Armored combat (sport)
| Highest governing body | Buhurt International |
|---|---|
| Nicknames | "buhurt", "historical medieval battles", "medieval armored combat" |
| First played | In it's current form, 1990s in Eastern Europe. |
| Clubs | 100+ individual teams |
| Characteristics | |
| Contact | Full contact fighting |
| Team members | "1 vs 1", "2 vs 2", "5 vs 5", "7 vs 7", "10 vs 10", "12 vs 12", "16 vs 16". "30 vs 30", "150 vs 150" |
| Mixed-sex | Yes, separate. |
| Type | Outdoor or indoor, field or arena. |
| Presence | |
| Country or region | Predominantly North America and Europe, with smaller popularity in Latin American and Asia. |
Armored combat or buhurt (from Old French béhourd: "joust", "tournament") or historical medieval battles (HMB) is a modern full contact fighting sport with steel blunt weapons characteristic of the Middle Ages. Rules on armour and weapons for historical authenticity and safety are published on various governing bodies.
Fighters are covered in full modern-produced protective armour, made from steel (or other metal alloy if permitted) made to aesthetically be close to their historical counterparts. This in contrast to Historical European Martial Arts (HEMA) that uses modern protective equipment such as a modern fencing helmet, padded fencing jacket, modern padded/heavy duty fencing gloves, forearm and leg protection.
Hits and blows may be aimed at any parts of the body (with the limitations set in the regulations); both wrestling and percussive techniques are permitted, thrusts are forbidden.
Unlike staged battles, that can be seen at festivals of historical reenactment of the Middle Ages the competitions in buhurt are the full contact sporting events that are refereed by the referees called knight marshals who have special training and combat experience.
As of 2026, the current active international governing bodies are Buhurt International, International Medieval Combat Federation, Magna Carta, and Alianza Latinoamericana de Combate Medieval. There are national governing bodies in 30+ countries predominately in North America and Europe, as well as Latin America with some in Asia, such as China. Popular US fight promotions and leagues, are Armored MMA, Armored Combat Sports, and Armored Combat Worldwide.