The Karate Podcast

Calum Robb is back for the end of season finale as we catch up on all things Karate Combat, Sport Karate, Cross training and more...

Jordan Thomas is a WKF World Kumite Champion, a WKF European Champion and he was recently selected out of 300 athletes, to be part of Taekwondo GB as they head toward the Paris Olympics in 2024. Let's catch up with Jordan and find out how his year has been since we last talked. Enjoy!

Eoghan Chelmiah is the current Golden Belt holder at Bantam Weight for Karate Combat. He has represented Ireland in amateur boxing, MMA and in Sports Karate, winning numerous national international titles. He is also studying to complete is Phd in Engineering focussing on AI. A fascinating insight to one of the world's top professional fighters. Enjoy this conversation with one of the nicest guys in Martial Arts. Oss!

Kate is a 4th Degree Black Belt in Ishinryu Karate, she is a multiple British & English Champion in both Kata and Kumite, she is a 3 x European Championship Bronze Kumite Medalist, a commonwealth Kumite Champion and a Karate 1 Premier League Medalist. Kate loves all aspects of Karate and besides running her own club is also a full time Solicitor. Hear her story now.

Stanislav Horuna, Olympic Bronze Medalist and one of the world's top Kumite fighters returns to the show to discuss his Olympic Experience but also the impact the War in Ukraine has had on him. Tune in today and please support the Ukraine! You can donate on PayPal using the email horuna.stas@gmail.com - all donations are greatly appreciated and will be passed to the Ukraine war effort.

Junior Lefevre is one of the World's top Karate Coaches, as an elite competitor he won 2 WKF World championships in Kumite, he was 5 x European Kumite Champion and amazingly won both Kata & Kumite European Championship titles. He has become one of the most sought after coaches on the world circuit and has coached the National Teams of Australia, Luxembourg and England. Enjoy this great chat with one of the best!

Tom Little holds a 4th Degree Black Belt in Shotokan Karate and a Masters Degree in Strength & Conditioning. In this awesome chat we talk about injury prevention, overcoming injury, rehabilitation and also Tom's experiences of transitioning from Shobu Ippon across to WKF rules, competition motivation and more! Enjoy - Oss!

Jory is the Assistant EKF National Team Kumite Coach, a former U21 team world medalist, a multiple English and British Champion and a successful club owner. Listen to his story from competitor to coach now. Oss!

Pan is well known on the British circuit after living and training in the UK for a number of years with Paul Newby Sensei. He first appeared on Episode 5, check out his journey since then including the Olympic trials and opening his first school as a coach. Great to catch up with a great guy. Enjoy!

Dan Cuthbert is a 5th Degree Black Belt in Shito Ryu Karate. He has won numerous medals at National, European and World Chmapionships, spanning the IKU, WUKF & WKF Federations in his career. He is now the National Kumite Coach for Karate England. Enjoy this episode, with one of the UK's best. Oss

Sam is a Black Belt in Shotokan Karate who started his competitive career later in life compared to the modern day athlete. He went on to win BKF veterans championships, the Banzai cup in Berlin and European Silver at the JKS European Championships in kumite to name a few titles. Sam is also married, a father of 2 and a successful business owner, in this show we discuss "starting late", "age as a barrier to success" and "not having enough time". Great chat, great insight. Oss

Dean is a 4th Dan Uechi ryu [way chi roo) Karate and has been training for 41 years. He started his journey Terry Daly in East London at the same club and class as the legendary Wayne otto . Dean has produced numerous National & International Champions and has more recently become assistant England Kumite coach for the EKF. A great chat around coaching today, enjoy!

Carla Burkitt has recently retired from competition but only after proving herself to be one of the best fighters of her generation winning both Silver and Bronze medals at the European Championships, having a WKF world ranking of 12 and placing 5th at the Olympic qualifier event last year. Carla discusses her history, challenges she has faced and her goals for the future. Oss!

Ady Gray is a 6th Dan in Shotokan Karate and the former EKF National Kata Team Coach. He has a broad experience in Karate and gives us a fascinating insight into coaching philosophy and the martial journey. Don't miss this episode!

Nick Heald is one of the most Senior Dan Grades in JKS England, a 7th Degree Black Belt, former competitor for many years while a member of the KUGB, a former coach for the JKS National Squad, and now a BKF Referee. A fascinating journey through karate from the club, to competitor, coach and now referee. Always a great chat and humorous as ever. Enjoy this episode.

Chris is a sport commentator and analyst for MMA promotions across the UK. He is a former MMA Battle Arena champion, British Master Jiu Jistu Gold Medalist at Black Belt, a Black Belt in Goju Ryu Karate and a 1st Degree Black Belt under Roger Gracie. He is the owner of A1 Martial Arts School and the head Jiu Jitsu Coach at Can Do Martial Arts. He teaches at seminars around the UK and also runs his own Jiu Jitsu Affiliate - Fensom Jiu Jitsu. Check out his story.

Stander Serha is the assistant coach for the EKF National Kumite Team. He is a 6th Degree Black Belt in Waco Rye, a National Medalist in his day as a competitor and has produced a number of high level students and competitors. He's also one of the nicest people you'll meet! Enjoy this conversation and remember to like and subscribe!

Ben Campbell

Luke Cuthbert is a 3rd Dan in Karate, he has won multiple titles in his career including world cup championships in both Kata & Kumite at the junior level, whilst in 2017 he became the UWK World Karate Kumite Champion at -75kg and in 2018 won the Open Weight WUKF World Kumite Championship! Luke has also turned pro in full contact karate winning his debut fight in Poland at the WUKF 1 Gala. Listen and enjoy!

Robert Camp is a 3rd Degree Black Belt and one of the most exciting fighters in the UK, he has competed in both WUKF, the EKF and Professional Full Contact Karate. He has recently come back to the EKF & since this interview won both the EKF Nationals and been selected for the EKF National Squad. Hear his story and how he found karate and the path it has led him down. Oss!

Calum is one of the most decorated heavyweight karatekas Britain has ever produced. He has dominated the UK karate scene as an 18x Scotland national champion and a 17x British national champion. He's also a leader in the Wado-Kai style of karate amassing 20 European and 2 World titles. Calum has also won the bronze medal in the Senior World and European championships, a silver medal in the Junior World tournament and a grand champion in the Cadet European tournament. Check out our awesome conversation now!

Rory Daniels is a former WKF World Kumite Champion! One of the most successful British fighters ever winning multiple gold commonwealth medals, multiple WKF World Kumite team medals, and numerous National EKF titles. Listen to his insight to how things were and the modern game now. Enjoy!

A great interview with one of the UKs hardest working Karateka and someone who is pushing hard to be the best fighter they can, representing the EKF National team, winner of multiple national & international titles, Joby has literally fought all over the world and whilst pushing himself to be one of the UKs best he also attained a Masters Degree in Physical Rehabilitation Therapy! Great chat, great guy. Oss...

Junior European Bronze Medalist, European Youth League Silver Medalist and Multiple British and Scottish Champion. Rebecca Craig is a young fighter and coach who shares her life long journey so far in our beautiful art. Enjoy.

This is a short tribute to Karate legend Mervyn Etienne from some of the interviewees I have recently had the pleasure of chatting too. I know that there are many many Karateka out there that would have loved the opportunity to express their feelings towards this man, I hope that they can resonate with the words in this short podcast.

Stella and Andrea are both E-Tournament Champions. Stella has held held the Sports Data World ranking number one spot for e-Tournaments, winning multiple events and was the Sport Data World Series Masters Champion in 2020 amongst other titles. Andrea is ranked 3rd in the world via the Sports Data World Ranking, as well as being the 2019 World Goju Ryu Masters Kata Champion. Both share their story and insight to the pandemic and the birth of the E-Tournament. Love them or hate them, they are here to stay and offer a whole new dimension to the competitor.

Matty Healy is the lead singer and frontman of supergroup "The 1975", he is a songwriter, producer and creator. A prominent figure in pop culture, he has a passion for martial arts which all started with his love for Karate. Get some unique insight to Matty's life and his journey so far.

Stanislav Horuna is a WKF European Champion and World Games Gold Medalist, he also won the European Games and has won numerous Series A and Premier One events in the WKF leagues. He is ranked number 3 in the men's -75kg Kumite and is renowned for his fighting flare. Certainly one to listen to and hear his story,

Tom Scott is an elite Karate fighter representing Team USA. He is a 6x Pan American Champion, 15x National Champion, 10x USA Open Champion, 3x Pan American Games Medalist (2011 Guadalajara Silver, 2015 Toronto Gold, 2019 Lima Gold) and has won multiple K1 and Premier 1 events in Karate. In 2015 he was ranked No.1 in the world and currently is ranked 6th in the world by the WKF at -75kg in Kumite. Hear his story now.

Steve Carless is a 6th Degree Black Belt and former competitor within FEKO and the SKI organisations, winning many national titles in Kata and Kumite. Now a senior instructor in JKS England, his focus is on producing great students at his purpose built Karate academy in Walsall, alongside developing his coaching and his knowledge of Karate.

Steve Payne is a 5th degree Karate Black Belt, former International for the AMA all-styles team, National champion and also a 3 x European Champion in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. Steve is a coach and Black Belt in Kickboxing, BJJ, and JKD/Kali. Find out how it all began on the Karate Podcast.

The second part to my interview with the mighty Rick Young!

This is the first part of an interview with Martial Arts Legend Guro Rick Young. One of a handful of people to be awarded the rank of Senior Full Instructor in Jeet Kune Do and Filipino Martial Arts by Dan Inosanto. Rick was also one of the first people in the UK to be awarded a Black Belt in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu back in 2005, and now a 4th Degree Black Belt runs a successful academy of martial arts in Leith, Edinburgh. Rick is a 2nd degree black belt in Wado Ryu and a black belt in Judo among other arts that he has studied.

Natalie Williams is one of the UK's best, having won two Bronze Medals at the WKF World Championships, 2 Silver Medals at the WKF European Championships, 2 x World Student Games Champion and winner of multiple Commonwealth and National titles, her name is synonymous with success in Karate. Hear her story now.

Jed Thompson is just 19, training at the British Olympic Centre to support Jordan Thomas, Jed is an up and coming fighter committed to his game. A Bronze medalist in the Youth League and Cup, Jed is a member of the EKF National team and one to watch on the tatami.

Paul Newby - Head Olympic Karate Coach and former WKF World Champion, talks about the Olympics, his coaching ideals, rules, fighting, boxing and more...

Two times WKF World Champion, George Kotaka Sensei carries on his family tradition at his dojo in Oahu, Hawaii. From early beginnings, to winning the World's in 2002 and then coming back to achieve the same feat in 2008, discover George's journey, as he talks competition, teaching, and Brazilian Jiu Jitsu.

Amazingly after 12 years Jordan Thomas was the first Britain to reclaim a WKF World Kumite Champion title, following on from Paul Newby, the now Olympic Coach. Jordan is also A WKF European Champion, a multiple national champion, and the only fully funded athlete training full time at the Olympic training centre in Manchester.

Interview with top female athlete Lauren Salisbury, Bronze Medal winner at the Junior Olympics, COVID may have put her senior career on hold but she has a story to share so far...

In this episode we interview the legendary Bob Breen. Guro Breen started his journey in Wado Karate, fighting in Japan and captaining the British Team. He is also known as the "Godfather of Jeet Kune Do in Europe", has captained and coached the British Stick Fighting Team to victory, and been a pioneer in British Martial Arts for 50 years. He's also a great character with epic stories - Enjoy!

In this episode I interview top British Fighter Amy Connell. One of two athletes to be selected for the European Games as part of Team GB, a European Bronze medalist, and Silver Medalist at the Paris K1, Amy has her sights set on Tokyo in 2021.

An interview with current EKF Northern Region Head Kumite Coach, Frank Pullano Sensei, 5th Dan. Frank has been a competitor of many tournaments and in both all styles and free-style Karate formats. He has worked alongside Paul Newby Sensei in coaching, and founded the British Sport Karate Federation. This interview reveals his story and his vision for karate in the years to come.

This is the second interview with Matt Price Sensei, we talk about the online world, and more about his experiences in competition, mindset for fighters and more

In this episode I interview Ashley Scott-Heald. Former EKF England Team fighter, KUGB National Team Fighter, and JKS England National Team Fighter. Ashley has won multiple titles in her time as a competitor including the BKF Open and International Women's Senior Kumite event, as well as representing the EKF National team against France. She is now a full-time coach at Leeds Karate Academy and Assistant JKS England coach.

In this episode we talk with Alan Campbell Sensei 7th Dan, head of JKS England and former competitor in both Kumite and Kata. Alan has been involved in Karate for over 40 years, trained with many fantastic Sensei and lived the way of the Karateka.

Meet Joe Long, a former British All Styles fighter and international medalist. Joe is one of the top promoters of British combat sports, promoting both Karate in the unique 3 on 3 tournaments, and more recently reviving the 10K Karate Clash, alongside MMA events, as well as part owning the UFC Gym franchise here in the UK. Don't miss this exciting episode.

Most know him as "Pan", he is one of the top fighters from Cyprus and has been living and training in the UK under the guidance of BKF Coach Paul Newby for a number of years now. Selected for the Olympic qualifiers and recently representing himself well as a contender for the 10K Karate Clash, Pan's story is one of dedication and self-belief...

Remi Jurgilaitis is a prolific fighter, exciting to watch and gaining in reputation across the UK. A Lithuanian Champion and international, he has made the Journey to train here in the UK and develop his game to the top level.

Great insight to the life of a full-time athlete in the UK, trying to make it to the top of his game, in the competitive world of WKF Karate.

Find out how Paul Newby became WKF World Kumite Champion and went on to be one of the top coaches in the world of competitive karate today.

Matt Price is one of the most respected and well known martial artists in the UK. Constantly requested on the seminar circuit for his in-depth knowledge and creative and fun teaching style, he is also a former ESKA European champion and all-styles fighter. Hear his incredible journey and what Karate holds for him now.