Bill Viola Jr.

Bill Viola Jr.

Bill Viola Jr. is a bestselling author, producer, and the creator of the CommonSensei® self-help book series. He is the innovator behind multiple federally registered trademarks, including the award-winning Sensei Says® life-skills curriculum and the Black Belt in Life® personal-growth program.

A former USA Karate National Champion (All-American) and 1998 World Champion, Viola transitioned from elite competition to become an internationally respected coach, mentor, and sports promoter. He has worked with Olympians and professional athletes across multiple disciplines, blending high-performance training with character development and leadership education.

Viola currently serves as President of Kumite Classic Entertainment Corp. and Chairman of Tatami Sports for WAKO USA—continuing his mission to elevate martial arts and combat sports through education, opportunity, and service.

Bill Viola Jr. is a Pittsburgh-based award-winning author, martial-arts leader, event promoter, and community advocate best known for blending elite competition with youth development, character education, and service. A third-generation martial artist, Bill carries forward a family legacy that has shaped combat sports in Western Pennsylvania for more than five decades.

Bill is the President of Kumite Classic Entertainment Corp., the organization behind the Kumite Classic ®, one of the most prestigious and long-running independent martial-arts tournaments in North America. Under his leadership, the Kumite Classic has grown into a global destination event, hosting athletes from around the world and celebrating milestone anniversaries tied to Pittsburgh’s deep combat-sports roots.

As a coach and mentor, Bill leads Viola Karate / Allegheny Shotokan, where he emphasizes discipline, respect, and continuous improvement. His programs—including Team Kumite, Norwin Ninjas, Sensei Says® Life Skills, Black Belt in Life®, and his innovative Kaizen 1% (864 seconds) method—focus on developing confident, resilient young leaders both on and off the mat.

Bill has also played a significant role in the evolution of Olympic-style kickboxing in the United States. He has served in leadership and hosting roles with WAKO USA, supporting national championships and international pathways tied to the U.S. Olympic movement. Through these efforts, he has helped elevate American athletes onto world stages.

Beyond sport, Bill is deeply committed to philanthropy and community service. He supports scholarship initiatives through the Kumite International Scholarship Foundation, partners with organizations such as the Western Pennsylvania Police Athletic League, and promotes youth health, wellness, and mentorship throughout the region.

Scholarships & Youth Opportunity Programs

Kumite International (KI) Scholarship Foundation

Bill Viola Jr. founded Kumite International (KI) in 1999 while he was a senior at the University of Pittsburgh. KI was the first non-profit scholarship foundation in the United States specifically dedicated to supporting competitive martial-arts student-athletes pursuing higher education.

• Mission: Connect achievement in martial arts with academic opportunity, helping student competitors access college funding while teaching discipline and leadership.

• Partnership: The foundation was launched in collaboration with the Western Pennsylvania Police Athletic League (PAL) and the law firm Eckert Seamans.

• Scholarship Impact: KI initially allocated around $100,000 in college scholarship funding for deserving karate athletes.

• National Recognition: The program drew national attention in 2004, when former NFL Hall of Famer Lynn Swann—then Chairman of President George W. Bush’s Council on Physical Fitness and Sports—helped present the scholarships at the Kumite Classic event in Pittsburgh.

• Legacy: Over time the initiative would make more than $100,000 in scholarship opportunities available, setting a precedent for combining competitive sport with academic support.

KI’s scholarship model helped legitimize sport karate as a collegiate pathway—bringing structured opportunity where few such options existed for martial-arts competitors at the time.

At his core, Bill Viola Jr. is driven by one belief: martial arts are a vehicle for building better people. Whether producing world-class events, coaching the next generation, or giving back to his community, his mission remains the same—use discipline, service, and constant improvement to create lasting impact.

AMAZON #1 Bestselling Author:

Bill Viola Jr. is a bestselling author with a body of published work that blends martial-arts history, personal development, and life philosophy. His books often draw on his experiences in martial arts and event promotion, but also aim to teach broad lessons about character, perseverance, and purpose.

Notable titles include:

• Godfathers of MMA: The Birth of an American Sport – A historical non-fiction book tracing the early roots of mixed martial arts in America, which later inspired the Showtime documentary Tough Guys. It hit #1 on Amazon’s individual sports category with its commemorative release.

• Tough Guys – A tie-in edition of the MMA history book connected to the documentary of the same name.

• CommonSensei series – A self-help series launched around 2020 designed to guide readers toward a disciplined, purpose-driven life using martial-arts principles as metaphor and guide.

• Co-author credits on volumes like Go Ask Your Dad and other motivational titles.

His work is recognized in literary and sports circles, and multiple books have connected directly to his martial arts curriculum and philosophy.

™ Trademarks & Curriculum

Bill Viola Jr. has extended his authorship into federally registered trademarks that express his philosophy and form the foundation of formal teaching programs:

• Sensei Says® – A trademarked life skills curriculum that blends character education with martial-arts principles. The program (and related book material) is designed to teach core attributes like respect, courage, discipline, teamwork, confidence, and sportsmanship through age-appropriate lessons and activities.

• Black Belt in Life® – A trademarked personal-growth concept and curriculum, also tied to his book Black Belt in Life. It takes traditional martial-arts values — focus, resilience, balance, continuous improvement — and reframes them as tools for success in all areas of life. The program is often paired with his books and talks on setting goals and mastering life’s challenges.

• CommonSensei® – A trademarked identity and series brand merging “common sense” with “sensei,” marketed through books and teaching materials aimed at helping readers chart personal growth paths using martial-arts mindset and structured habit building.

These trademarks reflect Viola’s mission to take martial arts beyond physical fighting and position them as tools for character education, personal development, and lifelong resilience.

Key Film Credits

Bringing MMA’s Story to Light

His film work, especially Tough Guys, has played a role in shaping public understanding of MMA’s roots, predating many mainstream accounts tied to the UFC. The involvement of respected documentary filmmakers like Spurlock and Kauffman highlights how Viola Jr.’s MMA scholarship and storytelling have resonated within Hollywood circles, connecting grassroots martial-arts history to widely distributed film content.

Bill Viola Jr. has several film credits reflecting his work as a producer, associate producer, and consultant, especially in projects tied to mixed martial arts and action sports culture.

🎥 Tough Guys (2017) – Associate Producer

• A feature-length documentary that premiered at the AFI Docs Film Festival and was broadcast on Showtime. It tells the story of the origins of mixed martial arts (MMA) in the late 1970s and early 1980s through the pioneering work of his father, Bill Viola Sr., and Frank Caliguri — decades before the first UFC event.

• The film was based on the critically acclaimed book Godfathers of MMA written by Bill Viola Jr. and Dr. Fred Adams, which he also helped re-release to tie into the documentary.

• Tough Guys attracted high-profile involvement behind the scenes, with executive producers including Oscar® nominated filmmaker Morgan Spurlock (Super Size Me) and Oscar® winner Ross Kauffman (Born into Brothels).

• Viola Jr. even appears on screen portraying his father in parts of the documentary.

🎬 Tapped Out (2014) – Associate Producer

• A drama-style martial-arts film featuring former UFC champions Lyoto Machida and Anderson “Spider” Silva. Bill Viola Jr. is credited in an associate producing role, helping bridge real MMA authenticity with cinematic storytelling.

🎬 Gridlocked (2015) – Associate Producer

• A feature action film in which Viola Jr. also served as associate producer, contributing to its production.

🎬 The Sound (2017) – Producer

• Another credited project where Viola Jr. is listed as producer, showcasing his broader engagement beyond strictly martial arts documentaries.

Hollywood Influence & Industry Roles

In addition to producing, Viola Jr. has also acted as an independent consultant on other motion picture projects:

• Warrior (2011) – served as a consultant on this critically acclaimed MMA-themed drama starring Tom Hardy and Joel Edgerton. His expertise in combat sports history and technical authenticity helped inform aspects of the film’s portrayal of MMA culture.

Collectively, these credits show Bill Viola Jr.’s dual impact in both documenting real MMA history and helping bring competitive combat narratives to broader audiences through entertainment media.

Western Pennsylvania Police Athletic League (PAL)

Bill’s work with PAL stretches back to his youth and has continued through his adult leadership in martial-arts community outreach:

• He served as a PAL goodwill ambassador, using martial-arts demonstrations to promote respect for law enforcement, personal responsibility, physical fitness, and healthy lifestyles at community events, schools, and anti-drug campaigns.

• His connection with PAL also strengthened through the KI scholarship partnership and ongoing outreach tied to the Kumite Classic and other regional programs.

Through PAL and other networks, Viola Jr. has emphasized prevention through engagement—using discipline and purpose in martial arts to help guide young people away from negative influences

Beyond scholarships and youth programs, Bill has been involved in health research fundraising and advocacy, especially related to neurodegenerative disease research in Pittsburgh:

PIND (Pittsburgh Institute for Neurodegenerative Diseases) Support

In collaboration with former Pennsylvania State Senator Sean Logan, Viola Jr. helped launch an initiative to “Kick Parkinson’s Disease”—a charity component tied to both martial-arts community action and scientific research support:

• Kick-a-thon & 5K Efforts: Martial-arts students and volunteers participated in a mobile kick-a-thon alongside the PIND 5K, where participants “kick one mile” in a continuous martial-arts demonstration.

• Fundraising Results: Over a multi-year period, the combined efforts from community sponsors, grants, and appropriations helped raise over $1 million, all of which was earmarked for experimental testing and research toward neurodegenerative disease breakthroughs in Pittsburgh.

• Motivation & Personal Connection: Bill’s engagement was motivated by personal experience, including caring for his grandmother, who passed away from complications related to a neurodegenerative condition.

  Bill and the Viola Karate community have also:

  • Raised funds for Muscular Dystrophy and Parkinson’s research through dojo events and collaborations.

  • Used his platforms and events as opportunities for public health education, community service, and advocacy

    

    Gabby Viola, IBD & a New Chapter of Advocacy

    The most profound evolution of Bill’s philanthropic mission came through his daughter, Gabby Viola.

    

    A world-champion martial artist, Team USA athlete, and United States Army Fight Team representative, Gabby was diagnosed at age seven with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Her journey transformed the Viola family’s focus from competition alone to advocacy, awareness, and resilience.

    Under Bill’s leadership and support:

    

    • Gabby became a national youth advocate for the Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation, using her platform to raise awareness for children living with chronic illness.

    • The family openly shared the realities of treatment, infusions, travel, and competition while managing IBD — reframing strength as perseverance, not perfection.

    • Bill stepped back from full-time event promotion to prioritize family, reinforcing the message that titles don’t define a legacy — people do.

    Today, Gabby’s story is inseparable from Bill’s mission: proving that martial arts are not just about fighting opponents, but about fighting through adversity with discipline, courage, and heart.

Will Viola following in his sister’s footsteps:

 

Bill Viola Jr. Tournament Days:

Car Accident That Ended Bill Viola Jr.’s Competitive Career

(Based on Westmoreland Sports / Tribune-Review, August 15, 1999)

In August 1999, just weeks before the USA Karate National Championships in Canton, Ohio, Bill Viola Jr. was involved in a serious car accident on Route 30 in North Huntingdon Township, an event that abruptly ended his elite competitive karate career.

At the time, Bill was:

• 22 years old

• A six-time Pennsylvania state champion

• The defending USA Karate National Champion

• Actively training to defend his national title

According to the article, the crash caused:

• A cervical spine injury

• A Fractured spine

• Significant neck trauma, forcing doctors to rule him medically unable to compete

As a result, Bill was forced to withdraw from nationals for the first time in his career, unable to defend his championship title.

“This is one of the rare times I had to miss the national championships,” Bill said in the article. “Being a defending champion, it was difficult to watch. But I had to be there for my students.”

Despite his injuries, Bill:

• Traveled with his team to Akron, Ohio, where the championships were held

• Coached and supported his students from the sidelines

• Continued teaching at his father’s Allegheny Shotokan Karate School, even while recovering

The article makes clear that while Bill could not compete, he refused to step away from karate, choosing instead to pivot immediately into leadership, instruction, and mentorship.

Medical guidance at the time emphasized recovery and long-term spinal health. Bill later stated his goal was not simply to return to competition quickly, but to “be right back where I was” — a level he ultimately could not safely reach again as an elite competitor.