On April 23, 2018, thousands of white supremacists descended upon the sleepy town of Ostritz along the German-Polish border to attend the far-right festival dubbed ‘Shield and Sword.’ The two-day event boasted a line-up of far-right attractions, clothing stalls promoting far-right merchandise, and a mixed martial arts (MMA) tournament hosted by Kampf der Nibelungen (KdN), Germany’s far-right MMA promotion, as the centerpiece.

Held to celebrate Adolf Hitler’s birthday, the festival emphasized how Europe’s neo-Nazis use music, merchandising, and violent combat sports like MMA as recruitment tools to spread their hateful ideology. Hundreds of disenfranchised youth and white supremacists gathered for a weekend of celebration that culminated in an MMA show designed specifically for neo-Nazis and their supporters. It should be noted that Germany has not only outlawed Holocaust denial, but the outright display of Nazi symbolism as well, which means it was only a matter of time before they took notice of the festival.

Concerned about neo-Nazi activity taking place in their town, Ostritz authorities decided to foil the neo-Nazi festivalin 2019 by confiscating all the alcohol on the premises and limited the overall attendance. Officers arrived on scene and confiscated over 4000 litres of beer on the first day and another 200 litres the following morning. The booze ban ensured minimal violence at the festival and led to the cancelation of Kampf der Nibelungen’s annual showcase event.

While the booze ban led to the cancelation of the ‘Battle of the Nibelung’ event at this year’s ‘Sword and Shield’ festival, the promotion was expected to hold another event on October 12, 2019. Tickets for the event were sold through the KdN website, which promoted it as a 12-fight show featuring competitors from across Europe in kickboxing, boxing, and MMA contests.

The event was once again scheduled for Ostritz. This time, however, the local authorities were prepared.

In early October 2019, German officials placed a ban on KdN’s events in the town of Ostritz, stating that the event had no sporting character but was primarily used for “right-wing extremist combat training.” The Higher Administrative Court in Bautzen later rejected a complaint by the organizers to lift the ban, stating instead that the “public interest in securing the liberal democratic basic order” is above the economic interests of the organizer. The court also stated that the fighting techniques used by the militant fight club could be applied against Germany’s police force. As a result, the October 12 show did not take place.

“Public security also includes the security of police operations. The assumption that fighting techniques are shown, which could also be used against police forces, is not far-fetched, as the events in Chemnitz would have shown,” said a spokesperson for the Higher Administrative Court in Bautzen.

While the court ban is an important victory for Germany’s ongoing struggle against neo-nazi extremism, it is by no means a definitive blow to the promotion or to the country’s far-right scene.

Kampf der Nibelungen is one of the most prominent far-right combat sports promotions in Europe and continues to have ties to other far-right entities across Europe and North America. An example of this is KdN’s ties to Denis Nikitin, the founder of White Rex, who helped integrate them into his expanding neo-Nazi network across Europe and Russia and helped teach them how to organize MMA events in Germany. This has allowed KdN to grow its reach and associate with the other right-wing militant fight clubs in the area. Through this support system, KdN will likely find a new home for their MMA shows.

Apart from its role as an MMA promotion, KdN is also following in the footsteps of Nikitin’s White Rex by transforming itself into a lifestyle brand. Its Facebook page is set up as a brand, rather than an organization, while the majority of its posts promote White Rex’s merchandise, which include t-shirts, hoodies, and even tea cups. Its products are emblazoned with the Kampf der Nibelungen name or logo, as well as a words such as “discipline” and “winner.” This helps normalize the brand in public spaces and allows its followers to identify themselves and mobilize when needed.

KdN is not the only neo-Nazi MMA promotion that exists in Germany. There is TIWAZ, a far-right promotion in Central Germany that is “organized by nationalistic faithful Germans of various backgrounds.” According to the TIWAZwebsite, the event is affiliated with KdN and other far-right fight clubs and brands like Pride France, Wardon 21, and Sonnenkruez. Another militant fight club is Imperium Fight Team, a German MMA team that has reportedly been involved in inciting hatred and riots in Wurzen and Chemnitz in 2018. One of their main coaches is Benjamin Brinsa, a former UFC fighter who was released from the promotion after reports alleged that he was a neo-Nazi sympathizer. Despite his reputation, Brinsa was elected to city council in Wurzen as part of the ”New Forum for Wurzen” (NFW).

Given the influence of mixed martial arts as a recruitment tool and networking opportunity for neo-Nazi groups, court bans on far-right MMA events is an important step in the right direction. Yet in light of the concerning growth of far-right and militant neo-Nazi groups over the past few years, German authorities will have to continue the momentum if they are to cause a significant dent in the country’s far-right scene.