KBK (Kingdom-Bushi-Kai) The Warrior

 Bishop Haywood began his Martial Arts quest and training  in a 1973 summer karate program in the New Orleans Desire Housing Project's  Keystone Community Center inside of one of the apartments. The training was under the instruction of Geraldine Jefferson-Vasquez an advanced student (Purple Belt) of the Late-Grandmaster Ferdinand T. Bigard, Jr.

After the summer program ended, a few choose students were invited to begin the KBK "Kuro Bushi Kai Karate Do Kempo" official martial arts program at the Desire Community Center (Bishop was one of the chosen).  Grandmaster Bigard taught him well in the physical, mental and inner disciplines of martial arts. Bishop Haywood (known then as "Darnell") trained hard and competed in many tournaments bringing home several trophies and various awards and became a junior instructor.

In 1976 Bishop Haywood "Darnell" was promoted to Black Belt and was noticed for extremely fast hands, focused kicks and later began to develop life saving self defense techniques. In his youth, a few years before moving back to Mississippi with his Grandfather, he was  part of the traveling Headhunters KBK Desire Community Center Dream Team in sweeping completions in tournament after tournament in the mid to late 1970's.

Bishop Haywood "Darnell: remained moderately active in training and as an instructor throughout the 1980's retiring in 1989 to focus on community advocacy, gospel music and ministry.   Eleven years later in  2001, now a Pastor,  he came out of retirement seeing a need to start a Christian Martial Arts Outreach: "KWK" (Kingdom Warriors Karate).  In the same year   "2001", because of his spiritual level contributions to "KBK", Pastor  Haywood was promoted to Shihan-Master Level 4th degree by  "The Late-Grandmaster Ferdinand T. Bigard, Jr."

Sensei Haywood is also an 11-year member of  Karate For Christ International & Grace Martial Arts Christian Association. He continues the tradition of his "KBK" training by offering "Elite" Community Martial Arts classes in his church. Bishop was nominated in 2010 for induction into the Midwest Martial Arts Hall of Fame and is now designated  for 2012 promotion to the level of 5th Degree "Master" by a diverse group of  "Grandmasters.