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What Is Medieval MMA? Inside the Armoured Fight Sport Where Knights Brawl Like Cage Fighters

What Is Medieval MMA? Inside the Armoured Fight Sport Where Knights Brawl Like Cage Fighters

Medieval MMA: When Knights Go Viral

If you’ve scrolled social media lately, you’ve probably seen it: two “knights” in full plate armour swinging weapons, clinching against the fence and crashing to the floor while a crowd screams. Clips labelled “medieval MMA” keep doing numbers, and honestly, it’s hard to look away.

That mix of absurdity and genuine violence is exactly the appeal. As one viral post joked, “I love Medieval MMA 😭” – and judging by the reactions, plenty of fight fans quietly agree.

What Actually Is “Armoured MMA”?

Strip away the meme factor and medieval MMA – or armoured combat – is a real, structured sport. Fighters wear full historical-style armour, strap on helmets, gauntlets and padding, then fight using a mix of punches, clinch work, takedowns and strikes with blunt medieval-style weapons. Think MMA fundamentals, but with swords, axes and shields instead of 4oz gloves.

Daniel Winter has been at the heart of the UK scene for more than a decade. He first heard about it as “the craziest sport ever”, borrowed a suit of armour, and was instantly hooked. Today he’s captain of Team GB, with over 100 tournaments behind him, and runs Armoured Martial Arts Nottingham – gym, training base and home of the elite squad White Company.

For a lot of people, it taps into a childhood itch. As Winter puts it, almost every kid wanted a suit of armour; medieval MMA is the grown-up version where you actually get to use it.

Dogfight Wild, DWT3 and the MMA Crossover

The sport is niche, but it keeps leaking into mainstream fight culture. At Dogfight Wild’s DWT3 show, a full-on medieval MMA bout broke out in the middle of an already wild card. Even hardcore fans had to double-take.

Another viral clip shows a “Black Knight” having his sword knocked clean out of his hand, shrugging it off and fighting on until he’s stopped. It looks like a parody of combat sports… until you notice the sweat, the heavy breathing and how hard those shots are landing.

How Medieval MMA Fights Work

Team Battles: “MMA Meets Rugby in Armour”

In big team fights, it really does feel like MMA meets rugby. Two squads – sometimes 10, 20, even 30 fighters a side – charge across the list (the fenced-off fighting area), smash into each other and start wrestling, tripping and battering opponents with shields and weapons. If you’re taken to the ground and stay there, you’re out. The chaos continues until one team has no one left standing.

One-on-One Duels

The duels are closer to classic MMA. Fighters score with clean strikes, throws and control. If it hits the ground, the action continues, with armour-clad grappling, trips and pins deciding the winner. It’s loud, clunky and exhausting – everyone talks about the “cling-clang” of steel as much as the punches.

World Champions in Plate Armour

White Company, based out of Long Eaton in Derbyshire, have turned that chaos into medals. They’re multiple-time world champions in team formats, and their fighters have picked up individual world titles too. They’ve taken the British style of armoured MMA to France, Italy, the US and beyond.

One of their standouts, three-time world champion Jenny Häbry, moved from Germany to the UK and never looked back. She calls the team her family and jokes that mixing them with “the cling-clang of violence” is her perfect recipe.

From Sherwood Forest to the Gym Floor

Not everyone walks in as a lifelong martial artist. Some, like Paris Labouch and Felix Gourlay, stumbled across armoured fighting at events in Sherwood Forest, thought it looked like “the sickest thing in the world”, and signed up. Others, like former ice hockey player Cai Robinson, come from rough contact sports and find medieval MMA surprisingly structured.

Underneath the steel, there’s a lot of sensible safety. The armour is real, the weapons are blunted, and there are clear rules and referees. You will get hit hard, you will be sore, but it’s not quite as reckless as the clips make it look.

Can You Try Medieval MMA Yourself?

In the UK, Armoured Martial Arts Nottingham is one of the main entry points, with beginner sessions, kit to borrow and a clear path from first footwork drills to full-contact team battles. Other clubs across Europe and North America run similar programmes, often linked to historical combat federations.

Most gyms start you in light gear, teach movement and clinch work, then gradually build up to full armour and live rounds. If you can handle heat, cardio and the weight of the kit, there’s room for you – whether you’re chasing a world title with Team GB or just want the most ridiculous conditioning session imaginable.

Medieval MMA FAQ

What is medieval MMA?

Medieval MMA is a full-contact combat sport where fighters wear historical-style armour and use a mix of strikes, wrestling and blunt medieval weapons under structured rules. It borrows the intensity of modern MMA and drops it into a knightly setting.

Is medieval MMA the same as historical reenactment?

No. Reenactment is about recreating battles for show. Medieval MMA is about competition and results: fighters train to win tournaments, world championships and team events, with judges, referees and rankings.

How heavy is the armour?

A full kit usually sits somewhere around 20–30kg depending on style and materials. It’s enough to test your cardio and neck strength, which is why most beginners are eased in gradually rather than thrown straight into five-on-five brawls in plate armour.

Is medieval MMA safe?

It’s still a combat sport, so bumps, bruises and occasional injuries happen. But proper clubs use certified armour, blunted weapons, mouthguards, hard rules about illegal targets and experienced referees. The goal is full-contact competition, not chaos for its own sake.

How do I start training medieval MMA?

Look for an armoured combat or buhurt club in your region, or search for groups connected to national teams like Team GB’s White Company. Most will offer beginner classes where you can try movement and clinch work without buying a full suit of armour on day one.

Medieval MMA Highlights & Key Results

White Company & Team GB

  • Multiple-time world champions in team armoured combat formats.
  • Over 100 international tournaments for captain Daniel Winter.
  • Recent campaigns across France, Italy, the US and wider Europe.

Standout Individuals

  • Daniel Winter – founder of Armoured Martial Arts Nottingham, captain of Team GB.
  • Jenny Häbry – three-time world champion, undefeated in one-on-one categories at top-level events.
  • Dozens of newer names coming through beginner classes, from Sherwood Forest recruits to ex-ice hockey brawlers.

As the clips keep going viral and promotions flirt with armoured exhibition bouts, medieval MMA is slowly shifting from “internet oddity” to a real, organised fight sport with its own champions, gyms and global calendar.

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