Karate Combat to air second season through beIN SPORTS beginning September 24
beIN SPORTS, the global sports broadcaster, has acquired the rights to the second season of Karate Combat – the world’s first professional, full-contact karate league – in a 37-market deal which spans five continents and includes the United States, with 12 episodes airing weekly.
beIN SPORTS will broadcast weekly episodes of Karate Combat in North America, the Middle East & North Africa (MENA), Turkey, and 10 countries in Asia-Pacific.
Karate Combat’s diverse fighter roster features more than 150 men and women from over 40 countries competing in the league’s patented pit and is the first sports league to blend real-time virtual effects with world-class athletics.
The first season captured thrilling fights in well-known locations including the top floor of One World Trade Center. The second season will raise the bar by blending real-world fights with eye-catching special effects, transporting fans into virtual worlds. Season two features bouts in four virtual worlds rendered real-time using Unreal Engine, the video game engine behind Fortnite.
The fights are hosted by combat sports legend Bas Rutten with special guests ranging from Hollywood celebrities to NFL athletes. For more information about Karate Combat and to see past fights, visit www.karate.com.
“Necessity is the mother of invention, and our second season of Karate Combat is one step ahead of the game. Forget virtual fans and fight islands,” said Rob Bryan, CEO of Karate Combat. “We are rebuilding sports from the ground up to give fans something wildly entertaining. beIN SPORTS will bring our full contact action to the world.”
Antonio Briceño, Managing Director of beIN SPORTS North America said: “Karate Combat is presenting martial arts in a way never seen before and is poised to transition combat sports from niche to mainstream. beIN SPORTS is excited to add a groundbreaking new property to our established portfolio of world-class sports content and we are making it readily available to thousands of combat sports fans across North America for free on beIN SPORTS XTRA, our free 24/7 live sports channel.”
The 12-episode season of Karate Combat will premiere in the U.S. and Canada on September 24 at 10 p.m. EST / 7 p.m. PST on beIN SPORTS XTRA, the network’s free, 24/7 English-language LIVE sports, news, analysis and highlights channel.
Karate Combat will air weekly on Thursdays at 10 p.m. EST / 7pm PST on beIN SPORTS XTRA with an encore presentation on Saturdays at 11 p.m. EST / 8 p.m. PST on beIN SPORTS.
beIN SPORTS XTRA is available in the U.S. and Canada on The Roku Channel, Samsung TV Plus, and XUMO TV and in the U.S. on Pluto TV, Redbox, and over-the-air stations in Los Angeles, Chicago, Philadelphia, Dallas – Fort Worth, Houston, San Jose – San Francisco – Oakland, Atlanta, Miami – Fort Lauderdale, San Diego, Salt Lake City, Hartford, Columbus, Las Vegas, and Austin, among others. For more information and schedules visit beINSPORTSXTRA.com.
beIN SPORTS is part of beIN MEDIA GROUP, the leading sports, media and entertainment group. beIN SPORTS holds the single largest portfolio of sports rights of any global broadcaster, operating across 5 continents, 43 countries, in 9 different languages and with over 55 million subscribers worldwide. As well as being one of the most valued international partners of the IOC, UEFA, FIFA, the English Premier League, LaLiga, the NBA, Wimbledon, USTA, and WTA, beIN SPORTS is the official broadcaster of the FIFA World Cup 2022 in the Middle East & North Africa.
