World Combat League

**MilkManX** · 05-13-2008, 05:49 PM

Anyone check out the World Combat League on the VERSUS network.

It was designed by Chuck Norris. Its a full contact kickboxing.

I have watched a few episodes of this Second year and its pretty entertaining.

I do wish the fighters had more humility but when you have to compete with UFC and other cagefighting shows I guess you have to be an egomaniac.

Chuck Norris Presents • World Combat League™ - Home Page

schuyler · 05-13-2008, 09:53 PM

I went to one of their shows last year in Denver and it was terrible! It's a little better on TV, but it doesn't hold a candle to K1 or MT promotions. I've always despised "full contact" style fighting (ie, no kicks below the waist, shin guards and boxing gloves) as seen on TV (and not to be confused with Kyokushin full contact fighting).

I wish Chuck would have gone with the more mainstream style of kickboxing rather then the hybrid kenpo style that he chose to use.

**MilkManX** · 05-13-2008, 10:43 PM

They can kick the legs. I think the only area they cant kick is the groin.

schuyler · 05-13-2008, 10:47 PM

Sorry, you are correct, they can kick the legs, but it has to be done in combination with other strikes.

**MilkManX** · 05-14-2008, 01:20 AM

All I am saying is that it was nice to see Sport MA on TV that wasn't 'Cage Fighting' .

FutureProdigy · 05-14-2008, 01:49 AM

How do these rules differ from K-1? I can't seem to find them :S

schuyler · 05-14-2008, 05:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MilkManX

All I am saying is that it was nice to see Sport MA on TV that wasn't 'Cage Fighting' .

Fair enough. I was initially excited to see it as well, but after watching a season I was pretty bored.

schuyler · 05-14-2008, 05:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FutureProdigy

How do these rules differ from K-1? I can't seem to find them :S

K1 for starters doesn't allow shin guards. I'd say WCL is comparable to those full contact fights you see on old Strikeforce cards and K1 is like Kyokushin with gloves and punches to the face (or Muay Thai).

Martin H · 05-14-2008, 07:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by schuyler

Sorry, you are correct, they can kick the legs, but it has to be done in combination with other strikes.

Technically, yes. But it seems to vary from event to event how much they enforce that.
Sometimes they seem to allow lowkicks without restrictions.

Quote:

Originally Posted by FutureProdigy

How do these rules differ from K-1? I can't seem to find them :S

1. no ring.
They use a weird circular platform with raised edges. It makes a different if there is no rope to brace against.

2. the lowkick requirement of "no lowkicks except as part of a combination", although as I said, it varies how much they enforce it. When they do enforce it, it easily degenerates into to foot fencing from the tkd/american point karate guys.

3. a rule that you must be aggressive or lose point. they only have a single round, so they dont allow defensive tactics, it go forward from the start.

4. a weird team approach. you fight and earn points as a team, and its the team that win at the end of the day. I have trouble seeing kickboxing as a team sport.

Personally I think it comes down to the fighters. If its good fighters it gives good fights. if its poor fighters (and there are many of them) it results in bad fights.
I would like to see a few kyokushin guys in there. Last I looked the thaiboxers were "taking over" more and more.

Most importantly, it is a amateur sport. Give it time to create a few stars, and then send them into the k-1 ring to see how well they do.

**SHIDOKANATLANTA** · 05-14-2008, 04:25 PM

the world combat league draws competitors from point karate, tae kwon do, kickboxing, thai boxing, and even mma fighters. the rules are kickboxing with no clinching. low kicks and knees are allowed (but no grabbing). the most popular martial art is still american karate and tkd (as far as the masses are concerned). so, this sport helps those type of businesses as the sport has more of the american kickboxing/karate look to it (the long pants, no ring, etc.)

it is a professional sport and fighters are paid (to show up, bonuses for knock outs, exciting techniques, winning team bonus). the rules were created as a blend to work for the different styles. it's purpose is not to be like other styles of kickboxing. the bouts are 1 round fights and each team member will fight their opponent (or alternate in case of a KO) twice. the team concept was developed for the american public (the general public are into football, basketball, baseball). it's good in that norris is promoting martial arts. i have friends who have fought in it and have been treated well.

it is not k-1 or muay thai (which are not as popular here as in the rest of the word). the US has not done to well in international style kickboxing (not since the '80s). i would prefer to see the teams have fighters fight 3 round bouts and the team with the most wins determines the winning team (like mma's IFL). we have to appreciate chuck norris' efforts, because on US TV we only see old kickboxing ESPN fights, boxing, and cage fighting. so, WCL is a good thing in that regard. it gives fighters publicity and some extra cash. most of the fighters don't fight mma, international kickboxing, thai, etc. and it would be difficult to get tournament fighters (point fighters), tkd players, in any other format. man of the tournament fighters are very popular in their individual disciplines.

Martin H · 05-14-2008, 05:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SHIDOKANATLANTA

it is a professional sport and fighters are paid (to show up, bonuses for knock outs, exciting techniques, winning team bonus).

OK. maybe I should have said semi-pro instead om amateur. It is hardly a full time profession -even if they do earn some money from it.
Not like the pro boxers or K-1 career fighters.

**MilkManX** · 05-14-2008, 06:01 PM

You can tell right away the guys that have studied serious traditional arts too. Their form is much better and they are precise. The guys that just train to fight "Boxing" ,"Kickboxing" are overtly sloppy.

**SHIDOKANATLANTA** · 05-14-2008, 09:59 PM

they are pro fighters, not semi pro or amateur. my best friend kelly leo (ISKA US kickboxing champion) and his wife trisha (formerly hill) leo (ISKA world muay thai champion) have fought in the WCL. remy bonnel (former french muay thai champion and has done well in shidokan bouts too) fights in it. these are just a few (i can name other professional champions in karate, tkd, kickboxing, thai, etc.)the fighters come from different backgrounds who fight in other organizations too. even the point fighters are pros (these guys are sponsored fighters on the tournament circuit and compete internationally). i know tournament fighters who've left kickboxing because they made good money and traveled the world doing point fighting. and some of the fighters that fight boxing, kickboxing do well too. the 1 round makes them go for the kill right off the bat. the flashier techniques give more points to the team (as well as knockouts).

Angelslayer · 05-17-2008, 03:01 AM

I really like the show the first season was kinda boring but I think this season has been pretty exciting to watch. I like watching diffrent styles going head to head even point fighters have been doing well. last match I saw a point fighter was beating the crap out of a muay tai guy he even scored a KO I guess the only bad part is that the denver team is only muay tai and they have been loosing alot karate seems to have the upper hand in the WCL

**Brad** · 05-17-2008, 05:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Angelslayer

I really like the show the first season was kinda boring but I think this season has been pretty exciting to watch. I like watching diffrent styles going head to head even point fighters have been doing well. last match I saw a point fighter was beating the crap out of a muay tai guy he even scored a KO I guess the only bad part is that the denver team is only muay tai and they have been loosing alot karate seems to have the upper hand in the WCL

Osu that is a problem, may be the thai guy's should expand and do other karate styles ect.

But very good point.

**SHIDOKANATLANTA** · 05-17-2008, 01:27 PM

the wcl uses short fast paced rounds, so that may favor tournament style fighters. a 3 round or 5 round bout would favor the kickboxer or thai boxer. for one round, speed is an advantage. also, the no clinching helps the karate and tkd fighters.

JohnMc · 06-02-2008, 03:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MilkManX

I do wish the fighters had more humility but when you have to compete with UFC and other cagefighting shows I guess you have to be an egomaniac.

Chuck Norris Presents • World Combat League™ - Home Page

What the hell does UFC and MMA have to do with a Kickboxing league run by Chuck Norris? Its hard to take your posts seriously when you do stuff like this. There's egomaniacs in all dojos not just in MMA gyms. I've ran into quite a few during my Kyokushin days that were all talk to but you don't see me bashing Kyokushin over that.

Dent · 06-02-2008, 04:08 PM

Osu! JohnMc,

I'm sure it wasn't a personal attack, so please refrain from taking it as one.

I believe MilkManX was suggesting that he would like to see less ego in the WCL, but as "personality" (Advertising slang for ego.) makes fans take notice like in the UFC and other related events, it is understandable why some of the WCL fighters behave in the manner they do.

I also believe that it would be best if we all try and avoid gross generalizations.

Osu!

JohnMc · 06-02-2008, 04:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dent

Osu! JohnMc,

I'm sure it wasn't a personal attack, so please refrain from taking it as one.

I believe MilkManX was suggesting that he would like to see less ego in the WCL, but as "personality" (Advertising slang for ego.) makes fans take notice like in the UFC and other related events, it is understandable why some of the WCL fighters behave in the manner they do.

I also believe that it would be best if we all try and avoid gross generalizations.

Osu!

I didn't take it as a personal attack. I just didn't like Milkman bringing up the UFC and MMA when it wasn't applicable. Its like the race card always being played in our society now.

If Milkman doesn't like the attitude on display in WCL he should take it up with Norris and WCL [they have a website so I'm sure he can leave feedback like that] I wouldn't be surprised if promoters [both WCL and MMA orgs] want their fighters to display it. If Milkman doesn't like it he can either complain to the leagues themselves or change the channel.

In any sports there is going to be participants with attitude problems. Lord knows I've had my share of a white belt getting promoted and thinking he's suddenly invincible and spouting off how he would kick my you know what during my Kyokushin days but I didn't let it soil my enjoyment of Kyokushin.

**tmd** · 06-02-2008, 05:09 PM

Notice one of the teams is called PowerofOne - is this our very own??? Seems like a really interesting concept and glad it's getting some air time would be great to see it in on UK TV. I understand it has a few American isms which we find a little hard to conceive over here like the team thing but just great to see any form of MA getting a new generation interested in the MA's.

One interesting thing that I think comes across from the US is that there is many more sports it is possible to become professional in and gain endorsements or scholarships to pursue - in the UK and I think the rest of Europe it's only the elite of a very selective number of sports that get any funding and then it ca

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