A few years ago, I dated this girl who went to the University of Oneonta. Every weekend I would trek 2 hours up to that abysmal, depressing hole college town to see her. As the weeks wore by, I grew tired of it. I don’t know why I would keep making the trip.

Actually, I can think of at least one good reason, completely unrelated to the rest of this post.

There was nothing to do there except go to frat parties (no thanks), eat out, or go bar hopping. It was so boring. This girl and her friends would be bantering on and on about which frat was rivaling some other frat blah blah …

My only salvation was that one bar would constantly play the K-1 kick boxing fights on an ESPN channel, including the K-1 Grand Prix tournaments. Every time she would ask me what bar I wanted to go to, I would choose this one place. Her and her friends would yap on and on about “The Hills”, frat boy fights, and mid terms, and I got to watch some of the worlds best kick boxers pound each other.

Sounds like compromise to me.

The K-1 World Grand Prix is a kick boxing tournament that pretty much determines who the best stand up fighter in the world is. K-1 fighters come from all different disciplines of stand up martial arts, and techniques from Muay Thai, Karate, Taekwondo, Kickboxing and traditional western Boxing are all utilized.

Here is the list of K-1 Grand Prix Champions for the past 14 years. Semmy Schilt has taken the title for the last three years.

1993 Branko Cikati
1994 Peter Aerts
1995 Peter Aerts
1996 Andy Hug
1997 Ernesto Hoost
1998 Peter Aerts
1999 Ernesto Hoost
2000 Ernesto Hoost
2001 Mark Hunt
2002 Ernesto Hoost
2003 Remy Bonjasky
2004 Remy Bonjasky
2005 Semmy Schilt
2006 Semmy Schilt
2007 Semmy Schilt

For some odd reason, I don’t think any ESPN channel shows the K-1 fights anymore. I can never find them, ever. Once again HDNet pulls through. I love love love this channel. Check out this press release:

The K-1 HDNET FIGHTS ANNOUNCES DEAL WITH FEG USA, INC. FOR RIGHTS TO AIR K-1 EVENTS IN NORTH AMERICA

Deal brings the world famous combat sport, K-1 exclusively to HDNet in 2009

HDNet Fights announced today that it is partnering with FEG USA, Inc. to bring the extremely popular K-1 World Grand Prix and K-1 World MAX tournaments to HDNet. K-1 is an electrifying form of kickboxing that combines techniques from various martial arts disciplines. HDNet will be the exclusive home of K-1 in North America.

“K-1 is one of the most popular and exciting combat sports in the world and we’re proud to present it on HDNet,” said Andrew Simon, CEO of HDNet Fights. “If you are a fan of DREAM, you are going to love the explosive non-stop, stand-up action of K-1 and K-1 MAX.”

“K-1 features the best stand-up fighters in the world and draws enormous crowds everywhere,” said Mike Kogan of FEG USA, Inc. “We are very excited to have HDNet bring the 2008 K-1 World Grand Prix Final, 2009 K-1 World Grand Prix and 2009 K-1 World MAX tournaments to North American viewers.”

HDNet’s coverage kicks off December 6 at 12:00 a.m. PT with LIVE coverage of the biggest show of the year, the 2008 K-1 World Grand Prix Final. The event will be repeated later that evening at 9:00 p.m. ET/6:00 p.m. PT. K-1 stages regional qualifiers throughout the year, which culminate in the K-1 Grand Prix, an annual one-night, 8-man tournament to determine the best stand-up fighter in the world.

The 2008 World Grand Prix Final on HDNet will feature the following tournament match-ups, which will lead to the crowning of the 2008 Grand Prix Champion:

(The participating fighters may change due to injuries or their physical condition).

The deal encompasses six events from the 2009 K-1 tournament and six events from the 2009 K-1 MAX tournament.