The fight promoter K-1 and the grappling promoter QUINTET have joined forces with sports channel DAZN for live streaming in Japan and over 200 other countries and regions. The first installment in this new collaboration is set for September 10, titled “ReBOOT!”
Tokyo, 30 August 2023 – It was announced today that fight promoter K-1, and the grappling event QUINTET will be live-streamed by the sports streaming provider, DAZN in over 200 countries and regions, including Japan.
M-1 Sports Media K.K. and Rabarland, Inc., the companies that respectively organize the striking martial arts event K-1 and the grappling tournament QUINTET, recently signed a capital and business alliance aimed at global expansion. As the first step in this ambitious initiative, the two companies have agreed to align with DAZN, the world’s largest sports streaming service. With the strong backing of DAZN as a media partner, they aim to showcase the unique aspects of both striking and grappling martial arts to a global audience. The collaboration kicks off with live streaming of their inaugural joint event, “ReBOOT,” to be held at Yokohama Arena on September 10th. What’s more, both organizations have scheduled both joint and individual events for live streaming in 2023 and 2024.
As previously announced, the event “ReBOOT” will feature “ReBOOT~K-1 ReBIRTH~” hosted by K-1, and “ReBOOT~QUINTET.4~” to be hosted by QUINTET. The K-1 event features the “K-1 30th Anniversary Openweight Tournament,” which includes the participation of eight elite fighters, including Mahmoud Sattari. Additionally, the K-1 Super Bantamweight Championship match between current champion Akihiro Kaneko and Masashi Kumura will also be held, with a total of 15-16 matches planned for the event.
On the other hand, “ReBOOT~QUINTET.4~”, in which Japanese MMA legend Kazushi Sakuraba will also participate, will feature four, five-member teams competing in a one-day tournament for supremacy. Sakuraba’s eldest son, Taisei Sakuraba, will also make his professional debut at the event in a special singles match against former Olympic judo gold medalist Masato Uchishiba.
We hope you enjoy all the action on DAZN, as both of these organizations set their sights on the world stage!
“I deeply appreciate DAZN for becoming our global media partner. As we announced our plans for global expansion, K-1 is aiming to go global from Japan. I have no doubt being on DAZN platforms will push our initiatives forward very strongly. Not only events in Japan will be streamed to the world, but also Japanese fans can enjoy our events outside of Japan. Please stay tuned for our accelerated expansion to the world”
“Compared to 5 years ago when I established QUINTET, the enthusiasm for grappling is increasing rapidly. In the USA, the participants in Brazilian Jiu-jitsu surpassed 3 million, which is much more than wrestling, its national sport. QUINTET is trying to make grappling more exciting to watch as well as more fun to participate. I look forward to delivering that message to the world through DAZN”
“We are very excited to be able to deliver K-1, the best striking martial arts in Japan, and QUINTET, which was created by Japanese MMA legend Kazushi Sakuraba, to the world through DAZN. DAZN has been home to many world-class MMA and boxing matches. Adding K-1 and QUINTET to our lineups will enable us to create opportunities for global sports fans to watch and become fans of Japanese-born martial arts. We are thrilled to be a part of K-1 and QUINTET’s global growth”
DAZN is a sports channel where sports fans can enjoy their favorite sports anytime, anywhere. In addition to live broadcasts of sporting events, the platform also offers catch-up TV, highlights, and original content. It is compatible with multiple devices including TVs, smartphones, PCs, tablets, and gaming consoles, allowing for sports viewing at any time and place. Provided by the DAZN Group, a global sports media company headquartered in the UK, DAZN has its own unique offerings in Japan, Taiwan, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Belgium, Italy, Spain, Portugal, France, Canada, and the United States. The platform is also available in over 225 countries and regions worldwide.
For more information on DAZN, their products, people, and performance, visit dazngroup.com.