CoinGeek Weekly Livestream: Combat IQ shakes up the martial arts space with Bitcoin technology

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This week Kurt Wuckert Jr. hosted by Christian Giang, CTO and co-founder of Combat IQ. This is an exciting company with a focus on big data, machine learning and using it to shake up the fighting game.

We present Christian Giang, Ph.D. and Combat IQ

Giang introduced himself as the founder of a startup, Combat IQ, which is in the sports analytics industry. He says he first got into Bitcoin this year after being accepted into the Satoshi Block Dojo. Through this, they found a nice Bitcoin use case for their business.

Giang delves into Combat IQ and says he has been practicing martial arts since childhood. He went to university and dropped out a bit, but he always continued to practice. After getting in touch with this co-founder, he decided to join the Combat IQ project.

Fight Science – What is it and how does it work?

Wuckert notes that while team sports are visible on the field, the team involved in martial arts is usually less visible and plays its role in camp. Noticing a trend towards more data-driven approaches to building a team, he asks Giang what that looks like in reality.

Giang says there’s a reason why martial arts hasn’t been primarily driven by data science yet. One is that there are so many different situations, styles, etc. But with technological advances in the last couple of years, it has become possible to track every move someone makes in a fight, figure out what micro-movements a fighter makes before attacking, etc. . . .

What is at the core of Combat IQ’s business and how does blockchain play a role?

Giang says the ultimate goal is to become the leading data provider for martial arts. He wants to level the sport so that quality data is available like it already is in baseball, basketball, etc. They will then provide that data to those who can use it – athletes and coaches, promotions, sportsbooks, oddsmakers, etc.

As for the blockchain, Combat IQ is currently using it to publish their predictions before UFC fights. By publicly time-stamping the predictions, they can show that they did not manipulate them afterwards.

Wuckert remembers how old-fashioned things were when he started and imagines how an outfit like Combat IQ could change things. He figures that one of the computer-focused camps or schools would be very interested in this product, but he wonders if they might want exclusivity. Giang says time will tell who the main customers will be and what they want, but the business model will not be fundamentally different from existing ones serving other sports.

How can big data and analytics change the battle game?

Giang also outlines another way big data could shake up the fighting game. In many cases, fans have to accept the referees’ decisions, even when they feel they are unfair. Collecting data can reveal patterns such as biases and shed new light on how decisions are made.

Wuckert wonders if there might be potential for big data analytics to take some of the tension out of matches. Noting that UFC fights are already becoming more programmatic, he notes that any fighter today would “destroy” a fighter from ten years ago. Giang sees the point, noting that technology has changed football dramatically, but ultimately there is no stopping the march towards progress and there are always two sides to these things.

Is Combat IQ live now? What is the roadmap?

The company came out of the Satoshi Block Dojo incubator in July 2022. They have a minimum viable product that allows them to publish UFC predictions on the blockchain and a video explaining how everything works.

The technology has advanced and is ready to be tested with various gyms and campaigns. They’re setting up pilot tests right now, and by early next year they’ll have something they can show off and potentially bring to market.

Is there a correlation between Combat IQ stats and betting on matches?

In response to this question, Giang says a business pillar is providing this data to sportsbooks.

Currently, the predictions Combat IQ publishes are based on publicly available data. They have already reached between 60-70% accuracy, which is about average for oddsmakers. Giang expects accuracy to increase dramatically once they start collecting data privately.

Another business opportunity is to cater to professional punters and tipsters. Giang knows there’s a market here, and the data these pro sports players are looking for doesn’t exist to the extent Combat IQ intends to collect.

Another exciting possibility is to take the data, combine it with artificial intelligence and watch simulated superfights like Ali vs. Tyson. This ties in with elements from the emerging metaverse.

Is this built on Bitcoin SV?

Giang confirms that Combat IQ is based on BSV.

As he has said, they are publishing predictions on the blockchain right now to have public accountability and integrity of the data. The next step is to go to predictions in the match. Over time, as Web 3.0 gains traction, they will want to perform the actual calculations used to make the predictions on the blockchain.

What is the nature of the data itself? At this point, it’s an OP_RETURN, Giang confirms. He also says they are building their core team, including six developers. This is what will drive the company forward.

See: CoinGeek Originals—How to Build a BSV Business

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