If there’s a sport more incomprehensible to outsiders than kabaddi then I’m yet to come across it. This Indian sport is like one of those games you invent as a kid with rules that evolve as you play except this is played in multiple countries. Essentially, from a team of seven players, one member must run into the opposing half of the pitch and wrestle players to the ground and then return to his own half without being tackled himself. Sounds sensible enough right? Well, while the ‘raider’ is returning to his own half and trying to avoid being tackled, he must also chant ‘kabaddi’ repeatedly without taking a breath. If he breathes or is tackled before getting back onto his own half, he is out.
Part-time WHOA TV! commentator and full time heavyweight badass Neil Grove has booked tickets to India but I imagine if I asked him if he was going to India to take part in a kabaddi tournament but he would just laugh at me with his booming South African voice and tell me he was instead going over to hand Todd Duffee his third straight loss. That’s right, Todd Duffee vs Neil Grove is going down on SFL 2 in Chandigrath, India on April 7th. This fight will be broadcast free on YouTube with the rest of the Super Fight League card it features on but I’m pretty sure I would pay money to see both this fight and Neil Grove competing in kabaddi. Ken Pavia, make it happen.
