Who are the top 5 kickboxers of all time

[MoreKane]

In your opinion in terms of legacy?

 

[SuperLuigi]

Legacy-wise it would largely just be based on accomplishments and bypass the subjectives right?

But if you are just asking more generally here is a good breakdown by Mafy:

hard establish a top 5 kickboxers all time,because there are too much epic guys.

Legendary before K1 days:Rob Kaman,Changpuek Kiatsongrit,Ramon Dekkers(from muay thai too),Peter Hurricane Smith.

K-1 Heavyweight time: Peter Aerts,Ernesto Hoost,Andy Hug,Jerome Le Banner,Remy Bonjasky,Semmy Schilt,Alexey Ignashov,Stefan Leko,Mike Bernardo,Ray Sefo,Glaube Feitosa,Sam Grego,Cro crop,Badr Hari and Overeem(2008-2010 days).

K-1 Max time:Buakaw,Andy Souwer,Masato,Albert Kraus,Giorgio Petrosyan,Artur Kyshenko,Yoshihiro Sato,Mike Zambidis,Gago Drago.

Nowdays:

Heavyweight Division:Badr Hari,Daniel Ghita,Rico Verhoeven,Adegbuyi,Anderson Silva,Zimmerman.

Light Heavyweight:Gohkan Saki,Tyrone Spong,Zabit Samedov,Danyo Ilunga,Saulo Cavalari,Artem Vakhitov.

Middleweight:Artem Levin,Simon Marcus,Joe Schilling,Fang Bian,Jason Wilnys,Alex Pereira.

Welterweight:Nieky Hozken,Artur Kyshenko,Joseph Valtelini,Murthel Groenhart,Aleksandr Steturenko,Raymond Daniels

Lightweight Division:Giorgio Petrosyan,Robin Van Roosmalen,Davit Kiria,Andy Ristie,Mohamed Khamal,Sitthichai Sitsongpeenong,Marat Grigorian,Enriko Kehl,Yodsanklai Fairtex(need more fights in kickboxing,he is contracted on K1 now).

Featherweight:Kaew Fairtex,Mosab Amrani,Gabriel Varga,Yuta Kubo,Soda,Jomthong,Masaaki Noiri,Massaro Glunder(new guy for us,showed a supernatural talent and fight style).

55kg:Takeru,Taiga.

 

[Skandal]

Hoost, Cro cop, Buakaw, Badr, and ..... Bob Sapp.

 

[Snubnoze707]

Smokin' Jo Nattawut
.
.
... that's all I got.

 

[Aarkan]

Legacy? oh well
Aerts,Hoost,Schilt
Buakaw and souwer
In my opinion ofc

 

[Doctor Grudge]

Legacy? oh well
Aerts,Hoost,Schilt
Buakaw and souwer
In my opinion ofc

A lot of HW bias, don't you think?

 

[Aarkan]

A lot of HW bias, don't you think?

Yeah i know
But its just the "mainstream response"
K-1 was the shit and these guys ruled it, Only had 2 weight classes tho
I could put masato too but its a top 5, and masato had too many gifted decisions going his way(even against "lesser opponents" like zambidis 2003) for me to pick him
I guess you could understand since k-1 max was built and created for him, but still, hurt his legacy imo

On HW aerts and hoost are locks, with schilt a little behind due to fight in a imo weaker decade with guys getting old etc

 

[Robbocop]

Semmy Schilt
Peter Aerts
Ernesto Hoost
Rico Verhoeven
Andy Hug

 

[TheghostofFredDurst]

Couple of guys haven't been named yet but are up there legacy wise:
Jerome LeBanner
Remy Bonjasky
Mike Bernardo
Ray Sefo
Ramon Dekkers

 

[Tayski]

My top6 in terms of legacy in no particular order:

• Semmy Schilt
• Ernesto Hoost
• Peter Aerts
• Remy Bonjasky
• Giorgio Petrosyan
• Buakaw

 

[mightywang1]

Dekkers
Kaman
Schilt
Hoost
Aerts
Hug

 

[mides]

Bill "Superfoot" Wallace
Benny Urquidez
Don "The Dragon" Wilson
Maurice Smith
Andy Hug
Rob Kaman
Ernesto Hoost
Buakaw
Peter Cunningham
Rick Roufus
Jean-Yves Theriault

 

[Blazeblack]

#1 Musashi

 

[prikoke]

Bruce Lee and Van Damme probably had the most impact despite never having a proper kickboxing fight.

 

[Mike Schiavello]

Very hard list to make. Let's not forget Kickboxers are different to MT fighters.
You can't go past certain names, which for me are Hoost, Petrosian, Don Wilson.
Many names to choose from for the other two spots including: Andy Souwer, Buakaw (K-1 career not MT), Rick Roufus, Dennis Alexio, Maurice Smith, Peter Aerts, Semmy Schilt (on achievements alone, not technical prowess), Jean-Yves Theriault, Benny Urquidez, Superfoot Wallace, Joe Lewis.

 

[H2F]

Badr Hari.

 

[Blazeblack]

It’s really a shame that k-1 didn’t hold tournaments in more weight classes. Alot of great fighters didn’t get the attention that they deserved because k-1 was heavyweight focused.

I know the k-1 brass wanted a Japanese WGP champion, but they could have easily found a Japanese champion in the lower weight classes. Shit, Taiei kin would almost certainly have won one of the k-2/ k-3 grandprix if k-1 keept them going.

 

[Doctor Grudge]

It’s really a shame that k-1 didn’t hold tournaments in more weight classes. Alot of great fighters didn’t get the attention that they deserved because k-1 was heavyweight focused.

I know the k-1 brass wanted a Japanese WGP champion, but they could have easily found a Japanese champion in the lower weight classes. Shit, Taiei kin would almost certainly have won one of the k-2/ k-3 grandprix if k-1 keept them going.

Lol I actually wanted to be a kickboxer as a teenager and decided to go into MMA because I thought that kickboxing basically only existed for heavyweights.

 

[Aarkan]

It’s really a shame that k-1 didn’t hold tournaments in more weight classes. Alot of great fighters didn’t get the attention that they deserved because k-1 was heavyweight focused.

I know the k-1 brass wanted a Japanese WGP champion, but they could have easily found a Japanese champion in the lower weight classes. Shit, Taiei kin would almost certainly have won one of the k-2/ k-3 grandprix if k-1 keept them going.

They created MAX just for Masato

 

[Blazeblack]

They created MAX just for Masato

Max might have been the best thing k-1 did.