Fight knight: Armored Combat Worldwide gets medieval on MMA

MMA? That’s for wimps. Sure, it looks intense — muscles, blood, sweat, the occasional tooth (and fighter) flying into the audience. But, I suggest, we can do better.

We must!

You see, real warriors are not satisfied with just bare fists or submission holds. They need steel. They need armor. They need to bring back the clank of medieval combat.

Beneath the spectacle and flashy armor lies a profound acknowledgment of our innate desire for carnage.

Welcome to the world of armored combat, where men (and the odd woman with a lust for blood) don 50 pounds of full plate and bash each other with swords, axes, and maces — not for honor, not for their king, but for something even more noble: a juicy paycheck in Nashville.

The competitions are, much like MMA, structured into rounds or bouts, where fighters aim to score points through effective strikes and defenses. Although the costumes may appear far-fetched and even comical, the fighting itself is anything but a laughing matter. The matches are intense, with a real risk of serious injury. The next event is scheduled for November 16 at the city’s Municipal Auditorium, and tickets are available now.

Nashvillearmoredcombat.com

Getting medieval

But Nashville, better known for its warm hospitality than for its medieval combat, is far from the only place where this revival of historical fighting is gaining momentum. Armored Combat Worldwide is a sports organization that arranges competitive events for medieval armored combat teams, called “chapters.”

As you can probably tell from the name, the organization is dedicated to supporting armored combat on a global scale. It oversees competitions worldwide, including in the U.S. Each year, the ACW organizes tournaments at both conference and national levels. The performance evaluations from these events are then used by its leaders to select fighters and teams for international competitions, tours, and global showcases.

In short, it’s very serious business. There is a method to the madness.

To be clear, the ACW isn't just about historical reenactments. It's an actual sport where competitors engage in full-contact fights using real medieval weapons like swords, axes, and maces. They wear full suits of armor, each as heavy as the fighters in Nashville. They compete in different formats, from one-on-one duels to team battles, in arenas designed to resemble historical battlefields.

Though you would be forgiven for thinking otherwise, safety is a top priority. Fighters must go through intense training to master their combat skills and handle their heavy armor. The ACW is regulated by the International Medieval Combat Federation. The IMCF’s primary goal is to preserve the historical accuracy of medieval combat techniques while ensuring they are accessible and safe for contemporary audiences and competitors.

Appetite for (controlled) destruction

When I joked about MMA being for wimps, it was meant in good humor. As a fan of UFC since my spotty-faced teenage years in the late 2000s, I have nothing but admiration for the skill, bravery, and sheer intensity of its fighters. Mixed Martial Arts demands extraordinary talent, tenacity, and, at times, almost deluded levels of belief. Many of its athletes, from the great Anderson Silva to the equally great Alex Pereira, are absolute beasts worthy of absolute respect.

Obviously, armored combat isn't meant to challenge or replace UFC. Many readers, I’m sure, never knew it existed, and even now that they do, they mightn’t even care that it does. As for the UFC, anyone with a functioning brain has probably heard of it and its outspoken leader, Dana White.

Primal instincts

Instead, armored combat offers a completely different but somewhat complementary experience. It’s cosplay on cocaine. Beneath the spectacle and flashy armor lies a profound acknowledgment of our innate desire for carnage.

Sigmund Freud, the psychoanalyst famously rumored to have done enough cocaine to kill a small horse, referred to the constructive channeling of this urge as sublimation. In essence, this psychological mechanism involves transforming primal instincts into socially productive activities. Rather than succumbing to potentially destructive impulses, like the abuse of drugs and alcohol, people direct their energy into pursuits that benefit themselves and/or society.

For example, someone with aggressive tendencies might engage in competitive sports to channel their antagonistic proclivities in a socially acceptable manner. They might, for instance, head to Nashville, don armor, and engage in physical combat with another human being or many other human beings.

Armored combatants compete in carefully controlled environments where their skills are celebrated. Moreover, these fighters must display discipline and a high degree of mastery. Beyond the battles, the sport fosters a strong sense of community. In an era of increasing loneliness, this sense of belonging is something to be valued rather than ridiculed.

So what if they look silly? They are having fun with like-minded individuals out there in the "real" world, building memories that will hopefully last for life, barring any serious concussions.

It's clear that many of these participants, most of whom are men, are driven by deep, primal instincts. The need for conflict is undeniable. At least they are channeling these raw impulses in a relatively healthy manner, even if it results in the occasional broken rib or bloodied nose. Freud, I’m sure, would agree.