Refers to a person who practices or competes in martial arts or combat sports, such as karate, judo, boxing, or MMA.
He fights around the world as a professional martial artist.
Becoming a fighter requires rigorous training.
格闘家 specifically means a professional martial artist or combat-sports athlete, whereas ファイター can describe anyone who fights, even metaphorically.
Standard kanji spelling.
Rarely used kanji form; 挌 is an uncommon variant of 格.
Compound of 格闘 (kakutō, 'hand-to-hand combat') + 家 (-ka, 'person who does something professionally'). The kanji 格 means 'status' or 'standard', and 闘 means 'fight'.