Dear Martial Artists – Kungfu Friends, Competitors and Masters,
Cung Le and I would like to invite you–our friends, fighters, coaches, trainers, masters and guests–to our 2022 KSF- US Open Kung Fu Challenge and KSF-A Super Fight at the Shaolin Institute Business Park Dr. Ste C, Norcross, GA 30071 on June 11th.
This is a special event that showcases not only some of the most well-known original US Sanda/Sanshou team members and masters but also many younger fighters and coaches who have participated in our Sanshou/Sanda events in the US for the past 30 years. This is indeed a special event to reignite interest in Sanda in the US and worldwide. Cung Le and I will be the co-promoters, partnering together with you for support in joining us for this KSF organized event. The Kung Fu Sanda Federation (KSF) is part of Shaolin Chan Foundation (a non-profit organization promoting Asian wisdom, natural healing, health and martial arts).
Let me give you new fighters a brief explanation of Sanda/Sanshou, which is a form of fighting that incorporates strikes, kicks, kneeing, interception, and combat wrestling (Shauijiao like Judo).
Together we invite not only the coaches and fighters of Sanda/Sanshou but also all martial artists who are interested in learning more about this exciting form of fighting to be part of the event.
This event promises more than just an exhilarating fight in the ring. It will also give martial artists of all styles, amateur or future professional competitors, a chance to express themselves and test their skills while making friends in a positive atmosphere.
The daytime event will consist of individual and group Gong Fu, Tai Chi and other martial arts forms, weapons and light contact competitions, as well as continuous sport sparring with limited light contact and youth Sanda. Please consult the event logistics and agenda lineup for details. The evening event is designed to test the best amateur Sanda/Sanshou fighters in the world. If you have any questions, call me at 770-286-9808 or send me an email to shaolininstitutega@gmail.com (can we get a new ksf email on this? )
Peace,
DeRu ( Shawn Liu Xiangyang)
Kung Fu Sanda Federation
US OPEN KUNGFU SANSHOU/SANDA FIGHTING EVENTS
There have been many fights organized at various events over the last 30 years, including
- US Open K. Super Fights
- Art of War-K. Superstar Production
- Art of War Sanshou Middleweight Championship (One time)
- U.S. Open International Martial Arts Championships
- U.S. Open Sanshou International Middleweight Championship (One time)
- US Open Fighting Challenge
This event of 2022 US Open Gong Fu Challenge
The Open Challenge tournament preliminary fights will start at 12:00 PM, and the final tournament will start at 7:00 PM until all fights are completed.
Registration, and weigh-in starts Friday, June 10, 2022 at 1:00pm – 8:00pm. All fighters will complete their weight and medicals by 10:00 a.m.
Saturday, June 11, 2022. Tournament schedule is listed as following:
Saturday June 11, 2022:
7:00am-9:00am Fighters Registration, Weigh-in, Medicals
9:30am – 11:30am Martial Arts Skills Demonstrations (non-combat)
12:00pm – 6:00pm Preliminary Matches
6:30pm – 7:00pm Break – Martial Arts Skills Demos
7:00pm – 10:00pm All division Final Matches
Winner for each weight category in preliminary fights will fight for the final major 3 weight classes in A division: Heavyweight, Middleweight and Lightweight. Final three winners in lightweight, middleweight and heavyweight will come out in A division. Each winner will be awarded $300.00 in scholarship. The best fighter of the night will be awarded with an extra bonus.
- Super Fights winner will win $1000.00 scholarship for his/her future education
There will be various prizes, medals and memorabilia and for other different divisions.
There are 3 major US Open fighting divisions beside light contacts.
A: Advanced Division
B: Beginner Division
N: Novice Division
The tournament committee shall reserve the right to give any fighter a fighting test to determine their correct division for safety before we allow him/her to fight. All Rules and regulations shall be available on https://www.ksfworld.org/about/
This year the US Open Kung Fu Challenge is an open-house friendly test, truly opening its doors to all amateurs of martial arts, including MMA fighters. This tournament uses the combined rules and regulations of international Sanshou/Sanda, which includes kicks, knees, strikes, intercepts, grapples and throws; and also includes wearing appropriate head and body protection and standard Kungfu open finger (for A division) boxing gloves. Certain modifications may be made by the house committee to allow for martial arts of various styles to be included in this year’s open house KSF event. These modifications will be available through our websites and our Contact Representatives.
Brief History of US Open Martial Arts of SanShou
It’s been almost 30 years since the very first official US Open International Sanda/Sanshou fight in the US at the Mobile Convention Center where we showcased the skills of amazing fighters such as Cung Le, David Sanders and more. During these periods so many new events and changes have happened, such as the rise of MMA among other sports and entertainments.
Sanda, developed from Kungfu like Bruce Lee’s Jeet Kune Do, is a growing sport. Sanda’s popularity is on the rise, and together we will reignite the world’s interests in Sanda. The exciting new era of Sanda is coming. Thank you for joining us on this journey.
The US Open Kung Fu Challenge is unlike any other MMA sport, as it incorporates full body contact with greater freedom to use all styles of combat skills. It is a very exciting combat style for audiences to watch. Fighters are allowed to apply techniques of punching, kicking, kneeing, throwing, interception and wrestling with limited grappling.
To celebrate Sanda’s presence in the US for almost 30 years, the Shaolin Chan Foundation, Cung Le and Shaolin Institute, along with many other organizations and friends, will host and sponsor this KSF-US Open Kung Fu Challenge, and will bring many more US Open Kung Fu Challenge events in years to come.
Since 1994, our US Open International Martial Arts Championship has had many world class matches. Several international fighters and superstars started their careers by participating in these events. International teams from four continents, including the South Africa Sanshou Team, the Egyptian team, and European teams from Portland, Italy and Holland have competed in these events. From Asia, the championships have seen the China Special Police team and China National Team. From Central and South America, participants have included the Brazilian Sanshou Team, Argentina Sanshou team, Mexican Sanshou team, and participants from many other Pan American countries.
The US Open International Martial Arts Championship has presented many world class fighters. MMA Champion and World Sanda and MMA Champion, Cung Le, who started his first Sanda/Sanshou competition in Mobile, Alabama, has won three consecutive US Open International Championship titles.
UFC fighter and World Sanshou Silver Medalist, Patrick Barry, has won the US Open and K. Superstar competitions for both US and world championship titles in the “KSF-Art of War” production three times.
UFC fighter Melvin Guilard won a silver medal in the 2003 US Open national team trial and the 2004 US Open International Martial Arts Championship title in the lightweight division.
World Kickboxing Champion Rudi Ott had won US Open International Sanda/Sanshou Fighting Championships before he became a US team member and professional fighter.
- J. Noon International Sanshou and MMA Championship fighter won the International K. Superstar professional titles twice at the battle of “Art of War” in the US Open International Sanshou division.
Sanda King, the first Sanshou/Sanda World Cup Champion Li Jie won the 2004 US Open International Martial Arts Championship-K. Superstar professional main event title by defeating UFC fighter Rich Clementi.
Wael Karika Muhammed, World Sanshou Champion, Africa Sanshou Champion and undefeated MMA Champion won the 2007 US Open International Sanshou Championship and was seated in 2nd place at the “KSF-Art of War” production of the US Open International.
One of the best and most known pioneers of Sanda fighters and coaches in the US Jason Yee has led his team to the US Open and won many champion medals.
Some other best international fighters:
Edwardo Fujihira World Sanshou Champion & Brazil Sanshou Champion won 2003 K. Superstar International Champion Title in US Open International-Art of War professional Sanshou fights;
Albert Pope at 60kg, Mike Norman at 65kg, Max Chen at 70kg, Russ Middleton at 80kg,
Joshua Bartholomew has always the champion coach for the Boston team
Duncan Duffin from Mi has been trained and performed well over expectations and especially his demo fights with Albert gave tremendous excitement on Sanshou in the US
Outstanding world class fighters and champions at US Open like the following:
Al Lourieux US Open Champion and Word Sanda Silver medalist ,
Browns medalist Mike Norman at Sanshou World Cup
Along with our one of the most dedicated World Sanda Medalist Albert Pope
One of the earliest supporters and US National Team members,
Aaron Honeycutt who was not only a world Sanda champion from TaiWan organized events but a world Sand championship medalist along with Cung Le.
David Sanders international Sanshou Silver medalist & US Sanshou Champion
Robert Pritchett International, Pan American Champion & US Sanshou Champion
Juan Zarate International Champion Phenix, International Champion San Francisco and US Open Champion
Thomas Diagne European Sanshou Champion, US Open and K Superstar Champion
Scott Sheeley MMA fighter & US Sanshou Champion,
Since its inception in early 1990s, there have been over 30 US Open Sanshou/Sanda fighting challenge events held in the US, including 8 professional “Art of War” Sanshou/Sanda and K. Superstar tournaments which were sponsored by the Shaolin Institute and organized by and in cooperation with Shaolin Chan Foundation
Many of them joined the K. Super fights such as
Sally Krumdiack MMA & Muay Thai fighter,
Brian M. Light Heavyweight US Champion
Russ M. Middleweight US Champion
Ruslan Adryuschenko European Sanshou Champion & Russia Sanshou Champion,
Andre Assis Brazil Sanshou Champion,
Russell Middleton US Sanshou team member, International Sanshou Champion and US Sanshou Champion,
Marvin Perry is a special international champion at KSF Super Fight
Jose E. Palacios US Sanshou Champion,
James Cooper US Sanshou team member, International Sanshou Champion and US Sanshou Champion,
Max Chen US Sanshou team member, International Sanshou Champion & US Sanshou Champion,
John Dixon MMA, International Kickboxing & Sanshou Champion fighter
Frederico Capasso Venezuela Sanshou Champion, just list some.
Many other well known US & International Sanshou, Muay Thai and MMA fighters and martial arts coaches have fought or participated in the US Open International Sanshou:
Jason Yee World Sanshou Bronze Medalist, US Sanshou Champion & one of the US Pioneer Sanshou fighters and coaches, who brought his team many times got many medals including golds
MMA and Sanshou fighter Mike Altman, on the US Team, and one of the first who went to China twice before Patrick Barry fought and won WuLin Wind Super pro Sanda.
He brought his team many times to the US Open and won many fights in both pro fights and amateur fights.
US Sanshou fighter & Coach Brent Hamby has also brought his team numbers times won many medals in golds and Silvers
US Sanshou Champion and US team member, and MMA Fighter Scott Sheeley has also brought his team to support and won many medals.
European Sanshou and Muay Thai kickboxing Champion Paul Gurevidius, got his silver medal after Patrick Barry knocked him out at 2003 pro fights
Many other champions have also got their feet on the US Open and Art of War Super-fight ring
MMA and Muay Thai Champion from Africa Patrick Mandio,
UFC fighter Rich Clementi, Shidokan Open Champion and MMA fighter, Jeral Bowman,
Holland Sanshou Champion Danny Hoyer,
US Sanhou Champion Josh Bartholomew,
US Sanshou Champion Gelet Luc,
US Muay Thai Champion Steve Dang
MMA and Sanshou Champion Chris Overby,
US SanShou Championship, Max Chen
Leon Ngo US Champion
Andy Ngo US and International Champion (Florida ICM)
Many of our local US MMA or Muay Thai fighters have also fought at the US Open either as professional or amateur Sanshou Fighters:
MMA & Sanshou champion fighter Van Do Milnes,
MMA fighters Kevin Brooks,
Southeast Professional Muay Thai kickboxing Champion Marshall Burger,
MMA fighter Johnathan Ivey,
MMA fighters Johnathan Bradley, Steve Forbes, Larry Jackson, Mark Elefane, Harris Norwood, Travis Schlee, Raimundo Nunes, Mindacgas Vaitekunas, Steve Headden, Morrison Butler, Maria Barnes.
Some of the well known promoters and judges have always given their fullest support to the US Open for decades such as Jeff Bolt, Mike Barry, Gary Utterback, Tai Yim, Lily Lau, Nick Scrima, Denise Brown, Garland Johnson…
Many International teams supported and competed in the US Open International Martial Arts Championships such as Brazil Team, China Special Police Team, Swiss Team, Neverland Team, Italian Team, Canadian Team, SouthAfrican Team and more…
Our later years US Open Team like Vatsana Chanthala, Sunshine Smith
have been indeed a backbone to our events
The Art of War Professional Sanshou main events, which are the only Sanda professional events outside China, have produced many US and International level fighters along with the US Open International Sanshou main champion matches:
Aaron Honeycutt world Sanshou Bronze medalist & US Sanshou champion,
Rudi Ott US Sanshou team member & US Sanshou Champion,
Al Lorieux, US Sanshou team member, World Sanshou Silver Medalist and US Sanshou Champion,
Marvin Parry International Sanshou Champion,
Albert Pope World Sanshou Bronze Medalist
Our own Shaolin Institute leaders, Jeff Bordelon, Leon Ngo and Andy Ngo have always been a major supporting team member along with Mario Salazar and many others
For further information to enter the tournament as a fighter or purchase tickets as a spectator, contact the Shaolin Institute (770) 286-9808 or 251-662-3225 or shaolininstitutega@yahoo.com or visit http://www.shaolin-world.net
