Most Americans do not understand kicking. Thy can understand two guys punching each other, but kicking still looks "sissy" to a lot of people.
The farm - I know a lot of people that enjoy it. It's just not easily accessible. Somebody said that people aren't aware of it. When GLORY was on I know people that had no clue it was on TV , and once it started to get some traction they stopped airing fights. I wish fight pass would have picked them up, or even pickup lion fights.You can watch glory fights on UFC fight pass, acutely that's what sparked me making this three because I preferred tuning in on spike to watch it on tv
I can't wait for Badr vs Rico in Dec.
wtf was that ^^^^
I have fallen off watching Glory as much as I used to because it went to ESPN 3 when it used to be on live tv,
The problem with kickboxing is that it is not a real sport. There are no agreed upon rules, and no agreed upon champions, or even agreed upon weights to have those champions in.
I still think the huge gloves are a big reason. 
Vrill -I think kickboxing's lack of popularity in the US can be attributed to the old American "full contact" rules (which is confusing because it's all full contact) which were the norm from the 70's through the 90's. The shin/foot pads, lack of low kicks and knees, etc, made for boring fights. The only thing the kicks seemed to accomplish was getting in the way of the punches. Most casual fight fans and boxing purists wouldn't watch that.
Also, there was a lack of high level talent. Most kickboxers back then were basically amateurs who worked day jobs, and saying you were a "world champion" in kickboxing didn't mean a hell of a lot. Let's face it, if you were really any good, wouldn't you be doing boxing instead? What few stars there were such as Benny Urquidez, Pete Cunningham, and Dennis Alexio were just big fish in a very small pond.
It never achieved popularity back then because its direct competitor was boxing, and boxing was during its height of popularity and was everywhere, and they had cultivated true stars. Nowadays, boxing has declined and MMA is more or less the dominant combat sport. Once again, kickboxing (even with the improved rule set) has taken a back seat to the more mainstream sport.
At this point, I have my doubts that it could ever truly take off in America.
I disagree that the casuals found the kicks boring. I'd actually say the probably find the current kicks boring. The casual head like the flashy stuff, regardless of how quiestionable their effectiveness would be. I think most people have this idea that "if I can do that" and not requiring high level technical and physical ability, it's not that tough. People like flash, it's what they associate with martial arts movies.
Also, globally boxing is still dominant by far.
I think KB just needs a star.
MMA had many culminating to to Connor, GSP and Ronda right now.
Someone who is marketable. Who can be a star in his own right and bring KB with him. Someone with an exciting style, looks and maybe even become an actor.
Someone like a young Michael Jai white or Scott Adkins. Basically it needs the "Arnold Effect" (Schwarzenegger)
Boxing may be bigger globally, but I wouldn't say "by far".
HeHitsMeBecauseHeLovesMe - Boxing may be bigger globally, but I wouldn't say "by far".
It really is.
No offence but I think sometimes, as an American sport and an American site, there's some perception that the domination of MMA in the US is replicated outside of it.
As a European who spends a lot of time in African and a few in Asia,globally boxing is still larger. By a fair few margin.
The farm - I know a lot of people that enjoy it. It's just not easily accessible. Somebody said that people aren't aware of it. When GLORY was on I know people that had no clue it was on TV , and once it started to get some traction they stopped airing fights. I wish fight pass would have picked them up, or even pickup lion fights.
I can't wait for Badr vs Rico in Dec.
I agree, I watched the last show and liked it way more than glory with the clinching and elbows
srld -The farm - I know a lot of people that enjoy it. It's just not easily accessible. Somebody said that people aren't aware of it. When GLORY was on I know people that had no clue it was on TV , and once it started to get some traction they stopped airing fights. I wish fight pass would have picked them up, or even pickup lion fights.
I can't wait for Badr vs Rico in Dec.I agree, I watched the last show and liked it way more than glory with the clinching and elbows
I was talking about lion fight
There was an opening there many years ago in K-1 when most of the top guys (Aerts, Hoost, Le Banner, Hunt, Cro Cop, Bernardo, Filho, Leko, ect.) were very charismatic, were from several different countries but almost all of them also spoke English, and were routinely putting on awesome (or at least very entertaining when they weren't so awesome) fights against each other (and others). Not Musashi-he sucked and ruined many events with his shit style.
But they had an opening at one point to try and and make a splash in the USA and they blew it.
I don't consider K-1 USA events desperately trying to promote Carter Williams as a good fighter a serious attempt-not that it mattered-the windows was already long since closed by then.
Member K1 days?
Big puffy gloves make it less realistic. The lack of puffy gloves in MMA make it a better sell.
Because it's got no hotties like Miesha.
StevetheWeasel - Sport of the future, imo.
this guy knows lloyd dobler
The UFC (Dana + Fertittas) created a whole new playbook for taking combat sports mainstream. No reason someone couldn't replicate that in another sport like kickboxing or MT.
Meanwhile, I'm still waiting for X-ARM to catch on:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wv9jB4HeTe0
and Yamma was waaaaay ahead of its time:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ecAdPylHT3A
It looks like toughman rockem sockem robots. The fighters take turns punching and kicking. The average American fan thinks of kickboxers as guys who couldn't make it as boxers.
The sport has always had a stink to it in the US.
It also seems like whenever the big names were on television and promoted, they got KTFO by some rando that the audience never heard of.
srld -srld -The farm - I know a lot of people that enjoy it. It's just not easily accessible. Somebody said that people aren't aware of it. When GLORY was on I know people that had no clue it was on TV , and once it started to get some traction they stopped airing fights. I wish fight pass would have picked them up, or even pickup lion fights.
I can't wait for Badr vs Rico in Dec.I agree, I watched the last show and liked it way more than glory with the clinching and elbows
I was talking about lion fight
Lion fights is great. Listen to the Joe Rogan experience with Kevin Ross and Gaston bolanos if you are interested in muay thai. Post here after if you listen.
HeHitsMeBecauseHeLovesMe - I still think the huge gloves are a big reason.
took way too long for someone to say this. Its the damn mitts