World version W5 (W5 professional kickboxing) is a sports promotion of Russian origin with headquarters in Bratislava, Slovakia, and Moscow, Russia. They also have representatives in Prague (Czech Republic), Almere (Netherlands), Serbia and Croatia. W5 holds professional kickboxing events across Russia and Europe with future events planned for North and South America.
W5 was established in 2007, when Sergey Chepinoga organized the very first event in Budva, Montenegro at a football stadium. The event was a success and thus began W5 in the world of kickboxing. To date W5 has promoted more than 40 kickboxing events in locations like Prague (the Czech Republic), Vienna (Austria), Bratislava, Prievidza, Zvolen (Slovakia), Zagreb and Dubrovnik (Croatia), Ingolstadt (Germany), Budva (Montenegro), Minsk (Belarus), Moscow, Ryazan, Oryol, Kalyazin and other Russian cities.
Events
W5 History
W5 background and the first tournament
July 5, 2007, at the rented football stadium located directly on the shores of Budva, Montenegro, W5 held its first kickboxing event called "Rame uz rame" (Serb.) (Eng. "Shoulder to shoulder"). The tournament was attended by about 5,000 spectators. The main theme of the event was "Russia Vs. Balkan countries".
Formally the tournament in Budva was held before the official registration of W5. However, this tournament is considered as World Version W5's first ever event.
W5 structure
After its inaugural tournament in Budva, Sergey Chepinoga decided become independent and organize all tournaments without involving third-party promotional companies. This is why the W5 promotion company "Shoulder to Shoulder" (in Russian "Plechom k Plechu") was established and for some period carried out all the matchmaking for W5 events. As of 2016 W5 and Shoulder to Shoulder split into two separate entities with W5 organizing all the events and matchmaking outside of Russia, while Shoulder to Shoulder organizes the yearly W5 KITEK event in honor of Yuri Stupenkov in Moscow, Russia.
Sergey Chepinoga is the president of W5 and matchmaker for all W5 events.
Early tournaments
The first W5 tournaments were held under K-1 rules with some additional rules from "Bars," which are based on the Russian army combat system being implemented. Over the years, W5 has developed its own rules, which are now used at all W5 events.
World version W5 in 2016
In 2016 World version W5 will put on seven professional kickboxing tournaments, four of which will be conducted as a special series called "W5 European league". A significant part of all the events scheduled in Europe. There was one event conducted in Russia on April 23 called W5 Grand Prix KITEK during which the famous Russian athlete Alexander Stetsurenko won the W5 world championship belt in the weight category up to 81 kg, he defeated the longtime principal opponent Errol Koning of the Netherlands by KO.
W5's 2017 Summer Boot Camp
From August 4-14 W5 held its first ever Summer Boot Camp in Novi Sad, Serbia. The event brought together some of the world's top trainers and fighters. The trainers who led the camp were Nathan "Carnage" Corbett, Mike Van Itterzon, Andrey Chadin and Misa Baculov. The fighters who trained alongside guests were Darryl "K.O. Specialist" Sichtman, Vlad "Diamond" Tuinov, Andrej "AK-47" Kedves, Vladimir Idranyi, Miran "Slovenian Rocky" Fabjan, and Cosmo "Good Boy" Alexandre. The event included 3 trainings per day and was open to professional kickboxers, amateur kickboxers and people who just want a hard core workout. As an added benefit for fighters who attended the camp there were sparring sessions, and based on the results, one professional fighter was guaranteed a contract to fight in a future W5 tournament. The fighter who received the guaranteed contract was Markus Ehrenhofer from Vienna, Austria.