San Diego Open Martial Arts Tournament

San Diego Open Martial Arts Tournament 2026: America’s Finest Open Brings Competition, Discipline, and Community Together

The San Diego Open Martial Arts Tournament — America’s Finest Open (A.F.O.) is set to take place on May 2, 2026, in San Diego, California, bringing together martial artists from across the region for a full day of competition, performance, and skill development. Known for its inclusive environment and structured divisions, the tournament welcomes participants of all ages, ranks, and martial arts backgrounds to compete in traditional and creative disciplines.

This year’s event continues to build momentum as one of Southern California’s most accessible and community-focused martial arts competitions, offering divisions ranging from beginner youth competitors to experienced adult black belts.

A Martial Arts Tournament for All Ages and Skill Levels

America’s Finest Open is designed to challenge competitors while promoting sportsmanship, discipline, and technical excellence. Participants will compete in multiple divisions including:

• Traditional forms
• Creative forms
• Weapons demonstrations
• Point sparring
• Flag sparring
• Team demonstrations

The tournament provides opportunities for martial artists to test their abilities in a competitive yet supportive environment. From first-time competitors to seasoned black belts, the event emphasizes growth, confidence, and performance under pressure.

Team Demo divisions will feature boys and girls of all ages and ranks, with at least two members per team. Music is optional for team performances, allowing flexibility in presentation and creativity.

Youth Divisions Highlight Growth and Development

A major focus of the America’s Finest Open tournament is youth participation. Several divisions are dedicated to young martial artists between the ages of 5 and 17, with competitors grouped by age and experience level.

Youth divisions include:

• Youth Traditional Forms (Beginner and Intermediate/Advanced)
• Youth Underbelt Creative Forms (Beginner and Intermediate/Advanced)
• Youth Underbelt Traditional Weapons (Beginner and Intermediate/Advanced)
• Youth Underbelt CMX Weapons (Creative/Musical/Extreme Weapons)
• Youth Underbelt Point Sparring
• Youth Black Belt divisions

These divisions allow young competitors to demonstrate their technique, creativity, coordination, and discipline while gaining valuable tournament experience.

Adult Competition Divisions

Adult competitors will also have opportunities to participate in multiple divisions, including:

• Adult Underbelt divisions
• Adult Black Belt divisions

Men and women compete together in divisions that are separated by age and experience level, ensuring fair and balanced competition.

Organizers have indicated that additional tournament announcements and division updates will be released soon.

Sparring Gear Requirements and Safety Standards

Safety remains a top priority at the San Diego Open Martial Arts Tournament. All competitors must follow strict equipment guidelines designed to protect participants during sparring divisions.

Required sparring gear includes:

• Mouthguard
• Helmet
• Hand gear that covers fingers (foam karate sparring gear recommended)
• Foot gear that fully covers toes
• Groin protector for male competitors

The following equipment is not allowed:

• MMA gloves
• Boxing gloves

For competitors 17 years old and under, the following protective equipment is mandatory:

• Face shields
• Chest protectors
• Shin guards

Flag Sparring for Tiny Tigers

One of the most engaging divisions for younger participants is Flag Sparring, designed specifically for Tiny Tigers ages 3–6. In this division, competitors wear belts with four flags — two in the front and two in the back.

The objective is simple:

• The first competitor to remove all four flags from their opponent wins.
• If time expires, the competitor who removed the most flags wins.

This format introduces young martial artists to competition in a safe, fun, and confidence-building way.

Forms Competition Scoring System

Forms divisions at America’s Finest Open follow a structured scoring system designed to maintain fairness and consistency. Judges score competitors using a 9.90 to 10.0 scale.

General scoring guidelines include:

• 9.90–9.93: Lower placement range
• 9.94–9.95: Mid placement range
• 9.96–9.99: Top four placements
• 10.0: Perfect score

When divisions include more than eight competitors, these scoring ranges help judges differentiate performance quality more precisely.

Tournament organizers also note that NASKA rules apply, ensuring standardized judging criteria consistent with national martial arts competition practices.

A Growing Martial Arts Event in San Diego

The San Diego Open Martial Arts Tournament continues to grow as a regional event that celebrates martial arts culture, discipline, and community engagement. With divisions spanning traditional karate forms, creative musical performances, sparring competition, and team demonstrations, the event offers something for competitors and spectators alike.

San Diego’s strong martial arts community and reputation for hosting athletic events make it an ideal location for America’s Finest Open. Participants can expect a day filled with competition, personal achievement, and the excitement of pushing their limits.

As anticipation builds for the May 2, 2026 tournament, organizers encourage martial artists, schools, and families to stay tuned for additional announcements and event details.

The America’s Finest Open continues to reinforce the values at the core of martial arts — respect, perseverance, discipline, and continuous improvement — while providing a competitive platform for the next generation of martial artists.

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