The two fought in The King of Iron Fist Tournament 5, but victory and defeat eluded both fighters, and, in defeat, they found friendship. Upon the announcement of the King of Iron Fist Tournament 5, Marduk entered, knowing King would be there, he hoped to even the score. Wearing Armor King's black jaguar mask, Marduk entered a Vale Tudo tournament and challenged King after emerging undefeated. Enraged over his loss, Marduk began training harder than he ever had before, and managed to turn his body into the ultimate weapon. Later, King paid a visit to Marduk in the hospital to finish him off, but instead spared him after noticing a photograph showing Marduk and his family beside Marduk's bed. The two met at the tournament, where King sufficiently defeated him, leaving Marduk hospitalized. The man that Marduk killed in the bar brawl was Armor King, and Armor King's protege, King, was the one who paid for Marduk's release, wanting him to enter the tournament in order to find him and exact revenge for killing his mentor. Upon his release he received a mysterious package containing a newspaper clipping regarding The King of Iron Fist Tournament 4 and an airline ticket. Marduk was suddenly released thanks to an anonymous benefactor. He was imprisoned in Arizona for accidentally killing someone during a bar fight. He had been living around the world in such countries like New Zealand, Japan, Thailand, and Brazil before eventually expatriating to United States. Craig Marduk was an undefeated Vale Tudo fighter for four years, but when he was involved in a minor scandal, his sponsors were glad to release him.