Toowoomba buhurt warrior shares insight into sport of Buhurt ahead of world championship appearance

A nurse by day and armour clad medieval warrior by night, Toowoomba woman Mary-Rose O’Mullane shares an inside look at the brutal and thrilling sport of buhurt.

Mild-mannered nurse by day, medieval warrior by night. Mary-Rose O’Mullane loves the extremes of her life.

Armed with a simple sword, small buckler shield and clad in over 30kg of authentic metal armour, the 26-year-old says she is a very different person when she steps into the cage or onto the ‘field of battle’ in the sport of buhurt.

“It’s very hard to explain what I love about it,” O’Mullane said.

“I guess it gives you a weird sense of confidence when put on the armour, you’re definitely a lot less worried about things, you feel like nothing can really seriously hurt.

“I’m normally an anxious person but right before a fight I scoop up any anxiety, use that little surge of adrenaline I feel and channel it all and just focus on what I need to.”

The ultra authentic swords and axes used in buhurt are blunt but the action is all too real in a sport best described as medieval mixed martial arts.

Mary-Rose O'Mullane of Tyr's Valkyries. O’Mullane is set to represent Australia at the Buhurt World Championships in Hungary. Pictures: Kevin Farmer

Isabel Hoffman (left) and Rachel Rowe fight during a Tyr's Valkyries training session.

Tyr's Valkyries Isabel Hoffman (left) and Wild Wyverns Gabby Kennett fight at a training session at Tyr's Valkyries.

Wild Wyverns members Liz Bracey (left) and Gabby Kennett at a training session at Tyr's Valkyries.

Fighters often use Brazilian jiu jitsu and judo techniques in combination with their chosen weapon to take down their opponents in one-on-one and group battle scenarios.

A highland dancer, swimmer and netballer in high school O’Mullane – who is on her way to represent Australia at the Buhurt World Championships in Hungary – found her way into the sport in the simplest of manners.

O’Mullane first watched at the sport at a fight night put on Toowoomba buhurt club Tyr’s Warriors.

Joining the club as a squire (volunteer) she eventually found her way into the ring.

“I wanted to help out at events and I did a little bit of training for fitness,” she said.

“The more training I did the better I felt and I thought maybe I can try fighting.

“I remember doing a session of me falling over in armour to experience what it felt like and I thought this isn’t so bad.

“I fought and oh my gosh what an amazing feeling.

“Now … I love the camaraderie, the community, the confidence it brings.

“We have a saying buhurt is love, buhurt is life. You’ll spend a round punching someone in (helmeted) face and after they will say to you good punch or what a throw.

“It’s an amazing feeling.”