Just like American Ninja Warrior is the latest evolution of jogging, so is Arena Combat the latest evolution of fighting. Formerly the Russian enterprise known as Hip Show, the 2-on-2 obstacle-course fight league made its U.S. debut last Saturday in Bristol, Virginia. As you can see in the above highlight reel, a good time was had by all.
Check out the press release below for more information on what exactly is happening here, and stay tuned for news of Arena Combat’s impending TV deal and upcoming events.
ARENA COMBAT FASCINATES VIRGINIA CROWD WITH IT’S UNITED STATES DEBUT; CURRENTLY IN TALKS WITH NETWORKS FOR AIRING OF ARENA COMBAT 1: SOUTHEAST TRIALS
Miami, Florida, August 15th, 2014 – Forty fighters entered THE ARENA, and 20 emerged victorious. Saturday, August 9th, ARENA COMBAT 1: SOUTHEAST TRIALS, the first American ARENA COMBAT event was held in Bristol, VA. The sport was introduced to a rowdy studio audience in the Bearcat Den gym, and the crowd was captured from the opening fight to the main event.
Amenities exclusive to ARENA COMBAT bouts such as the padded obstacles, team based maneuvers, and the 2-on-1 Sudden Death round were on display from the beginning of the night. Undefeated bantamweight “JABBAWOCKEE” JOSH SMITH propelled himself off of “The Table” obstacle with a flying kick and dove off of an obstacle into a takedown; one of two teams of brothers, TEAM LUDUS, used group tactics throughout en route to a victory; and fans were in awe of the 60 second 2-on-1 round, cheering a number of sole survivors to a 1-on-1 final round.
“The fighters bought into this concept whole-heartedly, and gave 200% in each and every fight,” beamed Arena Combat President CYRUS FEES. “Not enough can be said about these incredible athletes, and it is an amazing way to start our American product!”
The showcase fights were the “international showdowns” between the United States and Russia. Teams of American fighters including a pair of gym teammates, a team of brothers, and two light heavyweights that had never met, trained, or worked together. The wild spectators in Bristol, VA were on the edge of their seats, as the two nations went to war in THE ARENA.
All fights were shot for television with an expansive production team, audio system, and lighting rig. The high-definition footage has interest from many major networks, and an announcement will be made soon on the final landing spot for ARENA COMBAT 1: SOUTHEAST TRIALS.
Announcement of ARENA COMBAT 2 has not been released, but date and location will be released in the coming weeks. More highlight packages are expected in the next week, while broadcast agreements are pending.
“While we cannot announce a television deal at this moment, we can say that the interest is there, and the events of August 9th, 2014 have taken this company to a new level,” said Arena Combat CEO CASEY OXENDINE. “You can see a taste of it in this new highlight reel, but the full product will blow you away. Arena Combat is here, and the only direction is up!”
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ABOUT ARENA HIP SHOW COMBAT INTERNATIONAL – Hip Show Arena Combat International is an worldwide company based in Miami, FL. Arena Combat introduces a new style of athletic competition; 2-on-2 fighting in a state-of-the-art arena. Arena Combat’s first event took place on Saturday, August 9th in Bristol, VA. Previously, Arena Combat was featured in a two-hour “Best Of Season 1” special on AXStv on March 14th, trending #3 worldwide on Twitter during the event; and will produce two one- hour programs for iN DEMAND pay-per-view. The thrilling new show was also covered by over 40 websites leading up to the event, garnering front page coverage on CNN.com. A news feature on MSNBC also profiled the event on April 27th. Hip Show Arena Combat can be found online and on Facebook.