A web3 professional strike league called Karate Combat plans to introduce its layer-2 blockchain network on Hedera.
The Karate Combat team said in a statement on October 11 that the first quarter of 2025 will see the launch of UP, their new layer-2 platform on Hedera.
In preparation, the Karate Combat team has licensed its software stack so that organizations involved in sports, teams, esports, fantasy sports, meme coins, or gambling can use the UP layer-2 network to switch to web3.
More than 100,000 people participate in Karate Combat’s “Up Only Gaming,” which enables holders of the native token KARATE to gain extra tokens by correctly picking the results of battles on the platform.
UP Token to Launch in 2025
UP token will let partner platforms create customizable mobile apps by utilizing the software stack. When the layer-2 token UP emerges in 2025, Karate Combat will also provide grants and incentives to its partner organizations.
With plans to give KARATE stakers up to 30% of the UP tokens, early builders will also receive incentives. In the meantime, 10% of the tokens will go toward an HBAR-focused incentive scheme.
These tokens will be staked, added to liquidity pools, and used in decentralized lending and borrowing protocols built on Hedera.
With a strategic relationship with Karate Combat, the HBAR Foundation—dedicated to Hedera development—becomes KC’s only blockchain sponsor. David Cramer, chief operating officer, The HBAR Foundation:
We’re now in the last half of our third year partnering with Karate Combat, and it’s been incredible to see what they’ve accomplished. As the first professional sports league governed by a token, they’ve set the bar high and pushed the boundaries of what’s possible onchain.”.
