Asim Zaidi aims to make Karate Combat world’s greatest striking league

Karate Combat president Asim Zaidi has bold ambitions for his promotion in 2025.

After its inaugural event in February 2018, Karate Combat has steadily climbed into becoming a notable combat sports promotion. With a ruleset that allows almost all striking techniques as well strikes to a grounded opponent if it’s in the pursuit of a finish, the events, which occur inside a unique Karate Combat Pit, are build for violence and highlights.

With a past and current roster that includes former UFC fighters, decorated international strikers, violent up-and-comers and promising but relatively unknown prospects, Karate Combat has achieved the difficult feat of relevance – even if only in spurts.

The past two years in particular have seen the most growth in momentum, and it’s Zaidi’s goal to enhance that even further this year, starting with Friday’s Karate Combat 52 event in Miami (YouTube).

“I want Karate Combat to be looked at as the greatest striking league on the planet,” Zaidi told MMA Junkie. “I truly believe we’re getting there. Right now people can say, ‘If I want to see the best strikers on the planet, I’m going to watch GLORY Kickboxing, I’m going to watch Karate Combat, I’m going to watch maybe ONE Championship.’ There’s a split among where the greatest strikers are. Some are here, some are there. At the end of the year I want everyone to know that the greatest roster for strikers is Karate Combat.”

Zaidi said Karate Combat’s focus is to groom its own stars, but said he will always be ready to make a play if a notable free agent hits the market. He mentioned former UFC champ Holly Holm and former Bellator titleholder Patricio Freire as two names of potential interest.

With the foundation for another milestone year, Zaidi said he will continue to put the pieces in place with hopes the athletes will deliver when competition begins.

“In 2025, now it’s time to show who this roster is,” Zaidi said. “I truly feel that we’ve signed some of the greatest strikers on the planet and we have the greatest striking roster on the planet. In 2025, it’s time to show the world who these guys are. You are going to see the same faces over and over, and you’re going to see some unbelievable talent from different regions of the world.”