Defence and combat sport

Created in Monaco in 2020, Pàijeda, a Monegasque martial art, is a sports discipline oriented around self-defence (‘sport d’a defesa’) and combat (‘sport di cumbatimentu’), that uses key techniques from:

– self-defence,
– blows to the body (boxing with the upper and lower limbs, or with a foam baton),
– grips or holds (taking your opponent down, throws, immobilisation, locks, strangle-holds,
pressure points),
– upright and on the floor, in a safe environment, determined by the technical and sporting regulations.

Pàijeda, a martial art from Monaco, cultivates strong sporting, educational and ethical values, based on its moral code and compliance with the sporting regulations. Beyond this framework, the techniques from Pàijeda, the Monegasque martial art, must respect the law, in the same way as Legitimate self-defence (articles 122-5 et seq. of the Criminal Code).

It is a sport that can be practised by a wide range of people, of all ages, and it is regulated, meaning that it can be enjoyed:

– as a hobby (coaching, grade exams),
– for educational purposes (for young people aged 3 and up)
– at competitions: “Pàijeda Assault” (fighting with contact, self-defence, techniques for striking the opponent to the sideline and striking techniques that don’t involve putting someone out of the fight, and holds, upright and on the floor. The sport is accessible, with regulations based on the different categories of participant, from the Fledglings to the Veterans.

This competitive approach brings together at once Self-defence (including potential self-defence using a foam object against an attack with a foam baton) and also unarmed combat (self-defence, strikes, holds, upright and on the floor).

A vehicle for Monegasque culture, Pàijeda, the Monegasque martial art, incorporates within it the Monegasque language (there are around a hundred words in the sport’s vocabulary).

Doing this sport gives you numerous psychological, physical and social benefits.

Its founder, Claude Pouget, has six black belts and eleven State diplomas in combat sports (including Kickboxing, K1-Rules, Full-contact, Muaythaï, Krav-Maga, Pancrace, MMA, Karaté, Boxing, Wrestling, Sambo and Wushu). An honorary police commander (now in retirement), he was an officer in the Monegasque Police for thirty years, in roles that included being the head of an elite unit, and being a trainer (self-defence and legitimate defence),
holding as he does a Master’s 2 in Law.

An associate discipline of the FFKMDA, Monegasque Pàijeda is also recognised in the Principality of Monaco by the Monegasque Public Authorities, the Monegasque Olympic

Committee, chaired by His Serene Highness Prince Albert II of Monaco, and the Partenaire de Peace and Sport (Peace and Sport Partner).

Official website of the Pàijeda Federation