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Cover Story Throwback: Richard Bustillo

Martial artist in white gi punching on Blue Black Belt magazine cover. Text highlights self-defense, Aikido, Ki, and Mike Stone.
Two "Black Belt Magazine" covers featured; one with a woman in a hat, the other with a man in a red gi. Spring '25 issue promotion.

The 2007 cover of Black Belt magazine featured the late Richard Bustillo, a pioneering martial artist and direct student of Bruce Lee. Bustillo began his training in Jeet Kune Do at Lee’s Jun Fan Gung Fu Institute in Los Angeles, where he studied alongside Dan Inosanto.


In 1967, the two delved into Filipino martial arts—kali, escrima, and arnis—training under masters like Angel Cabales. Their efforts helped ignite a global revival of these traditional systems. In 1976, Bustillo was promoted to senior instructor in Jun Fan Jeet Kune Do by Sifu Inosanto.


He later passed on Lee’s teachings to Brandon and Shannon Lee, ensuring the legacy continued into the next generation.


Martial artist in red outfit applying a chokehold to a smiling opponent. Blue background with text, featuring martial arts magazine content.

Learn more about this cover and the entire magazine preserved in digital format: https://www.blackbeltmag.com 



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