Black Rock Tournament
Every summer since 2219, the nations of Disparatus co-sponsor a fighting tournament on Black Rock Isle with an open invitation to any and all capable fighters. The reward? Money. Glory. Maybe even a little national pride.
In recent years, the tournament has become increasingly sensationalized, but it also gained quite a reputation for being the safest tournament on Disparatus. Only one combatant, Esteban Zapatero, has ever died from injuries sustained in the Black Rock Tournament.
Despite the "tame" nature of the tournament, it manages to draw one of the largest crowds of any tournament in the world, bringing in considerable revenue. It's also one of the only tournaments in the world televised live, although others are often recorded to be sold on video, such as the August Games.
In later years of the tournament, a "Side Division" was introduced at the urging of the tournament committee. At the end of the tournament, the Main and Side Division winners would participate in what was proclaimed as an exhibition match, but was often considered the real end of the tournament. Oddly, a large majority of the ending exhibition matches have been won by the victor of the Side Division. This has led to accusations of rigging, and later accusations of match-up bias when proven that said winners were indeed skilled enough to have won legitimately, but no such claims have ever been proven.
Notable Black Rock Tournaments
- Black Rock Tournament of 2219: First Black Rock Tournament.
- Black Rock Tournament of 2227: Participated in by Morgan Kinkade's Group.
- Black Rock Tournament of 2270: Participated in by United Provinces Prime Minister Donovan Formith, who reached the semi-finals.
- Black Rock Tournament of 2291: First installment of the tournament to feature the Side Division and ending exhibition match.
- Black Rock Tournament of 2302: Participated in by Cail Milons.
- Black Rock Tournament of 2304: Main division and ending exhibition match won by Jacob Rell.
- Black Rock Tournament of 2309: Main division (and possibly ending exhibition) won by Eric De la Rosa.
- Black Rock Tournament of 2313: Main division won by Mal Desmark.
- Black Rock Tournament of 2317: Participated in by Sanel Vangris, who lost in the Finals of the Main Bracket.
- Black Rock Tournament of 2319: Main division and ending exhibition match won by Mal Desmark.
- Black Rock Tournament of 2322: Featured the first death in the tournament's history. Main division won by Celice Anselm.
- Black Rock Tournament of 2324
- Black Rock Tournament of 2325: Featured the first Main Division Finals draw in the tournament's history, resulting in a three-man Battle Royale for the Ending Exhibition Match. Main division co-won by Kulimar and Luci. Side division and ending exhibition won by Enos.