World Kickboxing Network

World Kickboxing Network
Official logo of the World Kickboxing Network
Abbreviation WKN
Motto Simply the Best
Formation October 1994
Founders Stephane Cabrera, Olivier Muller, Billy Murray
Founded at France
Region served
Worldwide
Official language
English
President
Stephane Cabrera
Website www.worldkickboxingnetwork.com
Remarks WKN evolved as a subsidiary of International Sport Karate Association. The organizations split in 1998.

The World Kickboxing Network (WKN) is a professional Kickboxing organization and is one of the sport's largest governing bodies in the world.

History

WKN was created in late 1994 as a subsidiary of International Sport Karate Association (ISKA) to capture new markets, as ISKA's operations were concentrated in the North American market.[1] But the predominantly American administration of ISKA considered WKN as a threat to its authority. The organizations split in late 1998. Ever since WKN operates as an independent organization.[2][3] While in late 90's begin of 2000's the other federations competed with each other,[4] the WKN has developed kickboxing on the territories where it practically did not exist.[5][6] As a result WKN grew, and is active on five continents.[7][8]

Facts

On September 19, 1998 WKN went in history as the first organization to promote the world championship in Muay Thai at the same event as the boxing world championship. Jérôme Le Banner vs. Espedito Da Silva for the WKN super heavyweight world title in Muay Thai featured in the undercard of Evander Holyfield vs. Vaughn Bean for the WBA and IBF heavyweight titles at Georgia Dome in Atlanta, USA.[9][10][11][12][13]

On October 22, 2004 WKN made history in kickboxing by promoting the first ever world championship bout in Romania.[14] Samir Mohamed vs. Alexander Kozachenko for WKN super lightweight world title[15] headlined the Eurosport and Pro TV televised event Local Kombat 10 in the city of Brăila. The Local Kombat[16][17] project evaluated into the Superkombat Fighting Championship, with its winners to date competing for the WKN belts.[18][19][20][21][22]

On March 15, 2003 WKN made history by promoting the first ever Kickboxing event as well as the world championship bout in Nigeria. Habib Bakir vs. Fernando Loureiro for the WKN lightweight world title headlined the event that took place in the city of Lagos.[23][24]

Styles

WKN sanctions the championship bouts of the following styles.[25]

Weight Classes

WKN uses the following weight divisions.

Weight class name Upper limit
Flyweight 117 lb (53.070 kg)
Super Flyweight 121 lb (54.885 kg)
Bantamweight 125 lb (56.699 kg)
Super Bantamweight 129 lb (58.513 kg)
Featherweight 133 lb (60.328 kg)
Super Featherweight 137 lb (62.142 kg)
Lightweight 142 lb (64.410 kg)
Super Lightweight 147 lb (66.678 kg)
Welterweight 154 lb (69.853 kg)
Super Welterweight 161 lb (73.028 kg)
Middleweight 168 lb (76.204 kg)
Super Middleweight 175 lb (79.379 kg)
Light Heavyweight 182 lb (82.554 kg)
Super Light Heavyweight 189 lb (85.729 kg)
Cruiserweight 196 lb (88.904 kg)
Super Cruiserweight 203 lb (92.079 kg)
Heavyweight 230 lb (104.326 kg)
Super Heavyweight Unlimited

Champions

Poland's Cezary Podraza is the first in WKN history world champion. He defeated England's Mark Waters in Katowice.[26][27] Some of the notable champions are Samir Mohamed,[28] Tyrone Spong,[29] Jerome Le Banner,[30][31] Batu Khasikov, Nathan Corbett, John Wayne Parr, Artem Levin, Riyadh Al-Azzawi,[32] Jorge Cali,[33] Vladimir Mineev, Andrei Kulebin, Yohan Lidon, Xhavit Bajrami, Dmitry Shakuta, Alexander Ustinov, Daniel Ghiță, Cătălin Moroșanu, Lucian Danilencu, Ionuț Atodiresei, Amancio Paraschiv, Ionuț Iftimoaie, Nicolas Wamba, Siniša Kovačić, Ekaterina Vandaryeva.,[34] Ondřej Hutník

Simply the Best (TV Series)

Emblem of kickboxing series Simply The Best

Simply the Best [35] - is the worlds series of international kickboxing events, broadcast by SFR Sport 5[36][37] (formerly Kombat Sport[38]).

Season I

  • Ep 1 - November 23, 2014: Simply the Best 1 Charleroi: Gozdzicki vs. Dongsu Kim [39][40]
  • Ep 2 - December 19, 2014: Simply the Best 2 Caseros: Bosch vs. Benacci [41]
  • Ep 3 - March 29, 2015 - Simply the Best 3 Budapest: Gabor vs. Renna [42]
  • Ep 4 - May 24, 2015: Simply the Best 4 Prague: Vondracek vs. Wamba [43]
  • Ep 5 - June 5, 2015: Simply the Best 5 Caseros: Bosch vs. Dussan [44]
  • Ep 6 - October 3, 2015 - Simply the Best 6 Poprad: Hadzima vs. Hyeong Lee [45][46]
  • Ep 7 - October 9, 2015 - Simply the Best 7 Caseros: Bosch vs. Benacci 2 [47]
  • Ep 8 - October 17, 2015 - Simply the Best 8 Borlange: Chorr vs. Maertens [48][49]
  • Ep 9 - November 22, 2015 - Simply the Best 9 Farciennes: Saidane vs. Araneda [50]

Season II

  • Ep 10 - April 15, 2016 - Simply the Best 10 Prague: Wamba vs. Hutnik [51][52]
  • Ep 11 - October 1, 2016 - Simply the Best 11 Poprad: Idranyi vs. Kohout [53]
  • Ep 12 - November 20, 2016 - Simply the Best 12 Farciennes: Bellahmar vs. Vakakis [54]
  • Ep 13 - December 3, 2016 - Simply the Best 13 Nowa Sol: Makowski vs. Canu [55][56]

Season III

Season IV

  • Ep 18 - March 16, 2018 - Simply the Best 18 Poprad: Idranyi vs. Colin [62]
  • Ep 19 - May 18, 2018 - Simply the Best 19 Buenos Aires: Bosch vs. Perea [63][64]
  • Ep 20 - June 9, 2018 - Simply the Best 20 Cordoba: Acero Cali vs. El Toro Visotzky [65]
  • Ep 21 - July 22, 2018 - Simply the Best 21 Buenos Aires: Benitez vs. Garcete [66]
  • Ep 22 - September 22, 2018 - Simply the Best 22 Buenos Aires: Bosch vs. Dussan 2 [67]
  • Ep 23 - November 10, 2018 - Simply the Best 23 San Luis [68]
  • Ep 24 - November 25, 2018 - Simply the Best 24 Farciennes [69]

Girl Power Kickboxing (TV Series)


Girl Power [70] is a series of women's kickboxing tournaments produced by the World Kickboxing Network and the Bigger's Better Boxing[71] on SFR Sport 5 and B1B. The contest is a one-night eight-woman single elimination tournament in a featherweight class with international competitors battling out for the WKN belt.

  • Girl Power 1 Liepaja (Pilot) was held on Pay-Per-View with Dailymotion on November 14, 2014.[72] The event marked the date when the IBHOF referee Steve Smoger made his debut as a referee in kickboxing.[73]

Season I

  • Girl Power 2 Stara Zagora - the series made a debut live on SFR Sport 5 on February 10, 2017 with Mallaury Kalachnikoff of France winning the contest.[74][75]
  • Girl Power 3 Sunny Beach - the series returned to Bulgaria with the third episode held on June 23, 2017 live on SFR, where Irem Akin of Turkey took all tournament.[76][77][78]
  • Girl Power 4 Varna - the series returned to Bulgaria on Friday October 13, 2017 live on SFR Sport 5.[79]
  • Girl Power 5 Stara Zagora (Final), Season 1 Finale, was held on February 9, 2018 live on SFR Sport 5 and B1B Action TV.[80]

Season II

  • Girl Power 6 Sunny Beach was held on June 29, 2018 live on SFR Sport 5 and B1B. [81]
  • Girl Power 7 Kladno - October 19, 2018 [82]

WKN and IVC

WKN and its president Stephane Cabrera[83] represent the International Vale Tudo Championship in Europe, being the pioneer to promote MMA bouts on the continent. The WKN held IVC events in Finland, Spain, Czech Republic, Bosnia and Serbia.[84][85][86]

On August 20, 2016 WKN brings IVC back to the international scene by promoting Micheletti Vs. Ortiz for the WKN super cruiserweight world title in the main event of IVC 15 in Sorocaba, Sao Paulo, Brazil.[87][88][89][90][91][92]

Sources

Books and articles

References

  1. "History of Kickboxing". Prokick.
  2. "From A to WKN". World Kickboxing Network official website.
  3. "Kickboxing". Dragon MMA Academy.
  4. Ashley Martin. An Integrated Approach. The Complete Martial Arts Training Manual.
  5. "Stephane Cabrera Develops Kickboxing". Fightmag.
  6. Don Roid. "FBP 91: Stephane Cabrera". Fight Box.
  7. "Fédérations : Le temps de vérités à dire... par Olivier Muller". MuayThai.tv (in French).
  8. "Maailma suurim kickboxingu föderatsioon jõuab Eestisse". Sport.postimees.ee (in Estonian).
  9. Team Forms NHB Sanctioning Body. Black Belt. January 2000.
  10. "Contact : Le Banner vs Da Silva Boxe Thai" (in French). Karate Bushido Magazine N.261. October 1998.
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  24. "Hello Fight Fans - Jan 26th 2003". The People - Prokick Kickboxing Column.
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  76. "Marion Montanari au Girl Power Edition 3". LiDF (in French).
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  81. "Girl Power Kickboxing 6 results: Jessica Puglisi takes all tournament - FIGHTMAG". FIGHTMAG. 2018-06-30. Retrieved 2018-08-13.
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  84. "IVC Returning to Europe". ProKick.
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