On Saturday, May 25, 2013 Damien Kestle and James LaFond will be fighting five submission duels with blunted Cold Steel kukri machetes to kick off the Agon and demonstrate the self-scoring parameters of this Modern Agonistics submission combat event. Part of the reason for using this weapon is that neither fighter has trained with it. This is an experimental combat set intended largely to test the fighters’ footwork and adaptability.

Damien and James have fought one duel with this weapon at Tom Clark’s Agon back in 2005. Damien, using an ice-pick grip, easily dispatched James with a stab to the crown of his helmet in 11 seconds. This fight can be viewed at Cory Bracken’s Modern Fighter YouTube channel [see our network] and was famously lame. James will attempt to redeem himself at Agon 2013 in one or more of the five bouts outlined below and agreed to by Sifu Kestle:

All bouts to be fought as sudden death encounters, with mutual kills and maims refought

Bout 1 – A conventional grip duel

Bout 2 – Left-handed conventional grip [James] versus right-handed ice-pick grip [Damien]

Bout 3 – Ice-pick grip [either hand]

Bout 4 – A linked or ‘tethered’ duel in which the fighters hold on to either end of a five foot chain with the kukri grip they prefer

Bout 5 – A gladiatorial combat with nine-inch steel shields. Gladiatorial combats differ from standard duels in that limb armor is assumed and strikes to limbs ‘do what they do’, and that strikes to the shell portion of a helmet may not be glancing, but must have shock value to be decisive.

Feel free to make comments or inquires using the comment feature below before or after the event, particularly if you have witnessed it and would like to offer an interpretation.

James, 5/17/2013