Kumite Classic Entertainment Explained

Kumite Classic Entertainment
Type:Private
Industry:Sports, fitness, martial arts
Founded:1999[1] [2]
Founders:-->
Hq Location:Pittsburgh, PA[3]
Areas Served:-->
Subsid:Allegheny Shotokan Karate[4]
Owners:-->

Kumite Classic Entertainment (KCE) is a Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania based sports production company. It was established in 1999 by Bill Viola Jr. KCE specializes in fitness, martial arts, and multi-sport competitions.[1] [2]

The Kumite Classic

“Kumite” is a Japanese word referring to “fighting.”[5] The company's self-titled “Kumite Classic” is an annual series of combat sports tournaments, widely regarded as the mecca of martial arts in the Pittsburgh region.[2] [6] [7]

The Kumite Classic has traditionally featured strongman, powerlifting, body building, fitness, figure, and model competitions. The Kumite Classic showcases traditional and open karate, tae kwon do, tang soo do, kung fu, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and Grappling tournaments.[8] [3]

Notable martial arts and sports celebrities including Royce Gracie, Franco Harris, Antonio Brown, Lynn Swan, Ice-T and Kurt Angle have appeared at the Kumite Classic.[9] [6] [10] [11] Angle's “Ultimate Teen Challenge,” a strength competition, was launched at the 2005 Kumite Classic and has also expanded to the Arnold Sports Festival.[12] [13] [14]

Kumite Classic Entertainment took ownership of Allegheny Shotokan Karate in 2016.[15]

Pittsburgh Fitness Expo

Kumite Classic hosts the annual Pittsburgh Fitness Expo, a full scale consumer convention that promotes health and wellness in the Western Pennsylvania region. The expo is held at the Monroeville Convention Center over Memorial Day Weekend.[1] [2] [8] [3] [16]

Publishing

In 2013, the company established Kumite Classic Press and released Godfathers of MMA, a mixed martial arts non-fiction book inspired by the life of Bill Viola Sr. and the rise and fall of CV Productions and the Tough Guy Contest.[6] [17] The book is the subject of the documentary film Tough Guys (2017) produced by MinusL Inc.[18] [19]

Kumite Classic published a commemorative edition of Godfather's of MMA retitled Tough Guys (2017) which peaked at #1 on the Amazon best sellers list in the individual sports category. The launch was synchronized with the network television debut of Tough Guys on Showtime.[20] [21] [22] [23]

Published works

External links

Notes and References

  1. Schrecengost, Dave “Kumite Classic event is back in Monroeville”. Pittsburgh Tribune Review, May 23, 2013
  2. Kelly, Jack (April 16, 2007). “Festival puts emphasis on physical fitness”. Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
  3. Web site: Kumite Classic Expo, Pittsburgh PA Memorial Day WeekendKumite Classic . Kumiteclassic.com . 2016-02-22 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160216032124/http://kumiteclassic.com/kumite-classic-expo-pittsburgh/ . 2016-02-16 . dead .
  4. Staff. Forging a Path for Half a Century. Black Belt Magazine. (September 12, 2019).
  5. Schofield, Melissa (November 1, 2000). “Former karate champion makes transition to music video”. Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, p. E5.
  6. Love, Mike (May 20, 2012). “Fitness and martial-arts enthusiasts pack Monroeville Convention Center for Kumite Classic”. Tribune-Review.
  7. Cloonan, Patrick (May 25, 2005). “North Huntingdon Twp. Promoter heads Pittsburgh Sports and Fitness Festival”. The Daily News, p. 11.
  8. Love, Michael (May 19, 2015). “Pittsburgh Fitness Expo returning to Monroeville”. Tribune-Review.
  9. Cartey, Richard (November 2012). “Tough guy Contest: The Real Beginnings of MMA in America”. Fighters Only.3: 72.
  10. Web site: About the producer of Pittsburgh Fitness Expo: Bill Viola Jr. . Pittsburghfitnessexpo.com . 2016-02-22.
  11. Web site: 2012 Kumite Classic | Sports | Pittsburgh Tribune-Review Photos . Photos.triblive.com . 2016-02-22.
  12. Web site: KurtAngleBrand . The Ultimate Teen Challenge . Kurtanglebrand.com . 2016-02-22.
  13. Web site: The Ultimate Teen Challenge . The Ultimate Teen Challenge . 2016-01-21 . 2016-02-22.
  14. Web site: 2015 Arnold Sports Festival schedule, map | The Columbus Dispatch . Dispatch.com . 2015-03-05 . 2016-02-22.
  15. Bowen, Jessie.(2017). Who’s Who in the Martial Arts. Elite Publication.
  16. Web site: 15th Annual Pittsburgh Fitness Expo . Guidetogoodhealth.com . 2016-02-22.
  17. Web site: MMA Latest . A Review of Godfathers of MMA: The Birth of An American Sport | MMA Latest - Bringing you worldwide MMA news . Mmalatestnews.com . 2016-02-22 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160216040119/http://www.mmalatestnews.com/a-review-of-godfathers-of-mma-the-birth-of-an-american-sport/ . 2016-02-16 . dead .
  18. Web site: Steele . Jerin . Before MMA, Tough Guys wowed fans in A-K Valley, throughout state . TribLIVE . 2015-09-13 . 2016-02-22.
  19. Pickels, Mary (February 8, 2015). “Martial arts are a family affair”. Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, p. B3.
  20. Web site: Showtime's 'Tough Guys' documentary explores MMA's early roots in 1980s Pittsburgh. September 13, 2017.
  21. Web site: Tough Guys MMA Book reaches #1 on Amazon best sellers list. September 19, 2017.
  22. Web site: Two Pittsburgh Tough Guys Made MMA Safe for Everyone But Themselves. May 14, 2019. MEL Magazine.
  23. Web site: Showtime documentary proves Pittsburgh-area early mixed martial arts fighters were 'Tough Guys'. Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
  24. Book: Godfathers of MMA: The Birth of an American Sport. Bill Jr.. Viola. Fred. Adams. November 5, 2014. CV Productions. 9780996163309. Google Books.
  25. Web site: Archived copy . 2023-03-17 . 2023-04-07 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230407215914/https://books.google.com/books?id=ub7PjwEACAAJ . dead .
  26. Book: Viola, Bill Jr.. Tough Guys. August 22, 2017. CV Productions. 9780996163323. Google Books.
  27. Web site: Archived copy . 2023-03-17 . 2023-04-07 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230407215912/https://books.google.com/books?id=Moe3zQEACAAJ . dead .
  28. Book: Viola, Bill Jr.. CommonSensei: Goal Pagoda. July 28, 2020. Kumite Classic Entertainment. 9780996163354. Google Books.

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Kumite Classic Entertainment".

Except where otherwise indicated, Everything.Explained.Today is © Copyright 2009-2024, A B Cryer, All Rights Reserved. Cookie policy.