Bruce McFarlane - Contributed

By Ainsley Walters, Freelance Writer

This weekend, April 28-29, marks the start of the Busta Martial Arts League with the first major tournament of the year, the annual Busta Taekwondo Open, set for the University of Technology auditorium.

The long-standing Taekwondo Open is highly anticipated on Jamaica's Martial Arts calendar as it is a marquee black belt tournament and the only continuous fighting competition in the country.

It is also a criterion for selection to Jamaica's Combined Martial Arts Team, the Busta Fighters.

The most successful black belt of the league will take home a cash prize of $50,000, which covers the Taekwondo Open and encompasses the Zendo Open in May, Seido Open in June, Ningen Open in July and McKay Security national junior championship in December.

Strong competition is expected in the heavyweight division among the likes of Bruce McFarlane, Sean Cummings and Dwayne Brown.

Nicholas Dussard

The middleweight division is wide open with Seido's Omar Rose and Kenneth Edwards, who is expected back from injury, taking on the likes of Taekwondo's Arthur Barrows, who has been absent from local competition for two seasons but active on the international circuit.

Barrows is eyeing the Open as a timely return to the local scene.

However, the veteran fighter will have to get past his rivals who have been training hard for the event.

The lightweight division poses additional interest as favourite Nicholas Dussard will be absent due to school commitments.

However, Taekwondo world bronze medalist, Alrick Wanliss, is expected to make the division just as competitive when he faces veteran David Hall and a rejuvenated Jermaine Lue.

The competition will also feature coloured belts from pee-wees to adults on Saturday with the red belt division, just below black belt, expected to be entertaining.

The female division, which has lacked participation and excitement over the years, is also set to spark with world bronze medalist Tashana Grannum taking the black belt stage for the first time.