After a highly successful season premiere in February 2023, the ringside bell dings once again for Armored MMA! The increasingly popular medieval meets modern MMA-style combat sport makes its monthly showcase at The Nashville Palace. Set for the last Wednesday of May, the bravest and the toughest fighters go head-to-head inside the steel cage! Get your tickets to the upcoming Armored MMA on May 31 from The Ticket Fairy.
Since laying out some heavyweight clashes last time, the steel-caged octagon assembles yet again for Armored MMA. The previous edition saw intense duels with the likes of fighters Kelsey Leta, Shaina Steinmann, Josh Stagner, Jakub Rossak, and Matthew Fry battling it out. It also saw Armoured MMA combat channeled from “…A Galaxy Far Far Away” with a Star Wars-esque lightsaber duel evoking the popular film franchise and Star Wars Day.
Armored MMA dishes out fighters trained for battle at Nashville Armored Combat, guided by owners and fighters Mickey Gallus and Kelsey Leta. To completely prepare for this kind of combative sport, techniques such as judo, soft kit sparring, yoga, reflex and mobility training, pro fight, and duel classes are taught. Back in the ring, referees also gear up sporting medieval-style gear, helmets, and carrying a lance.
We reached out to owner Mickey Gallus to get his input on Armored MMA.
Mickey Gallus and Armored MMA
“We changed the rules for safety and for more exciting fights, and also decided to have the fights in a cage.“
When asked about the conception of Armored MMA, Gallus told us, “Armored Combat has been a reenactment sport for about 20 years in Europe and over 10 years in the United States. The sport itself has three major categories: Duels, Team Fights, and 1v1 MMA-style fights.”
“I decided to focus on making the Armored MMA style of fighting into the main type of fighting that I teach at my school, Nashville Armored Combat. We also changed the rules for safety and for more exciting fights and also decided to have the fights in a cage. People have been swinging swords in tournaments for ages, we just modernized it,” added Gallus.
Mickey Gallus embraced the sport less than three years ago after observing a few elements were missing. He remarks, “First off, fighters pay to compete in other armored combat events and typically, they have to fight outdoors with no audience. All three things needed to change in my opinion, so I took charge and created a highly entertaining sport that allows the audience to engage with fighters and we get to pay fighters for doing such a deadly sport.”
The Reaction to Armored MMA
“They are loud, rowdy, funny, and genuine. They cheer and boo, they joke and jeer, and they fully immerse themselves in the show.”
Speaking about the atmosphere in the arena and the attendees’ response to Armored MMA so far, Gallus said, “The audience is everything when it comes to our events. They are loud, rowdy, funny, and genuine. They cheer and boo, they joke and jeer, and they fully immerse themselves in the show. Half the crowd always seems to be new people who have no idea what to expect, but by the end of the first match, they are screaming loudly for the fighters at every sword strike. The atmosphere is electrifying and keeps getting bigger every time we fight.”
The Vision for Armored MMA
“The fighters truly deserve a huge spotlight and the fans deserve the production value you get from a large venue.”
Gallus and his team have ambitious plans to take Armored MMA to the big stage, organizing shows in sporting venues across the country. They are working hard to host their first major event in early 2024.
“We want to be doing shows in sports arenas around the country. A show in a different state once a month that seats thousands of people. The fighters truly deserve a huge spotlight and the fans deserve the production value you get from a large venue. We want top fighters, the best venues, and the most intense audience!” says Gallus.
He continues on his vision for Armored MMA, stating, “Moving forward, we are pushing to make Armored MMA (AMMA) a nationwide organization that rivals other fighting organizations. We want fighters who have dedicated their lives to this sport to be fairly compensated and we want the audiences to receive the best show possible.”
Mickey Gallus concluded the conversation, saying, “We understand that we would be nowhere without our fans. They mean everything to us and their attendance every month is what drives us and helps us grow. We at Armored MMA just want to give a huge thank you to them. We love seeing you all at every show! Friendship!”
Grab your tickets for Armored MMA on May 31 from The Ticket Fairy: HERE
For those looking to catch glimpses of what this combat sport looks like, fight nights are hosted on Armored MMA’s Facebook page.
For more information, visit: https://www.nashvillearmoredcombat.com/
