Physical education (PE) teachers have insecurity about teaching martial arts to their students. There are places where martial arts, combative activities, or self-defense are part of PE standards and other places where they come up as electives. Either way, combative sports, and martial arts are lifelong physical activities and can bring varied emotional, psychological, and physical benefits. In this blog, I will discuss different ideas that have been developed by Marcelo Antunes and me (Alba) in our research, professional development courses, workshops, and engagement with academic peers. Our proposal focuses on the relationship between games and combat. Rethinking martial arts pedagogy through a game-based approach can be a way to support PE teachers to develop the confidence to teach their students without needing to become an expert. Additionally, through combat games, martial art coaches can find new ways of teaching children and youth enhancing their enjoyment and engagement in practice.