K-1 is a world-wide kickboxing promotion founded in Tokyo, Japan by Kazuyoshi Ishii, a former Kyokushin karate practitioner. Its rules are similar to those of kickboxing but they have been simplified to promote exciting matches that may end in a knockout win. The main difference between K-1 rules and kickboxing is the use of knees, allowed in K-1 but not in international kickboxing.
HISTORY
K-1's eight-year history began with the revolutionary vision of Japan's Kazuyoshi Ishii. Following a rapid climb through the ranks as martial arts mentor, promoter, and official, Ishii thought it was time to organize a major martial arts event. Its concept was to decide the strongest martial artist in a night.With karate moving closer to kick boxing in style, Ishii organized the first K-1 Grand Prix at the Yoyogi Dai-Ichi Stadium in Tokyo on April 30, 1993. The event was held in a regulation-size boxing ring under the K-1 rules, which permit punches to accommodate both karate and kick boxing fighters. A crowd of 10,000 were on hand to witness history in the making as a young Ernesto Hoost and Peter Aerts, before they won a combined total of seven WGPs between the two of them, first faced each other in one of the preliminary fights of the Grand Prix. The match was an instant classic as both men gave it there all but in the end it was Aerts' unfamiliarity with the three round style of K-1 (normal kickboxing fights usually have five rounds) that caused him to start out slow in the first round and did not have enough time to catch up with the very capable Hoost who was awarded the unanimous decision. Hoost would then go on to knock out former UFC champion and former American kickboxing champion Maurice Smith in the semi finals with a headkick assuring him a spot into the finals. In the end though it was to be Aerts' teammate Branko Cikatić who was to be the big winner of the WGP that night as he put on a dominant performance knocking out Changpuek Kiatsongrit, Japan's number one kickboxer at the time Masaaki Satake, and Ernesto Hoost in the finals.
Later in the same year, the K-2 Grand Prix was held, which was a tournament in the light heavyweight class. Ernesto Hoost knocked out Changpuek Kiatsongrit in the final.
