Get Ready for Competitive Pillow Fighting

It's not hard to see the appeal

Pillow fight
People take part in a pillow fight on 'International Pillow Fight Day' at Washington Square Park in New York, United States on April 06, 2019.
Atilgan Ozdil/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images

Have you ever sat back to watch a boxing match or MMA bout and thought, “This sure is fun, but you know what would make it even better? If the fighters were hitting each other with pillows!” If that’s the case, we have some news that might just make your day. Pillow fighting is no longer just the stuff of childhood recreation and one-off battles royale, apparently.

A new article at The Guardian tracks the rise of Pillow Fight Championship, or PFC. Writer Jordan Blumetti concisely detailed what to expect from their matches: three 90-second rounds and fighters matched by size and experience. As for the pillows, they weigh two pounds and are, in Blumetti’s words, “queen-sized, stuffed with foam and encased in nylon sailcloth.”

A brief visit to PFC’s website reveals images of some fighters — including one guy in full Joker makeup — and listings for a recent pay-per-view event. It all seems pretty understandable for a fighting organization, except for the part about people hitting one another with pillows.

Founder Steve Williams made a compelling argument for why there might be an audience for competitive pillow fighting. “There’s hardcore aggression with pillow fighting, but nobody gets hurt,” Williams told The Guardian. “A lot of people don’t want to see the blood and violence any more.”

Will audiences find this compelling as well? The league is still in its early days — and after all, who doesn’t love a good pillow fight?

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