Last Friday, Karma Fight League (KFL) 005 packed out Cinnamon Life at City of Dreams with over 1,000 fans, including international guests, celebrities, and athletes from across the region.
But the event’s success goes far beyond the fights.
With fighters flying in from the United States, India, and Nepal to compete alongside Sri Lanka’s top talent, KFL 005 wasn’t just a sporting event, it was a showcase of Sri Lanka’s growing potential as a destination for sports tourism and large-scale entertainment.
For a country known for its natural beauty and cricket legacy, events like this signal something new: a generation of organizers, creatives, and athletes building global-standard experiences across new industries. And at the forefront of that shift is Karma Fight League.
Hosted at Cinnamon Life, South Asia’s Largest Entertainment Hub, the event combined with high-energy kickboxing bouts with vibrant crowd engagement, premium hospitality, and the halftime show featured DJ Mass, Romaine Willis, and Apzi, proving that KFL is as much about entertainment as it is about sport.
The launch of the new KFL Xtreme Championship, featuring eight handpicked fighters and a live tournament-style draw, added long-term momentum to the league. But the real win was how the night brought people together from fans and families to tourists and corporate partners.
Among these partners was the title sponsor Fairway Holdings, a leader in real estate, joining as a committed partner not just for brand presence, but to support the growth of martial arts in Sri Lanka. The company’s ongoing work in promoting traditional disciplines like Angampora mirrors KFL’s own mission to develop a strong combat sports ecosystem in the country.
With its consistent growth, loyal following, and polished production, KFL is beginning to attract interest from beyond the fight world. Tourism operators, hospitality groups, and international sponsors are starting to see its value not just as a sports brand, but as a platform for culture, community, and youth-driven energy.
As Sri Lanka repositions itself on the global map post-crisis, events like KFL 005 show a new side of the island. One where fight nights, music, and sports-driven experiences bring in both domestic crowds and international attention.
KFL 006 is already set for October and promises to be even bigger.
