K-1

overview

• General information
• Mandatory Gear and Venue
• History
• Weight divisions
• Authorized fighting techniques
• Ending a fight
• K-1 Champions

General information

K-1 is a professional mixed martial arts competition, where fighters coming from various martial arts disciplines compete in a 15 minute fight (5 rounds, 3 minutes each). K-1 is a combination of techniques from Karate, Taekwondo, Savate, kickboxing, San Shou, Muay Thai, boxing and some other martial arts. What is special about this particular competition, is that throws and elbow attacks are not allowed, but unlike in kickboxing, the use of knees is permitted. Moreover, the fights only take place in standing position, which is an important distinction between MMA and K-1. The “K” in K-1 represents three martial arts – karate, kickboxing and kung fu.

Mandatory Gear and Venue

Fighters competing in K-1 are required to wear regulated gloves provided by the promoter. Other pieces of mandatory equipment include a mouthpiece and a protective cup specified by the promoter. K-1 matches take place in a 6m x 6m square ring, surrounded by three levels of ropes.

History

K-1 derives from Seidokaikan – a full contact karate style, also called knockdown karate, formed in 1980 by Kazuyoshi Ishi. Seidokaikan was meant to promote the best stand-up martial artists and arranged a couple of successful events between other martial arts organizations. The rules of Seidokaikan changed gradually, eventually bringing them closer to kickboxing than karate. Eventually, Kazuyoshi Ishi founded the K-1 organization and held the first K-1 Grand Prix in 1993 under new, revolutionary rules, which accommodated both karate and kickboxing fighters. Since then, the tournaments were organized regularly and spread worldwide to arenas outside Japan. Fifteen years later, in 2008, FEG (Fighting and Entertainment Group) – the parent company of K-1 – signed a deal with HDNet Fights to broadcast K-1 fights in North America.

Weight divisions

Featherweight - under 60 kg
Lightweight - under 65kg
Middleweight - under 70 kg
Light Heavyweight - under 85 kg
Heavyweight - under 100 kg
Super Heavyweight Over 101 kg

Authorized fighting techniques

• Punches
  
  
  • straight punches
  • hooks
  • uppers
  • backspin blows

• Kicks
  
  
  • front kicks
  • low kicks
  • middle kicks
  • high kicks
  • side kicks
  • back kicks
  • inner thigh kicks
  • jumping kick
  • knee kicks

Ending a fight

• Knockout (KO)
  
  
  • when a fighter does not stand stand up within 10 seconds after falling
  • when a fighter is judged to have lost will to continue the fight
  • when a fighter goes down 3 times in a single round (2 times in a tournament fight)

• Technical Knockout (TKO)
  
  
  • when a fighter is judged as unable to continue fight due to an injury by neither fighter’s fault
  • when a corner man throws in a towel
  • when a referee decides that one of the fighters is overwhelmingly superior and the opponent is in a perilous physical condition
  • when the official physician decides it’s impossible to continue the fight due to an injury or severe damage to the fighter

• Decision
  
  In case there is no knockout, technical knockout or disqualification, 3 judges award points to the fighters and the one with a higher score is declared the winner. The winner must obtain the consent from at least 2 judges, otherwise extra rounds shall be conducted.

• Draw
  
  
  • when both fighters go down and neither of them rises before the call of count 9
  • when a fighter is unable to continue the fight due to an injury and neither fighter gets the consent from 2 judges as a winner
  • when one fighter is judged impossible to continue the fight due to accidental injuries before the match is justified accordingly
  • when there is no winning decision by more than 2 judges

• No contest
  
  
  • when both fighters are found to have violated the rules, match fixing or collusion
  • when both fighters fail to fight in a spiritless fight after repeated cautions and warnings from the referee and when the referee decides on disqualification of both fighters

K-1 Champions

Super Heavyweight Champion: Semmy Schilt (Netherlands) (March 2007 – present)
Heavyweight Champion: Keijiro Maeda (Japan) (March 2009 – present)