2020 Armor, the leader in electronic training and scoring gear for martial arts, is hosting the World’s First Data-Driven Martial Arts Tournament – the 2020 Armor Combine. Amateurs and Olympians from around the world are competing for the title of World’s Fastest reflexes. The Combine uses 2020 Armor’s patented technology to empower athletes to compete safely and remotely against each other. The tournament climaxes in an esports broadcast live format, with star-studded commentators from the traditional martial arts and video game world on Saturday, September 12th at 1PM
“Competition and showing performance is a fundamental aspect of martial arts, and during the pandemic, the only martial art competitions have been around showing one’s form – known as patterns” says 2020 Armor CEO Ali Ghafour. “This is only half of our martial art training. There has been nothing on sparring or measurable metrics like reaction, power and stamina. The 2020 Armor hardware and app can measure exactly this and the industry can start having decentralized tournaments that are data driven, exciting, generate revenues and merge into the world of video games. It is a really exciting mix.”
Hundreds of participants from across the globe enter the first Combine and are awaiting the final results.
“For my students this has been incredible,” says Master Jon Powell, of FACM Taekwondo, based in Florida. “The Combine has given them something to look forward to. Something to train towards. They’ve been working so much harder in class since the event was announced. It makes them feel like they’re really a part of something special in these uncertain times. I couldn’t be more thankful for this event.”
Mooto, one of the world’s largest martial arts equipment suppliers, joined the Combine as a major sponsor, excited by 2020 Armor’s vision, and offering prizes to the top 8 contestants. The event has also gotten attention outside of the traditional martial arts from the world of Esports.
“The gaming industry has been watching 2020 Armor closely since its product was released,” said Evan Kubes, President of Rumble Gaming. “The immersive nature of the training gear would be enough on its own to excite gamers, but with this combine, 2020 Armor is taking a huge step towards further integrating martial arts into the esports world. We’re excited to see how the FGC community responds once when they get their hands on 2020 Armor.”
leAD Sports & Health Tech Partners, the world’s leading sports and health tech investment platform inspired by legend of the sports industry Adi Dassler, sees this event as a huge step forward in 2020 Armor’s evolution in the martial arts industry.
“Competition brings out the best in us,” says Christoph Sonnen, Co-Founder & CEO of leAD, Partner ADvantage Sports Tech Fund. “We don’t just want it, we need it. It’s incredible that during a pandemic – when you can’t leave your city – 2020 Armor’s technology empowers kids to compete against their heroes without leaving home. Imagine having a chance to face an Olympian. Imagine what that would feel like. And you don’t have to win. Every single participant in the Combine learns about data-driven training and has the chance to push their own training forward by leaps and bounds. They don’t need to guess how much faster, stronger, they are becoming. The technology can prove it. Tune in on Saturday, September 12th and you’re going to see the foundation of the professional league they are creating. It’s going to be a tournament unlike any other.”
The Future
“Anyone can throw a Combine. The model is scalable for any organization – from a small club, to a 200,000 participant event. The 2020 Armor Combine is a model and glimpse for the future of martial arts powered by 2020 Armor,” says 2020 Armor CEO Ali Ghafour. “Our patented technology will usher in the future of how martial arts is practiced and viewed: a form of martial arts that is entertaining, easy to understand, and practiced anywhere in the world.”
About 20/20 Armor
20/20 Armor is a sports technology company that develops martial art scoring equipment and software, transforming martial arts into a mainstream professional sport like soccer. The company’s flagship product tracks impacts through a vest that shows the score on the vest itself using scoring from popular video games. Customers include the largest martial art clubs in the world. Founders & investors of 20/20 Armor are former professional martial art athletes. leAD Sports, founded by the family members of Adidas is a major investor.
20/20 Armor’s vision is to be the standard of impact measurement for all martial arts and to be the foundation technology and creators of a new spectator friendly professional martial art league.
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About Rumble Gaming
Rumble Gaming is an industry leading talent agency that bridges the gap between brands and the esports and gaming ecosystem by facilitating partnership opportunities and creating authentic marketing activations. As a media platform, we have a content distribution network bolstered across the spheres of digital and linear media. This, coupled with production studios in Toronto, New York and Los Angeles, makes our offering uniquely positioned to create content and disseminate content on behalf of our clients and partners.
For more information go to https://rumblegaming.gg/
About leAD
leAD Sports & Health Tech Partners sources, funds, and drives growth of early-stage sports & health tech startups globally. leAD was founded in 2016 and was inspired by the legend of the sports industry Adi Dassler. Since inception, leAD has taken on new companies into its business every year. With 30 companies from around the globe under its portfolio, leAD is constantly empowering founders to create their own legacy. leAD works with groundbreaking solutions across the verticals of fan engagement, connected athletes, and health & well-being and focuses on driving growth through smart investment, premier network access, and expert training. leAD has three three investment vehicles – Academy, Portfolio, and ADvantage Fund – and commercial partnerships with Citi Private Bank, Tavistock Group, OurCrowd, and Lake Nona to further support portfolio growth.
To learn more about leAD, visit www.leadsports.com
