The combat sports industry is one of passion, grit, and boundless potential. This sector has experienced significant growth, with the global combat sports products market projected to reach $15.4 billion by 2031.
Yet, despite its global reach, it remains highly fragmented, leaving fighters, coaches, and promoters struggling to connect and capitalize on opportunities.
Driven by his own experience of what it’s like to become a jiu-jitsu and mixed martial arts (MMA) black belt master, Lubomir Guedjev starts Fight Scout – a not-so-traditional mobile platform that is designed to connect and unite the combat sports community like never before.
A fighter’s vision for a united ecosystem
Lubomir Guedjev’s journey into the world of combat sports began at the age of 20 when he moved to Abu Dhabi, UAE, in search of a better career path. There, he started practicing Brazilian jiu-jitsu at the prestigious Abu Dhabi Combat Club (ADCC), an experience that marked a turning point in his life and introduced him to the wider realm of combat sports.
His dedication and expertise led him to a significant role within the ADCC, where he was entrusted with managing one of the largest sports projects in the region. Over the years, he became instrumental in promoting and organizing high-profile MMA, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, and Grappling events, establishing himself as a key figure in the industry.
Through his career abroad, Lubomir recognized a persistent problem: despite its growth, the combat sports ecosystem lacked a unified place for networking, event promotion, and talent discovery. Fighters struggled to find reliable promoters; coaches found it challenging to recruit talent, and fans were often disconnected from events beyond their local scenes.
“Among the biggest challenges of my time was the lack of contacts and exposure that a fighter needs in order to be contracted to fight for a reputable organization. Our entire industry operates on personal contacts, and if you don’t know the right person or any person in a particular organization, then your entry as a fighter is very limited. So I never had the chance to fight for the UFC or PRIDE or any of the big promotions, because nobody knew me there” shares Guedjev.
It was this gap that inspired Lubomir to create Fight Scout—a tool that could bridge these divides and elevate the sport to new heights.
Innovating how the sports industry connects
Fight Scout was developed as “the LinkedIn of combat sports”, shares Lubo:
“We use LinkedIn as a reference, because LinkedIn gives the opportunity to employers and employees to find one another based on specific criteria and engage in a productive manner to achieve a common goal. So that is what we are after with Fight Scout, to open new career opportunities for both the demand and supply side of the industry.”
The Fight Scout app has already hit 41 000 downloads, and unites over 4 000 professional fighters from 160 countries.
The app enables fighters, promoters, and managers to create professional, resume-like profiles that showcase achievements and attract opportunities. Benefiting from fully developed customizable streaming solutions, championship organizers and participants can broadcast competitions with more than one fighting area, allowing for global reach.
Fighters also have access to in-app digital tools for managing medical records and compliance.
Fight Scout is transforming combat sports through partnerships with top industry organizations, including ADCC, Grappling Industries, Iron Fight, and Caged Steel, among others.
BKFC, or Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship, leverages the platform for fighter selection.
Additionally, smaller brands benefit from Fight Scout’s ability to find last-minute replacements in just minutes, saving valuable time and resources.
Together, they reach over 150M households and 2B social media impressions every month.
These alliances embed Fight Scout in the sport’s core, tapping into hundreds of millions of fans and practitioners while also building a bridge between professional organizations and aspiring athletes.
Driving growth across global markets
2023 was a period of rapid growth for Fight Scout, with the company securing €300,000 in venture capital investments over two rounds. This funding supports product development and market expansion across the United States, Brazil, Central Asia, the Middle East, and Europe.
Leveraging the experience from operating across 160+ cultural landscapes, the team is well positioned for the next stage of growth, ready to unite sportsmen across the globe and redefine the future of combat sports.
