How Sidekick Boxing Evolved from a Kickboxing Brand into MMA
When Sidekick Boxing first launched in 2010, its focus was simple: to provide high-quality gear for kickboxing. Founded by Daniel Knight, the brand emerged from his own passion for full-contact kickboxing. But what started as a niche brand for one martial art quickly expanded into the wider world of MMA — almost by accident.
The entire sequence began when Daniel Knight had spoke with the son of his kickboxing coach; he mentioned that a new MMA event was taking place in Brighton at the Holiday Inn located opposite the West Pier.
“I started it back in 2010 while I was training full contact myself,” Daniel recalls. “From there, I got in touch with an MMA show and started sponsoring them. That’s really where it all began.”
The early sponsorships opened doors that would take Sidekick far beyond kickboxing. One of the first major opportunities came through supporting UK MMA events like BCMMA, FCMMA and CSMMA. Sidekick began sponsoring fighters and shows up and down the country, making its name known in the growing UK MMA scene.
One standout moment was sponsoring both the fighters of the main event at BAMMA 11, featuring well-known fighter Alex Reid. This exposure brought Sidekick to a wider audience and established its presence within MMA almost overnight.
“We just wanted to get the brand out there, and MMA gave us that platform. People started to recognise Sidekick not just as a kickboxing brand, but as a serious name in the MMA world too,” Daniel explains.
As the sponsorships expanded, the roster of athletes also increased. Sidekick provided support to elite MMA fighters and athletes from a range of disciplines within the MMA umbrella — including kickboxers moving into the cage and seasoned grapplers establishing their presence. At this time, Andrew Tate was one of our sponsored kickboxers, and we also supported Tolly Plested, an MMA fighter and black belt in Jiu Jitsu.
Through these strategic sponsorships, Sidekick became synonymous with high-performance gear across multiple combat sports. What began as a pure kickboxing brand naturally evolved, following the path of the athletes themselves — many of whom were crossing over into MMA during this period.
Today, Sidekick Boxing remains rooted in its kickboxing heritage but is proudly recognised as a trusted name in the broader martial arts community, particularly MMA. The brand’s journey reflects the dynamic growth of the combat sports scene in the UK: starting local, thinking big, and stepping into the cage.
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