"Be kind. Get back up." That’s the mission statement of Cerberus Emissus, a local group of athletes whose sport isn’t exactly mainstream. (At least, not in the 21st century.) These are people who don armor copied from the Middle Ages, take up steel weapons, and duke it out like medieval MMA fighters. The actual sport is known as “buhurt,” from an old French term that literally means “wallop,” and it lives here in the Portland area.

The local armored combat team competes in official Historical Medieval Battles (HMB). Jason Cope, a marshal on the team, told us HMB started in eastern Europe, but there now are teams around the world. And wouldn’t you know it — Portland’s club is kind of a big deal.

Suits of armor can weigh up to 100 lbs. | Photo by Trina Krug

How it works

Fighters train to build up their physical + mental skills, and find blacksmiths and armorers to supply them with the gear they need. Competitions take place in an arena between groups of various sizes — from one-on-one bouts to battles between 300 people.

Jason said the skirmishes are full-contact and the risk of getting hurt is on par with football, so it’s his job to make sure the rules are being followed. “Safety is still a priority,” he added.

A team wins when all of their opponents are either pushed to the ground or surrender.

Victors take home glory — and sometimes cash prizes. | Photo by Trina Krug

Upcoming events

Cerberus Emissus competes next month in a national tournament in California and will travel to France for the big Buhurt Prime world championship on Feb. 26 (they were the only US team invited to that, BTW).

Get involved

Cerberus Emissus welcomes people of all genders + skill levels at its training facility in Yamhill.

“As long as you can stand, breathe, and move your body a little bit — there’s a place in the sport for you,” Jason said. “All you need is workout clothes and a positive mental attitude to come out and fight.”