Winning the 2025 Global Recognition Award™ at 20: What This Means for Me and Voracious Karate - By Sensei Liam Musiak

When I founded Voracious Karate in September 2022, my mission was simple: to build a dojo that went beyond outdated traditions and sport-focused training, creating something rooted in realism, practicality, and true self-defence.

In 2025, that vision was recognised on a scale I never imagined. Me and my club, Voracious Karate, won the 2025 Global Recognition Award™. This made history—because Voracious Karate became the first martial arts school ever to receive this award.

And here’s what makes it even more surreal: I was only 20 years old at the time. (I am 21 now, writing this.)

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Why This Is Extraordinary

Global recognition of this kind usually goes to veteran martial artists—7th–10th Dans in their 50s, 60s, or 70s with decades of teaching. Instead, it went to me: a 20-year-old 2nd Dan Black Belt running a dojo that was only two and a half years old.

That makes this achievement not just unusual, but unprecedented. It proves that recognition isn’t about age or how long you’ve worn a belt—it’s about your skills, knowledge, dedication, innovation,  contribution and the substance of your work.

At 20, I had already developed advanced syllabuses, unique drills, my own kata (Chōtenzan), and the A.A.E.E.L. Self-Defence Code— and way more things most martial artists never achieve even after decades of training and teaching. This award shows that it is not the number of years lived that defines a martial artist’s worth, but what they create, contribute, and give back to the martial arts world.

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What the Judges Saw

The Global Recognition Award is not about popularity or opinion. The panel used the Rasch measurement model, a scientific framework for measuring excellence fairly and objectively.

Voracious Karate scored 5/5 in every category, including:

• Innovation – original drills, kata (such as Chōtenzan), and the A.A.E.E.L. Self-Defence Code.

• Leadership & Vision – designing an evolved Wado Ryu system for the modern world.

• Impact – students reporting not just better skills, but life-changing personal growth.

The judges even described my 1st Dan syllabus as a new global benchmark for martial arts education.

The Role of Criminology

One of the things that makes Voracious Karate different is how deeply criminology is woven into our approach. My academic study of criminology allows me to analyse how criminals think, act, and choose their victims.

This isn’t just theory—I’ve written extensively about violent offenders, including serial killers, breaking down how they operate and how ordinary people can defend against their methods. That knowledge filters directly into my teaching.

It means our training goes beyond kicks and punches—it equips students to recognise predatory behaviour, understand the psychology of attackers, and respond within the boundaries of the law. It is not enough to fight well; one must also know how to avoid, de-escalate, and survive real-world encounters both physically and legally.

The award recognised this as part of our innovation: Voracious Karate is not just a martial arts school, it is a centre for real-world self-defence education—a place where martial arts and criminology meet.

Breaking the Age Barrier

I know some traditionalists will find this difficult. Normally, being above 3rd Dan at 20 years old would be considered disrespectful to karate tradition.

But this award wasn’t about skipping lines—it was about acknowledging reality. At 20, my teaching systems, syllabuses, and innovations had already reached a level far beyond what most expect—even from much older instructors and schools.

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What This Means Going Forward

For me personally, winning this award at 20 means I’ve achieved something decades ahead of schedule. But for Voracious Karate, it means even more:

We are not just another local club. We are an international award-winning dojo, the first martial arts school in history to win The Global Recognition Award™. That places both me and my dojo on the global stage as benchmarks for innovation and excellence in martial arts.

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Final Thoughts

This isn’t just an honour—it’s a responsibility. If Sensei Liam Musiak and Voracious Karate are now recognised worldwide, then we must continue to raise standards, continue to innovate, and continue to teach martial arts with honesty and realism.

To have achieved this at 20 years old, and to continue at 21, is something I will never take lightly. It proves that with vision, discipline, and integrity, age does not define what you can achieve.

🥋 Train hard. Stay sharp. Honour the truth. 🥋

— Sensei Liam Musiak