Gestion des compétitions et fédérations de K-1

K-1 is a professional kickboxing promotion, founded and based in Tokyo. It is owned and operated by M-1 Sports Media Co, Ltd. It was established in 1993 by martial artist Kazuyoshi Ishii. Originally under the ownership of the Fighting and Entertainment Group (FEG), K-1 was considered to be the largest Kickboxing organization in the world. The organization was known for its heavyweight division fights and Grand Prix tournaments. K-1 also promoted mixed martial arts events, with some events having both kickboxing and MMA matches on their cards (such as their Dynamite!! series). The promotion has also held several tournaments under K-2 and K-3 banners from 1993 to 1995.

The letter K in K-1 is officially designated as a representation of words karate, kickboxing and kung fu. Nevertheless, some reports suggest that it represents the initial K found in competing disciplines such as karate, kickboxing, kung fu, kempo, kakutougi (the generic Japanese term for "combat sports"), and taekwondo. Another theory claims that the K simply comes from kakutougi and the "1" component pertains to the single weight division (in earlier competition) and the champion's unique position.

K-1 has its own unique ruleset different from other styles of Kickboxing. Because it has become so popular, K-1 is also seen as its own style of kickboxing and sometimes is erroneously considered as a standalone martial art/combat sport. Kickboxing governing bodies such as the ISKA and WKN have also crowned their own "K-1 rules" champions.

FEG would later face financial issues in the 2010s, and eventually went bankrupt in 2012. That same year, K-1 Global Holdings Limited, a company registered in Hong Kong, acquired the rights to K-1. In 2023, global rights to the K-1 brand were acquired by M-1 Sports Media.

K-1's predecessor, Seidokaikan karate, was formed in 1980 by Kazuyoshi Ishii, a former Kyokushin karate practitioner who had formed his own organization to help promote the best stand-up martial artists. Seidokaikan arranged several successful challenge events against other martial arts organizations, originally using rules based on the Kyokushin Knockdown karate rules, but gradually adapting and changing closer to kickboxing rules. In 1993, Mr. Ishii founded the K-1 exclusively as a kickboxing organization, closely cooperating with, but independent from Seidokaikan.

In 2010, rumours began to surface regarding financial issues with K-1, and parent company FEG. Simon Rutz, the owner of the Dutch-based kickboxing promotion It's Showtime, claimed in January 2011 that some fighters from It's Showtime had not been paid for fights in K-1.

In early 2011, FEG publicly announced that they were facing financial problems and that the organization would take some months off to restructure. Many fighters and managers spoke out against FEG, due to unpaid fight purses, as well as objections to the direction that its owner was taking K-1.

The entire K-1 brand, along with most of its trademarks, with the exception of, 'K-1 Koshien', 'K-1 MAX' and 'Dream', were sold to Japanese real estate firm, Barbizon Corporation Limited, on July 28, 2011.

On February 1, 2012, EMCOM Entertainment Inc. purchased K-1 from Barbizon. In March 2012, It's Showtime announced that EMCOM Entertainment established a new company K-1 Global Holdings Ltd. in Hong Kong. K-1 Global Holdings, Ltd., became the new official owner of the K-1 brand. K-1 Global's agreement with promotion required that certain fighters signed under It's Showtime appear in upcoming K-1 Global events.

The K-1 World MAX Final 16 took place on May 27, 2012, at the Palacio Vistalegre in Madrid, Spain. After the event, controversy and rumors circulated over fighters not being paid for their performances, unpaid financial obligations of FEG, and the incomplete transfer of ownership of the K-1 name. As a result, the K-1 World Grand Prix scheduled for 2012 would be cancelled if these issues were not resolved. The chairman of the new K-1 resolved these issues by paying fighters what was owed and including a 50% bonus.

It was announced in June 2012 that It's Showtime was purchased by Glory Sports International, eventually to be merged in their new promotion GLORY.

On August 10, 2012, K-1's co-promotion agreement with Romanian-based kickboxing promotion SUPERKOMBAT was announced. Though the agreement would eventually end, SK president Eduard Irimia stated that while its company will be independent in 2013 it will still continue to have cooperation with any interested promotion, including K-1, by offering fighters.

On May 29, 2014, the launch of a "K-1 World League" in Japan was announced. It is considered to be a separate entity from the K-1 of 2012, with the World League acquiring naming rights and exclusive license for the Japanese region from K-1 Global Holding Ltd. "K-1 World League" would focus on fighters in the 55 kg, -60 kg, -65 kg, -70 kg and heavyweight weight classes; and would be structured around professional events, amateur competitions and K-1 gyms. M-1 Sports Media is in charge of planning and production. "K-1 World League" was subsequently renamed K-1 World GP on September 24, 2014.

After its formation, "K-1 World League" formally incorporated the Krush brand. Launched prior to the folding of FEG, in 2009, Krush was a collaboration between K-1 and AJKF. It was seen at the time as the second tier of K-1 competition, and produced a number of future K-1 fighters such as Takeru Segawa, Tatsuya Tsubakihara and Leona Pettas, among others. K-1 would later add the KHAOS brand, which is seen as the third tier of competition, as a stepping stone between amateur and professional competition. K-1 maintains a number of gyms throughout Japan, from which potential kickboxers can transition from training to amateur competition to professional competition. A fighter can viably spend their entire career under the K-1 umbrella.

On September 20, 2016, "K-1 World GP" executive producer Kensaku Mae