This Pitt alum is promoting fitness and perseverance through competitive martial arts

It began for William "Bill" Viola in the spring of 1997 at the Arnold Sports Festival, one of the largest fitness and martial arts events in the world. Viola, at the time a University of Pittsburgh junior, and four teammates participated in a series of stunts and choreographic fights meant to determine if they had the potential to transition their skills into a Hollywood career like the festival's namesake, Arnold Schwarzenegger.

Viola won gold.

A few months later, Viola had the opportunity to come face to face with the action star he grew up admiring (pictured above). Viola calls the moment "life changing."

The win and encounter with Schwarzenegger inspired the young Pitt student so much he went on to launch a career in the martial arts, establish his own competition and write a book reflecting on the self-discipline and perseverance that the fighting arts gave him.

"Common Sensei: How to Earn a Black Belt in Life," became a No. 1 seller on upon its release in July 2023. Viola says it's the first book of a planned series that will teach people how to set and achieve their goals.

In his own life, Viola says, "I had to set that goal. I knew that somehow, some way I would get there, and through baby steps and keeping my focus, I was ready when the opportunity arrived. As I continued to be disciplined in my art and be at the best in my game, I knew that at some point that would give me an edge to make my dream come true."

Viola's (UPG '99) love for martial arts was nurtured during his childhood. He was 3 when he started training with his father, William "Bill" Viola Sr., one of the pioneers of fighting and self-defense in greater Pittsburgh.

In high school, the younger Viola won multiple national competitions, solidifying himself as one of the best karate athletes in his age group. When he arrived at Pitt, Viola was ranked as the No. 1 karate competitor in America. Determined to carve a path for other martial artists and inspired by Pitt police officer and self-defense instructor Curtis Smith, Viola created a scholarship foundation to raise funds for karate athletes at universities across the country and held his first martial arts event at Pitt-Greensburg's gymnasium.

That event was just a precursor to what was to come. In 1999, fresh out of college with a political science degree and determined to follow in the footsteps of his hero, Viola started his own entertainment event, the Kumite Classic. He describes it as the largest ongoing multi-martial arts and entertainment event in Pittsburgh.

Viola says the Kumite Classic focuses on attracting men and women of all ages while mixing combat with aspects of the visual and entertainment industries. By creating an atmosphere similar to that of the Arnold Sports Festival, Viola aimed to guide the experience toward the artistic facet of martial arts.

"Where some people see violence, others see art. Fighting at its highest form is art," he says.

In 2019, in recognition of the Viola family's dedication to the martial arts, the city of Pittsburgh deemed Sept. 23 "Sensei Viola Day," celebrating both Viola Sr.'s 50 years of operating the Viola Karate Dojo and Viola Jr.'s continuing work with the Kumite Classic.

While the accolades are appreciated, for now, Viola was more recently focused on another meeting with his idol, Schwarzenegger. A collaboration between the Arnold Sports Festival and the Kumite Classic took place last winter in Columbus, Ohio, not far geographically from Viola's Western Pennsylvania roots.

It was a moment that Viola says brought his "whole life full circle."

Photography courtesy of Bill Viola Jr.