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Cartwill Viola – winning one cart wheel kick at a time

Cartwill Viola – winning one cart wheel kick at a time The Cartwheel Kick The cartwheel kick became a Western Pennsylvania phenomenon thanks to Billy Blanks, the martial artist and Tae Bo pioneer, who dazzled crowds at Bill Viola Sr.’s karate tournaments in the early 1980s. Blanks’ acrobatics and explosive power left a lasting mark...

Kumite Classic brining WAKO USA Nationals to Arnold Sports Festival 2025

Arnold Sports Festival to Host 2025 WAKO USA National Championships Through Innovative Partnerships with Kumite Classic The Arnold Sports Festival (ASF), the world’s premier sports and fitness exhibition, will host the 2025 WAKO USA National Championship and Team Trials in a strategic partnership with Kumite Classic February 28th to March 1st, 2025.    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dgKBKkGvk_Y ASF is...

Gabby Viola “3rd Generation” Black Belt – Zentensity

Gabby Viola – Zentensity Viola Kickboxing & Karate Legacy  Pittsburgh martial arts legacy continues… On August 17th 2021, Pittsburgh area karate champion Gabby Viola celebrated her 11th birthday and simultaneously became the youngest Black Belt at Allegheny Shotokan, a dojo that dates back to the 1960s.  Gabby joins a Pittsburgh karate legacy that includes three...

Bill Viola Sr. and Bill Viola Jr. featured in Chuck Norris “Who’s Who” Book

Durham, NC, December 1, 2020 – Jessie Bowen, Director of the American Martial Arts Alliance Foundation announced the release of highly anticipated 2020 MARTIAL ARTS MASTERS & PIONEERS CHUCK NORRIS BIO BOOK – US & World Edition. The Viola Karate Family Honored in Chuck Norris “Who’s Who” Book Father and Son karate experts, Bill Viola...

“Sensei Viola” Day in Pittsburgh

“Sensei Viola Day” is September 23rd 2019 in Pittsburgh to honor of Allegheny Shotokan Karate’s 50-year Anniversary WHEREAS, Allegheny Shotokan Karate, or Viola Karate as it is more commonly known today, was established in 1969 at East Allegheny High School by Bill Viola, Sr. and is celebrating its 50th anniversary of educating students in martial...

Kickboxing Karate Gold Medal Pan American Championships

North Huntingdon 9-year-old claims international kickboxing title STEPHEN HUBA | Sunday, Nov. 11, 2018, 10:33 p.m. Xander Eddy might look like a normal student while he’s walking the halls of Sunset Valley Elementary School in North Huntingdon. But he’s got a secret weapon – his hands and his feet. Xander, short for Alexander, recently became the youngest American to...

Interview with Bill Viola Jr. Author of Tough Guys -MMA Book

Interview with Bill Viola Jr. Author of Amazon Best Seller ‘Tough Guys’ By Heather Holtschlag |  Oct. 16, 2017 Tough Guys (2017) Kumite Classic Press available on Amazon Why and when did you decide to write Godfathers of MMA? The real story of who invented the sport of MMA in America was in jeopardy of being lost forever....

🥋Ranked #1 Karate School and Team In Pittsburgh Team Kumite has been the most successful sport karate school team in the Pittsburgh region.  The team was established in 2000 after a void was left from 1980s/1990s powerhouse X-Caliber National Team.  X-Caliber’s were lead by Captain Mike Shurina (NASKA/NBL World Champion) and coached by Leonard Jackson.  X-Caliber...

MMA Family Tree

MMA Family Tree MMA Mixed Martial Arts Family Tree (check out this great infographic timeline on the evolution of mixed martial arts theory and fighting towards the sport we know today).  Learn more about the History of MMA MMA Mixed Martial Arts Timeline Endeavor Era 2017 Mainstream 2005 UFC-Zuffa Era 2001 Pride 1997 UFC-SEG Era 1995 UFC-...