For June and July, we will be recognizing the winners of this year’s Rookie Rumble VI that took place May 14th. For June, we are shining the spotlight on Devrim Dereli who took the win as the Warlord tourney winner.
HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN TRAINING FOR ARMORED COMBAT?
I started training for armored combat in May of 2021. I went to The Knights Hall for a few months, then got set up with my own equipment at home to continue training locally.
DO YOU HAVE ANY BACKGROUND EXPERIENCE IN MARTIAL ARTS OR OTHER SPORTS?
I played varsity football for 3 years in high school. In college, I continued power lifting and playing an assortment of recreational sports. In early 2022, after starting armored combat, I enrolled in a judo gym to help supplement my grappling.
HOW DID YOU LEARN ABOUT ARMORED COMBAT AND WHAT MADE YOU DECIDE TO JOIN?
During the early months of the pandemic, I used my first stimulus check to buy what I considered to be a frivolous purchase: a suit of armor from an armorer in Ukraine. I intended to use it as a display piece, but after chatting with the seller I learned that the armor was “functional”. The armorer pointed me to “Buhurt” and I saw a Vice documentary related to armored combat and went down a YouTube rabbit hole. A quick Google search showed me that there was an armored combat training school in Nashua, so I reached out and got involved.
DO YOU REMEMBER HOW YOU FELT IN YOUR FIRST FIGHT? CAN YOU DESCRIBE THE EXPERIENCE?
I was honestly terrified. It was hot, the armor felt extremely heavy, and even though I was set to casually spar, I was very intimidated by my opponent. After 3 rounds, I was exhausted. It wasn’t until I got home that I felt a sense of satisfaction in completing the fight. To think that I fought in armor and swung a weapon in a fight was very exhilarating. A big portion of that satisfaction came from the reassurances of the other fighters that supported me through that experience.
WHAT IS YOUR PREFERRED WEAPON? DO YOU HAVE A PARTICULAR FAVORITE?
So far, my favorite weapon that I’ve fought with is my battleaxe. That’s what I used in the Rumble and Warlord tournament. Very satisfying to swing, easy to maneuver, and looks sick as hell with its double headed bit.
WHAT WOULD YOU SAY ARE SOME POSITIVE ASPECTS THAT COME FROM THE SPORT?
I think participating in general is highly challenging, especially when fighting against people that have years of experience over you. So when you complete fight after fight, and experience the progression in your fitness/skill/courage, it’s extremely rewarding and gratifying to know you can do something that is challenging, which is a great confidence boost.
WHAT IS YOUR FIGHTING STYLE – IF YOU HAVE ONE?
I don’t think I have developed a particular style just yet, but the most fun I’ve had was definitely using a two handed battleaxe for striking, while trying to implement some of the skills I’ve learned from judo.
DO YOU THINK FIGHTING CHANGES WHO YOU ARE AS A PERSON? HOW HAS IT AFFECTED YOU PERSONALLY?
I think it definitely has an effect on breaking your view on what you are capable of doing, whether you feel limited physically or mentally. I think steel fighting is a great example of a multifaceted sport that makes you improve in a variety of ways, whether it be your athleticism, martial arts techniques, or tactical thinking, because you need all of those things to succeed. A lot of that can be applied to everyday tasks, and I think it’s an overall great template for honing your skills in anything.
WHAT WOULD YOUR ADVICE BE FOR NEW PEOPLE INTERESTED IN THE SPORT?
Listen to the best fighters, take everyone’s advice no matter what, and apply what you learn to discover what does and does not work for you. Be patient with yourself, because you’re going to get knocked down a lot before you start knocking other people down. Finally, do your best to stay in shape, the fewer times you pull yourself out of the fight, the more experience you’ll gain by default.
WHAT DO YOU LOOK FORWARD TO FOR THE FUTURE OF ARMORED COMBAT SPORTS?
I look forward to the sport continuing to gain more traction and participants. It will be awesome to witness fully rostered teams that can run 5v5s with subs just for local chapter matches.
ANY FINAL WORDS YOU WANTED TO MENTION?
I’d like to thank the coaches, chapter captains, fighters, and support staff of The Knights Hall for facilitating this exciting sport and fulfilling one of my childhood dreams by teaching me to fight like a knight!
