Sword strikes bounce off metal armor, pole arms sweep, and the crowd roars. Memphis Armored Fight Club is a group who has resurrected the European martial arts of the Middle Ages.
Clad in period-authentic (or as authentic as you can get here in the twenty-first century) they spar with swords and shields. This is not choreographed fake fighting, they’re really going at it like competitors at a medieval tournament! Granted, the sharp edges are blunted, and there’s a strict “no stabbing” rule — that’s how you kill knights.
Last Saturday, they held one of their periodic bouts at Black Lodge in Midtown. I was there with a camera to capture some of the hot knight-on-knight action. After MAFC members showed everyone how it’s done, members of the audience got a chance to fight in the arena themselves. Take a look.
