In the 1950s, Masutatsu Oyama founded Kyokushin Karate, and then later devised the most grueling
exercise in all martial arts: the 100 man Kumite.
Facing 100 opponents, a participant is expected to win over 50% of the 100 one and a half
to two minute fights, and if knocked down, to stay down for no longer than five seconds.
Proving his money was where his mouth was, Masutatsu not only created the Kumite, but
then went on and defeated it three times over three consecutive days.
On Today’s episode of The Infographics Show, we ask: Could you defeat 100 people in a 1
on 100 death match?
Since Masutatsu's creation of the Kumite, less than a dozen participants have successfully
completed the entirety of the grueling event- and none have matched Masutatsu's incredible
three completions in three days.
With participants wearing no more protection than a groin guard and a mouth piece, the
Kumite is an incredibly grueling ordeal of mental and physical strength, combining full-contact
karate with the physical demands of a marathon.
Participants earn great respect just for reaching round 50, and are not typically expected to
actually complete it.
But maybe karate isn't your thing, what other ways could you defeat 100 opponents in a 1
on 100 match up?
In ancient Rome gladiator battles were often fought between two combatants, but sometimes
Emperors would call for the recreation of famous battles, pitting hundreds of slaves
and prisoners against each other.
If you found yourself in such a contest you might be equipped with nothing more than a
short dagger called a pugio, or a gladius- the staple of gladiator combat.
If you were specially unfortunate, you might even be sent in unarmed to be slaughtered
for the pleasure of the crowd by Roman military units, as was the fate of many prisoners of
war after a brutal campaign.
How well could you do armed with just a pugio or a gladius?
Probably not well against 100 opponents, given the short range of both weapons it would be
simple matter to be flanked and overwhelmed.
You're going to need something better than a sword, it's time to kick it up a notch.
First invented by the Chinese, it would be the europeans who would bring the true potential
of gunpowder to the average soldier.
Yet even after the development of the matchlock and its evolution to the 16th century musket,
the weapons remained slow to fire and lacked accuracy.
Early musketeers were often armed with muskets and a saber or cutlass for close quarters
combat.
Able to penetrate two millimeters of steel armor, muskets turned the balance of power
in Europe from the mighty armor-clad knight to the lowly footman.
Yet the musket required a long and complicated loading and firing process, and only the most
crack and elite troops could manage anything more than a 4 rounds a minute firing rate.
Even starting at a distance, you're only going to get a max of 4 shots off before your horde
of 100 attackers descend on you, leaving you with only your saber or cutlass for defense
and firmly putting you back at square one.
It's time to crank the firepower up.
The first cannons appeared in China during the 12th century.
As an evolution of the fire-lance- a polearm with a gunpowder-filled tube at one end- the
first cannons were not much more than iron tubes which were then filled with iron scraps
or porcelain shards.
Eventually solid cannonballs were adopted and proved devastating, killing and maiming
opponents as the ball sped across a battlefield.
Even after striking the ground, if the cannonball managed not to lodge itself into the earth
it could roll across a battlefield with tremendous kinetic energy, taking down men at shin level.
The bombard came about shortly after, featuring a very large barrel these heavy cannons were
used as siege weapons to smash enemy walls and fired 573 lbs (260 kg) granite balls a
distance of half a mile.
Terrifyingly powerful, a cannon still likely won't do you much good against 100 people
with its long reload time and small projectile size.
A bombard on the other hand may be even slower firing, but with its 3-foot (1 meter) diameter,
573 lbs (260 kg) round, you might only get off a single shot and need a few friends to
help you load and fire it, but you're going to put a serious dent in a horde of 100 attackers!
But we don't want to put dents in our attacker's numbers, we want to decimate them.
Enter the M2 Browning .50 caliber machine gun.
As the ultimate evolution of the heavy firearm, the M2, or 'Ma Deuce' as it is affectionately
known in the American armed forces, has been in service since 1930 and has barely changed
in almost 90 years.
Originally meant to be equipped on vehicles and aircraft, the M2 was quickly assigned
to American infantry for heavy fire support.
The M2 features a .50 caliber projectile that's half an inch (13 mm) in diameter and almost
half a foot (138 mm) in length!
With a muzzle velocity of 2910 feet per second (890 m/s), each 5.45 inch long round carries
so much kinetic energy that it creates a miniature vacuum effect as it travels and can kill or
even wound by simply passing near enough a target.
With a firing rate of 450 to 600 rounds a minute and a projectile powerful enough to
penetrate moderately armored vehicles, the Ma Deuce is your ultimate solution to a 1
on 100 fight to the death, each round easily piercing through several attackers and still
having enough kinetic energy to eliminate anyone having second thoughts and trying to
hide behind anything less than six inches of solid concrete.
So, what would be your choice weapon in a 1 on 100 death match?
Let us know in the comments!
Also, be sure to check out our other video called Worst Punishments in the History of
Mankind!
Thanks for watching, and, as always, don’t forget to like, share, and subscribe.
See you next time!”