I often get asked what inspired the Kumite Classic? The short answer to a long story is Arnold Schwarzenegger. We’ve come a long way from 1997-2024. Back then Flex Wheeler was on top and by 1998 I got my first face time Arnold… the rest is history.

Enjoy an excerpt from by book CommonSensei:

While Jean Claude was fading, another mega star shinned brightly into my eyes.  Growing up, long before “Governor” Schwarzenegger was a thing, ArrrrrNOLD was THE ultimate alpha male.  To Gen-X, Van Damme was cool, but Arnold was on a whole other glacier!  My dad was a HUGE fan, and we bonded over his adventures!  Although not exactly “kid appropriate,” our weekend ritual consisted of watching Conan the Barbarian and Terminator on VHS over and over again until my sister and I could quote scenes verbatim: “I’ll be back!,” “Hasta la vista, baby!,” or “Crush your enemies, see them driven before you…”  Throughout middle school, Schwarzenegger’s action hero persona inspired me, and I dreamed of one day working with him. I mean how proud would my dad be if I rose to that level?!? It became an early “tiger” goal of mine.  *I’ll share with you later about my tiger/dragon dynamic, but for now just understand a tiger is a “long term” goal, and a dragon is a “short term” goal.

Opportunity knocked my sophomore year at Pitt.  I stumbled upon an advertisement in Black Belt Magazine where Arnie was promoting a new martial arts competition.  His aptly named “Arnold Classic,” held in Columbus, Ohio, was the largest fitness festival in the world.  BINGO . Rumors swirled that the champion would get a role in an upcoming flick.  This was my chance to get in front of him; I just needed to beat out everyone else in America with the same ambition.  I got to the lab, trained day in and day out with my team, and took my shot in 1997 – I missed the cut .  Devastated but even more motivated, I trained the next 365 days to redeem myself. Trust the process! Just keep chasing the ’s and that will follow! That day came my junior year at Pitt (‘98). The stars aligned and bada-bing, bada-boom, I’d conquered the “Classic.”  Years of goals had earned me a meeting with a .  The “Arnold Classic” mimicked “The Predator’s” personality—BIG.  Hundreds of thousands of fans flock annually (shoulder-to-shoulder) in a testosterone fueled foray.   Fitness models, celebrities, pro athletes, and movie stars all co-mingled, and I met them all: Chuck Norris, Wesley Snipes, Hulk Hogan, and down the line.  However, it was impossible to get face time with the big guy; that was of course unless you won!  I had big plans in the pipeline for Pittsburgh and was excited for my congratulatory conversation with the man, the myth, the legend.  Once we got past the pleasantries, ceremonial jokes, and photo op, I bent his ear about my aspirations. I wanted to create my own mega fitness expo in his image. You see, in my pursuit to meet Schwarzenegger, I had become obsessed with the glitz and glamour of his production, and wanted to launch a martial arts themed counterpart—“The Kumite Classic.”  “Well, what did he say, Sensei?” In a deep Austrian accent and slap on the back he responded, “Do it!” Those two words shaped the next 20 years of my life.  He, just like Mr. Kalp, and Van Damme before him didn’t realize the significance of the banter, but never underestimate the power of “action” words.

By 2004 I was shaking up the industry, and rapper Ice-T joined the Kumite (as it became known) as a presenting sponsor of the show.  For a hot minute the Law and Order star was hawking “Liquid Ice” (an energy drink) and choose the Kumite to launch.  Ironically, the other presenting sponsor was the Police Athletic League. DUN DUN.  Parental Advisory:  Back in the day, Ice-T’s heavy metal band “Body Count,” dropped the controversial track “Cop Killer.” It sparked intense outrage and division across America. YIKES. Emotions were still fragile, and animosity was real.  My uncle Jimmy Cvetic (a legendary Pittsburgh Police officer and boxing promoter) said to me, “This outta be fun!?!” To make matters more interesting, opposite stage was NFL Hall of Famer Lynn Swann who attended as President George Bush’s chairman of Physical Fitness and Sports. Swann and I were awarding inaugural college scholarships to martial artists through a foundation I’d set up with Eckert Seamans law firm. It was the first competitive karate scholarship organization in America, and it created major buzz.  Little did anyone know, but Swann was prepping for a gubernatorial run in the future. This is exactly the way Arnold would have mixed it up .  Guess what? They all played nice in the sandbox.  The next year I teamed up with Olympic Gold Medalist and WWF Champion Kurt Angle to establish a teen strength competition.  It was a huge success, and in the years to follow I parlayed that into a Franco Harris Football Combine.  Superstars like Franco, Lynn, and Kurt were the pride of Pittsburgh, and Kumite was soaring !!!

My annual expo and convention grew into the mecca for sports and martial arts in the Burgh. My version of the Arnold Classic [“Kumite Classic”] became a household name within the fitness world. Over the years, anyone who’s anyone had walked through my doors… except Mr. Kalp . Regardless, he taught me some of life’s most valuable lessons, and the answers weren’t on the periodic table. What I learned in high school chemistry class was life is an experiment, and anything that fuels for your fire is the formula. I thank you for that sir.  BTW Mr. Kalp, it’s not pronounced “Veee-Ohlah” like the instrument, it’s “Vie-Oh-Lah” like the flower . I’m built differently!

Sensei Says: Where did the inspiration for “Kumite Classic” come from? Kumite as you already know is the Japanese word for fighting, a perfect battle cry for my Violaosophy: “fight for anything and everything.”  “Classic” was an ode to Arnold and his inspirational fitness expo. 

Kickin’ Flicks:  Pumping Iron (1977) is a docudrama about the world of pro bodybuilding.  It highlights the rivalry between Arnold & Lou Ferrigno (The Incredible Hulk) as they trained for Mr. Olympia.

Sensei Says Shout out to the teachers who never quelled my enthusiasm. First, Swan Anderson (my high school Japanese teacher). She never doubted my potential and was instrumental in helping harness my passion. Second, Vitaly Penkovsky (my college Japanese professor). He supported my vision to bring “The Kumite” to Pitt. どうもありがとう.     

About Bill Viola Jr:

He graduated Summa Cum Laude from the University of Pittsburgh in 1999 with a bachelor’s degree in Political Science and moved to Hollywood, California to gain hands-on experience in the entertainment industry.  Subsequently, he was accepted into the Screen Actors Guild and American Federation of Television and Radio and established his own company, Kumite Classic Entertainment (KCE).  He gained notoriety from his role in the Britney Spears video Stronger (2000) and was able to network and build relationships with leading directors and producers.  

His company’s signature event, the self-titled “Kumite Classic,” is regarded as the mecca for martial arts in Western Pennsylvania.  KCE also produced the annual Pittsburgh Fitness Expo, recognized as the largest and most established multi-sport convention in Western Pennsylvania attracting sports and entertainment icons such as Lynn Swann, Franco Harris, Antonio Brown, Ice-T, and Royce Gracie over the years. Viola has served as a consultant, referee, and event coordinator for some of the largest martial arts events in the world. In 2017 he brokered a partnership with Century Martial Arts and WAKO to produce the North American Open in Las Vegas, Nevada in conjunction with UFC Fight Week.