2025 Champions Cup Review

Mar 26

2 min read

2025 Champions Cup Review: A Milestone Event for Judo United

The 2025 Champions Cup marked another exciting year of growth and excellence for Judo United, once again raising the bar for judo events in the United States. Held at full capacity with 530 athletes, this year’s tournament sold out an entire week before the registration deadline—testament to the event’s growing reputation as one of the premier competitions in the region.

This year’s tournament was especially notable as the first event in California to implement the new IJF rules. To ensure a smooth transition, a dedicated three-hour rules seminar was held on Saturday night for coaches and referees. A special thanks goes to Saro Balagezyan, who led the session and served as one of our Chief Referees alongside David Williams. Their leadership and clarity helped maintain a high standard of officiating throughout the event.

The level of competition was fierce from start to finish, with dozens of clubs eyeing the coveted Team Champions Cup title—and the $3,500 in prize money awarded to the top five teams. Defending champions Tri-Valley Judo, under the guidance of Kevin Butler, brought over 40 competitors and were determined to retain their crown.

The battle for the team title was nothing short of thrilling. Standings shifted constantly as Tri-Valley Judo, CJ Judo, Cahill’s Judo Academy, Nakano Academy and Tamayo Judo traded the lead throughout the day. The championship wasn’t decided until the final senior divisions wrapped up—making for a very suspenseful finish.

In the end, Tri-Valley Judo held on to win the Champions Cup & $1500 in for the second consecutive year with 95 team points. Rounding out the top five were:

CJ Judo – 87 points (2nd) $1000
Tamayo Judo – 59 points (3rd) $500
Cahill’s Judo Academy – 52 points (4th) $250
Nakano Judo Academy – 43 points (5th) $250

Congratulations to all participating clubs for putting on a spectacular display of judo, sportsmanship, and team spirit. With strong leadership, innovative rule implementation, and an unmatched atmosphere, the 2025 Champions Cup truly reflected the mission of Judo United: building world-class experiences and bringing the judo community together.