what is the KSW, a small Polish organization which has conquered Europe… and expects 20,000 spectators at the Défense Arena in Paris?

The rumor of a flourishing European organization, filling entire stadiums, embedding fights in fantastic light shows, spread among French fight lovers at the beginning of 2019. Thanks to a particular event: a young fighter from 'Aubervilliers named Salahdine Parnasse was going to fight there for the belt. This is how the Konfrontacja Sztuk Walki (mixed martial arts confrontation, in Polish in the text) began to become known outside Eastern Europe.

A certain skepticism reigned. He changed into disbelief. Indeed, the quality of production of the evenings surpasses anything on the Old Continent. The other competitor for continental supremacy is the Cage warriors of our British neighbors. Sportingly, it's worth it. In terms of entertainment, however, there is no debate.

To understand how the KSW was able to grow to such an extent, we must go back to the sources of its history. In 2002, a certain Martin Lewandowski accepted the mission of relaunching the Mariott Hotel in Warsaw. A graduate in economics and commerce, having lived for two years in Australia, he is passionate about combat sports. To stand out from the competition, he is thinking of something new, something spectacular. It was then that he thought of transferring to his country what made the success of Pride in Japan: a clever mix of sporting excellence, spectacle, and rivalries. MMA was then neither really legal nor really illegal in Poland. Martin Lewandovski steps into the breach and organizes a first gala in the restaurant. Then a second, for which national television Telewizja Polsat immediately bought the rights and sponsored. Very quickly, he resigned to take care of KSW full time.

Also read
“I can tend to be too generous”: interview with Morgan Charrière, the Frenchman who is rising to the UFC

Clever, he makes the KSW walk on two legs. There is the sulphurous scent of an objectively violent sport, associated in the collective imagination “to dog fights, to gangsters, to hooligans” : but also an image associated with luxury thanks to the Mariott group where the first galas took place. To link the two, he uses the universe of gladiators and the Colosseum, “of the Roman Empire in fact”. In fifteen years, its organization has only grown steadily, in the fertile breeding ground of Eastern Europe. It must be recognized that the local mentality was just waiting for that: a well-oiled professional organization, with a good level and stories to tell.

“We are economically healthy and profitable” welcome Mr. Lewandovski. Between the lines, he points out with irony the fact that financiers, feeling the wind passing, launched into MMA with sometimes mysterious money. The main French league, Ares, is still far from profitability, to put it mildly (Hexagone MMA, which is close behind with its less bling bling style, is better structured and brings in money). In the history of KSW, there are of course the stadiums: the thirty-ninth edition was held in the Stadion PGE Narodowy, Poland's national stadium in Warsaw. Evenings were also held in England and Ireland.

Above us there is only the UFC

Martin Lewandowski, patron of du KSW.

Where does KSW stand in a world dominated by the UFC, compared to One (Asia), to the group PFL-Bellator ? “We have been in this industry longer than them, we have more experience of this market. We have been a solid company for twenty years, which has been built brick by brick, we help this sport to develop in Europe, we have already visited six countries: above us there is only the UFC”.

An apocryphal proverb holds that “the revolution is like a bicycle when it doesn’t move forward it falls”. In sports business the logic is the same: you have to be in a position to conquer. Thus, the KSW sees very favorably the legalization of MMA in France, and comes there for the first time in April 2024. The experience having been particularly good, Martin Lewandovski is doing it again in December 2024, for press the blow. A large contingent of Frenchmen has been signed, and the main fight will see two French players clash in a Paris-Marseille classic, with Salahdine Parnasse and Wilson Varela. This event, in terms of places, will be the most important that French soil has ever known.

This is where the main criticism made of the KSW comes into play: what if these French people were signed so that there were as few Poles in Paris, where as everyone knows, anti-doping controls are on can't be stricter? The question of doping is the main obstacle to joining this organization which treats its fighters well and pays better than elsewhere. Inheriting the heavy liabilities of the USSR, Eastern Europe has a relationship with “products” looser than in France. The great champions of the organization do not appear on the Parisian cards, that is a fact, and it is difficult not to see this as an admission. The boss assures us: “This is a problem that affects all sports, in all countries. We are progressing, but it is impossible to control everything”. Either.

This evening has an attractive menu, a concert included (by Gazo, without comments), and promises entertainment that has nothing to envy of certain zeniths. The UFC, whose quality of fights is unrivaled currently (and probably for a long time), fiercely locks down the show to keep only sport. The strategy of retaining sporting excellence but adding entertainment could help KSW pass the continental milestone which is so difficult to negotiate. “We plan to go to the United States” confirms Martin Lewandovski, who has regularly appeared in the top thirty most influential people in the world of sport since 2017.

By the way, why does KSW fight in a ring-shaped cage, and not an octagon as is customary? “In boxing we say a ring. Which means ring. It was second degree” laughs the boss. Before readily recognizing that the ring is a nod to the world of luxury from which it comes.