An Entrance fee is charged/Collected at the gates and tickets given.
The gate
Dollops of water hit the ground preparing the ring for battle.
Combat terrain is roiling dusty earth calmed with water from jerry cans, to reduce the dust
clouds.
clouds.
There are no locker rooms, referees do not check for illegalitems, they simply officiate the matches.
Preparing the fighting arms, wrapping them tightly.
Fighters mummify their fighting hand with strips of cloths giving the arm mace-like quality.
Fighters mummify their fighting hand with strips of cloths giving the arm mace-like quality.
fighter showing his fighting arm
fighting arm
Fighters mummify their fighting hand with strips of cloths giving the arm mace-like quality.
Augmented and fortified by talismans, amulets, painkillers and potions; superstition of the fighters is measured by their scars and trinkets meant to give them strength and guarantee victory.
The line Up: In fists-only competition that easily rivals Mixed Martial Artists, men of the butcher caste come together to indulge in a practice that would probably never reach the legitimacy of professionally organized sport.
Fighters spray themselves with water to make it difficult for the opponent to get a firm grasp of themselves.
Neutralising the opponent with their free arm, the fighters launch their punches.
The sound of each blow hitting flesh is unnerving and injuries in the aftermath of the competition are unbelievable.
In fists-only competition that easily rivals Mixed Martial Artists, men of the butcher caste come together to indulge in a practice that would probably never reach the legitimacy of
professionally organized sport.
professionally organized sport.
Neutralising the opponent with their free arm, the fighters launch their punches.
Brutality does not leave the dambe entirely devoid of rules, the cardinal one being that flesh making contact with earth means the fighter is defeated. Any part of a fighter’s body
hitting/making contact with the ground means defeat, whether as a result of falling or being knocked out.
hitting/making contact with the ground means defeat, whether as a result of falling or being knocked out.
Performance enhancement, considered illegal in most sanctioned sports, seems part and parcel of Dambe.
Ropes separate an audience of mostly men from the fighters preparing for the
brutality about to commence.
brutality about to commence.
Neutralising the opponent with their free arm, the fighters launch their punches.
Commentator introduces/announces each fighter/round.
People, Praise-singers and musicians cheer for the fighters.
Observers flock to something to make professional sports organizers envious of reactions and crowd strength.
Price money is given/sprayed on the winner of a bout.
This one got away with a swollen lip, Others have more serious injuries.
