Karate (空手) is a martial art developed in the Ryukyu Kingdom. It developed from the indigenous Ryukyuan martial arts under the influence of Kung Fu, particularly Fujian White Crane. Karate is now predominantly a striking art using punching, kicking, knee strikes, elbow strikes and open-hand techniques such as knife-hands, spear-hands and palm-heel strikes. Historically, and in some modern styles, grappling, throws, joint locks, restraints and vital-point strikes are also taught. A karate practitioner is called a karateka (空手家).
Martial arts are codified systems and traditions of combat practiced for a number of reasons such as self-defense; military and law enforcement applications; competition; physical, mental, and spiritual development; entertainment; and the preservation of a nation's intangible cultural heritage.
Welterweight is a weight class in combat sports. Originally the term "welterweight" was used only in boxing, but other combat sports like Muay Thai, taekwondo, and mixed martial arts also use it for their own weight division system to classify the opponents. In most sports that use it, welterweight is heavier than lightweight but lighter than middleweight.
A combat sport, or fighting sport, is a competitive contact sport that usually involves one-on-one combat. In many combat sports, a contestant wins by scoring more points than the opponent or by disabling the opponent. Combat sports share a long pedigree with the martial arts.
Hybrid martial arts, also known as hybrid fighting systems or sometimes eclectic martial arts or freestyle fighting, refer to martial arts or fighting systems that incorporate techniques and theories from several particular martial arts (eclecticism). While numerous martial arts borrow or adapt from other arts and to some extent could be considered hybrids, a hybrid martial art emphasizes its disparate origins.
Alexander Evgenevich Gerunov, is a Russian Karateka who won the World Championships (2004), European Championships (2004) and World Games (2005). He is also an instructor of the School of Combat Skills "Soyuz". Gerunov was born and trained in Togliatti by trainer, Valerie P. Kokshin. He's trained in Shotokan, Wado-ryu Goju-ryu, Shito-ryu and Taekwondo.
The World Combat Games is an international multi-sport event featuring combat sports and martial arts. The games were founded by SportAccord as a way of bringing various martial arts and combative sports to an international audience. The World Combat Games are also accompanied by a cultural program that reflects the ancient traditions and values of martial arts as well as their contribution to modern society. The games are recognised by the International Olympic Committee.
The 2013 World Combat Games was held in Ekaterinburg, Russia, from October 18 to 26, 2013.
Artem Olegovich Vakhitov is a Russian Muay Thai kickboxer who competes in the cruiserweight and heavyweight divisions. Vakhitov is the former Glory Light Heavyweight Champion.
The International School Sport Federation (ISF) is an international sports governing body for school sport. Founded in 1972 with 21 signatory nations, the federation has been organising international competitions to encourage education through sport and student athletes. It has 132 members from five continents.
Cheryl Murphy is an American martial artist. She is a member of Team USA and a current Shotokan Karate fighter. She is stated to be a world class competition kumite competitor.
Maša Martinović is a Croatian karate athlete competing in category kumite female +68 kg.
Karate at the Summer Olympics will make its debut at the 2020 Games in Tokyo, Japan.
Kūdō is a Japanese hybrid martial art. It is a full-contact combat sport that aims to achieve both safety and practicality, a style of mixed martial arts practised with headgear and gloves. It features stand-up striking, with throwing and grappling techniques being also allowed in the competition, including restraint, locks and chokeholds.
Zabihollah Poorshab more commonly known as Zabihollah Poursheib is an Iranian karateka. Poursheib competed at the 2010 Asian Games at the 84 kg division and won the gold medal. He also won the bronze medal in 2016 World Karate Championships.
Sakura Kokumai is an American karateka. In 2019, she won the gold medal in the women's individual kata event at the 2019 Pan American Games held in Lima, Peru. She is scheduled to represent the United States at the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, Japan.
Alexandra Recchia is a French karateka. She is a two-time gold medalist in the women's kumite 50 kg event at the World Karate Championships and a two-time gold medalist in this event at the European Karate Championships.
Kristina Mah is an Australian karateka. She is a gold medalist at the World Karate Championships.
Sandy Scordo is a French karateka. She is a two-time silver medalist at the World Karate Championships in the women's individual kata event, both in 2012 and in 2014.
Karate Combat is a brand which promotes the first professional, full-contact karate league, hosting worldwide events since April 2018. The private company is headquartered in New York and was founded by Michael DePietro and Robert Bryan. The business also encompasses sports equipment, a worldwide Dojo network and mobile apps for viewers. Karate Combat was founded in order to promote karate as a sport and martial art. Former UFC heavyweight champion Bas Rutten hosts Karate Combat venues alongside special guests.
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