The Legend of Kempo Worldwide

The Legend of Chembo Worldwide:

BRUNO REBELO — FROM THE FIGHTING ARENA TO INTERNATIONAL KEMPO LEADERSHIP

Writin by Gamal ElBadrawy:

30 Individual World Titles • 2 Absolute World Titles • 16 National Titles

 

Thirty individual world titles, two absolute world titles, and sixteen national titles form part of the remarkable sporting journey of Portuguese martial artist and sports leader Bruno José e Silva Sousa Rebelo, whose career has extended across martial arts, sport, coaching, education, and international sports administration.

 

His journey has gone far beyond competition and championships. From the fighting arena to coaching, and from technical expertise to institutional leadership and sports organization, Rebelo has progressively taken on major responsibilities, including leadership positions within the Portuguese Kempo Federation and, since October 2018, the position of Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the International Kempo Federation (IKF).

 

He has also served, since 2010, as President and Organizer of the WAC World Championships, as well as Chief Executive Officer.

 

With experience spanning Chinese Kempo, Kajukenbo, and Gung Fu, combined with an academic background and professional experience in education and sports coaching, Bruno Rebelo’s career represents a multifaceted journey built on practice, achievement, knowledge, and sports leadership.

 

It is a journey that began with a commitment to martial arts and developed through years of competition, education, professional training, and institutional work, ultimately leading to leadership responsibilities within the world of sport and Kempo at both national and international levels.

 

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A DISTINGUISHED COMPETITIVE RECORD

 

Championships and titles represent an important chapter in Bruno Rebelo’s sporting career. His competitive record includes:

 

30 Individual World Titles

 

2001–2015

 

2 Absolute World Titles

 

2007 and 2011

 

16 National Champion Titles

 

1992–2008

 

These achievements represent a significant stage of his sporting career, which later expanded into coaching, administration, and international sports organization.

 

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MARTIAL ARTS — A MULTIDISCIPLINARY JOURNEY

 

Bruno Rebelo has developed extensive expertise across multiple martial arts disciplines, earning advanced ranks throughout his long-standing journey in the field:

 

CHINESE KEMPO

 

9th Degree – Grandmaster

2019

 

KAJUKENBO

 

9th Degree

2018

 

GUNG FU

 

5th Degree – Sigung

2013

 

These achievements reflect decades of technical development, dedication, and continuous advancement, complementing his competitive record and professional experience in coaching and sports leadership.

 

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FROM COMPETITION TO SPORTS COACHING

 

Rebelo’s career has extended beyond competition into professional sports coaching. His official coaching qualifications in Portugal include:

 

Coach Level 1

 

Portuguese Ministry of Youth and Sports – 2014

 

Coach Level 2

 

Portuguese Ministry of Youth and Sports – 2015

 

Coach Level 3

 

Portuguese Ministry of Youth and Sports – 2023

 

This progression reflects his continued professional development in sport and the transition of his experience from competition and practice into coaching and sports development.

 

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AN ACADEMIC BACKGROUND COMBINING SOCIAL SCIENCES AND SPORT

 

Alongside his martial arts and sporting career, Bruno Rebelo has developed a diverse academic background.

 

He studied at Instituto Militar dos Pupilos do Exército in 1989.

 

He later studied Sociology at the University of Social Sciences in Lisbon, Portugal, graduating in 2001.

 

He also completed studies in Sports and Physical Education at CEFAD, Portugal, during 2003–2004.

 

In 2015, he completed studies in Sports and obtained Coach Level 2 through IPDJ, Portugal.

 

He also completed a Master’s degree in Sciences at New York University, USA, during 2007–2009.

 

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PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE IN EDUCATION

 

His professional career has also included extensive experience in education.

 

He served as:

 

Senior Professor in 15 Government Schools

 

2003–2020

 

He also served as:

 

Senior Professor in 11 Private Schools

 

2005–2020

 

This experience adds an important educational dimension to his professional career in sport and martial arts.

 

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LEADERSHIP IN THE PORTUGUESE KEMPO FEDERATION

 

As his sporting career developed, Rebelo moved into institutional and administrative leadership within Kempo.

 

President of the Portuguese Kempo Federation – FPLK

 

September 2015–2019

 

He subsequently continued his work within the federation as:

 

Director of the Portuguese Kempo Federation – FPLK

 

2019–Present

 

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INTERNATIONAL LEADERSHIP

 

At the international level, Bruno Rebelo has served since October 2018 as:

 

Chief Executive Officer – CEO

 

International Kempo Federation – IKF

 

This position represents a major chapter in his international administrative career and his involvement in the development and organization of Kempo.

 

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EXPERIENCE IN WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP ORGANIZATION

 

In addition to his responsibilities within Kempo organizations, Rebelo has served since 2010 as:

 

President and Organizer

 

WAC World Championships

 

and

 

Chief Executive Officer – CEO

 

This role further reflects his experience in sports administration, event organization, and the management of international sporting competitions.

 

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A CAREER BUILT ON ACHIEVEMENT, EXPERIENCE, AND LEADERSHIP

 

The career of Bruno José e Silva Sousa Rebelo represents a multifaceted sporting and professional journey that began with competition and achievement in martial arts and expanded into coaching, education, sports administration, and international event organization.

 

His experience across Chinese Kempo, Kajukenbo, and Gung Fu, combined with his competitive record of world and national titles, academic and coaching qualifications, and leadership responsibilities within the Portuguese Kempo Federation and the International Kempo Federation, has shaped a career encompassing multiple dimensions of the sporting world.

 

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KEMPO — A JOURNEY TOWARD THE FUTURE

 

From the competitive arena to international leadership, Bruno Rebelo’s career reflects a long-standing journey of experience, achievement, and institutional work within martial arts and Kempo.

 

As Kempo continues to develop and expand its presence on the international sporting stage, the focus turns toward strengthening the sport’s position, developing new generations of practitioners and champions, and building a broader future for Kempo around the world.

 

KEMPO — A LEGACY OF EXPERIENCE, A PATH TOWARD A NEW FUTURE.