Articles & Q&A

This glossary defines the terms used in KBN rankings and documents, from base points and event multipliers to time value, scopes,...

A kickboxing glossary covering strikes (jab, cross, hook, uppercut), kicks (round, front, side, spinning), defence (check, parry,...

KBN uses three numbers per athlete: a career-long Fighter ID (KBN-{country code}-{sequence}), a licence number (KBN-L-{yy}-{5 digi...

To get a KBN kickboxing world ranking you apply online with proof of identity and evidence for each official bout; KBN verifies ev...

A KBN fighter licence is an official document, issued only by KBN World HQ after identity and results are verified, that proves wh...

A KBN fighter licence is valid for one year from its issue date minus one day, and renewal can start in the fighter portal before...

Before your first fight you need medical clearance, any licence the event requires, a safe plan to make weight, the right kit, a c...

To document a fight record properly, keep one file per bout with the official result, the event details, the method, round and tim...

The KBN fighter portal is where athletes track their application through the six stages, submit new bout records with evidence, do...

The strongest evidence for a fight result is an official result sheet or bout sheet from the organiser or sanctioning federation,...

If KBN rejects a bout or makes a ranking decision you disagree with, you can ask your national branch to review it within 14 days,...

To verify a KBN fighter licence, scan its QR code or enter the licence number, certificate number or Fighter ID at the verify page...

Scan the QR code or type the number. What a valid record shows, and what "no matching record" means.

An athlete under 18 can apply for a KBN ranking only with the written consent of a parent or legal guardian uploaded with the appl...

A fight record is written wins-losses-draws, so 12-3-1 means twelve wins, three losses and one draw; no contests are counted separ...

The pipeline board, the stage-1 checklist, the AI pre-check, and the approve/reject decision for each result.

Combat sports rankings are built in three main ways: panels of experts who vote, sanctioning bodies that publish their own lists,...

KBN ranks women in separate tables for every discipline, category and weight class, using exactly the same point formula, evidence...

To start a martial arts federation you need a legal entity, a written statute, elected officers, member clubs, trained officials,...

Good federation governance separates powers between an elected board and specialist committees, manages conflicts of interest, pub...

A national federation joins KBN by applying with its legal credentials, accepting the KBN Executive Statute and paying annual memb...

A KBN branch administrator manages their country's branch page and events, and reviews their country's applications through the fi...

Every combat sports club and federation needs a written safeguarding policy, a named welfare officer, appropriate background check...

Sponsors and partners can support events, athletes and education, and receive visibility in return, but they can never influence r...

Rapid weight cutting, especially by dehydration, carries real risks, including impaired performance, kidney strain, heat illness a...

A concussion is a brain injury that can follow a blow to the head, even without loss of consciousness. Anyone with suspected concu...

Medical clearance confirms that a registered medical practitioner has found an athlete fit to compete. KBN records only a clearanc...

A licence is only usable with a valid medical clearance. How the date is recorded, who can update it and what happens at check-in...

Most training injuries in combat sports come from uncontrolled sparring, sudden jumps in training load, poor warm-ups, worn equipm...

Under anti-doping rules you are responsible for any prohibited substance found in your body, whether or not you meant to take it....

Fighters perform and recover best when they eat enough energy for their training, with adequate protein, carbohydrates timed aroun...

To become a kickboxing referee you typically need solid knowledge of the sport, a referee course and exam run by a federation, sup...

Becoming a combat sports judge means learning the scoring criteria of your discipline, practising scoring full bouts against exper...

The KBN referee app shows an official's assigned bouts, checks fighters in by scanning their licence QR, records weigh-ins, scores...

A 10-8 round is scored when one athlete clearly dominates, typically with a knockdown plus control of the rest of the round or ove...

Every licence carries a QR code that resolves to the verify page. At the venue, the referee app turns that scan into a four-point...

The biggest difference between kickboxing and Muay Thai is what you can strike with and how long you can clinch: Muay Thai allows...

MMA allows striking and grappling, including takedowns, ground strikes and submissions, while kickboxing is a stand-up striking sp...

Boxing allows only punches above the belt, while kickboxing adds kicks and, depending on the ruleset, knees. That single differenc...

A KO (knockout) happens when a fighter cannot continue after a legal strike, usually failing to beat the count; a TKO (technical k...

A no contest (NC) is a bout officially ruled to have no winner or loser, typically after an accidental foul early in the fight or...

KBN ranking points are earned only through verified sporting performance and can never be purchased, whether through fees, sponsor...

A successful KBN title defence earns +75 base points on top of the participation, win and finishing points for that bout. An admin...

To sanction an event with KBN, work through your national branch: submit the event as a draft with venue, officials, medical cover...

The KBN event level should match the real field and standard of an event: National for one country, International Open for multi-c...

A good weigh-in uses calibrated scales, a published time and tolerance, identity and licence checks, and a clear record of each we...

Most amateur combat sports tournaments use single-elimination brackets: lose once and you are out, with byes filling gaps when the...

Branches create events as drafts. HQ sanctions them and sets the level. Applicant-submitted events have no level until HQ decides.

From the live Istanbul Open to the World Championship in Dubai, the remaining sanctioned events and what a win at each is worth.

A sustainable fight career usually starts with two or three years of amateur competition to build experience safely, followed by a...

Change weight class when your natural weight, health or performance says you should, and decide it with your coach and doctor. In...

Most amateur fighters find bouts through their club, their national federation's championships and open tournaments, and through m...

A strong fighter brand rests on credibility: a verified record, consistent identity across platforms, honest training and fight co...

A UK kickboxer with six claimed bouts is at stage 2. What his file looks like, what the branch checks and when he will appear in t...

Athletes from the United Kingdom apply for the KBN World Ranking online; KBN United Kingdom, based in London, checks their documen...

Turkish athletes apply for the KBN World Ranking online, and KBN Turkey in Istanbul verifies their documents and results before KB...

Athletes from Russia apply online for the KBN World Ranking; KBN Russia in Moscow verifies identity and results, and KBN World HQ...

Founded 2026 in London with 34 member clubs, 4 licensed fighters and 3 sanctioned events. President Daniel Hughes.

Iranian athletes apply online for the KBN World Ranking; KBN Iran in Tehran verifies documents and results, and KBN World HQ issue...

Athletes whose KBN country is the United Arab Emirates apply online and are verified by KBN UAE in Dubai before KBN World HQ issue...

Athletes from Uzbekistan apply online for the KBN World Ranking; KBN Uzbekistan in Tashkent verifies their documents and results,...

Founded 2019 in Tehran with 72 member clubs, 4 licensed fighters and 3 sanctioned events. President Reza Karimi.

Nigerian athletes apply online for the KBN World Ranking; KBN Nigeria in Lagos verifies documents and results, and KBN World HQ is...

Founded 2024 in Lagos with 22 member clubs, 2 licensed fighters and 3 sanctioned events. President Chinedu Okafor.

Brazilian athletes apply online for the KBN World Ranking; KBN Brazil in São Paulo verifies their documents and results, and KBN W...

Founded 2023 in São Paulo with 41 member clubs, 2 licensed fighters and 2 sanctioned events. President Rafael Costa.

A branch admin sees only their own country. The split of duties between branches and KBN World HQ, and why it protects the ranking...

Effective strength and conditioning for fighters builds general strength, power and resilience, conditions the energy systems your...

Pre-fight nerves are a normal stress response that can sharpen performance when managed. Consistent routines, slow breathing, proc...

6 questions answered: How long is a licence valid? · What is on the certificate? · My certificate says World No. 3 but the table s...

4 questions answered: How does a country join KBN? · What can a branch admin see? · Can a branch run its own ranking?