International Hall of Fame of Martial Arts 2022

For the ninth year in a row, as part of the World Budo Games, Split also hosted the prestigious international Martial Arts and Skills Hall of Fame organized and promoted by the Split jujitsu club Uragan.

Top fighters and athletes from all over the world have been pointing out the bureaucratic and other problems of the Angels association for years, and the need to involve the entire social community as much as possible in support and help them. Martial great and one of the best fighters, Alistair Overeem, once again gave his great and selfless support to the whole project and the Angels.

Hrvoje Znaor, former world champion in jujitsu according to the Genshinkan Federation and promoter of the International Martial Arts Hall of Fame, said that the cooperation began six years ago.

- The Angels didn't even know what kind of problems they had. Mrs. Dijana Anicic, Anka Djikic and I agreed to try to do something. In America, I saw how Mike Tyson, Jason Statham, Jean-Claude Van Damme help the needy. Not in this way because this is a world rarity. I started this in Croatia in Split. In the first years, as is usual in Split, there was ridicule and underestimation. However, greats like the Branko Cikatić, to whom I am immensely grateful, opened the way for me in martial arts, supported me in my first matches, I will never forget that feeling... and that's how it all started. Later, great people came from all over the world and now it has become a tradition.

What was difficult for us, but we are satisfied, is what we heard at the dinner, which is that the politicians, public and state institutions failed so much in supporting the Angels association that we did a lot. It means nothing because it is devastating that the institutions, those who should do it, those whose job it is, have failed. That's why we brought in people who are football's Messi, Modrić, Ronaldo, because there is nothing better than hugging politicians in elections, public support - said Znaor.

Recognitions and awards
During the last eight years, as part of the same project, many martial arts greats and legends such as Ray Sef, Peter Aerts, the late Branko Cikatc, Semmy Schilt, Ernest Hoost, Don Dragon Wilson, Jerome Le Banner and many others were chosen as Hall of Fame honorees. This year, in addition to special guests led by legendary K-1 champion Semmy Schilt, along with Israeli Avi Nardi and our K-1 champion and currently the best Glory fighter Antonio Plazibat, the gala dinner included former UFC champion Carlos Newton from Canada, Slovenian Đulaga Huskic, trophy karate coach of the Slovenian Olympia and the Slovenian karate national team.

On the basis of nominations due to the international promotion of martial arts, that is, boxing, our own Ivica Zelic received the awards for his special merits in the development and promotion of judo, that is, martial sports, Miljenko Roša Kutleša from Imo as a judge expert and coach deserving in the development of kickboxing in Croatia, and Pero Gazilj from Makara, former four-time world champion in kick boxing, and today a very successful trainer.

A special award for excellent international boxing results and contribution to the development of boxing in Croatia was given to the brothers Luka and Damir Plantic and the Croatian national team in Thai boxing, which won as many as seven medals at the World Championship in Abu Dhabi this year, and the partner of the year award for its support in the organization was awarded to the company Jafra print from Solin.