UTA Sanctioned Tournaments are generally closed to outside schools and organizations. However, recently, we have opened the doors to like minded Martial Arts schools.

If you are interested in a fair, fun and safe environment for your students to compete in and have been less than happy with the efforts of other Tournament Circuits you may want to give us a look!

Here are some of the things that set us apart from other Tournaments:

• Competitors will know what time their division starts and ends three days before the Event.
• Families will need to spend only about 90 minutes at the Tournament.
• You don't need to judge. Of course you are welcome to as long you have participated in at least one Judges Clinic and passed the Judging Examination.
• For every student that participates from your School you receive twenty dollars.

If interested, you must meet or be working toward the following criteria.

Prerequisites 

Traditional Style: Your system needs to have "traditional roots" with Forms (Kata, Huangs) that have not been overly simplified or "spiced up" with flashy kicks and acrobatic movements.

Documented Belt Rank System:Your program must have time requirements and advancement guidelines.

Sparring: Students from you school must be able to adapt to the rules that govern our Tournaments.

If you meet the prerequisites an are interested in participating, a phone conference is the next step, followed by a visit to your school.

During the visit we will record some of your students demonstrating Forms and you will grade them on a scale from 1 -10, letting us know what you consider a Gold, Silver and Bronze medal Form. We will also need to record some sparring at a variety of belt levels.

About the Tournament Hosts

Michael Crocco and Bryan Klein have hosted, and organized over fifty Tournaments since 1987 (52 to be exact).

At one point close to 700 competitors (678) from 12 schools were attending! As times and people changed the tournaments have flexed up, down, back and forth, but the one constant was that UTA sanctioned Tournaments have always been considered on the cutting edge and one of the best out there.

Mr. Klein has been featured in several Industry publications including MA Success and has given seminars on Martial Arts School management in New York. In 2004 along with Mr. Crocco and Dr. Nicholas Despotidis he founded Martial Arts with Heart a philanthropic organization that raises funds for worthy charities. To date over $340,000 has been raised for 5 different causes.  

Mr. Crocco has competed Nationally and Internationally receiving receiving 1st place honors in Little Rock Arkansas, New York NY, Pensacola Florida, Birmingham, Montgomery and Mobile Alabama, New Orleans Louisiana. A bronze medalist in Jamaica, Silver Medalist in Manzanillo and Cancun Mexico,  and Sydney Australia. In the first ever Martial Arts Tournament in Russia he earned two gold medals. At this tournament he was asked to represent the United States and organize a judging clinic for the International Judges.

With their team of Certified Instructors and School Owners from UNION, JACKSON and MATAWAN they will do everything they can to ensure competitors, spectators and visiting school owners leave the tournament looking forward to the next one.