The story of how Hunter B. Lyon became the next president of the North American Sport Karate Association doesn’t start in a boardroom or at a tournament.
It starts with a kid on a bicycle in Memphis, Tennessee.
Hunter was born on June 16, 1989, and grew up living what he describes as a pretty typical Southern childhood—riding dirt bikes, hunting, and eating plenty of grits. Like a lot of kids of his generation, he became fascinated with martial arts thanks to the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and the Power Rangers.
But the moment that truly changed his life happened one afternoon when he crashed his bike into a curb and split open his chin—right in front of a martial arts school called Taekwondo University.
The school manager, Mr. Oakes, stopped his class, helped the injured kid, and drove him home to his parents.
That act of kindness left a lasting impression.
Hunter was hooked.
Training Under Grand Master Terry Brumley
Hunter began training at Taekwondo University in Memphis, where he trained under Grand Master Terry Brumley.
Through Grand Master Brumley’s tutelage, leadership, and knowledge, Hunter gained not only martial arts training but also the discipline and leadership skills that would shape the rest of his career.
Hunter eventually earned a first-degree black belt in Tae Kwon Do under Grand Master Brumley and continues to maintain a strong relationship with him to this day.
When news broke that Hunter had been chosen as the next president of NASKA, Grand Master Brumley shared his pride publicly with Hunter in a Facebook comment on the announcement of the presidency, a moment that meant a great deal to him.
Hunter also holds multiple black belts in martial arts, including Shorei-Ryu under John Sharkey, where he was promoted to 6th degree black belt in Karate in 2023. In addition, he holds a brown belt in Jiu-Jitsu.
Inspired by the Next Generation of Martial Arts
In 2003, Hunter watched the XMA documentary produced by Mike Chat on the Discovery Channel.
For many young martial artists at the time, it offered a glimpse of what the next evolution of martial arts performance could look like.
For Hunter, it sparked a clear goal.
He wanted to train with John Sharkey at Sharkey’s Karate in Naperville, Illinois.
By then, Sharkey had already built a reputation as one of the most respected instructors in sport karate, producing competitors who went on to careers in film, stunt work, and entertainment.
Hunter began attending AKA training camps and seminars, gradually becoming part of the Sharkey program.
Moving to Naperville
In 2006, Hunter was hired as an assistant instructor by John Sharkey and moved to Naperville.
Over time, his role expanded beyond teaching.
Hunter eventually became one of Sharkey’s office managers and administrators, where he began implementing systems that modernized the business side of the school.
Through the leadership skills he had developed under Grand Master Brumley and his own natural ability for organization and systems, Hunter helped transform the operational side of Sharkey’s Karate.
He introduced systems such as:
- credit card processing
- marketing campaigns
- structured leadership programs and black belt club
- improved administrative systems
He also helped enhance and expand the AKA Camps, turning them into even more effective training opportunities for competitors from around the country.
These systems helped the program grow and thrive, while allowing Sharkey to focus on what he loved most—teaching students and developing martial artists.
Team Sideswipe and the Entertainment World
Hunter also became closely involved with Team Sideswipe, Sharkey’s elite martial arts performance team.
As Team Manager, he traveled extensively with the group as they performed around the world, including performances for U.S. Navy personnel at bases overseas.
Hunter eventually fulfilled one of his childhood dreams when he became the Cast and Talent Manager for the official Saban Power Rangers appearances in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, a role he held through AKA and Sideswipe for more than a decade.
He also served as Production and Cast Manager for Caesars Entertainment Group at the Tropicana Hotel in Las Vegas, where he helped manage Sideswipe Live!, the first live-action martial arts–based stage show to appear on the Las Vegas Strip.
Building the Warrior Cup
Hunter’s involvement with tournaments began through his work with Sharkey’s long-running event, which was originally known as the AKA Grand Nationals.
In 2007, Hunter became a co-promoter of the event alongside John Sharkey.
Over the years he helped transform the event into something even bigger.
In 2015, Hunter led the rebranding of the tournament as the AKA Warrior Cup.
Today, the Warrior Cup is widely recognized as one of the most professional and respected sport karate tournaments in the world and serves as the host of the NASKA Awards Banquet, bringing together competitors, instructors, and promoters from across the circuit.
Hunter currently serves as President of the American Karate Association, Team AKA, and Promoter of the AKA Warrior Cup.
MAT Action: Building Infrastructure for the Sport
Hunter’s entrepreneurial instincts led him to create MAT Action, a software company designed specifically to support martial arts tournaments and organizations.
MAT Action provides:
- tournament registration systems
- event administration tools
- membership management
- ratings and rankings administration
The platform is now used by tournaments and leagues around the world, and Hunter often acts as a consultant to other event promoters—frequently at no cost—to help them develop and grow their events.
Much of this work happens behind the scenes, but it has helped modernize the infrastructure that supports sport karate competition.
Personal Loss and Resilience
Hunter’s life has also been marked by significant personal loss.
Over the years he has experienced the deaths of his mother, his only sibling, and most recently his mentor and instructor John Sharkey.
Despite these tragedies, Hunter has remained committed to continuing the work they believed in—supporting martial arts schools, tournaments, and the sport karate community.
The Call from Larry Carnahan
Against that backdrop, Hunter received a call that would change his role in the sport.
Larry Carnahan, who had served as president of the North American Sport Karate Association (NASKA) for decades, informed Hunter that he wanted him to take over leadership of the organization as he wanted to step back from running NASKA to focus on his family. Mr. Carnahan’s intent is to remain involved in NASKA in an advisory role and to continue to promote his Diamond Nationals tournament.
Hunter was surprised and humbled.
The two have had many conversations about Carnahan’s vision for the future of the sport, including the importance of unity among promoters and creating a positive experience for competitors and families.
A Philosophy of Unity
Hunter’s philosophy for NASKA moving forward is simple.
He wants to bring people together.
His goal is to create an organization that welcomes and includes all promoters, martial artists and supporters who want to work together to grow the sport, strengthen tournaments, and provide an incredible experience for competitors and their families.
His belief is that when NASKA becomes stronger as an organization, everyone benefits.
As the saying goes:
When the ocean rises, every boat rises with it.
A New Chapter
Sport karate has always been built by people who dedicate themselves to the community.
Competitors step onto the mats.
Promoters organize events.
Instructors train the next generation.
And behind the scenes, people like Hunter Lyon build the systems that help everything run.
As NASKA enters a new chapter of leadership, Hunter brings with him experience in tournament promotion, martial arts instruction, technology development, and organizational leadership.
Most importantly, he brings the same passion for martial arts competition that began years ago with a young kid in Memphis who fell off his bike in front of a martial arts school.
Sometimes the path to leadership in a sport begins in the most unexpected places.
Editor’s Note
This article is part two of a four-part SportMartialArts.com series exploring the legacy of Larry Carnahan, the leadership of Hunter Lyon, and the evolving future of the NASKA sport karate circuit.
