K-1 to return to the USA?
By Jim Murphy December 18th, 2009This could be the best news ever or much ado about nothing, but Head Kick Legend discusses the possibility–which sounds realistic–of a K-1 return to the US:
It sounded too good to be true and there were no reliable sources on this. Well, after some digging, Head Kick Legend spoke with a K-1 official and can indeed confirm that there will be a K-1 Realty Series set to hit U.S. airwaves in 2010 that is getting the details ironed out right now. When we hear more about it we’ll bring you th details, but for now all that we can say is that the rumors are true, this is in the works.
That isn’t it, though. K-1 airing on HDNet and all of the support of fans in the United States has twisted the arm of FEG and K-1 is set to make their return to U.S. soil. If all goes according to plan there will be a grand total of three K-1 shows in the United States. Three. There are no more details right now as to the dates or if all three will happen, but my most educated guess would be the Hawaii Grand Prix, Las Vegas Grand Prix and possibly another Dynamite!! USA show which would run a mixed format of kickboxing and MMA. While the last Dynamite!! USA show was questionable in its success, the chances of K-1 booking a 100,000 seat arena again is very slim (although there were 42k in attendance, 18k confirmed, the number was less than 4k paid).
Brock Lesnar fanboys might not be aware that he made his pro MMA debut on the aforementioned K-1 Dynamite show in the US. Obviously, K-1 visibility in the US has improved through their HD Net exposure and the time may be right for a return to the US. If they booked good cards for a Las Vegas K-1 show and/or a Dynamite show (Vegas or Southern California would be the best locations for that IMO) and brought some of the state of the art FEG event production its something that fight geeks like us would definitely travel to see.
December 18th, 2009 at 6:41 pm
It was from the K-1 USA office, so they do plan to do 3 shows in the US. Now, if that happens, totally different story.
December 19th, 2009 at 12:51 am
Yeah what K-1 says and what K-1 does are two completely different things. You can look forward to this alongside all those huge fights they promised for Dynamite, the 3-d broadcast, etc etc etc etc.
December 19th, 2009 at 4:49 pm
I’d extend that to what *fight promoters* say and do are two different things, but your point is well taken. Obviously, I’d love to see it happen and were they to do it right IMO they’d do very well promoting shows in the US.