Simply the Best (Kickboxing)

Simply the Best is a world series of kickboxing events produced by World Kickboxing Network. Each episode features international athletes battling out for WKN World and subordinate championships. The episodes are produced in various European countries as well as in South American Argentina.[1][2]

Simply the Best
Kickboxing series "Simply the Best" emblem
Also known as	Simply the Best: WKN Kickboxing
Genre	Sport
Created by	Stephane Cabrera
Original language(s)	English, French, Spanish
No. of seasons	4
No. of episodes	24 (list of episodes)
Production
Production location(s)	Belgium, Argentina, Slovakia, Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Sweden.
Production company(s)	World Kickboxing Network
Release
Original network	SFR Sport 5, Fox Sports, CN23
First shown in	Charleroi, Belgium
Original release	November 23, 2014 (2014-11-23) – November 25, 2018 (2018-11-25)
Chronology
Related shows	Girl Power
External links
Website

Series overview

Season		Episodes		Originally aired
				First aired	Last aired
	Pilot			October 4, 2014 (2014-10-04)
	1	9		November 23, 2014 (2014-11-23)	November 22, 2015 (2015-11-22)
	2	4		April 15, 2016 (2016-04-15)	December 3, 2016 (2016-12-03)
	3	4		April 29, 2017 (2017-04-29)	November 26, 2017 (2017-11-26)
	4	7		March 16, 2018 (2018-03-16)	November 25, 2018 (2018-11-25)

Episodes

Pilot (2014)

No. overall	No. in season	Title	Original air date
Pilot	0	"Simply the Best Poprad" "STB: Garaj vs. Stankov"	October 4, 2014 (2014-10-04)
Slovakian Pavol Garaj and Bulgarian Stefan Stankov battle out for WKN World Super Welterweight title.[3]

Season 1 (2014-2015)

No. overall	No. in season	Title	Original air date
1	1	"Simply the Best 1 Charleroi" "STB 1: Gozdzicki vs. Su Kim"	November 23, 2014 (2014-11-23)
Representing Europe, Belgian Allan "Polek" Gozdzicki takes on Korean Dong Su Kim, representing Asia, battling out for WKN Intercontinental Lightweight title in Muay Thai.[4][5]
2	2	"Simply the Best 2 Caseros" "STB 2: Bosch vs. Benacci"	December 19, 2014 (2014-12-19)
Argentine Cristian Bosch and Brazilian Alessandro Benacci battle out for WKN World Cruiserweight title. In the co-main event Argentine Federico Roma is up against Brazilian Claudio Marcelino Junior, contesting for WKN South American featherweight title.[6][7]
3	3	"Simply the Best 3 Budapest" "STB 3: Gorbics vs. Renna"	March 29, 2015 (2015-03-29)
Gabor Gorbics of Hungary faces off Paolo Renna of Belgium, battling out for WKN Intercontinental Lightweight title. In addition, Szucs Barnabas of Hungary goes up against Tomas Beran of Czech Republic, contesting for the WKN European Middleweight belt.[8]
4	4	"Simply the Best 4 Prague" "STB 4: Vondracek vs. Wamba"	May 24, 2015 (2015-05-24)
Czech Petr Vondracek faces French Nicolas Wamba, battling out for WKN Intercontinental Super Heavyweight title. Also on the night Czech David Vins squares off against "Slovakian Giant" Tomas Mozny, contesting for WKN European Super Heavyweight belt.[9]
5	5	"Simply the Best 5 Caseros" "STB 5: Bosch vs. Dussan"	June 5, 2015 (2015-06-05)
Argentine Cristian Bosch takes on Colombian Andres Dussan, battling out for WKN International Super Light Heavyweight title. Also on the card Argentine Federico Roma goes up against Slovakian Tomas Tadlanek, challenging for WKN Intercontinental Bantamweight title.[10]
6	6	"Simply the Best 6 Poprad" "STB 6: Hadzima vs. Hyeong Lee"	October 3, 2015 (2015-10-03)
Slovakian Samuel Hadzima faces off Korean Chan Hyeong Lee for WKN Intercontinental lightweight title. In addition "Slovakian Giant" Tomas Mozny takes on Belgian Mathieu "The Bad Boy" Kongolo for the WKN European Super Heavyweight title. The list of athletes partaking in the event includes the representatives of Czech, France, Hungary, Serbia and USA with National and international titles at stake.[11][12]
7	7	"Simply the Best 7 Caseros" "STB 7: Bosch vs. Benacci II"	October 9, 2015 (2015-10-09)
The event takes place at the 15,000 seat open air venue in Caseros, Buenos Aires where Argentine Cristian Bosch is up against Brazilian Alessandro Benacci in their second bout, contesting for WKN International Super Light Heavyweight title. Also on the night Argentine Ignacio Capllonch and Brazilian Alexander Da Silva, battle out for WKN International Featherweight title. The show is attended by Jorge "Acero" Cali and Hollywood actor Michel Qissi.[13]
8	8	"Simply the Best 8 Borlange" "STB 8: Chorr vs. Maertens"	October 17, 2015 (2015-10-17)
Swede Abdou Karim Chorr and French Kevin Maertens challenge for WKN European welterweight title. The program also includes two four-man championship tournaments in the lightweight and middleweight classes. In addition, two international titles are contested on the night. The list of special guests at the event includes UFC fighter Alexander Gustafsson.[14][15]
9	9	"Simply the Best 9 Farciennes" "STB 9: Saidane vs. Araneda"	November 22, 2015 (2015-11-22)
Representing Europe, Belgian Nordine Saidane faces Argentine Ariel Leandro Araneda, representing South America. The pair battles out for WKN Intercontinental Super Welterweight title. In addition, Belgian Lello Perego is up against Greek Nikolaos Kontagiannis, contesting for WKN International Super Welterweight belt.[16]

Season 2 (2016)

No. overall	No. in season	Title	Original air date
10	1	"Simply the Best 10 Prague" "STB 10: Wamba vs. Hutnik"	April 15, 2016 (2016-04-15)
The reigning WKN Intercontinental Super Heavyweight champion, French Nicolas Wamba faces Czech Ondrej Hutnik making his first defense of the belt. Also on the night Czech Michaela Kerlehova and Slovakian Monika Chochlikova challenge for WKN European Women's Flyweight title.[17][18]
11	2	"Simply the Best 11 Poprad" "STB 11: Idranyi vs. Kohout"	October 1, 2016 (2016-10-01)
Slovakian Vladimir Idranyi takes on Czech Matous Kohout, battling out for WKN European Light Heavyweight title. In addition, Slovakian Samuel Hadzima is up against Belgian Xavier Lejour for WKN International lightweight title. The event makes history, with Andres Dussan who becomes the first kickboxer out of Colombia to compete on European soil, when he takes on Slovakian Tomas Senkyr.[19]
12	3	"Simply the Best 12 Farciennes" "STB 12: Belgium vs. Greece"	November 20, 2016 (2016-11-20)
Belgian Omar Bellahmar faces off Greek Dimitris Vakakis for WKN International Super Heavyweight title. Also, Belgian Lello Perego is up against Greek Gino Miftari for WKN International super welterweight belt, and Belgian Paolo Renna takes on Italian Lorenzo Piras for WKN European super featherweight title.[20]
13	4	"Simply the Best 13 Nowa Sol" "STB 13: Makowski vs. Canu"	December 3, 2016 (2016-12-03)
Polish Tomasz Makowski and Italian Nicola Canu battle out for WKN World Super Featherweight title. In addition, Poland's Lukasz Plawecki is up against Belgian Lello Perego, contesting for WKN World Super Welterweight title.[21][22]

Season 3 (2017)

No. overall	No. in season	Title	Original air date
14	1	"Simply the Best 14 Prague" "STB 14: Hutnik vs. Opacic"	April 29, 2017 (2017-04-29)
World Champion Ondrej Hutnik faces off a heavyweight prospect out of Serbia Rade Opacic in a three-round non-title bout. Also on the night Czech Matous Kohout is up against Belgian Jente Van Hul, challenging for WKN European middleweight title.[23]
15	2	"Simply the Best 15 Moreno" "STB 15: Roma vs. Gaetano"	October 1, 2017 (2017-10-01)
Argentine Federico Roma and French Tristan Gaetano battle out for WKN World Super Bantamweight title. As well, Argentine Nikolas Vega, representing South America, is up against French Jeremy Nkoa, representing Europe, contesting for WKN Intercontinental Lightweight belt.[24][25]
16	3	"Simply the Best 16 Kosice" "STB 16: Moravcik vs. Bessmertny"	October 14, 2017 (2017-10-14)
Slovakian Vladimír Moravčík and Belarusian Yuri Bessmertny meet in a rematch, battling out for WKN International Super Middleweight title. Also on the card "Slovakian Giant" Tomas Mozny faces Ayman Hassannin of Egypt.[26]
17	4	"Simply the Best 17 Farciennes" "STB 17: Piras vs. Gozdzicki 2"	November 26, 2017 (2017-11-26)
Italian Lorenzo Piras defends his WKN World Lightweight title against Belgian Allan Gozdzicki in the championship rematch.[27] The pair first met in April 2017 in Iglesias, Sardinia, where local fighter took a decision.[28]

Season 4 (2018)

No. overall	No. in season	Title	Original air date
18	1	"Simply the Best 18 Poprad" "STB 18: Idranyi vs. Colin"	March 16, 2018 (2018-03-16)
French Dylan Colin and Slovakian Vladimir Idranyi battle out for WKN Super Middleweight title, marking the return of Kickboxing World Championship to Slovakia.[29][30]
19	2	"Simply the Best 19 Buenos Aires" "STB 19: Bosch vs. Perea"	May 18, 2018 (2018-05-18)
Argentine Cristian Bosch is up against Mexican Ricardo Perea, battling out for WKN International Cruiserweight title in Muay Thai.[31] Bosch was initially expected to face Colombian Andres Dussan, defending his WKN International Light Heavyweight Title in the championship rematch, but the bout fell off when the latter withdrew due to injury.[32][33]
20	3	"Simply the Best 20 Cordoba" "STB 20: 'Acero' Cali vs. 'El Toro' Visotzky"	June 9, 2018 (2018-06-09)
Former WKN World Super Cruiserweight champion Jorge "Acero" Cali is back in the ring for the first time in five years, making his second attempt in MMA, when he takes on Argentine Mixed Martial Arts veteran Diego "El Toro" Visotzky.[34][35][36][37]
21	4	"Simply the Best 21 Buenos Aires" "STB 21: Benitez vs. Garcete"	July 22, 2018 (2018-07-22)
Simply the Best 21 Buenos Aires features undefeated Argentine Guillermo Benitez up against Andy Garcete of Paraguay, battling out for WKN International Middleweight title.[38]
22	5	"Simply the Best 22 Buenos Aires" "STB 22: Bosch vs. Dussan 2"	September 22, 2018 (2018-09-22)
Simply the Best 22 Buenos Aires features Argentine Cristian Bosch face off Colombian Andres Dussan in their second battle for WKN International Super Light Heavyweight title. The pair first met at STB 5 Caseros, where Bosch took the win via decision.[39]
23	6	"Simply the Best 23 San Luis" "STB 23: K.O. San Luis"	November 10, 2018 (2018-11-10)
Simply the Best makes its first visit to central Argentinian city San Luis featuring two WKN MMA title bouts, which marks the fifth event World Kickboxing Network produces in South America in 2018.[40][41]
24	7	"Simply the Best 24 Farciennes" "STB 24: La Nuit des Titans"	November 25, 2018 (2018-11-25)
Presented by Osman Yigin in terms of La Nuit des Titans, Simply the Best 24 Farciennes marks the fifth visit of kickboxing series to Belgium across four seasons featuring the representatives of the country-host up against international opponents in a series of WKN championship bouts.[42]

See also

• Girl Power

References

1. "Kickboxing TV Series 'Simply The Best' on Kombat Sport". Fightmag.
2. Jerome Loisel. "Simply The Best : Deux ans de plus sur Kombat Sport". Fight Infos (in French).
3. "Pavol Garaj vs. Stefan Stankov". Poprad24.sk (in Slovak). Retrieved 2018-06-24.
4. "Osman Yigin Launches WKN Kickboxing TV Series 'Simply The Best'". Fightmag.
5. "Résultats LA NUIT DES TITANS XIII - SIMPLY THE BEST". MuayThai TV (in French).
6. "Simply The Best 2 Caseros Airs Live on FOX Sports". FIGHTMAG. December 19, 2014. Retrieved September 18, 2017.
7. "WKN Argentina | Simply The Best 2 Fight Night Photo Report - WKN ®". WKN ®. 2014-12-24. Retrieved 2017-09-18.
8. "Fight Night Hungary II. - SIMPLY THE BEST 3 | ellenfelem.hu". ellenfelem.hu (in Hungarian). 2015-04-17. Retrieved 2017-09-18.
9. "Un nouveau titre international pour Nicolas WAMBA". Herault Tribune (in French).
10. "Simply The Best "Argentina Fight Night" Live por FOX Sports Este viernes". MMA.uno (in Spanish).
11. "Kickboxer Srubek se stal mezinárodním šampiónem Slovenska". Denik.cz (in Czech).
12. "Vlado 'Drakula' Moravcik vyhral svoj 81. zápas, tentokrát vo full muay thai". Bystricoviny (in Slovak).
13. Iskenderov, Parviz (2015-10-10). "Bosch & Capllonch South American Simply The Best". FIGHTMAG. Retrieved 2017-09-18.
14. "Simply The Best 8 Results". Muay Thai Authority.
15. "Ringfight Borlänge – Simply The Best 8: Resultat7". Fightermag (in Swedish).
16. "Ariel Araneda viajó a Bélgica en busca del título". Diario Cronica (in Spanish).
17. "L'agathois Nicolas WAMBA participera ce 15 Avril 2016 au Simply The Best 10". Herault Tribune (in French).
18. "Špičkové MMA v Praze! Už 15. dubna ŽIVĚ na NOVA Sport 2". Nova.cz (in Czech).
19. "Tvrdí chlapi rozdávali údery i peniaze". SME.sk (in Slovak).
20. "Simply The Best : Farciennes accueille le 12ème !". Fight Infos (in French).
21. "Gala Sportów Walki MFC11 Makowski Fighting Championship w Nowej Soli!". Naszemiasto.pl (in Polish).
22. "Gala sportów walki Makowski Fighting Championship 11 w Nowej Soli". Gazeta Lubuska (in Polish).
23. Parviz Iskenderov. "Kickboxing series Simply The Best 14 Prague fight card finalized". Fightmag.
24. Loisel, Jerome (August 23, 2017). "La team Nas.R-K au SIMPLY THE BEST 15 – BOSCH TOUR". Fightinfos.com (in French). Retrieved August 24, 2017.
25. Iskenderov, Parviz (August 24, 2017). "Main event announced for kickboxing series Simply The Best 15 Tigre". Fightmag. Retrieved August 24, 2017.
26. Iskenderov, Parviz (2017-10-04). "Moravcik vs Bessmertny for WKN title headlines STB 16 Kosice - full fight card - FIGHTMAG". FIGHTMAG. Retrieved 2017-10-04.
27. Iskenderov, Parviz (2017-09-24). "Simply the Best Kickboxing returns to Belgium with Ep 17 on Nov 26". FIGHTMAG. Retrieved 2017-09-26.
28. "A Lorenzo Piras il titolo mondiale di K-1 nella sesta edizione di "The night of super fight" - Sport, Boxe Arti Marziali - L'Unione Sarda.it". L'Unione Sarda.it (in Italian). 23 April 2017.
29. #1, Admin (2018-03-17). "Dylan COLIN devient champion du Monde en Kickboxing". Boxemag.com (in French). Retrieved 2018-04-19.CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
30. "Colin prend sa première ceinture mondiale en kick boxing - Fight Infos". fightinfos.com (in French). Retrieved 2018-04-19.
31. "Simply the Best 19 Buenos Aires: Perea replaces Dussan, faces Bosch - FIGHTMAG". FIGHTMAG. 2018-05-02. Retrieved 2018-05-04.
32. "Simply the Best 19 Buenos Aires: Bosch vs. Dussan 2 live on FOX Sports LA - FIGHTMAG". FIGHTMAG. 2018-04-19. Retrieved 2018-04-19.
33. "Estrellas de Acero : le nouveau projet de Stéphane Cabrera - Fight Infos". fightinfos.com (in French). Retrieved 2018-05-04.
34. "Jorge Acero Cali is back in the ring at Simply the Best 20 Cordoba - FIGHTMAG". FIGHTMAG. 2018-05-04. Retrieved 2018-05-04.
35. "Regreso sin gloria: "Acero" Cali volvió a pelear y lo noquearon en dos minutos – Escobar : Noticias de Escobar : El Día de Escobar". www.eldiadeescobar.com.ar (in Spanish). Retrieved 2018-06-13.
36. "Artes Marciales Mixtas y Kick Boxing: El Desafío del Año!" (in Spanish). Retrieved 2018-06-13.
37. "Acero Cali regresó a la lucha con una derrota – Nuevo Digital de Escobar". www.nuevodigitaldeescobar.com.ar (in Spanish). Retrieved 2018-06-13.
38. "Benitez vs Garcete – new STB 21 Buenos Aires main event". World Kickboxing Network. 2018-07-20. Retrieved 2018-07-20.
39. "Bosch vs. Dussan 2 headlines Simply the Best 22 Buenos Aires". Fightmag. 2018-08-10. Retrieved 2018-08-11.
40. "Simply the Best 23 – K.O. San Luis full fight card announced". 2018-11-08. Retrieved 2018-11-09.
41. ""En toda mi trayectoria, es la primera vez que tengo el apoyo de una Provincia comprometida con el deporte"". Agencia de Noticias San Luis (in Spanish). 2018-11-08. Retrieved 2018-11-09.
42. "WKN Belgium: Simply the Best 23 scheduled for Nov. 25 in Farciennes". 2018-10-12. Retrieved 2018-10-12.

External links

• Simply the Best - official website
• Simply the Best on IMDb 
• Simply the Best at TV.com