By: Kaja Antic, Sports Writer
For those of you who’ve ever wanted to see modern-day people fighting in medieval armour — swords, shields, and all — the dream exists, and in lots of different ways.
M-1 Medieval
One association conducting this medieval combat event has been M-1 Global, a Russian mixed martial arts (MMA) promotion. The first “knight fight” was initially used as a filler spectacle in between matches at the 2015 M-1 Challenge 50, but due to the fan reaction, M-1 founder Vadim Finkelchtein made medieval MMA its own division. Videos on YouTube of these events have garnered hundreds of thousands of views internationally, with M-1 Global uploading these highlights since the medieval division’s creation in 2016.
The M-1 circuit mixes modern infrastructure with the medieval aesthetic. The fights take place in the M-1’s “rages” — a hexagonal structure that’s a mix between a traditional ring and an MMA cage. Fighters carry blunt swords and are allowed to wrestle and strike their opponent with their shield, minus any head or neck shots.
Unfortunately, it doesn’t seem that M-1 Global is running these events, or any events at all, for that matter. There have been no updates from the company since 2021, with their last official MMA event taking place in late 2020. This came only two years after the company collaborated with the UFC to bring more Russian fighters into the larger international MMA circuit. While this deal likely wouldn’t have included the medieval division, COVID-19 could contribute to why the company hasn’t been able to host the competition since.
Battle of the Nations
Battle of the Nations looks more like you’d expect a medieval MMA competition to be. The annual tournament has a large array of medieval-era weapons available and is held in aged fortresses — very different from the modern-day MMA cages used in M-1 Medieval.
This tournament began in 2010 with over 100 fighters from four countries battling in 1v1, 5v5, and 21v21 events. The following year’s tournament included the first overseas team — from Canada’s province of Quebec — and took place in the same Khoyton Fortress in Ukraine as the inaugural competition.
The event continued to grow over the years, with the 2019 installment bringing in combatants from 40 different countries, and including an eye-popping 150v150 match. Unfortunately, this would be the 10th and final Battle of the Nations event held for the foreseeable future.
The 2020 tournament did not go ahead due to COVID-19, and the 2021 tournament was postponed to 2022 for the same reason. The 2022 Battle of the Nations was officially cancelled on March 1, 2022, with the tournament’s governing body — the Historical Medieval Battle International Association (HMBIA) — suspending all events only weeks later, citing the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Since then, there have been no updates for the future of the event or the organization.
International Medieval Combat Federation
The International Medieval Combat Federation (IMCF) was created in 2014 after some members of the Battle of the Nations circuit were dissatisfied with the HMBIA. The first tournament was held in Spain with 20 countries competing in both group and duel categories.
The battles are held in conditions similar to those of the historical medieval knight fights — typically on a giant sand pit surrounded by grandstands, regardless of the event being a 1v1 duel or a larger group match. The tournaments were suspended during COVID-19, but have returned in recent years with the 2023 tournament being held in Belmonte, Spain.
This year’s IMCF World Championship in Teotihuacan, Mexico, in May, will be the first held in the Americas.
Armored Combat Sports
Armored Combat Sports is an amateur medieval combat fighting organization where prospective fighters can register for membership. The events related to the organization follow the IMCF rules, with the additional requirement of a strap connecting a knight’s helmet to their body armour.
The ACS consists of multiple medieval combat clubs across North America, with many in Canada from the Yukon Territory to Nova Scotia. You can even hire their knights for events and social gatherings.
Buhurt International
Buhurt International is a non-profit, volunteer-run organization that is seeking to continue the sport of medieval combat on a club level across the world. The term “buhurt” has many definitions but can refer to both group combat and duel combat, which can include various weapons such as longswords, shields, and polearms (long staffs with weapons attached at the end, such as a spear).
This organization includes multiple teams across the globe, as well as national organizations that compete in continental competitions. Medieval Combat Canada is the Canadian contingent of armoured combat enthusiasts.
Buhurt International continues to operate tournaments worldwide, with the only upcoming North American event being the Pacific Cup in Oregon on June 14.
