KARATE COMBAT combines martial arts and Hollywood after it was founded by two millionaires who were inspired by the UFC.
Robert Bryan and Michael Depietro, Wall Street duo, created the organization in 2018.
Karate Combat is the first fully-contact league in Karate Combat.
Inside a pit, fighters fight
Karate Combat was established in 2018.
Bryan invested in public and private markets while Depietro managed financial equity.
These businessmen witnessed the UFC transform from a struggling entity that was on the verge of collapse into a global brand, which was sold in 2016 for $4.4BILLION.
Many rival MMA promotions have sprung up in the wake of UFC's success.
Bryan and Depietro saw a great opportunity to capitalize on the new full-contact karate league.
In the same year that the UFC was sold, karate became an Olympic sport.
Depietro, Bryan, and a Hungarian champion approached Adam S. Kovacs about their new idea.
SunSport spoke with Kovacs: "They thought that if karate were one of, if not THE most-participating martial arts - then why aren't they like a brand or league like the UFC?"
They thought they were onto something that could be very interesting and offer a great business opportunity.
They thought that if this business was sold for $4billion, and there are a few thousand people practicing it in the US, then karate would have tens to millions of people.
Kovacs began karate at the age of nine years old and became Hungary's most successful competitor.
After his retirement, he provided commentary and analysis for Hungarian TV about UFC fights.
Kovacs was originally approached to compete in Karate Combat. However, after his fighting days, he became the company's president.
In advisory roles, Bas Rutten (MMA legend) and Georges St-Pierre (MMA legend) have also joined the board.
Rutten thinks Karate Combat is in a class of its own, far from the UFC or other competitors in MMA.
Millionaires Robert Bryan and Michael Depietro founded Karate Combat.
On a movie set, fights are staged
He stated, "I have never seen it, full contact karate." It was like nothing else, with punches in the face and all, in a pit.
"And the way they present it, with almost none people there, the camera angles. It's like watching a movie. It is completely different from anyone else.
Karate Combat may be a pioneer in the sport of Karate Combat, but they still want to get attention for their product like everyone else.
Kovacs acknowledged that they do compete for attention.
"We are not large enough to compete against the UFC, but big enough for people who enjoy fighting sports."
Karate Combat's fights are unique in that they take place on film sets. Orlando's Universal Studios will be hosting this Saturday.
The never-before-seen backgrounds and visual effects are reminiscent of old fight movies and videogames.
Bouts can have unique visual effects
The backgrounds are designed to resemble classic fight movies
Fighters compete in unique settings
Kovacs stated, "We wanted to do things different, but also better."
"We believed that people love movies about fighting and movies with martial art, so we thought we might be able to put live fights on the screen.
People can feel as if they're actually watching a movie, rather than a sporting event.
Karate Combat also sells limited tickets or invite-only.
Kovacs said, "Invite only, or places that are difficult to be, that has an obligate as the area of entry, which is not so simple, you cannot just buy tickets.
"We also think about it as if it were a paddock in Formula One. It's a very limited number of people with the best seats.
Karate Combat allows punches and kicks.
Raymond Daniels, a kickboxing legend, and Georges St-Pierre, a UFC legend
"Around the pit, we always have the best views and experience, and even now when we start selling tickets, almost all tickets are VIP tickets.
"We don’t sell just the fight, we sell the experience."
Kovacs believes Karate Combat will surpass kickboxing. Kickboxing has been slowly losing ground to MMA and boxing.
He stated that he believed he could be the fourth pillar in combat sports, MMA, boxing kickboxing, karate and then MMA.
"Right now I would say that we are on a good track to be third with kickboxing kinda disappearing when it come to professional fighting or organising events."
Karate Kombat is back tomorrow, with the welterweight champion Josh Quayhagen taking on Luiz Rocha, the holder of the lightweight title.
Raymond Daniels (42), ex-kickboxing champion, and Bellator MMA star, makes his promotional debut.
Kovacs teased that Karate Combat will reach new heights in September as it continues to grow and adds well-known names to its ranks.
He stated, "What we're about announcing is something which will put it somewhere different, not only in combat sport but throughout the sports world."
Karate Combat President Adam S. Kovacs
