Karate Combat (KC) is a brand which promotes the first professionalfull-contactkarate league, hosting worldwide events since April 2018. The private company is headquartered in Dubai and was founded by Robert Bryan. The brand also encompasses sports equipment, a worldwide Dojo network and mobile apps for viewers. Karate Combat was founded in order to promote karate as a sport and martial art to the new generation of sports fans. Former UFC heavyweight champion Bas Rutten hosts Karate Combat venues alongside special guests.[1]
Contestants compete in a seasonal championship in which the winner is awarded a golden belt.[2] They consist of karateka from various styles of karate like Kyokushin, Shotokan, Shito Ryu, and Wado Ryu, Kempo Karate. Contestants from other martial arts disciplines like Taekwondo, Kung Fu, and Tang Soo Do have also participated.[3] The contestants are expected to abide by karate-do etiquette and specific tournament rules.[4]
The organization puts emphasis on innovation and technology with the use of video game-style analytics of fighter's biometrics, nutrition and DNA-based data in real-time. Fights regularly feature CGI environments created with the Unreal Engine as reported by NBC Sports.[5] Marketing and promotion include appearances of Danny Trejo, Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson, former UFC two-division champion Georges St-Pierre, former UFC light heavyweight champion Lyoto Machida and UFC top-contender Stephen Thompson.[6][7]
In 2020 rights to Karate Combat have been acquired by beIN SPORTS. The media group broadcasts the Karate Combat seasons in 37 countries.[1]
In May 2022, Karate Combat collaborated with Hedera, a brand of cryptocurrency, to create the blockchain $KARATE. Users receive a small complimentary amount to use for placing bets on fighters on match outcomes to win larger amounts. Users can cash out on compatible platforms.
Rules
Fighting takes place in a 6,5m x 6,5m (21'4" x 21'4") square combat pit surrounded by 45° angled walls. A match consists of 3 rounds each lasting 3 minutes with the possibility of 2 additional rounds for championship fights.
Scoring uses a 10-point must system and is based on aggression and effectiveness of attacks. Three judges evaluate each fight from a position around the combat pit. Scoring cards are omitted in case of a knock-out.
Equipment consists of 4oz gloves, mouthpieces, groin protectors for male contestants, karate belts and officially designed long karate trousers with national emblems or flags.
Wrestling, submissions, elbows are not permitted. A grounded opponent may use upkicks while the standing opponent may use ground punches. After 5 seconds any grounded opponent will be brought back to a standing position by the referee.[4]
Weight divisions and classifications
Division
Upper weight limit
Heavyweight
No limit
Light Heavyweight
210 lb (95 kg)
Middleweight
185 lb (84 kg)
Welterweight
165 lb (75 kg)
Lightweight
150 lb (68 kg)
Bantamweight
135 lb (61 kg)
Women's Featherweight
145 lb (66 kg)
Women's Bantamweight
135 lb (61 kg)
Women's Flyweight
125 lb (57 kg)
Women's Strawweight
115 lb (52 kg)
Pit Submission Series
In January 2024, Karate Combat announced that they would begin staging professional grappling matches in the pit prior to their karate fights, under the name of "Pit Submission Series."[8] The first fight under the Pit Submission Series took place on January 26, 2024.
1. def. Bruno Souza at KC 39 on May 20th, 2023 2. def. Edgars Skrivers at KC43 in November 2023
—
Shahzaib Rind def. Bruno Assis for interim title
Karate Combat 47 Singapore
September 18, 2024
~
Bantamweight Championship
Weight limit: 135lb
No.
Name
Event
Date
Reign
Defenses
1
Eoghan Chelmiah def. Illies Mardhi
Karate Combat Season 3 Episode 12 on September 16, 2021 Orlando, Florida
October 25, 2020
1086 days
1. def. Illies Mardhi at Karate Combat Season 4 Episode 4 on June 25th, 2022 2. def. Jesus Paurcarcaja Lopez at Hollywood Hills Event 7 in December 2022
2
Myrza-Bek Tebuev def. Eoghan Chelmiah
Karate Combat 41 Dominican Republic
September 16, 2023
469 days (incumbent)
1. def. Luiz Victor Rocha at Karate Combat 45 on April 20th, 2024
Karate Combat events feature male and female karateka from a roster of over 100 professional fighters. The first five events were held in front of an invite-only audience. Later events incorporate CGI effects and original music in order to achieve a modern appearance and appeal to a younger demographic.[9] Event locations favor optimal camera angles and cinematic scenery over a big live-audience. Thus locations like the 102nd floor of the One World Trade Center were chosen hosting a selected audience with black-tie dress code.[10] The events attracted the notice of American television[11] and newspaper.[12] Recordings of all events can be accessed for free via the official website. Past events have also been streamed via UFC Fight Pass.[13][14]
Jerome Brown - Davy Dona Deivis Ferreras - Myrza-bek Tebuev Achraf Ouchen - Franklin Mina Fabiola Esquivel González - Sarah Ait Ibrahim Fioravante Valentino - Igor De Castañeda Wellington Barbosa - Yaser Sahintekin Reda Messaoudi - Nikos Kosmas
Luiz Victor Rocha - Myrza-bek Tebuev Elhadji G Ndour - Calum Robb Igor De Castañeda - Milos Vukovic Abdalla Ibrahim - Kevin Walker Daniel Viveros - Ilies Mardhi Alexandre Bouderbane - Willians Quirino Nadege Ait Ibrahim - Ana Luiza Ferreira Da Silva Teeik Silva - Kevin Kowalczik Luis Diogo - Jonas Correia
Robbie Lavoie vs Moulay Odoud Adrian Galvan vs Rob Buxton Omaira Molina vs Ana Ferreira Alberto Ramierz vs Matthew Stevens Gabriel Varga vs Bruno Assis Rafael Aghayev vs Davy Dona Eoghan Chemliah vs Ilies Mardhi Ross Levine v Shahin Atamov
Deivis Ferreras vs Kevin Kowalczik Gabriele Cera vs Jonnie Broad Teeik Silva vs Maximo Nunez Gabriel Stankunas vs Jesus Lopez Bruno Souza vs Maciej Tercjak Achraf Ouchen vs Elhadji G Ndour Raymond Daniels vs Franklin Mina Luiz Rocha vs Joshua Quayhagen
Maximiliano Larrosa vs Damian Villa Abdessalam Ameknassi vs Kalvis Kalnins Nikos Gidakos vs Kenji Grillon Elvin Aghayev vs Chayil Calaway Tommy Azouz vs Mitchell Thope Fernando Paz vs Diego Avendano James Vick vs Jorge Perez
Rafael Aghayev vs Raymond Daniels Eoghan Chelmiah vs Jesus Lopez Gabriel Varga vs Tommy Azouz Samuel Ericsson vs Tarek Khelifi Rob Buxton vs Sasha Palatnikov Andres Madera vs Maciej Tercjak Maximo Nunez vs Gabriel Stankunas Gabo Diaz vs Samy Ennkhaili
Ross Levine vs Igor de Castaneda Eoghan Chelmiah vs Jesus Lopez Bruno Souza vs Bruno Assis Sasha Palatnikov vs Adrian Hadribeaj James Vick vs Gabriele Cera Erica Santos vs Melinda Fabian Shahzaib Rind vs Gabo Diaz Kenji Grillon vs Jorge Perez Robbie LaVoie vs Damian Villa Davy Dona vs Dionicio Gustavo
Luiz Rocha vs Bruno Souza Raymond Daniels vs Sasha Palatnikov Shahzaib Rind vs Tommy Azouz Cody Jerabek vs Antônio Arroyo Alberto Ramirez vs Maciej Tercjak Elijah Everill vs Rahul Bhowmick Ana Luiza da Silva vs Nathalia Dinis Adam Rosa Ramos vs Zakaria BenBouchta Gabriel Stankunas vs Ignacio Capllonch Jonathan Broad vs Will Esparza
Josh Quayhagen vs Rafael Aghayev Edgars Skrivers vs Gabriel Varga Samuel Ericsson vs Alexandre Bouderbane Kenji Grillon vs Shahin Atamov Jesus Lopez vs Ilies Mardhi Marcel Ritter vs Kai Calaway Fernando Paz vs Jeremy Payet Deivis Ferreras vs Mitchell Thorpe Jo Miyahara vs Leo Valdivia Maximo Nunez vs Damian Villa
Eoghan Chelmiah vs Myrza-Bek Tebuev Tim Ha vs Deivis Ferreras Antônio Arroyo vs Reynaldo Acevedo Jorge Perez vs Gabriele Cera Sam Alvey vs Adam Rosa Maximo Nunez vs Moulay Oudoud Ana Villanueva vs Rafaela Bernardo Erica Santos vs Sarah Ait Ibrahim Vinicius Bareta vs Antonio Molloy
Luiz Rocha vs Edgars Skrivers Sthefanie Oliveira vs Christina Kavakopoulou Jorge Perez vs Jo Miyahara Bruno Assis vs Tim Ha Elias Santos vs Mitchell Thorpe Kenji Grillon vs Vasilii Antokhii Oscar Sosa vs Elvin Aghayev Jeremy Payet vs Zhang Kui Lazar Kukulicic vs Artur Gasanov Alejandro Brugal vs Diego Avendano Ariano Gavino Diaz vs Li Lishan
Anthony Pettis vs Benson Henderson Ross Levine vs Sam Alvey Omaira Molina vs Melinda Fabian Raymond Daniels vs Bruno Souza Gorjan Slaveski vs Brandon Jenkins Freddy Masabo vs Danaa Batgerel Omar Morales vs. Armus Guyton Shahzaib Rind vs. Federico Avella Shannon Hudson vs Chinzo Machida Saidyokub Kakhramonov vs. Gabriel Stankunas Elijah Everill vs Javier Arteaga Loxbey Montalvan vs Gabriel Diaz Jordan Lee Barker vs Damian Villa
Luis Melendez vs Jose Ferreri Arturo Vergara vs Nathan Fought Roland Dunlap vs Michael Cora Gustavo Oliveira vs Safarmamad Akhmadov Joshua Alvarez vs Kobe Bowen Reggie Northrupp vs Mike Lee Saidyokub Kakhromonov vs Peter Caballero Joilton Lutterbach vs Darren Smith
Maciej Tercjak vs Shannon Hudson Rodrigo Reyes vs Marco Sanchez Fabrizio Escarrega vs Nikita Yanchuk Levy Marroquin vs Andre Ewell Efrain Escudero vs Rafael Alves Shahzaib Rind vs Marco Cubas Alejandro Flores vs Bruno De Assis Erik Perez vs Eoghan Chelmiah
Sam Alvey vs Antônio Arroyo Gillian Robertson vs Montana De La Rosa Gregor Gracie vs Gesias Cavalcante Ethan Crelinstein vs Troy Worthen Jesús Paucarcaja Lopez vs Jose Alberto Quiñonez Joilton Lutterbach vs Jorge Morales Weber Almeida vs Andre Rodriguez Omar Morales vs Antonio Molloy Saba Nabavinejad vs Fabiola Esquivel Niko Korventaus vs Jhonasky Sojo Lorenzo Trevino vs Brandon Alcaráz Gustavo Viquez vs Joaquín Morales
Luke Rockhold vs Joe Schilling Myrza-Bek Tebuev vs Luiz Rocha Eddie Farrell vs Raymond Daniels Bruno Souza vs Vitaliy Dubina Saidyokub Kakhramonov vs Tananut Johphromma Shahzaib Rind vs Rana Singh Himanshu Kaushik vs Faizan Khan Rizwan Ali vs Pawan Gupta Adam Noi vs Ali Motamed Ali Zarinfar vs Shuailu Huang Craig Jones vs Rinat Fakhretdinov Pouya Rahmani vs Kaynan Duarte Zayed Alkatheeri vs Osamah Almarwai Furkatbek Yokubov vs Júlio Carreiro Mirafzal Akhtamov vs Sulaiman Ghafoori
Ross Levine vs Adrian Hadribeaj Andres Madera vs Gabriel Varga Brandon Jenkins vs Charlie Ontiveros Markus Perez vs Bam Morris Eoghan Chelmiah vs Maximo Nunez Arturo Vergara vs Jesse Bazzi Ethan Crelinstein vs Jordan Leavitt Lucas Barbosa vs AJ Agazarm Helena Crevar vs Mariya Agapova
Rafael Alves vs James Vick Arturo Vergara vs Joe Penafiel Alejandro Brugal vs Armus Guyton Luis Melendez vs Jose Esparza Lorenzo Trevino vs Jonathan Ortiz Philip Rowe vs Lucas LaRue Loxbey Montalvan vs Jonathan Rodriguez Gustavo Genao vs Gabriel Stankunas Kat Nelson vs Brittney Cloudy Javier Arteaga vs Justin McCollum Pedro Rocha vs Isaque Bahiense
Co-Main Event: Cristian Pérez vs John Marquez
Pit Submission Series Main Event: Aljamain Sterling vs Jay-Jay Wilson
Efrain Escudero vs Brandon Jenkins
Peter Caballero vs Weber Almedia
Jordan Winski vs Eoghan Chelmiah
Nic Carter vs Coty Kuhn
Erik Velie vs Harley Hermanson
Phil Russel vs Dwight Aubrey Speight
Lauren Sweeney vs Lisa Bechina
Sean Suvie vs Jordan ONeil
Safarmamad Akhmadov vs Gustavo Oliveira
Elijah Everill vs Briven Sullivan
Alexandr Romanov vs Roosevelt De Sousa
Patrick Gaudio vs Diego Ramalho
Dylan O'Sullivan vs Robert Conor Bracken
Adrian Weathersby vs Irvin Jones
