Karate Combat Unveils Premier Full Contact Karate League 

Over 100 of the world’s top Karate fighters representing a young and diverse roster come together to compete in exotic locations, streamed to connected screens via Karate.com

NEW YORK, April 4, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Karate Combat announced today the launch of a new professional combat sports league, revitalizing the martial art of Karate and bringing it into the future. The fighting is full contact, with rules developed by martial arts experts and top fighters, and takes place in the patent-pending Karate Combat Fighting Pit, designed to encourage continuous action. Karate Combat viewers can access league content now through the World’s Gateway to Karate, KARATE.com, as well as branded iOS and Android apps.

The league will air its first live event, Karate Combat: Inception in Miami Beach on April 26. This will be followed by an all USA vs. Iran fight card in May in Dubai and a string of exotic locations and fight cards to be announced for 2018 including in Athens, Las Vegas, Hong Kong, and Tokyo. Karate Combat: Genesis, the company’s private pre-season event, took place in Budapest, Hungary in February. All Genesis bouts, highlights, and recaps are available for viewing now on Karate.com. Watch the trailers here.

Karate Combat is an innovative, modern, sports experience, optimized for digital and mobile consumption to showcase fast-paced Karate competitions. The professional league is the first ever to display biometric, nutrition, training, and DNA-based data in real-time via its custom interactive Heads-Up Display, giving fans unprecedented insight into all fighters’ hidden strengths and weaknesses. The slope-sided Karate Combat Fighting Pit allows for cage-free views and Hollywood production quality, and the flexibility to be installed in unusual indoor and outdoor locations globally. Coverage of the competitions is produced as never before with multi-camera cinematic angles and musical scores. The presentation combines high-tech, video game-style analytics with real action from the world’s best and fastest strikers.

“Karate is back! Approximately 50 million Americans have participated in Karate at some point in their lives with an even greater worldwide following, yet no professional league exists,” said Michael DePietro, CEO of Karate Combat, “To date nobody has harnessed the beauty of this ancient sport for 21st-century fans and mass media appeal.”

Karate Combat has signed over 100 of the top Karate fighters from over 30 countries giving fans around the world opportunities to rally behind their nations’ fighters year-round. The roster includes Elhadji Ndour of the USA, Achraf Ouchen of Morocco, Dionicio Gustavo of Dominican Republic, Davy Dona of France, George Tzanos of Greece, and Rafael Aghayev of Azerbaijan. Rafael is the most decorated fighter alive, arguably the world’s greatest living Karateka and a 2020 Olympic front-runner.

The league boasts the top fighters in each weight class of semi-contact karate in addition to Karatekas with athletic attributes suited for full contact competition. For the first time ever, the best practitioners of the sport will have a professional outlet while building global fan bases and competing for their nations. Above all else, Karate Combat athletes demonstrate the core martial arts values of honor, respect, and modesty creating a sporting environment that can be enjoyed by all ages young and old.

The newly established Full Contact Karate Unified Rules and Regulations reward execution of clean offensive techniques with maximum impact, creating action-packed, easy to follow contests. Throwing techniques are allowed with immediate follow-up--however, the match is reset if both combatants go to the mat, keeping the action striking focused. Each contest consists of three rounds of three minutes, with offensive techniques scored more highly than counter-strikes.

KARATE.COM is the main gateway for distribution through Karate Combat’s wholly owned and operated platforms including its branded mobile apps. Events and content will also be available via multiple digital, TV and OTT outlets including the global FITE app, YouTube, Twitch, The Fight Network, Facebook, Dailymotion and other TV and cable carriers in the USA and internationally. The native platforms will boast a Heads-Up Display that will be familiar to video gamers, along with interactive aspects to heighten the viewing experience.

Watch the Karate Combat: Genesis bouts now at www.karate.com/