The US Open originated in 1973 as the East Coast Grand Nationals, a premier event on the annual United States Karate Association (USKA) tour. Organized by husband and wife duo Ted and Kim Kresge, both USKA members, the tournament was held every October in St. Petersburg, Florida.
Thanks to its prime location and the Kresges’ promotional expertise, the event rapidly expanded. They welcomed competitors from all styles and organizations, making it an “open” tournament. This inclusive approach, along with its growing nationwide appeal, led to the tournament’s rebranding as the “US Open” in 1979. That same year, it moved from St. Petersburg’s Eckerd College Athletic Center to the larger and more prestigious Bayfront Center in downtown St. Petersburg.
In 1981, the Kresges sold the US Open to Charles Brown, a Tampa-based martial arts businessman and promoter. Brown managed the event for two years before selling it to Pro-Kick Productions (PKP). During his tenure, he had partnered with PKP, enlisting Mike Sawyer and Mike McCoy as event organizers from 1981 to 1983.
After acquiring the US Open, Pro-Kick Productions (PKP) leaders Mike Sawyer and Mike McCoy relocated the event to Orlando, a more central and accessible location within Florida. They selected the newly built Orange County Civic Center, a state-of-the-art venue that symbolized the rise of “new” Orlando—an emerging entertainment hub fueled by the launch of Disney World in 1971.
Leveraging their industry connections, Sawyer and McCoy secured ESPN coverage for the event’s finals, branded as the “Night of Champions,” along with kickboxing matches through the Professional Karate Association (PKA), which had an ongoing broadcast contract with ESPN from 1979 to 1985.
These strategic decisions significantly boosted event attendance and cemented the US Open’s status as a premier martial arts competition, recognized by both the global martial arts community and mainstream sports media. In early 1985, Sports Illustrated, the era’s leading sports publication, assigned veteran combat sports writer Pat Putnam to cover the US Open. To prepare for his feature story, Putnam spent months researching the event, including in-person meetings with Sawyer and McCoy in Florida. When his article was published after the 1985 event—broadcast on ESPN via tape delay—it generated widespread national attention, further elevating both the US Open and the sport of martial arts.
In 1985, Sawyer and McCoy accepted an offer to relocate the US Open to Daytona Beach, Florida, just an hour east of its previous location. The event became one of the first major tournaments hosted at the newly built Daytona Beach Ocean Center, a massive arena situated across from the “World’s Most Famous Beach.” During the four-year contract period (1985-1988), the US Open solidified its reputation as a prestigious platform where top national and international martial artists could showcase their skills, gain widespread exposure, and compete for recognition as the sport’s elite champions.
In 1989, the tournament returned to Orlando, which had continued its meteoric rise as a global entertainment hub. The newly expanded Orange County Convention Center was once again selected as the venue. In 1995, the US Open moved to the renowned Twin Towers Hotel and Convention Center, just north of Disney World and across from the recently opened Universal Studios Florida. This transition reinforced the tournament’s family-friendly appeal, as new youth divisions were introduced to accommodate young martial artists of all ranks and ages, allowing entire families to compete together.
By 1998, the US Open had achieved four groundbreaking milestones that elevated its status within the martial arts world. Most notably, the International Sport Karate Association (ISKA) officially designated the US Open as the host of its annual Sport Karate World Championships. Winners of the US Open Black Belt Class AA finals were crowned ISKA World Champions, holding their titles until the following year’s event, where they would return to defend them.
Second, in a landmark meeting between ISKA President Cory Schafer and PKP’s Sawyer and McCoy, the sport of Martial Arts Breaking was officially established. The first sanctioned World Championship event in this new discipline featured Power Breaking, where competitors shattered 2-inch thick concrete slabs. Under Schafer’s leadership and the innovation of the newly formed ISKA Breaking Division, the competition expanded to include additional categories featuring wood, tiles, bricks, and a variety of martial arts strikes, both standardized and creative. ISKA World Championship Breaking quickly became one of the most popular events at the US Open, captivating both participants and television audiences.
Third, PKP secured a groundbreaking broadcast deal with ESPN, resulting in 22 consecutive years of coverage across ESPN, ESPN2, and live broadcasts on ESPN3. Today, the event streams live on ESPN+. Additionally, delay rights were granted to CSI Sport’s FightSport global satellite network and USA Regional Sports Network syndication, ensuring worldwide television exposure for the newly renamed US Open ISKA World Martial Arts Championships—commonly known as “The Open.”
Fourth, the US Open secured a major sponsorship deal with John Paul Mitchell Systems. A contract signed at Paul Mitchell’s Beverly Hills headquarters in the spring of 1998 established an exclusive broadcast sponsorship in the hair products category, which remained in place uninterrupted from 1998 until the COVID-affected year of 2021.
In 1999, The Open experienced a groundbreaking evolution. Following Disney’s acquisition of ABC and ESPN, the US Open was invited to relocate its ever-expanding multi-day tournament and World Championships to Disney property. The newly opened Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort and Convention Center became the event’s new venue, offering 2,000 hotel rooms along with expansive ballrooms and meeting spaces—perfectly suited for the tournament’s continued growth. A multi-year agreement with Disney secured favorable room rates for attendees and prime locations for the televised broadcasts of the ISKA World Championships, solidifying The Open’s presence at Disney.
The move to Walt Disney World cemented The Open as a must-attend annual tournament for both competitors and spectators while enhancing the prestige of the ISKA Championship Title Event. Today, The Open welcomes participants, spectators, teams, officials, and families from across six continents—North and South America, Europe, Asia, Africa, and Australia/New Zealand—regularly drawing representatives from over 40 countries.
