Hear ye, hear ye _{by Alessia Belsito-Riera}

Peasants and princesses, serfs and sovereigns – the tournament of the century will commence on Thursday the 26^th of June. Hither forth to Fight Night at Sweet Axe Throwing Co for an evening of fierce rivalry and fiendish revelry.

Spectacular duels and thunderous battles collide in this medieval cage combat night from Ruckus, Buhurt – New Zealand, and Sweet Axe Co that will transport you to an age of chivalrous knights and feasting fit for a king. Watch as trained warriors clad in gleaming medieval armour unleash flying axes and clashing swords in a battle for ultimate bragging rights.

Inspired by Australian armoured combat shows, the organisers wanted to bring a taste of history to Te Whanganui-a-tara audiences. Though Buhurt is not primarily focused on historical accuracy, the modernised sport showcases a free interpretation of the medieval pre-jousting tournament competitions.

“The armour the fighter wears follows a relatively strict set of rules to ensure the full kit of one fighter is accurate to a specific warrior from a region at a specific time,” Sweet Axe Throwing Co Wellington venue manager Charlotte says. “The fighting techniques, however, are free from any historical constraint.”

To comply with modern safety standards, the rules are also different from what they used to be, but the atmosphere is straight out of the Middle Ages!

“Often people associate axes with wars and battles from medieval times. The crew from Buhurt are trained in combat and put on a show,” Charlotte beams. “All we really want the audience to take away is an adrenaline rush from having a few drinks ringside and watching some loud, energetic fighting”.

Huzzah! It’s epic sword-swinging, axe-chopping, heart-pounding theatre. Grab some grog, gulp some ale, and feel the clanging of steel, the roar of the crowd, and the thrill of knights battling for glory at this bone-rattling, armour-clanking medieval cage fight night.