Pro-bending



Pro-bending is a prominent sport in Republic City involving two teams of three benders, one from each of the three main existing bending arts. The objective of the sport is to gain as much territory within the ring as possible within a set amount of time, or, alternatively, to push the opposing team over the edge of the ring.

Playing field


The playing field is hexagonal, split into two sides, one red and one blue, with each side split into three zones. On each side of the playing field are twenty-one holes that dispense miniature rock discs, similar to earth coins, for the earthbending competitors. Grates run along the lines between the zones, allowing waterbenders to access water from troughs under the ring. There are flexible, bouncy ropes (such as those in real-world boxing) on the peripheral sides of the ring, but the two opposing ends of the ring are open to a long drop to the water below. Referees look over the ring from raised stands by its sides.

The rock discs dispensed from the arena are circular, and slightly larger than half a foot in diameter. They are made of hard clay that, while not being particularly soft, will still break if the disc hits a player hard enough. Under each disc is a second that will rise up to become flush with the ground when the first is dispensed. These discs are mainly used as weapons in the match.

Gaining territory
At the start of the match, each team must remain within the first zone nearest to the center of the arena. Once a competitor is knocked into zone two by someone from the opposing team, he or she must stay there and cannot return to zone one. The same rules apply if he or she crosses over to zone three. A player that is completely knocked off the ring cannot return that round.

If all three members from one team are knocked back into zone two, a green light appears in the center line and the opposing team can advance into zone one on the other side; if they do this, they cannot move backwards into their own zone. If they then manage to knock all of the opposing team members into zone three, another green light appears between zones one and two, and they can advance again into zone two. However, if a team that has been pushed back manages to push the other team back a zone, they can advance forward one zone. The main aim for both teams is to push the other team back, thereby gaining territory.



Each round lasts three minutes, and there are three rounds. The team that has managed to gain the most territory within the time frame wins the round. This means that even if two players from one team have been knocked out, that team can still win if the remaining player manages to gain the most territory by the end of the round. If both sides haven't gained any territory, the team with the most players left wins. Otherwise, the match is a draw.

There is, however, one other way to win. If one team manages to knock all three players out of the ring, it wins the entire battle, even if the other team has won more rounds.

Waterbending rules
Each water blast cannot exceed one second in duration, meaning that waterbenders may not use any form of a constant hose-like stream of water against their opponents. Water must be used in its liquid state, not as a gas or a solid, meaning that steam, fog and ice are not permitted in game play. Water is the only element allowed for head strikes.

Waterbenders can only access water within their zone, specifically from the metal grates directly in front and behind the zone that the player is currently occupying. Water may only be pulled up from the zone lines, and not from any outside sources, such as the water pit below the ring.

Earthbending rules
Unlike waterbending, no direct earth strikes can be aimed toward an opponent's head. Though the ring is comprised mostly of canvas-covered metal, no metalbending is permitted. Earthbenders may only bend earth in its raw form, and not as sand or dust.

Earthbenders are restricted to bend regulation rock disks supplied through the floor of the ring, and may only bend discs from their own zone. Rock discs may not be broken down intentionally into smaller pieces, though bending of several discs at one time is allowed. Players may ricochet or deflect discs off the side ropes, like air hockey.

Firebending rules
Each fire blast must not exceed one second in duration, meaning that firebenders may not use constant flamethrower-like streams of fire against their combatants. No direct fire strikes toward an opponent's head are permitted.

Unlike water and earthbenders, firebending pro-benders are not restricted with how they produce their own flames.

Injuries
If any given player sustains an injury during a match, play is halted and the player is removed from the ring. Players who are injured while being knocked off the ring are rescued from the water pit below.

In both cases, the team must continue the match without a replacement.

Penalties


There are several rule violations that will result in a penalty. Stepping over a line when the proper conditions haven't been met, knocking a player off the arena from the sides, and, in the case of the Avatar, bending another element, will result in an intermission and the player moving back into the next zone.

In addition, intentionally hitting the referee, the referee stand or the audience stands with an element is considered a violation. Though unlikely, pro-benders are not permitted to hit the roof of the arena with bending.

Players who intentionally break a rule may be shown a yellow fan as a warning. Repeat offenders may receive a red fan after receiving a yellow fan, ejecting them from the match. The team with the ejected player must continue without a replacement.

Winning rounds
A round is won by gaining territory before time runs out. If no team has secured opposing territory by the end of the round, the team with the most number of players remaining wins the round. However, if the team with fewer players has gained more territory by the end of the round, then they are declared as the winners of that round.

Winning matches
Matches are won by either winning the most rounds or by executing "knockouts". Knockouts are accomplished when all members of an opposing team are knocked off the back of the ring within one round.

Even if a team has won two rounds, they must still play a third round, as a match can end in a knockout at any point.

Tiebreakers
If a round ends in a deadlock, with neither team gaining territory and having an equal number of players on the field, the winner is decided in a tiebreaker "face off". In a face off, the referee tosses a coin, and the team that wins the coin toss can decide which player and which element will go into the face off. Players always face their same element.

The face off takes place on a raised circular platform in the center of the ring. Players may use their respective elements, along with grappling, so long as there are no "empty hand strikes", particularly punches to the face or kicks to the stomach. The objective is to knock the opposing pro-bender off the circle. The player who falls off first loses the tiebreaker, and the opposing team wins that given round. If both players fall off the circle simultaneously, the player who lands first (hitting either the ring, ropes or the water pit below) loses the tiebreaker.

If the referee cannot determine who landed first in the above scenario, a second tiebreaker is held between two other members, using a different element. When each team has won a round and the third ends in a deadlock, a tiebreaker face off is used to determine the team who wins the entire match.

Scoreboard


The scoreboard is a set of four nixie tubes. From right to left, they read:


 * 第一囬合: Round 1
 * 第二囬合: Round 2
 * 擊倒: Knockout
 * 優勝者: Winner

The tubes light up either red or blue to indicate which team won a round, got a knockout, or won the match. The red team is the one that starts on the red half of the field.

Uniforms
Each contestant must wear a uniform to identify his or her team. Known uniform colors include red, white and gold; blue, black, and orange; and green, brown, and orange. In addition, each combatant's helmet and belt have colors identifying him or her as a firebender (red), waterbender (blue), or earthbender (green).

Location


Official pro-bending matches are held in Republic City's Bending Arena, a large glass-domed building located at the end of a pier extending into Yue Bay. As a testament to the sport's popularity, this building's exterior has a golden appearance and is lit at night, making it a prominent city landmark. The arena is spacious enough to hold the pro-bending ring on which the combatants compete, a large pool of water far below the ring, and great numbers of spectators. Somewhere in the building, Toza's gym is located as well. The attic of the arena is home to the brothers Mako and Bolin, who pay their rent by doing odd jobs.

Pro-bending Tournament
The Pro-bending Tournament is an annual sporting event that features the sixteen best teams in the entire league. They compete in elimination-style matches, with the winning team receiving the jackpot prize following the championship tournament.

Notable teams

 * Fire Ferrets: Mako - Bolin - Korra - Hasook (formerly)
 * Rabbiroos
 * Buzzard Wasps
 * Tigerdillos: Yomo - Han
 * Wolfbats: Tahno
 * Platypus Bears

Trivia

 * The name is reminiscent of the real-life pro-wrestling sport.
 * Pro-bending resembles the real-life boxing craze of the 1920s, but is also based on mixed martial arts (MMA). For example, the boundaries of the playing field are lined with ropes like the ones seen around boxing rings.
 * The idea for pro-bending developed before the creators came up with the character of Korra.
 * Outside of the central playing field, a wide and deep chasm with a pool of water separates the spectators from the arena. This gap may be to protect the audience and/or to prevent interference with the pro-bending match.
 * Pro-bending is similar in objective to Earth Rumble VI.
 * The yellow and red fans, used for warning and ejecting a player from the match respectively, are very similar to the yellow and red cards used in real-world soccer (association football), where they have the same function.
 * All known teams have been named after existing fauna of the Avatar World.
 * The building of the pro-bending arena seems to have been modelled on the Golden Temple in Amritsar, India.