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Karate Combat

Current season, competition or edition: 2025 in Karate Combat
Sport	Karate Submission grappling
Founder	Robert Bryan
Owner	Sensei Foundation
President	Asim Zaidi
Headquarters	Dubai
Broadcaster	beIN SPORTS
Official website	www.karate.com

Karate Combat (KC) is a brand which promotes the firstprofessionalfull-contactkarate league, hosting worldwide events since April 2018. The private company is headquartered inDubai and was founded by Robert Bryan. Karate Combat is owned by the Sensei Foundation, a Cayman Islands Foundation Company and its affiliates.^[1] The brand also encompasses sports equipment, a worldwide Dojo network and mobile apps for viewers. Karate Combat was founded in order to promote karate as a sport and martial art to the new generation of sports fans.

Contestants compete in a seasonal championship in which the winner is awarded a golden belt.^[2] They consist ofkarateka from various styles of karate likeKyokushin,Shotokan,Shitō-ryū, andWadō-ryū. Contestants from other martial arts disciplines likeKenpō,Taekwondo,Wushu, andTang Soo Do have also participated.^[3] The contestants are expected to abide by karate-do etiquette and specific tournament rules.^[4]

The organization puts emphasis on innovation and technology with the use of video game-style analytics of fighter's biometrics, nutrition and DNA-based data in real-time. Fights regularly featureCGI environments created with theUnreal Engine as reported byNBC Sports.^[5] Marketing and promotion include appearances ofBas Rutten,^[6]Georges St-Pierre,Lyoto Machida andStephen Thompson, who have all served as league ambassadors,^[1] as well asDanny Trejo andHafþór Júlíus Björnsson.^[7][8]

In 2020, rights to Karate Combat have been acquired bybeIN SPORTS. The media group broadcasts the Karate Combat seasons in 37 countries.^[6]

Fighting takes place in a 6,5m x 6,5m (21'4" x 21'4") square combat pit surrounded by 45° angled walls. A match consists of 3 rounds each lasting 3 minutes with the possibility of 2 additional rounds for championship fights.

Scoring uses a 10-point must system and is based on aggression and effectiveness of attacks. Three judges evaluate each fight from a position around the combat pit. Scoring cards are omitted in case of a knock-out.

Equipment consists of 4oz gloves, mouthpieces, groin protectors for male contestants, karate belts and officially designed long karate trousers with national emblems or flags.

Wrestling, submissions, elbows are not permitted. A grounded opponent may use upkicks while the standing opponent may use ground punches. After 5 seconds any grounded opponent will be brought back to a standing position by the referee.^[4]

In January 2024, Karate Combat announced that they would begin staging professional grappling matches in the pit prior to their karate fights, under the name of "Pit Submission Series."^[9] The first fight under the Pit Submission Series took place on January 26, 2024.

Championship	Current Champion(s)	Date won	Previous Champion(s)	Defenses
Karate Combat Heavyweight Championship	Robelis Despaigne	December 5, 2025	Sam Alvey	0
Karate Combat Middleweight Championship	Ilyas Khamzin	October 30, 2025	Ross Levine	0
Karate Combat Welterweight Championship	Oussama Assli	December 5, 2025	Rafael Aghayev	0
Karate Combat Lightweight Championship	Shahzaib Rindh	July 19, 2025	Luiz Victor Rocha	2
Karate Combat Bantamweight Championship	Arturo Vergara	December 19, 2024	Eoghan Chelmiah	0
Karate Combat Women's Bantamweight Championship	Melinda Fabian	December 15, 2023	Inaugural	0
Karate Combat Women's Flyweight Championship	Aline Pereira	July 19, 2025	Inaugural	0
Karate Combat Women's Straweight Championship	Sthefanie Oliveira	November 3, 2023	Inaugural	0

Weight limit: None

No.	Name	Event	Date	Reign	Defenses
1	Sam Alvey def. Ross Levine	Karate Combat 43 Las Vegas, Nevada	December 15, 2023	721 days	NC. Antônio Arroyo at Karate Combat: Kickback 2 on March 23, 2024 1. Antônio Arroyo at Karate Combat 48 on July 25, 2024 2.Tyrone Spong at Karate Combat 54 on May 2, 2025
2	Robelis Despaigne def. Sam Alvey	Karate Combat 58 Doral, Florida	December 5, 2025	71 days (incumbent)

Weight limit: 185lb

No.	Name	Event	Date	Reign	Defenses
1	Shahin Atamov def. Franklin Mina	Karate Combat The Future Episode 10 Orlando, Florida	September 2, 2021	296 days
2	Ross Levine def. Shahin Atamov	Karate Combat Season 4 Event 2 Orlando, Florida	June 25, 2022	705 days	1. def. Igor De Castañeda at Karate Combat 38 on December 1, 2022 2. def. Adrian Hadribeaj at Karate Combat 46 on May 30th, 2024
Levine retired from combat sports.
3	Ilyas Khamzin def. Adrian Weathersby	Karate Combat 57 Miami, Florida	October 31, 2025	106 days (incumbent)

Weight limit: 170lb

No.	Name	Event	Date	Reign	Defenses
1	Josh Quayhagen def. Jerome Brown	Karate Combat Neo Tokyo Episode 7 Orlando, Florida	October 25, 2020	1001 days	1. def.Dionicio Gustavo at Karate Combat Okinawa 2 on July 11, 2021
—	Rafael Aghayev def.Raymond Daniels for interim title	Karate Combat 37 Salamanca, New York	December 17, 2022	~
2	Rafael Aghayev def. Josh Quayhagen	Karate Combat 40 Orlando, Florida	June 24, 2023	616 days
Aghayev retired from combat sports in March 2025.
3	Oussama Assli def. James Honey	Karate Combat 58 Doral, Florida	December 5, 2025	71 days (incumbent)

Weight limit: 155lb

No.	Name	Event	Date	Reign	Defenses
1	Edgars Skrīvers def. Luiz Victor Rocha	Karate Combat Evolution Orlando, Florida	September, 2019	980 days	1. def. Myrza-bek Tebuev at Karate Combat Neo Tokyo episode 7 on November 8th, 2021 2. def. Bruno Assis at Hollywood Hills Event 7 in August 12th, 2021
2	Luiz Victor Rocha def. Edgars Skrivers	Karate Combat Season 4 Event 2 Orlando, Florida	May 28, 2022	1148 days	1. def. Bruno Souza at KC 39 on May 20th, 2023 2. def. Edgars Skrīvers at KC43 in November 3rd, 2023
—	Shahzaib Rind [ur] def. Bruno Assis for interim title	Karate Combat 47 Singapore	September 18, 2024	~	1. def. Edgars Skrīvers at KC52 on January 24th, 2025
3	Shahzaib Rind def. Luis Victor Rocha	Karate Combat 56 Miami, Florida	July 19, 2025	210 days (incumbent)

Weight limit: 135lb

No.	Name	Event	Date	Reign	Defenses
1	Eoghan Chelmiah def. Illies Mardhi	Karate Combat Season 3 Episode 12 on September 16, 2021 Orlando, Florida	October 25, 2020	1086 days	1. def. Illies Mardhi at Karate Combat Season 4 Episode 4 on June 25th, 2022 2. def. Jesus Paurcarcaja Lopez at Hollywood Hills Event 7 in December 2022
2	Myrza-Bek Tebuev def. Eoghan Chelmiah	Karate Combat 41 Dominican Republic	September 16, 2023	882 days (incumbent)	1. def. Luiz Victor Rocha at Karate Combat 45 on April 20th, 2024
Myrza-Bek Tebuev vacated the belt for unknown reasons.
3	Arturo Vergara def. Eoghan Chelmiah	Karate Combat 51 Orlando, Florida	December 19, 2024	422 days (incumbent)

Weight limit: 135lb

No.	Name	Event	Date	Reign	Defenses
1	Melinda Fabian def. Omaira	Karate Combat 43 Las Vegas, Nevada	December 15, 2023	792 days (incumbent)

Weight limit: 125lb

No.	Name	Event	Date	Reign	Defenses
1	Aline Pereira def. Fani Peloumpi	Karate Combat 56 Miami, Florida	July 19, 2025	210 days (incumbent)

Weight limit: 125lb

No.	Name	Event	Date	Reign	Defenses
1	Sthefanie Oliveira def. Christina Kavakopoulou	Karate Combat 42 Orlando, Florida	November 3, 2023	834 days (incumbent)
—	Lili Ferreira def.Monika Chochlíková for interim title	Karate Combat 59 Miami, Florida	February 13, 2026	~

Longest championship reign	Luiz Victor Rocha	1148 days
Most wins	Eoghan Chelmiah Shahzaib Rind	8
Oldest champion	Rafael Aghayev	39 years, 1 months
Youngest champion	Eoghan Chelmiah	24 years, 1 months
Most title fight wins	Edgars Skrivers Eoghan Chelmiah Luiz Victor Rocha Ross Levine Sam Alvey	3
Most consecutive title defenses	Edgars Skrivers Eoghan Chelmiah Luiz Victor Rocha Ross Levine Sam Alvey	2

It has been suggested that this article besplit out into articles titled2018 in Karate Combat,2019 in Karate Combat,2020 in Karate Combat,2021 in Karate Combat,2022 in Karate Combat,2023 in Karate Combat and2024 in Karate Combat. (Discuss)(January 2024)

Karate Combat events feature male and femalekarateka from a roster of over 100 professional fighters. The first five events were held in front of an invite-only audience. Later events incorporate CGI effects and original music in order to achieve a modern appearance and appeal to a younger demographic.^[10] Event locations favor optimal camera angles and cinematic scenery over a big live-audience. Thus locations like the 102nd floor of the One World Trade Center were chosen hosting a selected audience with black-tie dress code.^[11] The events attracted the notice of American television^[12] and newspaper.^[13] Recordings of all events can be accessed for free via the official website. Past events have also been streamed viaUFC Fight Pass.^[14][15]

It has been suggested that this article besplit out into a new article titled2022 in Karate Combat. (Discuss)(December 2023)

It has been suggested that this article besplit out into a new article titled2023 in Karate Combat. (Discuss)(December 2023)

• Karate at the Summer Olympics
• Karate World Championships

• Official website
• Fighting Games

• 2018 establishments in New York City
• BeIN Sports
• Full contact karate
• Submission wrestling
• Karate competitions in the United States
• Grappling competitions
• Brazilian jiu-jitsu organizations
• Karate organizations
• Kickboxing organizations
• No-Gi Brazilian jiu-jitsu competitions
• Sports leagues in the United States
• Sports organizations established in 2018

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