For this, there is no formal ceremony. There is no throne, coronation, or governing body that has ever convened to definitively determine who the true king of karate is. Nevertheless, the question continues to be raised in gyms, in comment sections, and in quiet disputes between professionals who have been training for decades. It conveys something about the artwork itself. More than practically any other martial art, karate has a strong sense of respect for its history.
Gichin Funakoshi is the most truthful place to start. Funakoshi, who was born in Shuri, Okinawa, in 1868, is recognized as the founder of modern karate; in many quarters, this title is more significant than “king.” In the early 1920s, he made one of the most significant choices in the history of martial arts when he traveled to mainland Japan to demonstrate this relatively unknown Okinawan fighting art. He was a schoolteacher by profession and, by most accounts, a small and unassuming man. What came next permanently altered the course of karate. One of the most popular styles in the world today is Shotokan, the discipline he codified. It seems almost insufficient to refer to him as the king. The kingdom doesn’t even exist because of him.
Then there is Masutatsu Oyama, also known as Mas Oyama, whose story reads more like folklore than a biography, even though the majority of it is true. Oyama, the creator of Kyokushin karate, became well-known for his nearly ridiculous physical dedication. According to reports, he trained by himself in the bitter cold for months while isolated in the mountains.
He engaged in bullfighting. He used his bare hands to shatter stones. It is debatable whether every detail can withstand close examination, but the fundamental reality is indisputable: Full-contact karate was reimagined by Oyama, and Kyokushin developed into one of the sport’s most difficult competitive styles. He was referred to as “The Godhand” by his supporters. That kind of reputation is difficult to dispute.
Rafael Aghayev is the name that stands out above the others in the modern era when it comes to competitive achievement at the highest organized level. The fighter from Azerbaijan won five World Karate Federation titles, which would end most arguments in any sport. Additionally, he won a silver medal at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics, which marked the debut of karate as an Olympic sport. Even when watching Aghayev compete on video, there’s a quality that’s hard to pinpoint: a kind of deliberate aggression that appears almost effortless until you realize what he’s really doing. It is not fortunate to have five world titles. It’s a profession based on near-mastery.
Then there is Bruce Lee, of course. In a technical sense, Lee did not practice karate in the conventional sense. His development, Jeet Kune Do, was a conscious break from any one martial arts system, although his roots were in Wing Chun kung fu. However, those distinctions have never really mattered to the general public. It is nearly impossible to overestimate Lee’s impact on how the general public perceived and understood karate, or combat arts in general, as he became the face of martial arts on a global scale.
Because of a movie they saw as kids, entire generations of practitioners entered dojos for the first time. In a technical sense, Lee is not the king of karate because of his cultural reach. However, it’s important to recognize that he is partially responsible for the conversation itself.
It’s still unclear if a single title could adequately convey what karate has produced over the course of more than a century of development in a variety of nations, styles, and competitive formats. One figure cannot stand in the center of the artwork because it is too big and too broken. The foundation was constructed by Funakoshi. Oyama tested the body’s capacity for endurance. Aghayev demonstrated the pinnacle of contemporary competitive excellence. In their respective times and situations, each of them possessed something akin to a throne.
It turns out that your perception of the purpose of karate determines who is the king.
