff, Arizona, USA, 0-1, 190, 5'10", 10-21-81, Octagon MMA ) VS Chris Collins (Gilbert, Arizona, USA, 1-0, 191, 6', 12-12-87, Danny Brandt, (628) 570-2750 )
    Winner: Collins by TKO at 1:37 of round 3.




MONDAY, November 4th, 2013, AT 1:45 PM/ PST


Results From Mick Bland's
"Relentless"
October 27th, 2013 - Kilkenny, Ireland


IKF Promoter Mick Bland and his Top-Pro team once again enjoyed a full house at the beautiful 4 star Ormonde Hotel in Kilkenny City where they promoted their latest Full Contact event "Relentless". Mick, who is without a doubt Ye Fair Citys top fight promoter, put together a 15 fight card that saw fighters from all over Ireland decend on the former Medievil Capital Of Ireland and some great contests were made. The top of the bill saw local fighter and former IKF All Ireland Champ James Dunphy take on current IKF All Ireland Champ Eric Nolan from Dublin in a four round war which ended in a draw.
Mick Bland and his team wish to thank everyone involved who made the show such a success and they look forward to the next one.
Results as follows:

  1. IKF AMATEUR FCR KICKBOXING
    Ciaran Shanahan, Thurles, Ireland (2-1, 78kg, 6'2'', 10-27-97, PJ Mc Cool, 087 9359123)
    defeated Liam Delaney, Meath, Ireland (9-2-3, 80kg, 6'4'', 04-11-97, Mick Burke, 085 7249933) by judges decision. 29-28, 29-29, 29-28.

  2. IKF AMATEUR FCR KICKBOXING
    Steven Heffernan, Wexford, Ireland (4-1, 86kg, 180cm, 07-16-87, brian Roche, 087 2036936)
    defeated Josh Mulhall, Carlow, Ireland (0-2, 86kg, 5'11'', 11-17-92, Larry Brennan, 085 7560083) by judges decision. 29-27, 28-27, 28-28.

  3. IKF AMATEUR FCR KICKBOXING
    Oisin Sweeney, Galway, Ireland (1-0, 79kg, 6'3'', 04-13-93, Pete Foley, 087 8119227)
    defeated Tshesko, Carlow, Ireland (0-1, 77kg, 6'1'', 12-25-90, Dermot Maher, 085 7180586) by judges decision. 28-30, 29-29, 27-30.

  4. IKF AMATEUR FCR KICKBOXING
    Adam Abduraham, Carlow, Ireland (2-1, 61kg, 5'10'', 09-07-98, Dermot Maher, 085 7180586)
    defeated Patrick Stokes, (0-1, 64kg, 6', 02-04-98) by judges desicion. 29-25, 30-25, 29-27.

  5. IKF AMATEUR FCR KICKBOXING
    Eoghan Curtain and Aaron fought an exibition fight to a draw.

  6. IKF AMATEUR FCR KICKBOXING
    Shane Carter, Wexford, Ireland (1-0, 57.5kg, 180cm, 07-05-96, John Phillips)
    defeated Daniel Mulally, Kilkenny, Ireland (4-6-1, 57kf, 5'10'', 08-13-96, Mick Bland, 087 6118301) by withdrawal in round two.

  7. IKF AMATEUR FCR KICKBOXING
    Johnny Mc Donagh, Wexford, Ireland (5-1, 68.5kg, 5'8'', 01-18-90, Brian Roche, 087 2036936)
    defeated Dermot O Rourke, Kilkenny, Ireland (6-6-2, 68kg, 5'7'', 12-17-76, Mick Bland, 087 6118301) by judges decision. 37-40, 36-40, 37-40.

  8. IKF LIGHT CONTACT KICKBOXING
    PJ Delaney (Top-Pro Kilkenny), defeated Ryan O Neill (Black Dragon, Carlow) by judges decision.

  9. IKF AMATEUR FCR KICKBOXING
    Paul Mc Donagh (Black Dragon, Galway)
    defeated Aaron Bush (Top-Pro Kilkenny) in a light contact Junior Kickboxing bout by judges decision.

  10. IKF AMATEUR FCR KICKBOXING
    Dylan Williams, Meath, Ireland (2-0, 67kg, 5'7'', 07-04-96, Mick Burke, 085 7249933)
    defeated Anthony Kirwan, Carlow, Ireland (0-1, 65kg, 5'8'', 03-03-98, Dermot Maher, 085 7180586) by TKO in round two.
    IKF Ireland have issued Anthony Kirwan with a 30 day medical suspension until 27 November, 2013 due to the TKO.

  11. IKF JUNIOR LIGHT CONTACT KICKBOXING
    Paul Hayden (Top-Pro Kilkenny)
    defeated Tommy Lee Thompson (Carlow Black Dragon) by judges decision.

  12. IKF AMATEUR FCR KICKBOXING
    Holly Fennely, Carlow, Ireland (1-0, 54kg, 5'6'', 11-27-90, Dermot Maher, 085 7180586)
    defeated Rachel Mc Donald, Dublin, Ireland (0-1, 55kg, 5'6'', 11-26-87, Damien Crowther, 085 8393324) by judges decision. 28-29, 30-28, 30-27.

  13. IKF AMATEUR FCR KICKBOXING
    Daniel Duggan, Waterford, Ireland (0-0-1, 75kg, 5'8'', 07-01-92, Billy O Sullivan, 085 8589902)
    and Aaron Mc Kenzie, Carlow, Ireland (2-1-1, 74.5kg, 5'9'', 12-10-89, Larry Brennan, 085 7560083) fought to a draw. 28-30, 29-29, 29-29.

  14. IKF AMATEUR FCR KICKBOXING
    Cian Mc Cormack, Galway, Ireland (2-0, 57kg, 5'7'', 12-08-98, Pete Foley, 087 8119227)
    defeated Charlie Kennedy, Carlow, Ireland (1-2, 56kg, 5'7'', 09-01-98, Dermot Maher, 085 7180586) by judges decision. 27-29, 27-29, 27-29.

  15. IKF AMATEUR FCR KICKBOXING
    James Dunphy, Kilkenny, Ireland (27-17-6, 72kg, 5'9'', 06-11-90, Mick Bland, 087 6118301)
    and Eric Nolan, Dublin, Ireland (11-2-2, 72kg, 5'8'', 07-27-93, Jimmy Courtney, 087 2968201) fought to a draw. 38-39, 38-38, 38-38.




MORE FIGHT NEWS...


K-1 Global's
Ned Kuruc
Discusses the Future of
K-1
Written By Dave Walsh of LiverKick.com

There have been a lot of questions from fans over the past few weeks as for what will be in store for K-1 after the tremendous September 14th event in Mallorca, Spain. To the public, things have been quiet on the K-1 Global front, but there has been a lot of movement behind the scenes, with plans being laid out for the next year. I spoke with K-1 Global's Director of Events & Fighter Acquisition Ned Kuruc (At Right on Left) about the future of K-1 and it seems like the gears are fully in motion in pushing K-1 into the future.

The first topic was on making the message extremely clear to fans; K-1 is going to change how their shows are run, shifting the emphasis from tournaments to crowning champions across weight divisions and having them defend these belts. "We're gonna open up our weight divisions, we want to have a clear cut champion in each division," he stated. "He'll go on to defend that championship and we'll get to see who is really the best in each weight class. We'll have a top ten ranking in every division and fighters will move up the ranks and try to fight the champion."

"We definitely wanted to open up all of the weight classes," he continued. "For too long K-1 was just two weight classes and this is the solution that we had to help to establish all of these weight classes."

For many fans, the idea of losing the tournament format will be a loss, as K-1 was established on this idea of annual tournaments to decide the best in the world, but Kuruc assures us that K-1 isn't done with tournaments. "Is K-1 done with the tournament format? Absolutely not. We want to establish these weight divisions and crown champions, but we still want to run tournaments, just not as often. Maybe they are every two or four years, just not every year like we are all used to."

Kuruc also cites that the marketplace has completely changed over the past ten years, which was a factor in this decision. "It's a completely different marketplace than it was when K-1 first started and companies need to adjust," he explains. "We feel that this is the right adjustment. The fans want to know who the 63kg champion is, who the 70kg champion is and by doing it this way fans will be able to follow their favorite athlete's career. The current format crowns a new champion every year, but they are just the champion of this year, then for the next tournament they have to start all over again."

"It's also a matter of making the fights that fans want to see. Take for example Artur Kyshenko, he had competed in K-1 for how many years and somehow never fought against Buakaw? They would fight on the same shows but they never fought each other. People want to see that fight, but in a tournament format you can't deliver this fight outside of a stroke of fight. With us having the ability to control who fights who, K-1' believes that this will be able to give fans the best possible fights that they want to see."

As for when to expect these changes to come into play, Kuruc says that it will be the near future, by the beginning of the year. "It'll start in early 2014, probably as soon as January. We'll shortly be coming out with the first half of the 2014 schedule. I'm currently developing shows in quite a number of countries. K-1 will still be a global organization, with shows on different continents and different countries."

"We are really looking for young and exciting fighters right now. I'm spending a lot of time right now watching a lot of footage. Our personnel will be attending a lot of amateur championships around the world. It's not that we are rebuilding it is just that we feel like there is a wealth of great fighters from the ages of 18 - 23 and we want to be the ones who expose them to the world. They have new styles that they fight in and it's really exciting to think about creating new stars within K-1."

Of course, the question still looms about what is going on with the 2013 K-1 World MAX Championships, as the Final 16 was held in September and fans were promised resolution on this. It turns out, they will get their resolution, it will just take on a slightly different form.

"We're not gonna do the Final 8 fights in one night, instead we're gonna build up to a Final," he said, showing the difference between previous years. "On the first two shows we'll have four of the winners, on another show we'll have the other two winners. So the first two rounds of the Final 8 will be spread out over those shows, then Finalists will compete on a separate show for the Championship. The winner of that will not only be the year's MAX Champion, but our 70kg Champion as well."

"This gives fighters a chance to rest, heal up and train for each opponent," he added. "These guys are top athletes and it only seems fair to give them a real chance to prepare for their opponents. So 70kg will be the first division that we open up, followed by the top ten rankings after we find our Champion. The next divisions that we'll open up will be 63kg and 85kg, while I'm also looking for a few good, exciting Heavyweights, as Heavyweight is on the agenda as well."

"We plan on running these events in January and February, which means that we'll be crowning our 70kg Champion by the end of February or early March."

These aren't the only big plans for K-1, as they plan on running 12 big events throughout 2014, but these are some of the big changes that are happening. K-1 Global seems confident in this new format and that it will not only be best for the fans, but also benefit the careers and longevity of the fighters involved as well.


About K-1 Global
K-1, founded in 1993, is one of the most exciting and prestigious sports and entertainment brands in the world. The K-1 brand is synonymous with the sport of professional Kickboxing, known across the world for producing some of the most exciting events and memorable tournaments featuring some of the best athletes in the world. K-1 has presented professional live martial arts events in over 38 countries across the world and is one of the most recognizable names in the world of professional martial arts.
For more information about K-1 Global, please visit www.k-1.tv

Some Of The K-1 Regional Tournament Belts From 2014


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