AKRON, OHIO — Grand Master Lawrence Zahand of Akron, Ohio, has been selected as a recipient of the prestigious 2026 G.O.A.T. Honors (Greatest of All Time) Martial Arts Award, recognizing his extraordinary lifetime of leadership, teaching, and service to the martial arts community.
The G.O.A.T. Honors Awards, founded by Grand Master Lawrence Arthur, recognize exceptional martial artists from around the world whose lifelong commitment to excellence, leadership, instruction, and community service has made a lasting impact on generations of students and instructors. The 2026 awards ceremony will be held on July 25, 2026, in Lynchburg, Virginia.
Grand Master Zahand is the President and Owner of Zahand's Martial Arts, one of Northeast Ohio's premier martial arts academies. Since founding the school in 1995, he has dedicated his career to teaching traditional Karate-do, Judo, and Jiu-Jitsu, helping thousands of children, teens, and adults develop confidence, discipline, self-defense skills, and respect. His family-operated academy has become one of the region's most respected martial arts institutions, known for its positive culture and commitment to personal development.
Under Grand Master Zahand's leadership, Zahand's Martial Arts has earned an outstanding reputation for excellence in instruction, character development, and community involvement. Through innovative youth programs, family martial arts training, and a lifelong commitment to traditional martial arts values, he has positively impacted countless lives throughout the Akron area and beyond.
"Grand Master Lawrence Zahand exemplifies everything the G.O.A.T. Honors were established to recognize," said Grand Master Lawrence Arthur, Founder of the G.O.A.T. Honors. "His lifelong commitment to preserving traditional martial arts, mentoring future generations, and building stronger families and communities through martial arts has created an extraordinary legacy. We are honored to recognize his outstanding accomplishments."
The G.O.A.T. Honors Awards celebrate martial artists whose influence extends beyond the dojo through education, mentorship, leadership, innovation, and community service. Honorees are nominated by their peers and selected based upon their enduring contributions to the martial arts profession.
For additional information about the G.O.A.T. Honors, please visit www.goathonors.org.
