ith decades of experience in television production, Steve Williams is always searching for new entertainment opportunities. Roughly five years ago, he was laying the groundwork for a mixed martial arts (MMA) show called Fight Truck , which would see a transforming semi-truck convert into a boxing stage. He developed the design, secured a patent and was putting on the final touches – that is, until his brother (also in the biz) stepped in. “[My brother] said: ‘Hey, this is cool, but MMA is only legal in like nine states, and the big sponsors don’t want blood on their logos,’” Williams recalls. “‘You have a lot of competition; UFC owns the top spot. Why don’t you do something different?’” Thus, Fight Truck was abandoned, and Pillow Fighting Championship (PFC) was born. From bed to boxing ring When his brother first suggested professional pillow fighting, Williams – now the CEO of PFC – initially laughed it off. “I was like, ‘Come on man, that’s the dumbest idea I’ve ever heard in my life,’” he admits. The image that often comes to mind – girls in their pyjamas, hitting each other playfully with bedroom pillows, feathers flying everywhere – served as Williams’ jumping-off point, but he made some significant alterations. “We went in the total opposite direction – hardcore UFC fighters, boxers. It’s got to be a tough sport, and that’s what we’ve been pushing ever since,” he explains. But it’s not just for macho, muscular men: “We’ve got kids’ leagues now, and it’s a sport
that has a wide range – from young through to old.” The pillows themselves also demanded an upgrade. “I thought that maybe if we made the pillows a little more exciting… bedroom pillows are boring,” Williams states. He designed a branded nylon pillow cover – in a slew of bright colours – that makes a ‘bang’ noise upon contact. “When you go to a boxing match, bare-knuckle or jiu-jitsu, there’s not much noise. There’s a little pitter-patter in boxing, but you don’t get that bang,” he describes. With PFC, “You see these brightly coloured, big objects flying through the air. When they hit, it’s like a drum.
Your senses are telling you that had to hurt.” Fortunately, that pain is mostly an illusion. Sure, it hurts a little to be hit by any object, but part of PFC’s appeal is in its non-violence. “As long as the fighters are passionate and they want to win, you’re going to see a real pillow fight. There isn’t the risk of getting injured,” Williams explains, making it a suitable and accessible sport for any athlete. Playing by the rules PFC works like most other fighting matches; each round lasts for 90 seconds, and points are awarded by three impartial judges based on how and where the pillow makes contact. “A hit to the head is one point,” Williams begins. “A 360 to the head is three points. If I hit your legs and you lose your balance, that’s a point. If you get knocked down, that’s five points. That’s pretty rare,” he adds, “but it does happen.”
» A hit to the head is one point, a 360 to the head is three. If I hit your legs and you lose balance, that’s a point. If you get knocked down, that’s five «
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