About UMATA
UMATA sacntion the first tournament season in 2007. In early 2007 school owners from different style and schools in Kentucky, Ohio, and West Virginia had a meeting to discuss the decline in local martial arts tournaments. The goal was to sanction events in the local area to give students experience in competition. Since then we have expanded to Virginia and hope to sanction events in areas outside the immediate area.
Currently UMATA sanctions four tournaments each season. UMATA had four standard events, team kata, weapons, kata, and sparring, at each tournament. Three of these events, weapons, kata, and sparring, have points attached. By placing in the top three in each of these events competitors are ranked in their corresponding division. Points are totaled after the final event and the top point winners are awarded as a grand champion.
Each year we hold a year end awards banquet. During the evening those competitors that received the highest number of points are awarded with a grand champion certificate. We also offer a very nice award for each grand champion that is optional for individual purchase. This banquet is not just for those receiving grand champion, it is for all invited UMATA supporters.
Each event uses a standardized set of rules to ensure fair competition throughout the year. Four standard events are offered at each tournament; team kata, weapons, kata, sparring. The director of each event has the option has offer additional events. Past events have included; jiu-jitsu, padded weapons sparring, team sparring, self-defense, continuous sparring, and musical kata.
As an organization we only "sanction" tournaments. For information on hosting a UMATA tournament please contact John Malone or Jason Wilcox. We do however promote other events hosted by those instructors or schools that participate and support UMATA. If you have an event you would like promoted through this website please contact John Malone.