European MMA superstar Alex Lohoré is set to make his BRAVE Combat Federation debut at BRAVE CF 83 in Alkmaar, the Netherlands, on May 25 when he goes up against former Super Welterweight champion Marcin Bandel in the main event of BRAVE CF 83. A four-time MMA champion in the European circuit, Lohoré is stepping into the global stage with hopes of entering the title picture in BRAVE CF and the spotlight will be shining bright on him when he enters the cage at BRAVE CF 83. While Lohoré is no stranger to the fans of European MMA ahead of his BRAVE CF debut, reaching this point was easier said than done for the French fighter. Born in France from Ivorian parents, Lohoré grew up in the tough suburbs of Paris. Growing up as an only child, Lohoré lived alone with his mother until he was 15. His father was absent, and his mother struggled to provide for them, often working long hours. The environment was dangerous, and Lohoré learned early on about the harsh realities of life.  At 15, Lohoré’s life took a dramatic turn. His mother made the difficult decision to send him to England to stay with his uncle for a month-long vacation. However, Lohoré was not aware of one thing: the plan all along was for him to stay there permanently.  His mother believed that this move was necessary for his future, even though it meant tricking him into leaving behind his friends, his girlfriend, and everything familiar back in France. Initially, Lohoré was devastated, feeling abandoned and crying for two years. Despite the initial hiccup, this move changed his life, and he's full of gratitude for his mother's difficult decision. Adjusting to life in England was not easy. Lohoré had to learn English, adapt to a new culture, and find his footing in an unfamiliar environment. He did odd jobs and finally settled in an IT job which allowed him to travel throughout Europe. It was at this point that Lohoré came across the sport of MMA. Although he had tried out boxing at 17, financial constraints had forced him to quit. With a more stable financial situation thanks to his IT job, Lohoré immersed himself in MMA training. He began with amateur bouts, quickly realizing his potential and the desire to express himself fully in the sport. The rest, as they say, is history. He transformed into one of the most sought-after athletes in the European MMA scene, going on to win titles in four different organizations, and fighting the likes of former BRAVE CF stars Joilton Lutterbach, Carl Booth, and Olli Santalahti, as well as Colin Fletcher, Dan Vinni, Karlos Vemola, and Richard Kiely.  Lohoré now stands at the doorsteps of the most global MMA organization in the world and is preparing to take on the former Super Welterweight world champion in the main event of BRAVE CF 83. A win over Bandel could signal a full-circle moment for Lohoré: with BRAVE CF confirmed to return to France later in the year, Alex could potentially be in line for his first-ever fight on French soil.

ONE Championship  will bring back the star-studded ONE Featherweight Kickboxing World Grand Prix in 2024. The organization teased the tournament via social media, but a date for the opening round has yet to be revealed. The featherweight kickboxing division may be the deepest and most competitive division in all combat sports. In the last ONE Featherweight Kickboxing World Grand Prix, Chingiz Allazov stormed through the ranks as a dark horse to win the tournament and then went on to dethrone Superbon for the ONE Featherweight Kickboxing World Championship. The tournament not only propelled him to become a World Champion but also set him up to be considered the current pound-for-pound best kickboxer on the planet. The upcoming tournament could have the same result for the victor who gets his hand raised in the end. Who could compete in the 2024 edition of the tournament? The graphic shared across social media featured Masaaki Noiri, Superbon, Petrosyan, and Allazov. Other pound-for-pound greats like Sitthichai Sitsongpeenong, Tawanchai PK Saenchai, and Marat Grigorian are likely contenders to join the field. Should all those athletes compete in the tournament, the 2024 edition of the ONE Featherweight Kickboxing World Grand Prix could be the most decorated tournament in kickboxing history. The tournament will also allow someone else to make their mark against the biggest names in the sport. With a tournament field that is expected to be jam-packed with talent, fans should be in store for memorable matches all along the way to the final. Who will join Allazov and Petrosyan as the next ONE Featherweight Kickboxing World Grand Prix Champion? Stay tuned for more information about the 2024 ONE Featherweight Kickboxing World Grand Prix as it becomes available.

Muay Thai legend has been getting ready for his MMA return at BRAVE CF 83, this Saturday, with the help of his son Yousri and fellow world champion brother Yassine. Youssef Boughanem will step inside the BRAVE Combat Federation cage for the first time at BRAVE CF 83 in the Netherlands on May 25 when he takes on hometown favourite Anando Amoksi. for his much-anticipated return to mixed martial arts. Having won almost all the titles in Kickboxing and Muay Thai, Youssef transitioned into Mixed Martial Arts earlier this year with a knockout victory in France and will have his second MMA fight when he fights Anando at BRAVE CF 83. For Youssef, the journey to BRAVE CF 83 is more than just a professional milestone; it is intertwined with his personal life. His remarkable success in combat sports has not only transformed his own life but also significantly impacted his family. Youssef began practising Muay Thai at a young age in Belgium. After the death of his parents, his ambition to achieve greatness drove him to leave Belgium. At 17, after securing second place in a tournament in the Netherlands, he used his prize money to buy a one-way ticket to Thailand with his younger brother, Yassine Boughanem.  The early days in Thailand were challenging for the Boughanem brothers. Struggling to make ends meet, they faced adversity head-on. Their hard work paid off as Youssef's talent and determination led him to accumulate numerous titles, establishing a formidable career in Muay Thai. Youssef's success has had a ripple effect on his family. Youssef’s younger brother Yassine followed in his footsteps to become a world champion in Muay Thai, competing in the heavyweight division. Just like his brother, Yassine has also transitioned into MMA.  Additionally, Youssef's son, Yousri Boughanem, is also carving out a path in combat sports, following in his father's footsteps. Yousri's dedication to the sport is so profound that he will be in Youssef's corner at BRAVE CF 83. It is that team, with the help of coach Samart, that he hopes will lead him to victory.  'I have a great team that helps me suffer', says Youssef. Returning to the Netherlands, the place where he first earned the money to move to Thailand, Boughanem is now poised to start a new chapter in both his professional career and his family’s journey.  BRAVE CF 83, held in association with Enfusion’s ECE MMA, will be the third event of the year 2024 for BRAVE Combat Federation and will mark the second event of BRAVE CF’s 2024 Europe tour.

The UFC returns to the UFC APEX with a thrilling fight card headlined by a flyweight contenders' bout between fifth-ranked Alex Perez and undefeated thirteenth-ranked Tatsuro Taira. The event, UFC FIGHT NIGHT: PEREZ vs TAIRA, is scheduled for Saturday, June 15, in Las Vegas and will be aired on ESPN2, ESPN Deportes, and ESPN+ in both English and Spanish. The main card kicks off at 10 p.m. ET, preceded by the prelims at 7 p.m. ET. Alex Perez (24-8), hailing from Lemoore, California, is coming off a spectacular knockout win over Matheus Nicolau in April. A former flyweight title challenger, Perez boasts victories over fighters such as Jussier Formiga and Mark De La Rosa. He aims to maintain his ranking by delivering Taira his first professional defeat. Tatsuro Taira (15-0), from Okinawa, Japan, steps into his first UFC main event with a reputation as a formidable finisher. With stoppage victories over opponents like Carlos Hernandez and C.J. Vergara, Taira seeks to break into the top five of the flyweight division by defeating a former title challenger. The card also features a compelling middleweight bout as submission specialist Andre Muniz (24-6) of Brazil faces the formidable Ikram Aliskerov (15-1) from Dagestan, Russia. Muniz, a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt, is notable for wins over Uriah Hall and Ronaldo Souza. Aliskerov, currently on a seven-fight winning streak, aims to extend his unbeaten record in the UFC with another standout performance. Additional exciting matchups include: Tagir Ulanbekov versus Joshua Van in a flyweight contest. Featherweight action as Shayilan Nuerdanbieke faces Melquizael Costa. Assu Almabayev takes on Jose Johnson in what promises to be an intense flyweight debut. Bantamweights Douglas Silva and Miles Johns collide in a must-watch bout. Featherweights Jeka Saragih and Westin Wilson go head-to-head. Flyweights Jimmy Flick and Nate Maness battle it out in the cage. Timmy Cuamba and Lucas Almeida face off in a featherweight clash. Welterweights Josh Quinlan and Adam Fugitt square off in the octagon. Strawweights Josefine Knutsson and UFC newcomer Julia Polastri compete. Bantamweights Brady Hiestand and Garrett Armfield throw down. Flyweight newcomers Carli Judice and Gabriella Fernandes make their UFC debuts.

UFC Fight Night: Barboza vs. Murphy at the UFC Apex hosted an exhilarating array of fights headlined by Edson Barboza and Lerone Murphy in a featherweight showdown. The event showcased knockouts, submissions, and strategic masterclasses across both the main and preliminary cards. In the featherweight main event, Lerone Murphy clinched a significant victory over veteran Edson Barboza by unanimous decision. Murphy’s strategic prowess and agility allowed him to outmaneuver Barboza, impressing the judges and securing his position as a notable contender in the featherweight division. The co-main event saw Khaos Williams deliver a spectacular first-round knockout against Carlston Harris. Williams landed a decisive right hook at 1:30 into the first round, marking an emphatic return to form and highlighting his knockout power in the welterweight division. The main card also featured noteworthy battles including: Themba Gorimbo earning a unanimous decision victory over Ramiz Brahimaj in a welterweight contest, showcasing his endurance and tactical execution. Adrian Yanez stopped Vinicius Salvador with a combination of a right hook followed by ground strikes, securing a knockout at 2:47 in the first round in their bantamweight fight. Angela Hill executed a stunning mounted guillotine choke against Luana Pinheiro, winning by submission at 4:12 in the second round of their strawweight bout. The preliminary card was not short of action with several standout performances: Tom Nolan scored a knockout against Victor Martinez with a knee followed by ground strikes, ending the lightweight match at 3:50 of the first round. Oumar Sy submitted Tuco Tokkos with a rear-naked choke in their light heavyweight bout, concluding the fight at 3:43 of the first round. Melissa Gatto defeated Tamires Vidal with a body punch knockout just 37 seconds into the third round of their bantamweight match. In middleweight action, Abus Magomedov took a unanimous decision win over Warlley Alves, controlling the fight with superior strategy and stamina. A rare event occurred in the strawweight division when Ariane Carnelossi won by disqualification against Piera Rodriguez due to intentional headbutts at 3:16 of the second round. Alatengheili secured a unanimous decision victory over Kleydson Rodrigues in a closely contested bantamweight bout. Vanessa Demopoulos won by split decision against Emily Ducote in a strawweight fight that was fiercely competitive until the final bell. UFC Fight Night: Barboza vs. Murphy highlighted the relentless spirit and rising talents within the UFC roster. With knockouts, technical submissions, and gritty decisions, this event encapsulated the unpredictability and excitement that MMA fans cherish. Here are the full results of UFC Fight Night: Barboza vs. Murphy MAIN EVENT | FEATHERWEIGHT · 145 LBS | PRO MMA Edson Barboza vs. Lerone Murphy Murphy defeats Barboza via Unanimous Decision CO-MAIN EVENT | WELTERWEIGHT · 170 LBS | PRO MMA Khaos Williams vs. Carlston Harris Williams defeats Harris via KO/TKO, Right Hook at 1:30 Round 1 of 3 MAIN CARD | WELTERWEIGHT · 170 LBS | PRO MMA Ramiz Brahimaj vs. Themba Gorimbo Gorimbo defeats Brahimaj via Unanimous Decision MAIN CARD | BANTAMWEIGHT · 135 LBS | PRO MMA Adrian Yanez vs. Vinicius Salvador Yanez defeats Salvador via KO/TKO, Right Hook to Ground Strikes at 2:47 Round 1 of 3 MAIN CARD | STRAWWEIGHT · 115 LBS | PRO MMA Angela Hill vs. Luana Pinheiro Hill defeats Pinheiro via Submission, Mounted Guillotine Choke 4:12 Round 2 of 3 PRELIMINARY CARD | LIGHTWEIGHT · 155 LBS | PRO MMA Tom Nolan vs. Victor Martinez Nolan defeats Martinez via KO/TKO, Knee to Ground Strikes at 3:50 Round 1 of 3 PRELIMINARY CARD | LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT · 205 LBS | PRO MMA Oumar Sy vs. Tuco Tokkos Sy defeats Tokkos via Submission, Rear Naked Choke at 3:43 Round 1 of 3 PRELIMINARY CARD | BANTAMWEIGHT · 135 LBS | PRO MMA Tamires Vidal vs. Melissa Gatto Gatto defeats Vidal via KO/TKO, Body Punch at 0:37 Round 3 of 3 PRELIMINARY CARD | MIDDLEWEIGHT · 185 LBS | PRO MMA Abus Magomedov vs. Warlley Alves Magomedov defeats Alves via Unanimous Decision PRELIMINARY CARD | STRAWWEIGHT · 115 LBS | PRO MMA Piera Rodriguez vs. Ariane Carnelossi Carnelossi defeats Rodriguez via Disqualificaton, Intentional Headbutts at 3:16 Round 2 of 3 PRELIMINARY CARD | BANTAMWEIGHT · 135 LBS | PRO MMA Alatengheili vs. Kleydson Rodrigues Alatengheili defeats Rodrigues via Unanimous Decision PRELIMINARY CARD | STRAWWEIGHT · 115 LBS | PRO MMA Emily Ducote vs. Vanessa Demopoulos Demopoulos defeats Ducote via Split Decision

GLORY 92  went down Saturday night, May 18, live from the RTM Stage in Rotterdam, the Netherlands. It was billed as one of the most exciting cards of the year and it did not disappoint with upsets, flying knees, spinning heel kicks, and some potential ‘Fight of the Year’ candidates. Here are the GLORY 92 Results. Long reigning middleweight champion  Donovan Wisse (21-1, 10 KO)  registered his fourth title defense, putting him just one behind Alex Pereira’s record, with a split decision victory over Ulric Bokeme (32-5, 17 KO) in the main event of the evening. After his Grand Prix heroics, number one ranked heavyweight  Levi Rigters (18-2, 8 KO)  returned to winning ways with a unanimous decision victory over an extremely tough Nico Pereira Horta (22-9, 3 KO) in the co-main event. Michael Boapeah (16-4-1, 7 KO)  captured the ‘King of the Hague’ crown and the bragging rights following his incredible win over local rival  Serkan Ozcaglayan (45-9, 36 KO) . The arena was electric as the entire crowd were on their feet from start to finish to cheer both fighters on. Elsewhere on the main card, German veteran  Sergej Braun (44-13, 27)  defeated rising star Mohamed Touchassie (16-2, 12 KO) in what is a big learning curve for the youngster, Bulgaria’s  Teodor Hristov (17-3, 7 KO)  knocked Jay Overmeer (29-7, 15 KO) down twice en route to a decision win, Germany’s Denis Wosik (39-8-1, 9 KO)  scored the most impressive win of his career with an entertaining decision over Jan Kaffa (20-4, 7 KO), and  Berjan Peposhi (29-4, 16 KO)  avenged his loss against Ahmad Chikh Mousa (59-10-1, 28 KO) in what was another barnburner between the duo. In the GLORY 92 prelims, light heavyweight  Mory Kromah (29-2-1, 17 KO)  made a successful start to his GLORY career following a TKO victory over Morocco’s Anis Bouzid (45-4, 36 KO) and prospect Don Sno (4-1, 2 KO)  beat fellow ‘House of GLORY’ fighter Figuereido Landman (2-2) in the opening bout of the night. GLORY returns with the unmissable eight-man one-night GLORY Light Heavyweight Grand Prix at the Rotterdam Ahoy on June 8 and the recently announced GLORY 93: Petch vs. Kento on July 20 at the Topsportcentrum in Rotterdam. For more information and to purchase tickets, please visit  GLORYKickboxing.com . GLORY 92 Results Main Event GLORY Middleweight Title Donovan Wisse (21-1) def. Ulric Bokeme (32-5) v split decision (50-45 x 3, 49-46, 46-49). Co-Main EventHeavyweight Levi Rigters (18-2) def. Nico Pereira Horta (22-9) via unanimous decision (30-27 x 4, 29-28) Middleweight Michael Boapeah (17-4-1) def. Serkan Ozcaglayan (45-10) v unanimous decision (30-27 x 5) Middleweight Sergej Braun (44-13) def. Mohamed Touchassie (16-2) via unanimous decision (30-26 x 2, 29-27 x 3) Welterweight Teodor Hirstov (17-3, 7 KO) def. Jay Overmeer (29-7, 15 KO) via unanimous decision (29-26 x 4, 28-27) Featherweight Denis Wosik (39-8-1, 9 KO) def. Jan Kaffa (20-4, 7 KO) via unanimous decision (29-28 x 5) Featherweight Berjan Peposhi (29-4) def. Ahmad Chikh Mousa (59-10-1) via unanimous decision (30-27 x 5) Light Heavyweight Mory Kromah (29-2-1, 17 KO) def. Anis Bouzid (45-4, 36 KO) via TKO (injury), round 1, 3:00 Welterweight Don Sno (4-1, 2 KO) def. Figuereido Landman (2-2) via unanimous decision (30-27 x 4, 29-28)

Patchy Mix  (20-1) reminded the MMA world that he is one of the best fighters on the planet today as he defeated  Magomed Magomedov  (16-2) at  Bellator Champions Series Paris via split decision (48-47, 46-49, 48-47) to retain his Bellator Bantamweight Championship. Here are the complete results of Bellator Champions Series, Paris. The main event was highly competitive and both athletes had moments throughout the 25-minute bout, but in the end, Mix earned the victory in the rematch, his seventh consecutive win and second defense of his Bantamweight title. In the co-main event,  Cédric Doumbé  (6-1) sent the crowd into a frenzy for his Bellator debut as he beat Memphis’  Jaleel Willis  (16-6) via TKO at 3:33 of round one. After the fight, Anthony Pettis entered the Bellator Cage, making his future intentions clear:  “I want to fight him [Doumbe] in Paris, I want to fight him here.”  While it remains to be seen when Doumbe and Pettis will compete, “The Best” officially put his last outing behind him with the emphatic victory at  Bellator Champions Series Paris , his sixth win via TKO or KO. Costello Van Steenis  (15-3) silenced the Parisian crowd as he picked up the submission win over France’s own  Gregory Babene  (23-12) on Friday. With the victory, which came via Von Flue Choke at 2:16 of round two, “The Spaniard” secured a future shot at the Bellator Middleweight World Championship, a title currently held by undefeated Johnny Eblen. In the Featherweight division, 30-fight MMA veteran  Yves Landu  (21-9) earned his fifth consecutive victory coming out on top against  Jonas Bilharinho  (11-3-1) via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 30-27). Landu’s MMA skills were not the only thing on display in the Accor Arena, as he showcased his elite breakdancing skills in celebration  and put the world on notice by saying,  “My name is Yves Landu, if you don’t know, now you know.” In the main card opener, Colorado’s  Archie Colgan  (10-0) remained undefeated and gave the French crowd a slow start to the evening as he dominated  Thibault Gouti  (17-7) with his elite grappling ability, scoring seven takedowns and amassing nearly eight times the amount of ground strikes, en route to a lopsided unanimous decision victory (30-27, 30-26, 30-26).  With the culmination of tonight’s event, fans can look forward to  Bellator Champion Series Dublin  on June 22 at the 3Arena, headlined by Welterweight Champion  Jason Jackson  (18-4), currently in the midst of an impressive eight-fight win streak, looking to defend his title against the undefeated  Ramazan Kuramagomedov  (12-0). The co-main event will also see the debut of Derry sensation  Paul Hughes  (11-1), the hottest Irish prospect in the world right now, as he takes on six-fight Bellator veteran  Bobby King  (12-6) in what will be Hughes’ promotional debut. The complete 2024 Bellator Champions Series schedule is as follows:- Saturday, June 22 –  Bellator Champions Series Dublin  – 3Arena Saturday, September 7 –  Bellator Champions Series San Diego , Pechanga Arena Saturday, September 14 –  Bellator Champions Series London  – OVO Wembley Saturday, October 12 –  Bellator Champions Series Chicago  – Wintrust Arena- Saturday November 16 –  Bellator Champions Series Paris  – ADIDAS Arena Tuesday, December 31 –  Bellator Champions Series  – TBD   Preliminary Card Results Slim Trabelsi  (7-0) defeated  Louie Sutherland  (6-3) via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27) Mansour Barnaoui  (21-6) defeated  Yusuke Yachi  (26-14) via sub (D’arce Choke) at 4:08 of round one Mike Shipman  (16-4) defeated  Steven Hill  (7-1) TKO at 5:00 of round one Aspen Ladd  (12-5) defeated  Ekaterina Shakalova  (8-2) via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 30-27) Asael Adjoudj  (8-1) defeated  Bruno Fontes  (6-1) via KO (punch) at 1:11 of round two

Every week, Black Belt keeps you updated with the best martial arts movies, events, and fights from around the world. This is the Black Belt Watch List . Watch One-Percent Warrior starring Tak Sakaguchi exclusively on the HIYAH channel. Available on streaming devices like Roku. Also availabe on watch on Prime Video BKFC Event: May 17, 2024  Bare Knuckle Boxing straight from Liberty First Credit Union Arena! The fight card has well over 7 matches and will have Carlos Trinidad-Snake vs Dustin Pague as main event of the evening live on TrillerTV+ Bellator Champions Series: May 17, 2024  Bellator Champions Series Paris, current Bellator Bantamweight Champion Patchy Mix (19-1) returns to action against Magomed Magomedov (16-1). Watch Live on Max. UFC Fight Night: Barboza vs. Murphy Live from the UFC Apex : May 18, 2024 This weekend, the UFC returns to its home base at the UFC APEX in Las Vegas, headlined by a featherweight showdown between Edson Barboza and Lerone Murphy.  Watch on ESPN+ Watch Bob Odenkirk, yes same guy from Breaking Bad do some serious ass kicking in Nobody, on Amazon Prime Video and Free on FreeVee.  Watch Fistful of Vengeance on Netflix starring Iko Uwais star of the Raid . Watch Rumble in the Bronx starring Jackie Chan free on Tubi in the USA and Canada. Watch the Legend of Bruce Lee free on Black Belt Magazine YouTube channel! Watch the Raid 2 free on Pluto.

Black Belt Magazine proudly showcases exceptional martial arts training programs from around the world. This curated list takes in mind excellence in training, facility and continued growth and achievement in martial arts by their instructors.  Find this school in our Black Belt Directory. https://www.blackbeltmag.com/schools In the heart of Silicon Valley, Sunnyvale Martial Arts Academy thrives in its 36th year under the stewardship of Teri Lee. From humble beginnings, with just 1,700 square feet and zero students Teri built the school with her family at helm to a massive 9400 square feet with multiple training floors. Today, the academy boasts over 700 students, offering programs in both Tae Kwon Do and Jiu Jitsu offering 25 classes a day. In 2014, Teri's eldest son, Jian Lee, joined her in teaching after graduating from college to carry on the martial arts legacy. Jian began growing the curriculum from Korean arts to the introduction of BJJ. Today the Jiu Jitsu program has also found its way into Sunnyvale Martial Arts as new ways to grow the business and inspire students.  Cross training in martial arts. Jian Lee found new inspiration in college with BJJ first under Cesar Gracie then continuing his training under Mike Prudencio.  Leading the next generation of his family's martial arts academy, Jian commands immense respect within the martial arts community.  BJJ Grandmaster Ricardo Libório a ttests to his prowess, stating, “Jian Lee is perhaps the best example of how martial arts build someone’s outstanding character. Son of grandmasters. He grew up at a dojo learning discipline, respect, confidence, and all the other values, but he has this great attitude toward learning and teaching that inspires everyone with whom he is in contact. He symbolizes a great martial artist in all aspects of his life.”

Gillian White has worked in film and television for 25 Years — far longer than she’s been married to Michael Jai White, whom she wed in 2015. Recently, she’s created abuzz in the entertainment industry because of her role as Zara in take back, a movie that also stars her husband and teacher, as well as Mickey Rourke. After eight years of hybrid training that includes Kyokushin Karate and an array of effective fighting styles, Gillian will step into history as the first black female martial artist to play the lead in an action film when take back is released this year. This article originally appeared in a 2021 issue of Black Belt Magazine. Black Belt: How did you end up playing the lead in this film? Gillian White: You know, I was offered the role. The producer and the director contacted me and said, “We got a script for you. We think you’d be great for it. Let us know what you think.” As soon as they told me what it was about, I knew I wanted to do it. Coming in and being able to showcase my martial arts skills and fight skills has been awesome. I always wanted to do action. I got a little bit of it playing Amoria on Xena: Warrior Princess. I mean, it’s absolutely exciting. I did choose to have a stunt double, but the actual fighting is me. Black Belt:  Who choreographed the fights for Take Back ? Gillian: Mainly, my husband. We also had our stunt coordinator Arnold Chon, who does a lot of stuff in the film. He has trained a lot of MMA fighters in Bellator and the UFC. And we [had] stunt choreographer and director Larnell Stovall ( Captain America: Civil War ). Black Belt: This role had to be physically demanding — you were very convincing! Gillian: I don’t want to look like I’m acting or I’m reading lines. I want you to feel me in the moment, in my tears and my happiness or whatever I’m trying to portray at the moment — so believable, so genuine that it just makes you want to cheer for my character. To make it look effortless, to expend energy at that level, [I have] to simultaneously be dramatic, be funny and sensitive, be someone that the audience can relate to. As an actress, I never want to come across on the screen as I’m “acting.” Black Belt: You have fast reflexes, very strong kicks and jumps, upper-body strength and tremendous athleticism. How do you stay so fine-tuned? Gillian: Because I was an athlete, I am physically in the best shape of my life. I make smarter choices in my diet and how I take care of my body and the things I put in it. I’m very aware, and it’s very important to me. Yeah, I keep on my diet, staying in shape training with my husband, not drinking or smoking, not doing anything that I know is gonna affect my body in a negative way. Black Belt:  Besides screen time, what are some of the differences between your roles in Take Back and last year’s Welcome to Sudden Death ? Gillian: In Sudden Death, there was only one scene where I got to fight. It was so much fun, but it gave me that little bug of “Oh, I like this! I can do this!” [It was] not as hard as I thought it would be, you know, being able to fight and do choreography and still staying in character. I was thinking that it doesn’t matter if it’s a small role. It doesn’t matter if I die. It was a moment like I got to be badass crazy! (laughs) Black Belt:  You’ve obviously made quite an impression. Welcome to Sudden Death has garnered great reviews. What kind of feedback are you getting? Gillian:  You know, I’ve had men tell me that they’re going to put their daughters in self-defense and martial arts. Some guy told me his daughter’s 15 and that he can’t wait to take her and her friends to go see this movie — so just a lot of positive responses. And that is what it all boils down to for me. I just love inspiring people. Black Belt:  When will your fans get to see more of your martial arts skills on-screen? Gillian: I’m playing an MMA fighter in a new prime-time television pilot, but I can’t talk about it just yet. And I just finished a drama called Love You Anyway  where I play the mother of a woman battling her whole life with mental-health issues and depression. It ’s very important to me to have a range of characters. Black Belt: You are breaking new ground in Take Back . What do you want to say to the girls and women who see it? Gillian: I want to say [that] I started learning martial arts late in life — and look at what I’m doing and look where I’m at now! So at a younger age, the possibilities are endless. If it’s something that you want to do and you work hard and put in that dedication and time, you can do it! Black Belt:  Congratulations, Gillian. We look forward to seeing your work inspire a new generation of women in the martial arts. Gillian:  Thank you. For more information about Black Belt Hall of Famer Gerry Chisolm, visit ladysensei.com .

Benny Urquidez Talks About Chuck Norris, Bruce Lee, Ed Parker, Elvis Presley and the Man Who Motivated Him to Become a Champion! Benny “The Jet” Urquidez was a six-time world champion in five weight classes, which explains why he’s considered a legend in full-contact karate and kickboxing. It should come as no surprise that along the way, he witnessed numerous changes in how fights were conducted, judged and scored. As sport fighting evolved, so did Urquidez. “Back in the 1950s and into the ’60s, the rules for fighting were a lot different than they are today,” Urquidez said. “We fought on concrete slabs, wooden floors — there were never any mats. When you went down, you went down hard. The rules allowed us to grab and sweep our opponents to the ground. Takedowns and judo throws were OK. Once on the ground, we could continue to punch until the referee stopped us.” Back then, the term “full-contact karate” hadn’t been coined, but a strong case could be made that this is precisely what Urquidez engaged in. In fact, The Jet deserves credit for being the first martial artist to compete in boxing, karate, judo and bare-knuckle fighting. “You want to talk about contact? That was MMA before there was MMA!” he said. “We were beating each other up and guys were getting knocked out, but we tried to pull a punch after contact so as to not really hurt each other. We called it ‘controlled contact.’ That was our honor system, and that format of controlled contact continued until 1968. “Eventually, point fighting eliminated a lot of those things, but what we did in the ’60s was full-contact fighting. I don’t know anyone who wore shin pads or leg pads or padded gloves like we wore in the ’70s. Even though the rules called for light contact, guys were getting hit with a lot of force, often with blood running down their face, but we kept on fighting. At the end of the match, we’d bow and no one got mad because that was the bushido way. We showed respect. It didn’t matter how hard you got hit — a broken nose, busted ribs — it didn’t matter. You just got back up and smiled [to] show respect to your opponent.” Raised “Because my father was a professional boxer, at the age of 5 — when most kids were playing with toy firetrucks — I had boxing gloves and was competing in a peewee boxing division,” Urquidez recalled. “In 1959 I started training in judo and competed until 1963, when I started kenpo karate. I trained under Bill Ryusaki because my oldest brother Arnold was training with him. My other brother Rubin and my youngest brother Smiley were also training in judo. So I crossed-trained in judo and kenpo karate while I was boxing.” With each victory in judo, boxing and karate, Benny became more of a force to be reckoned with, but he was running out of people to fight. By 14, he’d dominated his age group and rank division, and parents of other youngsters were complaining that he hit too hard and made their kids cry. A simple solution occurred to Urquidez: He would test for his black belt. Back in the ’60s, however, 18 was the minimum age for the rank. He lobbied for an exception and, against Arnold’s objections, it was agreed that the 14-year-old would receive a special test. KEEPING IT REAL “Back in the ’60s, we fought the way we trained, and we trained for a street fight,” Benny Urquidez recalled. “We fought honoring the bushido way, the warrior’s code. Today, the way many people train is memorized martial arts. By that, I mean if I can memorize the waza, the grappling and kata, I can get a rank.” When he conducts seminars — which he still does around the world — Urquidez likes to keep it real. “I teach students to hit the target, which could be the head, torso or legs: ‘Do not miss it, do not go 4 or 5 inches over their head, do not stop short of contact,’” he said. “Then I teach the proper way to block those punches and kicks. I do this because I believe that the way you train is the way you’ll respond in an attack. “When I’m choreographing fights for movies, I bring this same teaching reality to the big screen by using stunt guys who can act and actors who can do stunts. I started that at the Lee Strasberg [Institute] by doing fight scenes for movies as if it were a real fight.” “Mr. Parker and sensei Ryusaki arranged a black-belt test that lasted three days,” Urquidez said. “I tested against 27 black belts, and at the end of the third day, I was awarded a shodan. That was in 1966, making me at the time the youngest person to ever be promoted to black belt.” His celebration was short-lived. “Part of our dojo’s tradition was that every black belt in the school got to kick the new black belt,” he said. “Arnold kicked me so hard that he broke my ribs, and I ended up in the hospital. He did that because he was upset with me for breaking tradition by testing before I was 18, and Mom was very upset at him for doing that.” Broken ribs weren’t enough to keep the 14-year-old down for long. With his bones still bandaged, he signed up for Ed Parker’s Long Beach International Karate Championships, only to discover that because he was now a black belt, he had to play with the big kids, and they played rough. “They told me that I had to fight in the adult black-belt division because there weren’t any black belts in the kids division,” Urquidez said. “I looked to see who was in my division, and there was Joe Lewis, Skipper Mullins and Chuck Norris, to name a few. I thought to myself, I can’t fight them — I’m just a kid. When he walked in, the veteran black belts likely viewed him the way a lion regards an easy meal. “They patted me on my head and taunted me with, ‘Look, a cute little kid with a black belt,’” Urquidez recalled. “At the end of the day, they weren’t patting me on the head; they were shaking my hand after I won first place in fighting. I felt on top of the world. I’d earned their respect as a fighter!” After taking a few minutes to celebrate his conquest at the competition, Urquidez sat ringside and watched a new guy from Hong Kong named Bruce Lee. The crowd was mesmerized as Lee demonstrated his 1-inch punch. Little did Urquidez know that he was witnessing a moment in martial arts history — or that the demo would change his life. Conflicted While Urquidez listened to Lee talk about using internal energy, he recalled snippets from his childhood. “My mother, who was a professional wrestler, used to talk to me about internal power,” he said. “She was a very spiritual person, but I never understood what she was talking about. My father was very external. Because he was a boxer, with him, it was always hit faster, hit harder. “So I was being taught external by my father while my mother was trying to teach me about internal — but I never understood how it worked until that day at the Internationals when I heard Bruce Lee talking about how he accesses his internal power. “Bruce’s partner was a big guy weighing about 240 pounds. He was holding a metal plate against his chest. There was a chair 4 or 5 feet behind him. Bruce had four fingers on this guy’s chest, then he let loose with a high-pitched, animal-like screech as he punched, sending that huge guy flying backward, hitting with so much force that he flew over the back of the chair. I stood up and said, ‘I want to do that!’” Urquidez was simultaneously awestruck and challenged. “I told my brother Arnold that I wanted to spar with him (Lee), and Arnold said to me, ‘You don’t have enough experience to spar with him.’ But I was determined to find a way.” GREATEST NON-CONTACT FIGHT OF ALL TIME Before the melee in LA, Benny Urquidez had another historic fight that also failed to find its way to television. In 1973, during his non-contact point-fighting career, he squared off against John Natividad in what’s considered the most exciting non-contact fight ever. In an unprecedented 25-point overtime match at the Long Beach International Karate Championships, “The Jet” battled “The Giant Killer,” who happened to be the heavyweight champion. Natividad wound up winning 13-12. It was Urquidez’s only non-contact loss and his last non-contact point fight. Driven With the seemingly impossible goal of someday going toe-to-toe with “The Dragon,” The Jet squared off with anyone and everyone regardless of style, age or rank to prove to his big brother that he was ready for the challenge. “I already had a lot of ring experience, but no matter how many fights I’d won, Arnold still said I wasn’t ready,” Benny recalled. “It was 1968, and I’d won every tournament I’d fought in. About this time, I heard Elvis Presley was forming a karate team, so I competed for a spot on the team and destroyed everyone in my weight division. At 18, I became the youngest member of the Elvis Presley team in 1969. “The team went to Belgium, and the guys were trying to decide who was going to fight who. I volunteered to fight first and was facing the European champion. I didn’t realize that nobody thought I could win — I was basically the sacrificial lamb for the team. Even if I lost, the team could still win by beating the rest of the Belgium team.” Urquidez went for a sweep and missed, hitting his foe in the thigh and knocking him down. To everyone’s surprise, he won the match. He won the next one in Germany, as well. “After we fought throughout Europe, the team went home and I asked Arnold, ‘Now can I spar with him?’ But Arnold again said, ‘Benny, you just don’t have enough experience to fight Bruce Lee.’” Benny wanted so desperately to test his speed against Lee that he decided to try his hand at professional boxing, hoping it might convince his brother that he was worthy. Challenged Several weeks before his first pro boxing match, Urquidez scored a spot on Norris’ Los Angeles Stars team, part of the fledgling National Karate League. That prompted him to stow his boxin gloves and prep for an event known as the World Series of Martial Arts, which was scheduled to take place in Hawaii. The two-day competition would have no rules and no weight divisions, making it right up Urquidez’s alley. “I dropped the first guy with one punch and thought I was going to get disqualified, then I remembered it was OK to knock people out at this event,” he recalled. “I went on to stop seven guys on Saturday, then on Sunday I was scheduled to fight four more. I ended up fighting Ernest White, who was a Marine champion. After beating him, I was told my next fight would be against Dana Goodman — he was 6 feet 2 inches and weighed 245 pounds. It was a David-against-Goliath kind of Fight. “I’m only 5 feet 6. My head barely came up to the Hawaiian heavyweight kickboxing champion’s chest. Before the bell, Dana kept smiling at me, but I quickly put an end to that. I just kept swinging away and won the fight, giving me the first title in the sport of full-contact karate. “Just prior to that, I’d taken the Elvis Presley team title. I’d now won every martial arts title there was to win. I went home and asked my brother, ‘Now have I earned the right to spar with Bruce Lee?’” After defying seemingly impossible odds, The Jet was deemed by his brother to be ready to ask Lee for a match. It would never happen, however, because the founder of jeet kune do passed away while filming in Hong Kong. “His death was a terrible loss to the world of marital arts,” Urquidez said. “I never had a chance to spar with him, which was very disappointing on a personal level, but sparring with him was my motivation to be a better fighter and martial artist. So in a way, he helped me to try harder and to never give up. I did become friends with his daughter Shannon Lee and began training her. It’s funny how things turn out sometimes.” Tormented In 1975 an event of unprecedented magnitude unfolded at the Olympic Auditorium in LA. It pitted the Los Angeles Stars against a team of veteran muay Thai fighters from Thailand. Urquidez was used to the kind of attention this show was garnering. Many of his matches had been televised by the World Karate Association, which was founded by his brother Arnold and Howard Hanson. Once again, the WKA cameras rolled, and before the final bell sounded, a full-fledged riot would erupt. “I didn’t know anything about Thai fighting,” Urquidez said.  “In fact, when Arnold told me I was going to ‘fight muay Thai,’ I actually thought that was the guy’s name. I had no idea that muay Thai was a style of fighting. So I told Arnold, ‘Sure I’ll fight him, no problem.’” When Urquidez entered the ring, the Thai boxer was in the middle of his wai khru pre-fight routine, but the American thought he was doing a dance — so he began bobbing and weaving to the music. And the crowd began booing.  “They thought I was making fun of their ritual, and that’s when things started getting ugly,” he said. “In the first round, he kicked me in the thigh, and the pain was intense. My eyes bulged out of my head — it hurt that bad. I’ve had charley horses before, but I’ve never had anyone try to break my leg. That was the first time I was introduced to a thigh kick.” After the second round, Benny was in his corner, seeking advice from Arnold. His brother merely said, “Kick him back!” Benny obliged. “I threw a kick, but he leg-checked it. That was the first time I’d ever been leg-checked. The pain was instantaneous. In the next round, he grabbed me around my neck and started kneeing me in the face. I yelled to Arnold, ‘What do I do?’ He yelled back, ‘Don’t let him grab you!’” That’s when Benny decides to call on his judo training. “In the fifth and sixth rounds, whenever he would grab me, I’d throw him on his head,” he said. “There were hundreds of Thais in the crowd, and they were getting really mad because they’d never seen a fighter get thrown like that. And the Americans were screaming mad because they had never seen anyone get kneed in the face. Even the referee didn’t know what was happening because there was a lack of communication about the rules before the fight.” Urquidez said he thought he was winning — until, in the ninth round, his opponent knocked him down. “I got right back up, and that’s when the crowd started to fight. It got crazy real fast. My brother was getting our mom and sister out of the building. It was a full-on riot! That’s how America was introduced to muay Thai.” Because of a mishap, that historic fight was never televised. Apparently an inexperienced videotape technician unknowingly placed the edited master on a degausser, a device designed to erase magnetic storage media. Fortunately, most of Benny’s bouts were not erased. In fact, they fascinated fans around the world. That LA riot ended up earning him international attention, especially in Japan and Thailand. As a result, two of Japan’s best muay Thai fighters issued challenges. The American defeated both, netting him his first world-championship title. “Those fights in Japan were where I introduced kickboxing to the world,” he said. “Over there, muay Thai was the most popular sport, but by winning those fights in Japan, I was able to introduce the WKA and the sport of kickboxing to the world. “The rest is history.” Terry L. Wilson is a freelance writer and jujitsu practitioner based in San Diego. This article originally appeared in a 2021 issue of Black Belt Magazine.

In 1986 John Hackleman opened a gym he named The Pit. That led to fighters who operated from this base being called pit fighters. The most renowned of those early pit fighters was Chuck Liddell, a martial artist who went on to become the UFC light-heavyweight champion. Looking farther back in history, however, one comes across the term “pit fighting” in reference to a hard form of Hawaiian kempo — which at one time was known as kajukenbo, yet another hybrid martial art originating in Hawaii in the late 1940s. The name kajukenbo, of course, is formed from the first letters of the names of the arts that constitute it: karate, judo, jujitsu, kenpo and boxing. Not a bad mix at all! Kajukenbo still survives under that original moniker, with some branches calling themselves Hawaiian kenpo. Note that Hackleman uses Hawaiian kempo with an “m” to emphasize the harder approach to training and fight- ing that he advocates.  AS YOU’VE NO DOUBT noticed, the arts I’ve discussed so far are Eastern in origin. Pit fighting, however, also has a Western connection — specifically, with the system known as Frontier Rough and Tumble. To learn more, we must return to the phrase “pit fight- ing” in an effort to distinguish between what it means in modern parlance and what it used to mean to Welsh miners.  To those miners, pit fighting was a far more brutal form of combat, one designed, strangely enough, to enter- tain. In Welsh, the term is written ymladd pwll‚ and much of our knowledge of it comes from a rugged boxer named Tommy Farr. Farr — whose ring name of “the Tonypandy Terror” simply confounds the ears — is best-known for his controversial bout with heavyweight champ Joe Louis in 1937. Louis earned the 15-round decision, but there are those who saw it otherwise. BACK TO THE TONY PANDY TERROR: Farr was born on March 12, 1913, in Wales. To be exact, he entered this world in a place called Clydach Vale, Rhondda. As many did during this time and around this locale, he started work while still young and became a coal miner.  How young? He was 12 years old.  It’s been a fact of life forever that tough occupations + tough lads = tough men, and Farr was no excep- tion to that rule. He was working underground when one of the not- so-uncommon explosions ripped through a mine, and he wore the scars from that unfortunate incident until the day he died. By now, you’re probably wondering what those tough Welsh miners did for recreation during their downtime. Well, it seems they indulged in a bit of pit fighting — and we’re not talk- ing kajukenbo or Hawaiian kempo or kenpo. What exactly does pit fighting mean in this context? Farr described it thusly: Two holes were dug waist deep approximately 2 feet apart. One contestant entered each hole, after which the men faced each other and commenced to battering. Unable to flee or even duck effectively, the combatants unleashed their strikes and attempted to block to the best of their ability. Victory came when one man, in his hole, so incapacitated the other, in his hole, that he could no longer fire back. The result: The hardest-hitting man who was willing to slam while stand- ing waist deep in a hole in the ground usually prevailed. Keep in mind that not being able to fall after receiving a stunning blow or immediately after being knocked out meant that the loser undoubtedly endured a bit more punishment than does any modern- day boxer or MMA fighter. Ah, the grand ole days of good, clean fun! Farr went on to enjoy a fine ring career, and one cannot help but presume that pit fighting aided his upper-body defensive game and bolstered his fighting spirit by the sheer grit of the endeavor. THE FOLLOWING are a few exercises that might shake up your game and lend you a bit of Tommy Farr-ness without actually requiring you to stand in a hole and take a shot to the mouth. SHOELACE DRILL: Tie your shoelaces together and work the heavy bag, the pads or your sparring partner. Strive to stay stock-still with respect to footwork. BOX DRILL: Stand inside an 18-inch-by- 18-inch square and work the heavy bag and pads. Again, engage in light sparring if you’re able.  PAPER DRILL: Stand on two sheets of notebook paper with one foot on each sheet. Work the heavy bag, the pads and light sparring. The goal is to not lift either foot off the paper. A trans- gression will be seen immediately. ONE-HAND BOWIE DRILL: There’s a legend that notorious frontiersman Jim Bowie once engaged in a knife duel in which each participant held a knife in his lead hand and held one end of a rope or chain in the other. You can substitute a boxing glove for the blade. You’ll have more mobility than in the previous drills, but this “free- dom” is more than made up for by the push-me/pull-you aspect of the tug of war. Even if you cannot, or do not, desire to engage in a true pit fight, these drills can go a long way toward shak- ing up your game and providing a taste of what standing-in-a-hole strictures were like. Mark Hatmaker’s website is extremeselfprotection.com . This article originally appeared in a 2020 issue of Black Belt Magazine.