This year’s 2026 Hurricane Nationals was held at the beautiful San Luis Convention Center located across the street from the Gulf of America beach and conveniently situated for attendees seeking lodging in Galveston. It is one of the marvels of the Galveston Island metroplex. When it was built, it was considered a work of art, and it has since provided a first-class venue with ample space for countless occasions. The first truly large martial arts event I attended there many years ago was called the Ocean Nationals, which later became the Hurricane Nationals. Since then, armies of martial artists have passed through their doors, including competitors in several world championships. The event was sponsored by the remarkable Wayne Nguyen, founder of the TKO Karate organization, who has provided more than three decades of excellent competition by his beloved TKO Karate Organization and this beautiful venue. I hold the location dear because I have competed there so many times over the years.
Wayne outdid himself again this year. He has long been one of the leading sport karate entrepreneurs in the country, if not the world, as well as an accomplished competitor whose many world titles attest to his skill. He also gained notoriety for appearing as the White Ninja in the movie Sidekicks—something I am sure he is tired of being reminded about, although I suspect he remains proud of the opportunity. I have known Wayne since he was a young man and have always regarded him as one of the most remarkable people I have met and one of my best friends. Wayne Nguyen is an entrepreneur and always trying new approaches to improve on his remarkable talents, as an entrepreneur he has produced everything from custom T-shirts to nearly every conceivable martial arts-related item and the beautiful surfboard trophies given to the winners at this event. Wayne has also produced some of the finest World champions ever to grace the halls of sport karate.
He is to be congratulated for this year’s Hurricane Nationals, an outstanding event attended by many great champions and many of Texas’s top current sport karate competitors. As usual for a TKO martial arts event, it featured a wide variety of disciplines, including breaking, stick fighting, Muay Thai kickboxing, continuous sparring, mixed martial arts, Brazilian jiujutsu and good old-fashioned, hard-hitting full-contact karate.
This year’s 2026 Hurricane Nationals was one of the best with competitors traveling from all over Texas and Louisiana to compete in this exciting event. An army of junior and adult competitors filled the San Luis convention center and electrified the place with excitement and music from the open divisions, I felt truly lucky to be among such exciting young and adult competitors as they provided some memorable moments in their attempts to be chosen the best, win the day and become part of martial arts history on this beautiful day by the ocean.
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As the tournament proceeded many new champions were crowned and elated parents were expressing their emotions with elevated cheer. I’m sure the many families in attendance were making a day at beautiful Galveston Texas. Many were here not just for the tournament but also for a weekend vacation and to enjoy the beach.
The grand championships were run last as usual in the TKO tournaments.
* In the junior beginner division Isri Cabrern beat out a large 12 competitor division for the grand championship.
* The Junior intermediate division was another big division with 10 great and talented kids and when the smoke cleared Dominic Cooley emerged as the grand champion.
* The Junior advanced group was also well attended with Garrett Dudley pulling out a strong routine for his Advanced grand championship
* The Junior black belt grand championship was filled with Texas best and the most talented kids I have seen in some time. Ace Dhanah aced the crowd to win big at the Hurricane Nationals with his patented three rotation ariel staff blind catch routine.
* The adult under black belt Grand championship was between Jennifer Clayton, Johnny Campos and Lena Torres with Johnny Campos pulling out the top spot and taking home the adult Under belt Grand championship.
* The forms grands up was the adult black belt grand championship with Bradley Clayton who is the son of Jennifer Clayton, Romell Gargoles and Christian Anthony. This was a close showdown of the best in Texas. Bradley and Anthony ran powerful Bo-Kata while Romell chose to run a strong traditional Japanese kata. It was a very close competition but in the final tally Bradley Clayton was to take home the money and adult black belt grand championship.
* In the women’s black belt sparring division Juliana Guajardo emerged as the women’s adult black belt grand champion
* Last up for the day was the men’s black belt sparring grand championships. After the preliminary fights were over it came down to the amazing senior fighter and Texas legend David Patterson and the amazing Fadi Mott. The fight went back and forth with both fighters scoring in a tit-for-tat contest with Fadi Mott pulling ahead at the end with a narrow victory to take home the money and the Hurricane Nationals adult men’s black belt grand championship.
