Fights have always been a spectacular form of entertainment that has enthralled audiences in every culture and civilization since time immemorial. From Ancient Greek pankration to Roman wrestling and modern boxing, fighting has always been a key element of male training not only as part of military preparation, but also as a form of entertainment and fitness training to stay in shape and hone the skills of personal defense, as well strengthen camaraderie.

In Russia, fist fighting takes root in ancient times and was a popular means of not only entertainment, but also as part of sacred rites that were conducted usually throughout the Maslenitsa and Trinity festivals. Less often, such fist fighting would take place from Kolyada to Petrov’s day, both important religious festivals accompanied by festivities, as well as during many other important national occasions. Fist fighting was also part of the legal system all the way up until the death of Ivan the Terrible, when men would fight out disputes during a rite known as the Field, or “Pole” in Russian.

Russians have always been known throughout Europe and the world as excellent hand-to-hand fighters, proving their mettle both on and outside the battlefield. Such prowess was made possible thanks to constant personal training among common folk and the instilled combat culture that honored one-on-one fist fighting above all other types of combat, and bestowed great privileges and valor upon the winners.

Fist fighting in modern Russia is just as popular as it was before, having gained new impetus with the popularization of military hand fighting styles and the establishment of dedicated organizations fostering the development of such martial arts, for example the All-Russian Federation of Hand-to-Hand Combat.

The rapid development of the theory and practice of hand-to-hand combat in Russia started in the mid-90s with the growth in the practical interest towards the formation of an effective applied system of martial arts. Such a system was essential in military interests, but also resulted in spectacular performances, including wrestling, with such athletes as Ivan Poddubny and Grigory Kashcheev becoming national heroes across the country.

Hand-to-hand combat as a sport rose to a new stage of development in the 90s, when martial arts professionals under the leadership of Valery Ivanovich Kharitonov and Gennady Anatolyevich Korolev created the Federation of Hand-to-Hand Combat of Law Enforcement Agencies, which was later transformed into a National Federation. As a result, hand-to-hand fighting received accreditation from the Russian Ministry of Sports and became a non-Olympic sport.

With the development of numerous fighting games and the dissemination of tournaments across television and digital channels, fist fighting has entered the new age. With the advent of blockchain technologies and the transition of numerous types of sports into the esports category, it was high time for fist fighting to catch up.

The Hardcore Fighting Championship is a professional Russian fist fighting league supported by its own cryptocurrency – the HardCoin. The Hardcore Fighting Championship is not a classic sports organization, but a media product and a means of YouTube promotion. The emphasis of the project is being placed on both the sports and the media component of the fistfights, thus promoting martial arts among broader audiences, attracting new ones, and having a positive effect on the development and recognition of fist fighting altogether as a form of entertainment.