Industry Kickboxing promotion Founded 2014 | Owner Kunsun Media Headquarters Beijing | |
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Key people Jiang Hua (Founder and CEO) Profiles | ||
Kunlun Fight (Chinese: 昆仑决; pinyin: Kūnlún Jué), is a Chinese kickboxing promotion developed by Kunsun Media. Kunlun Fight debuted in 2014 and is regarded as one of the top kickboxing promotions in the world.
Contents
- Inaugural event
- Signing Buakaw Banchamek
- Middleweight tournaments
- Business
- Rules
- Kunlun Fight Womens Lightweight Championship
- Middleweight Championship
- Welterweight Championship
- References
The first event was held in Pattaya, Thailand on January 25, 2014. The promotion has since kept on a steady pace of events and in 2015 alone held over 20 events.
Kunlun Fight is broadcast in mainland China on Jiangsu Television and on HKSTV in Hong Kong and Taiwan. In 2017 Kunlun Fight MMA began to broadcast monthly on CCTV-5.
Inaugural event
The first event in Pattaya, Thailand on January 25, 2014 included super fights and a 4-man kickboxing tournament with Andrei Kulebin, Petsanguan Luktupfah, Guo Dongwang and Umar Semata. After the inaugural event the promotion has made Thailand a regular stop on their schedule having visited there two more times.
Signing Buakaw Banchamek
On June 7, 2015 it was announced that Kunlun Fight had signed one of the most successful and famous 70 kg kickboxers in history, 2 time K-1 World Max Champion Buakaw Banchamek to an exclusive 6-fight contract.
Middleweight tournaments
One of the staples of Kunlun Fight is their yearly 70 kg tournaments. In 2014 the 16-man tournament was won by Dzianis Zuev who defeated Victor Nagbe in the final. In 2015 the tournament was expanced to 64-man and Sitthichai Sitsongpeenong emerged as the champion from an impressive field of fighters including multiple K-1 Champions and other highly ranked fighters such as: Marat Grigorian, Enriko Gogokhia, Enriko Kehl, Davit Kiria, Murthel Groenhart, Andy Souwer, Yodsanklai Fairtex, Dzhabar Askerov, Superbon Banchamek, Amancio Paraschiv, Chingiz Allazov, Aikpracha Meenayothin and the 2014 tournament winner Dzianis Zuev.
Business
In March 2016 Kunlun Fight finished series B financing from Morningside Ventures, IDG Capital Partners and Northern Light Venture Capital. The financing valued the company at over 350 million USD, making Kunlun Fight the most valuable combat sports startup in China.
Rules
Kunlun Fight mostly holds fights under kickboxing rules, but also under MMA rules. Some Muay Thai, Boxing and Lethwei fights have also been held on Kunlun Fight events.
◾Kickboxing rules: no clinch for survival, active clinch with knees, no throws, no elbows, a yellow card forfeits 25% of the fight purse and earns a 1-point deduction, a red card is a disqualification.
◾Mixed martial arts rules: Unified Rules of Mixed Martial Arts
◾Muay thai rules: knees are allowed to the body, legs and the head, throws and clinch are allowed, elbows are allowed to the body, legs and head, a yellow card forfeits 25% of the fight purse and earns a 1-point deduction, a red card is a disqualification.
Kunlun Fight Women's Lightweight Championship
-60 kg (-132.3 lb)
Middleweight Championship
-70 kg (-154.3 lb)
Middleweight Championship
84 kg (185 lbs); division was formerly 79 kg (175 lbs) until 2017
Welterweight Championship
77 kg (170 lbs); division was formerly 75 kg (165 lbs) until 2017