Thai & Kickbox SuperLeague, commonly known as SuperLeague, was a former kickboxing

Kickboxing

Kickboxing refers to a group of martial arts and stand-up combat sports based on kicking and punching, historically developed from karate, Muay Thai and western boxing....

 organization that was based in Vienna, Austria. It was founded by Austrian

Austrians

Austrians are a nation and ethnic group, consisting of the population of the Republic of Austria and its historical predecessor states who share a common Austrian culture and Austrian descent....

 businessmen Marcus Bauer and Willi Wokurka in 2003 with the aim to bring together champion fighters from across the world into a single Europe

Europe

Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...

an based league with (world) rankings. Although initially the events consisted of ranking super fights, the organization would also put on several elimination tournaments.

During its inception, SuperLeague ran a total of fifteen Thai-boxing

Muay Thai

Muay Thai is a combat sport from Thailand that uses stand-up striking along with various clinching techniques. It is similar to other Indochinese kickboxing systems, namely pradal serey from Cambodia, tomoi from Malaysia, lethwei from Myanmar and muay Lao from Laos...

 shows between 10 May 2003 to 13th, May 2006, averaging around four shows a year, with a total of 86 different fighters (from 31 different nations) taking part in events. The organization had six different weight classes, ranging from super lightweight (63 kg/138.6 lbs

Pound (mass)

The pound or pound-mass is a unit of mass used in the Imperial, United States customary and other systems of measurement...

) to heavyweight (95 kg/209 lbs

Pound (mass)

The pound or pound-mass is a unit of mass used in the Imperial, United States customary and other systems of measurement...

), and all bouts were fought under Thai-boxing

Muay Thai

Muay Thai is a combat sport from Thailand that uses stand-up striking along with various clinching techniques. It is similar to other Indochinese kickboxing systems, namely pradal serey from Cambodia, tomoi from Malaysia, lethwei from Myanmar and muay Lao from Laos...

 rules. While it was running it stood alongside K-1

K-1

K-1 is a defunct world-wide kickboxing promotion based in Tokyo, Japan founded by Kazuyoshi Ishii, a formerKyokushin karate practitioner. K-1 combines stand up techniques from Muay Thai, Karate, Taekwondo, Savate, San Shou, kickboxing, western-style boxing, and other martial arts...

 and It's Showtime

It's Showtime

It's Showtime is a kickboxing and mixed martial arts promotion based in Amsterdam, Netherlands. It was founded by Simon Rutz in 1998 and held its first show in 1999. They are known to cross promote their events with K-1 and other European promotions from Italy, Belgium and England...

 as one of the world's premier kickboxing organizations with seventeen different tv companies from across the world broadcasting events.

By the latter half of 2006 SuperLeague began to run into financial difficulties with the organization's main sponsor Sportwetten Gera facing legal difficulties. This situation led into the SuperLeague Austria 2006 show on 14 October 2006 which had to be cancelled due to the company being unable to meet fighters contracts. This was devastating news for SuperLeague which had a total of 17 television stations from across the world owning broadcasting rights to their events. Unable to meet their financial and business obligations the company was forced into liquidation and ceased to exist.

Broadcast

Thai & Kickbox SuperLeague events have been broadcast live by a total of seventeen TV companies in from across the world including:
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Thai & Kickbox SuperLeague Champions

SuperLeague European Champions

Weight Class	Date	Event	Champion	Runner-up	No of Defenses
73 kg / 160.6 lbs Pound (mass) The pound or pound-mass is a unit of mass used in the Imperial, United States customary and other systems of measurement...	2006-05-13	SuperLeague Elimination 2006	Aalviar Lima	Fadi Merza	0

SuperLeague Tournament Champions

Weight Class	Date	Event	Champion	Runner-up
73 kg / 160.6 lbs Pound (mass) The pound or pound-mass is a unit of mass used in the Imperial, United States customary and other systems of measurement...	2006-03-11	SuperLeague Elimination 2006	Jordan Tai Jordan Tai Jordan "Terror" Tai is a New Zealand welterweight kickboxer, fighting out of the Ray Sefo Fight Academy in Auckland. He is a two time K-1 MAX New Zealand champion currently competing in K-1 MAX.-Titles:...	Jose Reis
73 kg / 160.6 lbs Pound (mass) The pound or pound-mass is a unit of mass used in the Imperial, United States customary and other systems of measurement...	2005-09-24	SuperLeague Tournament Turkey 2005	Aalviar Lima	Kamal El Amrani

Notable Fighters

A number of high profile fighters have taken part in SuperLeague events:
Cosmo Alexandre

Cosmo Alexandre

Cosmo "Good Boy" Alexandre is a Brazilian middleweight Muay Thai kickboxer. He is the former WMC Intercontinental and WPMF World champion. On December 5, 2009 he won WMC King's Cup Challenger tournament in Bangkok, Thailand.-Biography and career:Cosmo Alexandre Moreira da Rocha was born in Santos,...

 Kamal El Amrani Dany Bill

Dany Bill

Dany Bill is a French-Cameroonian former kickboxer and seven-times Muaythai World champion. Dany Bill has been one of the best farangs who have fought in Thailand...

 Clifton Brown

Clifton Brown

Clifton Brown is a retired Canadian Light Heavyweight kickboxer of Jamaican descent, who fought out of Toronto, Ontario. Clifton is the President/CEO of Warrior Caste Productions Inc. A production company which focuses on Martial Arts through athlete documentaries, and day to day operations of...

 Shane Chapman

Shane Chapman

Shane "Choppa" Chapman is a New Zealand super middleweight kickboxer and boxer, fighting out of City Lee Gar Gym in Auckland. He is the 2002 and 2004 K-1 Oceania MAX champion and 4 time Muay Thai World champion.- Biography and career:...

 Roberto Cocco

Roberto Cocco

Roberto Cocco is an Italian super middleweight Muay Thai kickboxer and boxer, fighting out of Dojo Miura in his home town of Turin, Italy. He is a former three time I.S.K.A. kickboxing world champion and one time W.K.N. Thai-boxing world Champion.-Biography / Career:Roberto started learning...

 Albert Kraus

Albert Kraus

Albert “The Hurricane” Kraus is a Dutch welterweight kickboxer. He was the first K-1 World MAX 2002 champion and has also held four separate world titles in kickboxing and Muay Thai...

 Ole Laursen

Ole Laursen

Ole 'Iron Fist' Laursen is a Danish welterweight Muay Thai kickboxer and lightweight mixed martial artist, fighting out of Ubon Ratchatani, Thailand.-Biography:...

 Aalviar Lima Joerie Mes

Joerie Mes

Joerie "The Shark" Mes is a Dutch former welterweight kickboxer, fighting out of Mike's Gym in Amsterdam. He is former Dutch and European Muay Thai champion who later competed in K-1 MAX. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest combination specialists in kickboxing history.-Biography and...

 Akeomi Nitta

Akeomi Nitta

Akeomi Nitta is a Japanese kickboxer. He is one of Japan's kickboxers in the welterweight division.-Karate to kickboxing:...

 John Wayne Parr

John Wayne Parr

John Wayne "The Gunslinger" Parr , also known as JWP, is an Australian middleweight kickboxer and boxer, fighting out of Boonchu Gym in Gold Coast, Queensland. He is a 8 time World Champion and runner up in The Contender Asia....

 Jose Reis Yoshihiro Sato

Yoshihiro Sato

is a Japanese kickboxer competing in K-1 at middleweight . He is the former world champion of Muay Thai in WKA and WPKC, and he won the Japanese national tournament of K-1 twice in 2006 and 2007. His official nickname is "Mugen Sniper" which means Infinite Sniper.- Amateur era :He was born in...

 Dmitry Shakuta

Dmitry Shakuta

Dmitry "Shok" Shakuta is a Belarusian Muay Thai super middleweight kickboxer fighting out of Minsk, Belarus for the SK-55 gym. He is an eight time amateur and professional world champion who is most well known for being the It's Showtime 77MAX world champion between 2008-09.-Biography/Career:Born...

 Jean-Charles Skarbowsky

Jean-Charles Skarbowsky

Jean-Charles Skarbowsky is a French former kickboxer and 3-times European Muay Thai champion. Skarbowsky has been one of the best farangs who have fought in Thailand.-Biography and career:...

 Jordan Tai

Jordan Tai

Jordan "Terror" Tai is a New Zealand welterweight kickboxer, fighting out of the Ray Sefo Fight Academy in Auckland. He is a two time K-1 MAX New Zealand champion currently competing in K-1 MAX.-Titles:...

 Mongkhon Wiwasuk

Mongkhon Wiwasuk

Mongkhon Wiwasuk , a.k.a. Malaipet, is a Thai Muay Thai kickboxer who occasionally fights in mixed martial arts. He is a former Rajadamnern Stadium champion who currently resides in Southern California.-Biography and career:...

 Şahin Yakut

Sahin Yakut

Şahin "Kaas" Yakut is a Turkish-Dutch kickboxer and mixed martial artist, currently living in Heerhugowaard, Netherlands and training in Gym Alkmaar under Edwin van Os. He is a member of the It's Showtime Team and is a training partner of Gago Drago and Joerie Mes...

 Jiri Zak

Rules

A list of the following SuperLeague rules is as follows:

Weight Classes

SuperLeague had six weight classes:

• Super Lightweight - up to 63 kg / 138.6 lbs
  Pound (mass)
  The pound or pound-mass is a unit of mass used in the Imperial, United States customary and other systems of measurement...
  
  
• Welterweight - up to 67 kg / 147.4 lbs
  Pound (mass)
  The pound or pound-mass is a unit of mass used in the Imperial, United States customary and other systems of measurement...
  
  
• Super Welterweight - up to 70 kg / 154 lbs
  Pound (mass)
  The pound or pound-mass is a unit of mass used in the Imperial, United States customary and other systems of measurement...
  
  
• Middleweight - up to 73 kg / 160.6 lbs
  Pound (mass)
  The pound or pound-mass is a unit of mass used in the Imperial, United States customary and other systems of measurement...
  
  
• Super Middleweight - up to 76 kg / 167.2 lbs
  Pound (mass)
  The pound or pound-mass is a unit of mass used in the Imperial, United States customary and other systems of measurement...
  
  
• Heavyweight - up to 95 kg / 209 lbs
  Pound (mass)
  The pound or pound-mass is a unit of mass used in the Imperial, United States customary and other systems of measurement...
  
  

Rounds

• Tournament matches were three rounds in duration, with a one minute break between rounds, and each round lasting three minutes. In the event of a draw after the allocated three rounds the fight would go to an extra round.
• Super fights were five rounds in duration, with a one minute break between rounds, with each round lasting three minutes.

Scoring

• 3 judges score the fight. After each round a fighter can score 10, 9 or 8 points depending on how well they do. Fighters will generally lose points for being knocked down or for fouls spotted by the referee.

Accepted Techniques

• Punch with the fist to the head, chest, body parts and stomach.
• Kicks to the head, neck, chest, body as well as inside/outside of legs.
• Knee techniques to the head, upper body and legs.

Illegal Techniques

Use of the following techniques can lead to a points deduction(s) or disqualification from the fight:

• Head butting
• Elbows
• Striking the back of the opponent if they have turned away.
• Backfist or spinning backfist.
• Clinching the lower back.
• Throwing.
• Punching with in-or outside of glove.
• Striking or pushing after the referee commands a "break" or "stop".
• Striking an opponent if outside the ropes or ring.
• Non-sporting behaviour e.g. biting, spitting or running away from the fight.

Fight Results

Fights were typically decided by:

• Points decision - one fighter gains more points than the other on the judges scorecards after the allocated rounds.
• Draw - the judges score the fighters equally after the allocated rounds.
• Knockout
  Knockout
  A knockout is a fight-ending, winning criterion in several full-contact combat sports, such as boxing, kickboxing, Muay Thai, mixed martial arts, Karate and others sports involving striking...
  
   - a fighter was counted out by the referee.
• Technical Knockout - the referee, doctor or fighters corner stops the fight due to the amount of damage suffered by one of the combatant's. It can also occur if a fighter gives up or is suffers an injury and is unable to continue.
• Disqualification - the losing fighter may concede enough fouls (or a serious single foul) to be disqualified by the referee.

Thai & Kickbox SuperLeague Events

External links

• Thai & Kickbox SuperLeague Official site