Cover Story Throwback: Richie Barathy
- Black Belt Team
- 1 day ago
- 2 min read
Richie Barathy was equal parts as a brawler and a showman, Barathy earned a reputation for his explosive breaking demonstrations in an era when martial arts was still carving its place in mainstream American culture.
In the 1970s, when martial arts was spreading rapidly from Bruce Lee mania., Barathy was among the figures who brought karate and breaking exhibitions into gyms, television, and live events, helping ignite the cultural wave that fueled America and the world's fascination with martial arts.
“Richie was one tough mofo,” one contemporary remembered. “He wasn’t just about kata or point fighting—he could throw down for real, and then walk onstage and smash through bricks like they were paper.”
Perhaps his most famous moment came during a televised breaking demo that has since become martial arts lore. Always pushing boundaries, Barathy doused his cinder blocks in lighter fluid, set them ablaze, and smashed through them with fearless intensity. The stunt worked—he shattered the blocks—but at a cost. The flames caught him as well, leaving him burned and scarred. “Most guys would’ve stopped right there,” a student later recalled, “but Richie just laughed it off. He lived for the pain, because the pain made the moment real.” Beyond his burns, Barathy endured personal hardships, including partial blindness in one eye, yet he never let those setbacks keep him from training, performing, or teaching.
His blend of raw toughness and showmanship made him unforgettable. “Richie was instrumental in putting martial arts in front of the average guy on the street,” said a fellow martial artist. “He didn’t just talk discipline—he showed you something that made your jaw drop.”
Though his passing came only a few years ago, his legend lives on in the memories of those who saw his fiery breaks, his bruising fights, and his relentless passion. Richie Barathy may be gone, but he remains one of the toughest and most unforgettable martial artists of his era.
