Combat sports exist as both a competition and as a spectacle. In the west, we tend to see MMA in the foreground of popularity and maybe some notes of boxing but most other disciplines popularity exist in popular imagination only in relation to those two premier sports (think of times reported that both Israel Adesanya and Alex Perreira being touted as the top kickboxers in the world or the habit of MMA fighters winning their first world title and immediately start angling to get a boxing pay day). In addition to the general under representation of other martial arts in the world of combat sports, practitioners tend to start either later in life (adulthood) or treat their art as a child activity. Because of this we tend to have a disconnect between the practitioners that build the sport and the top level competitors that show what the art is capable of its peak.
To illustrate this, we might take another sport that is played by hobbyists, and see their relation to the highest level of the sport. Imagine going to the Kitsilano basketball courts and asking participants if they are aware of Lebron James, Michael Jordan, or Larry Bird. More extreme, it would be hard to imagine that the average Canadian wouldn't know the names Crosby, Ovechkin, or McDavid. Yet amongst long time practitioners of striking the names Schilt, Petrosyan, and Dieselnoi might be completely alien.
No man is an island. Even autodidacts learn from watching and viewing others in order to learn. Our failures and successes can be, respectively, limited or built upon just by consuming the sport we practice. People can move and use techniques in ways that are counter intuitive yet incredibly productive to both practice and be practiced against. The legends of the sport can leave us inspired with a desire to improve and a window into what is possible. Beyond legends when we look at lower level professionals we can see how lesser fighters can still win or be competitive in different scenarios. In fact I would wager most people immersed in popular sports don't pick their favourite competitor from the list of Jordan's, Gretsky's, or Manning's.
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Can you name more current and former basketball players than Kickboxers?
You do striking with no practical interest in MMA. How much more do you consume UFC over the discipline you practice?
The world of elite striking is a confusing place. Competitors and organizations span the globe in with small differences in rules and some striking organizations can play nice and cross promote and some orgs hate each other. Inadvertently because these sports are not very popular in North America viewership is often available online (often tape delayed but often live). Those who watch Kickboxing in its hey-day of the '90's and mid 2000's can often fondly look back to staying up to 3 am just to watch the K-1 Gran Prix but it was a hassle when we remove those rose tinted glasses.
Where does that leave us?
So consuming fights is a productive activity (and hopefully entertaining) but the Combat Sports landscape is dominated by MMA, Boxing, and, every four years, the Olympics. That leaves us the issue of how to watch kickboxing and Muay Thai. Luckily in a world of social media these sports are more accessible than ever. Below is a list of free promotions that can be found on youtube. Often these fight might be posted by delay, either the full card, or fight by fight. In a later post we will actually go over the difference in these promotions but for know this is our big list of content (I will continue to update the list but content will not be behind a paywall).
Kickboxing Promotions
K-1 - Japanese promotion building off the formerly defunct K-1 of yester-year. Focused on lighter weight classes. K-1 exists as three brands (tiers of competition in. ascending order) Khaos, Krush, and K-1. Champions and other excelling fighters can move through the ranks of one brand to the higher level brands.
Rise - another J-kick organization. Formerly a bitter rival to K-1 but has begun to promote champ vs champ events in recent years.
Glory - Mixed bag of talent but claims the top kickboxers in the heavier divisions. Very large in Europe.
One Championship - Based in South-East Asia One has both kickboxing and 4 oz Muay Thai matches. Currently has some of the top competitors in the world but a shallow roster and not many fights.
Enfusion - Big in the Mahgreb. Exciting dutch-style kickboxing.
Muay Thai Promotions
Rajadamnern World Series - Entertainment Muay Thai, currently uses the classic Rajadamnern titles. on DAZN or tape delay on Youtube. https://www.youtube.com/@rwsmuaythai
One Championship - Entertainment Muay Thai in 4 oz gloves. Friday Night Fights live most Friday mornings (PST) on youtube. https://www.youtube.com/@ONEChampionshipRajadamnern
Lion Fight - Biggest Thai promotion in North America, though it hosts few events.
Knock Out - Muay Thai League based in Japan. https://www.youtube.com/@KNOCKOUT_KB
Petchyindee - Traditional Muay Thai (5 rounds) airing on Youtube or live on their PrydeTV app.
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