Why Century

Century was founded in 1976. Although we were on the small side then – just one man working out of his garage – we’ve since grown into the worldwide leader in martial arts equipment. Along the way, Century has been responsible for some major innovations within the industry.

We were one of the first martial arts companies to create a website, allowing our customers to easily place orders and access digital resources. Century has also designed some of the best known and most iconic pieces of martial arts gear, like the Wavemaster, the original freestanding training bag, and the BOB body opponent bag. BOB bags frequently pop up in TV shows and movies, including ‘The Office,’ ‘Deadpool,’ ‘Justified,’ ‘Horrible Bosses,’ ‘Parks and Rec,’ ‘Whiskey Tango Foxtrot,’ and ‘Elementary,’ to name just a few!

Owned and Operated by Martial Artists

One of the reasons why Century is so passionate about what we do is that many of our employees are themselves martial artists. Our founder, Mike Dillard, won two Karate National Championships during his time as a competitor. Some Century employees own or instruct at martial arts schools, or spend their after-work hours and weekends competing and training.

In 2005, Century took its employee involvement with martial arts a step further and converted two rooms in the company headquarters into training studios. Employees in the Century Martial Arts Club can take martial arts classes during lunch or after work, and, with certified instructors, actually advance and gain belt ranks.

This is especially significant to us, as Century makes most of the belts we sell on-site, in our Oklahoma City headquarters. Because we train, we understand what it means to earn a belt. We put the same pride and commitment into making them as you do wearing them.

On-site Research and Development Teams

Unlike some other companies that simply reuse old designs or resell imported inventory, Century has its own Research and Development team. Our R&D team work at the company headquarters, brainstorming and designing new products. Thanks to them, Century has stayed on the cutting edge of martial arts gear, with major innovations like the original freestanding Wavemaster bag, BOB body opponent bag, and the Versys line of fight simulators.

Partnerships with Industry Leaders

Century teamed up with MMA coaches Greg Jackson and Mike Winkeljohn to work on product testing and innovation. Their fighters test Century products and give us even more, outside feedback. Three years later, we approached Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu legend and American Top Team cofounder Ricardo Liborio about a collaborative venture. Century became his official equipment and apparel provider, and we worked closely with him to design and create the ’96 Especial Gi, named in honor of his 1996 victory in the IBJJF Championships.

In 2015 we partnered with Team Paul Mitchell, the longest-running sport karate team consisting of the highest level athletes from all over the world.

We enjoy getting to work with the broad array of talented individuals. At Century, we’re committed to promoting martial arts and one of the best ways we can do that is through collaboration with the coaches, competitors, and other individuals who are making a difference in the martial arts community.