Konfrontacja Sztuk Walki

Konfrontacja Sztuk Walki (English: Martial Arts Confrontation) better known by its initials KSW, is widely considered to be the premier mixed martial arts organization in Poland and one of the leading in Europe.

Awards

 * Violent Money TV
 * VMTV European Promotion of the Year 2022

History
Martin Lewandowski had been the manager of the Hotel Marriott in Warsaw when he met Maciej Kawulski in 2002. Kawulski was organizing one of the biggest sports expos in Poland at that time, and as both businessmen come from martial arts backgrounds, they quickly found a common subject. Eighteen months later the first KSW show was born.

The promotion is famed for its four and eight-man tournaments, which until KSW X - Dekalog took place over the period of one night, but since KSW XI they are split, with the tournament final taking place on the next event. KSW XV is the first event without a new tournament, only with extra fights and finals from previous tournaments.

Different from other bigger promotions such as the UFC, KSW adopted the strategy of having events that are less frequent but bigger, focusing on creating big shows with stacked cards and with great spectacle. In 2017, KSW 39: Colosseum beat the record for the largest live attendance to a MMA event in Europe, and second-largest in history with 57,776 fans, only after the Pride Shockwave in 2002 and ahead of UFC 193.

Several fighters who have been successful in KSW have signed on to more well known promotions such as the UFC. KSW has its own fight team, the KSW Team, which consists of some of the promotion's elite fighters, such as Mamed Khalidov, Jan Błachowicz, Krzysztof Kulak, Łukasz Jurkowski or Antoni Chmielewski. KSW co-operates with many other promotions in Europe by exchanging fighters, for example WFC and The Cage. KSW runs the majority of its shows live on a variety of TV networks (Polsat Sport, Polsat Sport Extra) throughout Europe. Since KSW XI, the promotion runs its shows live on nationally available at private free-to-air television network Polsat.

Viaplay era
On November 22, 2021, KSW announced a long-term partnership with streaming platfrom Viaplay. Contract includes increasing number of KSW events to 12 per year and exclusive rights to Viaplay to broadcast KSW events on its platform for the Polish, Nordic, Scandinavian, Dutch and English markets.

Cooperation with XTB
In October 2022, it was announced that as part of the extension of cooperation with XTB - one of the largest Polish fintechs offering its own investment platform, a new agreement was concluded, in which XTB will become the title sponsor of the KSW gala in 2023. The agreement is concluded for the entire year 2023 and will be valid for ten out of twelve planned galas, of which six of these events will be called XTB KSW. In other cases, XTB will be a strategic sponsor, just like in 2022 - at galas in Łódź, Toruń , Radom and Warsaw.

Hall of Fame
On May 10, 2023, the KSW federation announced the introduction of the Hall of Fame, intended to recognize players every year, as well as other people who have made a unique contribution to the history of the organization. The first honored player inducted into the Hall of Fame was former KSW commentator and the first KSW tournament champion, Łukasz "Juras" Jurkowski [33]. The official ceremony of Jurkowski's introduction to the Hall of Fame took place during the XTB KSW 83: Colosseum 2 gala.

Special XTB KSW Epic gala
On February 24, 2024, a special XTB KSW Epic gala took place, focusing on organizing fights in formulas other than just MMA. During the fight of the evening of this event, Mamed Chalidow and Tomasz Adamek crossed gloves in the boxing formula.

The KSW ring announcer is Waldemar Kasta, a former rapper born in Wrocław.

Rankings
The rankings for the KSW's fighters are both recorded and updated when information has been obtained from the KSW's website.


 * Updated as of June 14, 2024.

Past events
List of KSW events:
 * 2004 in Konfrontacja Sztuk Walki -  2005 in Konfrontacja Sztuk Walki  -  2006 in Konfrontacja Sztuk Walki  -  2007 in Konfrontacja Sztuk Walki  -  2008 in Konfrontacja Sztuk Walki  -  2009 in Konfrontacja Sztuk Walki  -  2010 in Konfrontacja Sztuk Walki  -  2011 in Konfrontacja Sztuk Walki  -  2012 in Konfrontacja Sztuk Walki  -  2013 in Konfrontacja Sztuk Walki  -  2014 in Konfrontacja Sztuk Walki  -  2015 in Konfrontacja Sztuk Walki  -  2016 in Konfrontacja Sztuk Walki  -  2017 in Konfrontacja Sztuk Walki  -  2018 in Konfrontacja Sztuk Walki  -  2019 in Konfrontacja Sztuk Walki

Event locations
• Poland (total: 92)
 * The following cities have hosted a total of 100 KSW events as of XTB KSW 93: Parnasse vs Mircea (6.4.2024.)

• Masovian Voivodeship, (34)

• *Warsaw, Hala Torwar (14)

• *Warsaw, Hotel Marriott (5)

• *Warsaw, ATM Studio (5)

• *Warsaw, Stadion Narodowy (2)

• *Warsaw, Global EXPO (2)

• *Radom, Radom Sports Center (2)

• *Warsaw, CWKS Legia Boxing Club (1)

• *Plock, Orlen Arena (1)

• *Grodzisk Mazowiecki, Sports and Entertainment Hall (1)

• *Sękocin Nowy, Studio Apricor (1)

• Łódź Voivodeship, (14)

• *Łódź, Atlas Arena (8)

• *Łódź, Wytwórnia Club (5)

• *Tomaszów Mazowiecki, Ice Arena Tomaszów Mazowiecki (1)

• Pomeranian Voivodeship, (10)

• *Gdańsk, Ergo Arena (9)

• *Gdynia, Gdynia Arena (1)

• Silesian Voivodeship, (9)

• *Gliwice, Gliwice Arena (6)

• *Katowice, Spodek (2)

• *Dąbrowa Górnicza, Hala Centrum (1)

• Lower Silesian Voivodeship, (6)

• *Wrocław, Hala Stulecia (3)

• *Wrocław, Hala Orbita (2)

• *Lubin, Hala RCS Sport (1)

• Lesser Poland Voivodeship, (5)

• *Kraków, Kraków Arena (3)

• *Nowy Sacz, Amfiteatr Parku Strzeleckiego (2)

• West Pomeranian Voivodeship, (3)

• *Szczecin, Netto Arena (3)

• Greater Poland Voivodeship, (2)

• *Poznań, HWS Arena (1)

• *Ostrów Wielkopolski, Arena Ostrów (1)

• Warmian–Masurian Voivodeship, (2)

• *Ełk, Hala MOSiR (1)

• *Ryn, Ryn Castle (1)

• Lubusz Voivodeship, (1)

• *Zielona Góra, CRS Hall (1)

• *Gorzów Wielkopolski, Arena Gorzów (1)

• Lublin Voivodeship, (1)

• *Lublin, Globus Hall (1)

• Kuyavian–Pomeranian Voivodeship, (1)

• *Toruń, Arena Toruń (1)

• Świętokrzyskie Voivodeship, (1)

• *Kielce, Kadzielnia Amphitheater (1)

• Czech Republic (total: 3)

• Liberec, Home Credit Arena (2)

• Třinec, Werk Arena (1)

• United Kingdom (total: 3)

• England, London, Wembley Arena (3)

• Ireland (total: 1)

• Dublin, 3Arena (1)

• Croatia (total: 1)

• Zagreb, Arena Zagreb (1)

• France (total: 1)

• Paris, Adidas Arena (1)

Heavyweight championship

 * 120 kg

Light heavyweight championship

 * 93 kg

Middleweight championship

 * 84 kg

Welterweight championship

 * 77 kg

Lightweight championship

 * 70 kg

Featherweight championship

 * 66 kg

Bantamweight championship

 * 61 kg

Women's flyweight championship

 * 57 kg

Women's strawweight championship

 * 52 kg

KSW fighters

 * List of current KSW fighters

Notable fighters
🇵🇱 Poland
 * 🇵🇱 Mamed Khalidov
 * 🇵🇱 Michał Materla
 * 🇵🇱 Mariusz Pudzianowski
 * 🇵🇱 Jan Błachowicz
 * 🇵🇱 Mateusz Gamrot
 * 🇵🇱 Karolina Kowalkiewicz
 * 🇵🇱 Tomasz Drwal
 * 🇵🇱 Artur Szpilka
 * 🇵🇱 Arkadiusz Wrzosek
 * 🇵🇱 Damian Stasiak
 * 🇵🇱 Rafal Jackiewicz
 * 🇵🇱 Damian Janikowski
 * 🇵🇱 Maciej Jewtuszko
 * 🇵🇱 Szymon Kołecki
 * 🇵🇱 Tomasz Narkun
 * 🇵🇱 Pawel Nastula
 * 🇵🇱 Daniel Omielańczuk
 * 🇵🇱 Wojciech Orłowski
 * 🇵🇱 Paweł "Popek" Rak
 * 🇵🇱 Przemysław Saleta
 * 🇵🇱 Peter Sobotta
 * 🇵🇱 Paweł Pawlak
 * 🇵🇱 Marcin Held
 * 🇵🇱 Damian Grabowski
 * 🇵🇱 Tomasz Adamek
 * 🇵🇱 Aslambek Saidov
 * 🇵🇱 Karol Bedorf
 * 🇵🇱 Marcin Różalski
 * 🇵🇱 Lukasz Jurkowski
 * 🇵🇱 Borys Mankowski

🇺🇸 United States
 * 🇺🇸 Josh Barnett
 * 🇺🇸 Houston Alexander
 * 🇺🇸 Eric Esch
 * 🇺🇸 Brett Cooper
 * 🇺🇸 Kendall Grove
 * 🇺🇸 Jason Guida
 * 🇺🇸 Mike Hayes
 * 🇺🇸 Matt Horwich
 * 🇺🇸 James Irvin
 * 🇺🇸 Bob Sapp
 * 🇺🇸 Jesse Taylor
 * 🇺🇸 Rodney Wallace
 * 🇺🇸 Matt Lindland
 * 🇺🇸 Sean McCorkle
 * 🇺🇸 Virgil Zwicker

🇧🇷 Brazil
 * 🇧🇷 Daniel Acácio
 * 🇧🇷 Ariane Lipski
 * 🇧🇷 Maiquel Falcao
 * 🇧🇷 Kalindra Faria
 * 🇧🇷 Rolles Gracie Jr.
 * 🇧🇷 Wagner Prado
 * 🇧🇷 Thiago Silva
 * 🇧🇷 Mario Miranda
 * 🇧🇷 Rousimar Palhares
 * 🇧🇷 Paulo Thiago
 * 🇧🇷 Fernando Rodriguez Jr
 * 🇧🇷 Vitor Nobrega

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 England
 * 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 Phil De Fries
 * 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 Scott Askham
 * 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 John Maguire
 * 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 James McSweeney
 * 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 Jim Wallhead
 * 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 Curt Warburton
 * 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 Andre Winner
 * 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 James Thompson
 * 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 Oli Thompson

🇯🇵 Japan
 * 🇯🇵 Kleber Koike Erbst
 * 🇯🇵 Satoshi Ishii
 * 🇯🇵 Yusuke Kawaguchi
 * 🇯🇵 Ryuta Sakurai
 * 🇯🇵 Kazuki Tokudome

 Croatia
 * Roberto Soldić
 * Igor Pokrajac
 * Goran Reljic

🇨🇿 Czech Republic
 * 🇨🇿 Simona Soukupova
 * 🇨🇿 Patrik Kincl
 * 🇨🇿 Leo Brichta

🇦🇺 Australia
 * 🇦🇺 Peter Graham
 * 🇦🇺 Paul Slowinski

 Netherlands
 * Valentijn Overeem
 * Rodney Glunder

🇫🇷 France
 * 🇫🇷 Francis Carmont
 * 🇫🇷 Mansour Barnaoui
 * 🇫🇷 Salahdine Parnasse

🇩🇪 Germany
 * 🇩🇪 Sheila Gaff

🇸🇰 Slovakia
 * 🇸🇰 Attila Végh
 * 🇸🇰 Ivan Buchinger

 Serbia
 * Darko Stošić

Other
 * Dricus du Plessis
 * 🇦🇹 Jasminka Cive
 * Yasubey Enomoto
 * 🇧🇾 Andrey Gerasimchuk
 * Konstantin Gluhov
 * 🇱🇹 Sergej Grecicho
 * 🇱🇹 Marius Žaromskis
 * 🇸🇪 Alexander Gustafsson
 * 🇸🇷 Melvin Manhoef
 * Christian M'Pumbu
 * 🇺🇦 Oleksiy Oliynyk
 * Norman Parke
 * Jay Silva
 * 🇨🇲 Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou