K-1 is the cornerstone of modern kickboxing, as it revitalized the sport that had seen a sharp decline from the era of full-contact karate, where legends like Benny Urquidez and Bill Wallace reigned supreme, to the completely new world of kickboxing that would rival the effectiveness of Muay Thai.
Creating a long golden age of kickboxing from the 90s with legendary heavyweights like Andy Hug and Ernest Hoost. In 2000 where, the lighter weight classes would show off their incredible prowess, with icons of the sport such as Masato Kobayashi and Buakaw increasing interest in the lighter weight classes, leading to some of the most amazing martial arts tournaments ever seen in modern history, and with incredible matchups, we get incredible kickboxing knockouts.