Here’s a real treat for all you MMA (Mixed Martial Arts) fans. It’s called Team Fighting Championship, and it’s played using standard MMA rules, sort of. The sport involves two teams of five members, who basically have a go at each other in a big ring as soon as the referee blows his whistle. The MMA-style fights usually start as one-on-one, with each member singling out an opponent, but as competitors are forced to tap out of the fight, contests can become two-on-one, or even five-on-one.
A video clip of a Team Fighting Championship (TFC) match has been doing the rounds on the internet. It starts off with a group of scantily clad women doing a seductive dance. Then, an announcer comes on the ring to introduce the teams – LPH from Poznan, Poland and the Wisemen from Gothenburg, Sweden. They all stand in the ring opposite each other. When the announcer blows the whistle, they’re all instantly at each other’s throats. Soon, some of the fighters are pinned to the ground while the others punch them repeatedly and rather mercilessly. And there’s only one rule for winning – take out all the members of the opposing team.
All manner of brutal combat manoeuvers – flying kicks, stamps and more – can be witnessed in a match. “TFC promotes a new approach to the martial arts where you can enjoy the exciting moments of a group street fighting transferred to the sport grounds,” declares the official TFC website. “We at TFC want our events to be as real as it could be. This is why we work with amateur teams from around the world.”
The website also states that safety is an important aspect of the sport. “We at TFC want our events to be as safe as a sport can be. This is why we care so much about participants’ health; this is why we invited five referees into the ring. We only work with professional referees. All our partners are respected professionals.” Some of the rules that promote safety include no blows to the Adam’s apple, no groin kicks, no biting or spitting.
Anyone is allowed to form a team and apply to compete in TFC. Or, if you’re just content with watching, you could sign up on their website to watch the matches online. And since the sport is so new, the franchise is quite open to suggestions and ideas from fans.
