Green and Black Was on the Attack: Small Town Karate School Wins Big in Kentucky
On a Saturday in Kentucky that was consumed by the sounds of horses racing at Churchill Downs and boxing fans around the world debating the outcome of the Mayweather vs Pacquiao fight, the Elite Martial Arts Challenge was hosting the 2015 Kentucky State Championship, Open Martial Arts Tournament in Berea Kentucky.
In attendance was Charles Ruth and six of his students from Fusion Martial Arts, a small martial arts school located in Dandridge, Tennessee. The morning started off just like any other tournament morning. Competitors and their families all arriving with the hopes of becoming this years Kentucky State Champions and even bigger dreams of going to Disney World. Not only was this the State Championship but it was also the last qualifier for the Elite World Championships hosted by the Disney Martial Arts Festival located at ESPN’s Wide World of Sports Complex at Walt Disney World.
Well, as they say at Disney World, dreams do come true. After a full day of competition, Fusion Martial Arts walked away with 22 top four placements out of 23 divisions competed in including 11 first place, 8 second pace, 1 third place, and 1 fourth place. They also recieved top honors including the overall Kentucky State Championship gold cup for the school with the most 1st place wins, 1st place Kentucky State Championship Demo Team, 11 Kentucky State Championship titles, and all seven competitors qualified for the Elite World Championships.
Not bad for the little school from Tennessee.
Frankie Estepp
2015 KY State Champion
1st in Sparring
1st in Grappling
1st in Demo Team
2nd in Weapons
4th Forms
Noah Strange
2015 KY State Champion
1st in sparring
1st in weapons
1st in Demo Team
2nd in Forms
Sam Estepp
2015 KY State Champion
1st in weapons
1st in Demo Team
2nd in Forms
2nd in Sparring
Randall Batts
2015 Kentucky State Champion
1st Weapons
1st Demo Team
2nd Forms
2nd Sparring
Kayla Mitchell
2015 Co Demo Team State Champion
1st in Demo Team
2nd in Sparring
Trinity Tackett
2015 KY State Champion
1st in forms
1st in Demo team
3rd in sparring
Owner and Chief Instructor Charles Ruth also competed for the first time in ten years and placed
1st in Forms
1st in weapons
2nd in sparring
2015 KY State Champion
For more information on Fusion Martial Arts contact Charles Ruth at 865.253.3675 or online at www.facebook.com/teamfusionma
Charles Ruth is the owner and Chief Instructor of Fusion Martial Arts:
– Over 28 year in the Martial Arts with Black Belts in Tae Kwon Do and Hap Ki Do
– Coordinator for Elite Martial Arts Challenge, World Wide Martial Arts Hall of Fame Member, Kentucky MMA Hall of Fame Member, Honore of the Kentucky State Senate.
