Pillow fighting is entering the world of combat sports.

Pillow Fight

Pillow Fight

The Pillow Fight Championship (PFC) will hold its first live, pay-per-view event in Florida in January and the sport's boss Steve Williams has promised that the event will bring gripping combat without the violence of boxing.

He said: "It's not something where you sit there and laugh and feathers are flying.

"It's serious. It's hardcore swinging with specialised pillows."

The competitors at the upcoming event mainly hail from the worlds of boxing and mixed martial arts but William insists the sport will be family viewing.

He said: "The only difference between our fights and MMA fights is that nobody gets hurt.

"The fighters don't like to get hurt, and there's a lot of people who don't want to see the blood. They want to see good competition, they just don't want to see the violence.

"You can call it an alternative sport, but we think it's going to have mainstream appeal."