Description

Martial arts governing body founded by Chuck Norris in 1979 to succeed his National Tang Soo Do Congress as the organizational home of American Tang Soo Do (today it governs the Chuck Norris System). Pat E. Johnson served as executive vice president from 1979 until he left in 1986 over philosophical differences with Norris and reformed the NTC.

Also known as

UFAF

Founded

• 
  Chuck Norris

Affiliations (1)

• corporate_fareDerived fromNational Tang Soo Do Congress Probable

  Probable

  Documented identically by two independent sources (Wikipedia EN biography and the Hollywood Reporter obituary), both naming Norris as NTC's dismantler and UFAF's founder with Johnson continuing across the transition; no contradicting account found.

  The evidence favours the claim and nothing credible contradicts it, but it falls short of establishing it.

  Founded by Chuck Norris in 1979 after he disbanded his earlier National Tang Soo Do Congress; Pat E. Johnson carried over as executive vice president. The mechanism is the founder's own decision to wind down one body and start another, not a schism or absorption, so derived_from rather than replaces/split_from.

  fact_checkassessed by FSMverified

  Frederico Muñoz

  Researcher, Martialis

  1 source expand_more

  fact_check

  Documented identically by two independent sources (Wikipedia EN biography and the Hollywood Reporter obituary), both naming Norris as NTC's dismantler and UFAF's founder with Johnson continuing across the transition; no contradicting account found.

  “In 1979, Norris disbanded the NTC and formed the United Fighting Arts Federation (UFAF), again naming Johnson as executive vice president.”

  — Wikipedia contributors. (2026). Pat E. Johnson. Wikipedia (English)link history info

Officers (1)

• 
  Pat E. Johnson

  Executive Vice President

  1979 – 1986

  Probable

  Probable

  Wikipedia only.

  The evidence favours the claim and nothing credible contradicts it, but it falls short of establishing it.

  fact_checkassessed by FSMverified

  Frederico Muñoz

  Researcher, Martialis

  2 sources expand_more

  fact_check

  Wikipedia only.

  “In 1979, Norris disbanded the NTC and formed the United Fighting Arts Federation (UFAF), again naming Johnson as executive vice president.”

  — Wikipedia contributors. (2026). Pat E. Johnson. Wikipedia (English)link history info

  “Due to philosophical reasons left UFAF, and reformed the National Tang Soo Do Congress.”

  — Wikipedia contributors. (2026). Pat E. Johnson. Wikipedia (English)link history info

Tags

american-tang-soo-do · chuck-norris-system · federation

Sources

Identifiers