In honor of our most recent Rookie Rumble V, we will be recognizing the winners from the event. For June we are recognizing Jason Francisco, Rookie Rumble Warlord winner. Jason has only been in armored combat for a few months and has been dedicating his time training at The Knights Hall. Not even a full year in and we see so much potential for this fighter!
HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN TRAINING FOR ARMORED COMBAT?
Approximately 9 months
DO YOU HAVE ANY BACKGROUND EXPERIENCE IN MARTIAL ARTS OR OTHER SPORTS?
Swimming, water polo (which I count as a martial art), Karate, Jiu-Jitsu/Judo, Brazilian Jiu-jitsu, Muay Thai, MMA (amateur.)
HOW DID YOU LEARN ABOUT ARMORED COMBAT AND WHAT MADE YOU DECIDE TO JOIN?
My brother passed on stories about some people he knew down where he lived outside NYC, but I didn’t become seriously interested until I saw it live.
What was originally maybe a date turned into a regular D&D game with some armored fighters. I always try to support my local people, so my girlfriend (now wife) and I went to see a couple fights at The Knights Hall in Nashua, NH. A year or so later we moved to Southern New Hampshire so my (then) fiancé could be closer to her hometown of Portsmouth. COVID hit and the Hall was the only place I could train to fight while socially distancing and I got hooked. I had no idea how much more I would love team combat over individual fights like MMA and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.
YOU RECENTLY PARTICIPATED IN ROOKIE RUMBLE AND WON WARLORD! DO YOU REMEMBER HOW YOU FELT FOR YOUR FIRST ROOKIE RUMBLE FIGHT? CAN YOU DESCRIBE THE EXPERIENCE?
Exhausting and glorious. It is a sublime freedom. Especially knowing that it was the Warlord Tournament and there were so many chances to fight win or lose really opened me up and pealed off most of the performance anxiety.
WHAT IS YOUR PREFERED WEAPON? DO YOU HAVE A PARTICULAR FAVORITE?
Punching with shield is most familiar and similar to the other martial arts I’ve trained. Two-handed axes are wonderful, also. I’m a carpenter by trade so I’m really looking forward to trying out a hand axe on someone live. I’m also interested in trying a buckler and two-handed axe combo, but not overly hopeful. I have an affinity towards pole arms, but I also have never had the chance to use one live.
Basically I don’t care for swords, I guess. Probably would have been a shorter answer.
Each weapon speaks a different language and my natural understanding of swords is not great. Perhaps it will improve. Maybe I just won’t ever like them even if I get better. I’m excited to learn either way.
WHAT WOULD YOU SAY ARE SOME POSITIVE ASPECTS THAT COME FROM THE SPORT?
Violence is godly. It is its own end and purpose. All life is an act of violence against the long, dark night of entropy. Those who never taste the sting of battle and the glory of combat cannot know themselves fully in the same way that one cannot know oneself without reflection and meditation. The ACS, like other combat sports organizations, provides a safe and welcoming environment to learn those truths with comrades and friends, without facing trauma and loss. Of all the combat sports, it is the only one that is a true team combat sport (melees). There is nothing like stalking across a field to an uncertain fate beside your people.
WHAT IS YOUR FIGHTING STYLE – IF YOU HAVE ONE?
I would lay no claim to knowing myself well enough to say just yet. In five years I will begin to develop a style, maybe. Again, each weapon is so different.
DO YOU THINK FIGHTING CHANGES WHO YOU ARE AS A PERSON? HOW HAS IT AFFECTED YOU PERSONALLY?
I have always been a fighter, so I’m not sure I can answer this question. Sport fighting is very freeing. I think violence has a bad rep in our society for something that is so obviously natural to who and what we are both biologically and spiritually.
WHAT WOULD YOUR ADVICE BE FOR NEW PEOPLE INTERESTED IN THE SPORT?
Enjoy, have fun, be teachable. I say all the time that the greatest advantage all my other martial arts training has given me is the ability to ask questions.
WHAT DO YOU LOOK FORWARD TO FOR THE FUTURE OF ARMORED COMBAT SPORTS?
I’m excited to find out, really. I try not to guess. I have the feeling I would dream too small anyway.
Congratulations to Jason on his win as Rookie Rumble Warlord! Stay tuned for next month’s article on the Rumble winner.
