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Anyone heard of this?
It's a new organization that basically takes karate point-fighters and drops them into a setting where the fighting is continuous and full-contact. Rules-wise it's a strange creature, because certain techniques that would be allowed in K-1 or MT are not allowed here, but there are other things that are allowed that make it kind of like MMA.
From some things I've read it seems at this time the rules are still in flux but just by watching the first event here's what I gleaned:
Punches and kicks can be delivered full-contact. Kicks are allowed to the head and body, as well as to the the legs but ONLY below the knee (presumably this is to give them the ability to do their leg sweeps). I read that knees are not allowed, but this may change? Also, takedowns are allowed but no wrestling on the ground. Once your opponent has been taken down then you have 5 seconds to GnP them but ONLY from a standing position. You can't follow them to the ground. Kicks are not allowed to a grounded fighter but the grounded fighter can upkick their opponent.
What it seems like they did here was ask the question, "What would WKF karate sparring look like if it were continuous and full-contact?" and they created this org to answer that question. I will give them credit for creating something that looks and feels unique, though I don't think it's going to be for everyone. Like I said, they seem to still be ironing things out so I expect changes to be made over the next year or so as they come to a final design for the product.
The guys involved look like they're still getting used to fighting full-contact and are finding their footing, but it's early days so I won't hold that against them.
The first real event (they did a pre-season event earlier on) went down recently in Miami. Bas Rutten did commentary. Luke Rockhold was also in attendance.
Here's one of the fights from the event:
Full event: