The world's premier striking organisations

There are few more rapidly-evolving areas in the world of sports than within the realm of martial arts.

While most fans first thoughts drift towards the UFC, there are promotions which offer a more diverse, pure, and entertaining range of stand-up disciplines at the elite level.

Below are three essentials for the more discerning fight fan.

3. K-1

Established in 1993, K-1 is a kickboxing platform and martial arts brand well-known worldwide mainly for its heavyweight division matches and uniquely brutal brand of tournaments.

A competitive format that combines the most skilful and effective elements of all striking disciplines, the letter "K" in K-1 is initially designated as a representation of words Karate, Kickboxing and Kung Fu.

The Japan-based promotion has served as a springboard for several of the most famous names in combats sports, including Badr Hari, Mirko “Cro Cop” Filipović, Alistair Overeem, and New Zealand's own Mark Hunt and Ray Sefo.

NZ's Mark Hunt made his name in the world of K-1.
NZ's Mark Hunt made his name in the world of K-1. Photo credit: Getty

Aside from its heavily-praised oriental rule set, K-1 is also known for its World Grand Prix, an elimination kickboxing tournament that has been held annually since 1993.

Hunt stormed to victory in the 2001 edition, helping him stamp his mark for an eventual progression to Pride and the highest tiers of MMA.

The tournament is considered by many as the truest test of a combat sports fighter. The final eight competitors progress from an initial 16-man eliminator to take part in an evening of gruelling competition.

Three fights of three rounds apiece, through the course of just a solitary evening of violence. It's not for the faint-hearted.

2. Glory

Dutch heavyweight Rico Verhoeven.
Dutch heavyweight Rico Verhoeven. Photo credit: Getty

Glory is an international promotion that was founded in 2012 by Pierre Andurand, Scott Rudmann and Total Sports Asia, and has since established itself as one of the largest kickboxing leagues in the world.

The organisation has previously featured some of the world’s most decorated fighters such as Dutch phenomenon Rico Verhoeven, Semmy Schilt, Badr Hari, and Kiwi MMA convert Israel Adesanya.

While its thrived in Europe and has made significant headway throughout North America, Glory is yet to gain the tractions it deserves with the mainstream combats sports public.

Do yourself a favour and track down some footage of Verhoeven plying his trade. The towering heavyweight is a sight to behold, sporting athleticism that defies his stature and a lethal arsenal of strikes from every limb.

After six years in the industry, Glory has staged 59 kickboxing events, holding cards across the United States and overseas such as the Netherlands, China, France, Denmark, Belgium, United Kingdom, Germany, Italy and United Arab Emirates.

Get it on your radar immediately.

1. ONE Championship

Asian heavyweight ONE Championship has achieved tremendous success since its inception in 2011, establishing itself as the world’s largest martial arts organisation in terms of potential reach.

The recently-launched ONE Super Series has further capitalised on that success, providing a global platform for the world’s best martial artists to demonstrate their wares.

That diversification has helped the promotion set itself apart from the pack, with its events now offering a smorgasboard of disciplines across the gamut of striking arts.

ONE's Italian kickboxing legend Giorgio Petrosyan.
ONE's Italian kickboxing legend Giorgio Petrosyan. Photo credit: Supplied

ONE's events, which span and length and breadth of Asia, offer an innovative new brand of hybrid cards which blend MMA with the likes of karate, kung-fu, kickboxing, and Muay Thai, to name but a few.

Competitors will be able to select from a variety of both ring and cage rule sets under which they wish to compete, depending on the match-up.

In turn, ONE has bolstered its roster with some of the best practitioners in each of the arts, including the likes of multiple-time kickboxing world champion Giorgio Petrosyan, one of the most supremely technical and destructive strikers on the planet, and Muay Thai superstar Nong-O Gaiyanghadao.

It's a ground-breaking move and another example of the forward-thinking of ONE's Chairman and CEO Charti Sityodtong and his team in Singapore, which may well help push fight culture to the next level.

Newshub.