When figuring out whom to interview for October, Jaye Brooks had suggested I reach out to Brett Skinner whom he felt needed the recognition. I approached Brett at the most recent Blood and Steel event and was humbled and honored to be a Fighter of the Month nominee. Brett has done a lot to help in his community and at Warlord Combat Academy in Irving, Texas and his achievements are worth noting!
HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN TRAINING FOR ARMORED COMBAT?
5 years
DO YOU HAVE ANY BACKGROUND EXPERIENCE IN MARTIAL ARTS OR OTHER SPORTS?
I have always had a love for sports, martial arts, and all things sword fighting. Growing up I played just about every sport I could play. I competed in basketball, soccer, baseball, ice hockey, racquetball, and football (football was definitely my main love though). I always had an obsession with sword fighting though and when I was 14 I found a small Texas based foam fighting larp and fell in love with it. From there I moved into Amtgard and then into Bel and Dag and became one of the best foam fighters in the country and then continued to branch out training in sca, hema, and olympic fencing before finally coming to armored combat. After finding armored combat I started cross training more heavily in other martial arts as well in order to improve my skills in steel fighting. I did a year of muay thai looking to learn more about unarmed striking before getting into judo to improve my grappling where I continue to train.
HOW DID YOU LEARN ABOUT ARMORED COMBAT/STEEL FIGHTING AND WHAT MADE YOU DECIDE TO JOIN?
My friend and boss at the time Brennon had bought an armor kit with the intent to start doing it and he invited me down to a small Texas meet up that was happening to try and introduce the sport to the area. I loved pretty much all forms sword fighting so I was excited to see what it was all about. I wasn’t able to get in full armor that day but I got in sca armor and did the sport with rattan sticks to kinda get a feel for it. It was a lot of fun but it definitely wasn’t love at first fight. Brennon however was determined to have a team of people to fight and to fight with so he kept pestering everyone to come fight until we all eventually joined up.
DO YOU REMEMBER HOW YOU FELT IN YOUR FIRST FIGHT? CAN YOU DESCRIBE THE EXPERIENCE?
It was kind of a mixed bag. The adrenaline of the fight was fairly exhilarating but coming from a sport that had no armor and that was very high speed, armored combat felt kind of clumsy and restrictive. While the fighting was fun, I just didn’t really like being in armor. It actually took a long time for that to go away but I’m extremely glad I pushed through it because now I can’t imagine my life without this sport.
WHAT IS YOUR PREFERED WEAPON? DO YOU HAVE A PARTICULAR FAVORITE?
I fight with a little bit of everything these days. I have really been enjoying fighting with a two handed axe and exploring the different ways to utilize it in a fight, that’s been my main focus over the last year or so, but falchion and shield is still unquestionably my comfort pick.
WHAT IS YOUR FIGHTING STYLE – IF YOU HAVE ONE?
I am definitely a heavy grappler with a preference towards counter attacking. I feel like my striking is solid as well but I have always found striking to be way less consistent in this sport than grappling so there is no question I focus on grappling heavily in my game.
WHAT WOULD YOU SAY ARE SOME POSITIVE ASPECTS THAT COME FROM THE SPORT AND THE ORGANIZATION?
I think the biggest thing is just the community. The sport and organization has an absolutely amazing community of people and it’s a pleasure to be a part of it.
DO YOU THINK FIGHTING CHANGES WHO YOU ARE AS A PERSON? HOW HAS IT AFFECTED YOU PERSONALLY?
I don’t think there is any way it couldn’t change you as a person. Stepping into the list is kind of terrifying. There are people across from you holding real weapons with every intent to hit you as hard as they can with them and worse yet there is a very real possibility that someone is going to hold you in a way that you can’t defend yourself while it happens. On top of that, fighting in armor is one of the most exhausting and grueling activities I have ever experienced. There are moments when you feel like you can’t breathe, where you desperately need out of your helmet and out of the list and someone looks you in the eyes and tells you you can’t leave because the team needs you, and you turn back around, certain that you have nothing left to give, and you look at those same people across from you, intent on causing you pain, and you choose to fight anyway. Moments like that almost have to change a person. Being so certain you have reached your absolute limits and then being shown just how much you still had.
I’m more confident I guess…
WHAT WOULD YOUR ADVICE BE FOR NEW PEOPLE INTERESTED IN THE SPORT?
Join! It’s an extremely fulfilling activity with a lot of amazing people!
WHAT DO YOU LOOK FORWARD TO FOR THE FUTURE OF ARMORED COMBAT SPORTS?
Mainly a year where covid doesnt shut down the World Championship!
But also I’d love to see more “professionally” streamed events with commentators to help grow viewership and our fan base. It’s already happening more and more but I think trained commentators will be a huge part of the continued growth and spread of the sport so I’m excited to be headed that direction!
ANY FINAL WORDS YOU WANTED TO MENTION?
Come train with me at Warlord Combat Academy!
