The Icelandic Combat Theatre (ICT) was founded earlier this year, marking the nation’s first mixed martial arts club.
Viktor Sigursveinsson, one of ICT’s founders, spoke to local media about how attitudes towards mixed martial arts in Iceland are changing.
“Mixed martial arts is growing in popularity in Iceland and is no longer something to be shy about, as it used to be.”
International inspirations
Viktor and co-founder Óskar Dagur Marteinsson both trained abroad in the UK. However, it was from America, specifically the WWE, where they took inspiration.
“We are actually doing tricks that look like very dangerous attacks, but we are getting away with them,” Viktor explained.
ICT is currently planning its first public event for the end of summer, where matches will alternate with live rock music performances. “The dream is for mixed wrestling to exist in Iceland,” Viktor says. “There are many other things that exist, but not mixed wrestling.”
“This is of course a bit of a special sport, nothing like karate or taekwondo. We want to bring it to the country and see what happens,” he adds.
Not Quite Glíma
Icelanders are, of course, quite accustomed to wrestling. And I’m not talking about, say, Vikings scrapping in the mud for their last morsel of whitefish.
For centuries, some of this island’s more macho inhabitants participated in Glíma, where two combatants stand before one another, grab each other around the belt, and spin in a circle.
While traditional, engaging, and surprisingly dignified as a spectacle, the ICT will likely bring a certain flair and showmanship that has been long missing from the scene in Iceland.
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