Some of the biggest names in martial arts and combat sports from around the world are coming to Bulgaria this July. They will be in the country from July 5 to 12 as part of the 20th International Martial Arts Summer Camp in Varna, Bulgaria. The event is the largest international forum for martial arts and combat sports not only in Bulgaria but worldwide, bringing together nearly 2,000 participants worldwide each year.
This year, the 20th International Martial Arts Summer Camp will bring together more than 1,600 participants from 49 countries, while its team of instructors is more impressive than ever. The anniversary edition will offer training led by an outstanding lineup of world-renowned instructors, champions, and legends in Kyokushin karate, kickboxing, and Iaido from Japan, Brazil, New Zealand, the Netherlands, Australia, Georgia, and the Czech Republic.
Among the special guests are Shihan Akira Masuda (Japan), K-1 legends Shihan Semmy Schilt, Ernesto Hoost, Albert Kraus, and Andy Souwer (the Netherlands), Shihan Francisco Filho (Brazil), Shihan Sam Greco (Australia), and Ray Sefo (New Zealand). Drawing on their extensive competitive and coaching experience, they will share invaluable knowledge with both rising talents and elite athletes.
The training program will also feature Shihan Ryu Narushima (Japan), Shihan Nicholas Pettas (Japan), Shihan Glaube Feitosa (Brazil), Sensei Ewerton Teixeira (Brazil), Sensei Tariel Nikolaishvili (Georgia), Sensei Andrews Nakahara (Brazil), Sensei Jan Soukup(Czech Republic), Sensei Yusuke Fuji (Japan), along with other internationally recognized instructors.
A strong focus of this anniversary edition will also be the participation of leading Bulgarian experts who have made a significant contribution to the development and promotion of martial arts and combat sports in Bulgaria over the years. Among them are Shihan Asen Asenov, Sensei Zahari Damyanov, and Sensei Petar Martinov, who will lead training sessions and seminars alongside their international colleagues.
The highlight of the martial arts week will be three prestigious international events. The program includes the World Cup Varna in Kyokushin Karate for juniors and cadets aged 14 to 21, the third edition of the KWU SENSHI World Cup for Amateurs 2026, and the professional fight gala SENSHI 32 Grand Prix, which on July 11 will bring together 16 fighters from 13 countries at the spectacular beach arena in St. St. Constantine and Helena Resort, Varna, Bulgaria.
With its impressive scale, international prestige, and exceptional team of instructors, the 20th International Martial Arts Summer Camp will once again bring together the elite of the martial arts world in Bulgaria, further strengthening its position as one of the most significant events on the global calendar of Kyokushin karate, kickboxing, and martial arts.
