Be happy guys, K1 will bring MMA to the masses and "almost" mainstream like it's doing with it's kickboxing cards. With it's connection with ESPN, high money production value, and the fact that fighting in a ring looks alot better than the cage (sorry, but we all know it's true), they have alot better chance at taking MMA to another level in the U.S. than Zuffa.
K1, good for the sport.
Only good for the sport if they don't forget about us up here in Canada.
I'd suggest reading pages 12-15 in the June 2004 issue of KO Magazine regarding ESPN. Boxing is slowly being phased out of their programming since their now refusing to pay promoters to air events. So, how do you think an MMA show will survive there?
K-1 has NEVER shown an MMA fight on American TV or PPV
Even in Japan you can see the power of K1 compared to other promotions.
More often than not - Pride is PPV.
Not K1 Romanex, not they braodcast the whole show (a few hours delay) on national television.
Even though the show sucked compared to Bushido.
If any org can make MMA mainstream, it's K-1. they made kickboxing a national sport in japan
K-1 was trashing MMA in the preview for the last K-1 American PPV
I don't think K-1 is interested in promoting MMA in America...only kickboxing
I know K-1 has MMA fights in Japan now...but 99.9% of the American public has no idea what happens in other countries
If K-1 wanted to promote MMA in America, I guess they could....but they'd have to cut down on the freak-show fights
Who gives a damn if kickboxing is a national sport in Japan? It's a friggin joke in the US! Call me a patriotical bastard but I don't even give a shit how mainstream MMA gets in Japan cause I don't live there!
No non-US promotion will ever be able to mainstream this sport here, unless its maybe run by IKEA. Then that's cool.
Yeah I was going to mention how they talked shit about MMA on the last kickboxing PPV I bought. And when I say the last K1 PPV I bought, I think I may just mean I'm not buying their kickboxing PPVs any more, fuck them if they want to talk shit like that.
I can't think of anything worse than having K-1 at the helm of MMA.
NONETHELESS,
I would love to see MMA on t.v. instead of kickboxing any day of the week, and I think the same goes for many MMA fans who haven't found MMA yet. Getting tired of those K1 kickboxing shows, same fighters all the time with no variation of moves.
K-1 is now another event offereing decent paydays to fighters and that alone will help MMA.
I ernestly believe they will get onto US PPV in short order with it too.
I really do think that an mma fight in a ring would look better than in a cage and would make the sport more respectable here in the us. Here, everyone considers mma human cock-fighting and I think the only thing that makes it look as such is probably the cage. I still respect the UFC and all but I really would like K-1 to promote mma more.