British featherweight sensation Lerone Murphy is quickly ascending the ranks in the UFC's 145-pound division since his debut in the fall of 2019. The undefeated Manchester native boasts a UFC record of 5-0-1 and is gearing up for a pivotal career moment this weekend as he headlines his first UFC main event against veteran Edson Barboza at UFC APEX. Lerone Murphy began his MMA training in September 2013, seeking a mental break from personal challenges. Inspired by his uncle Oliver, a distinguished coach in professional Muay Thai and boxing, Murphy aspires to reach similar heights in his fighting career. Here’s a snapshot of Murphy's impressive UFC journey so far: Birthplace : Manchester, England Nickname : “The Miracle” Height : 5’9” Reach : 73.5” Professional Record : 13-0-1 Notable UFC Victories : Wins over Ricardo Ramos (TKO), Douglas Silva de Andrade (unanimous decision), Makwan Amirkhani (knockout), Gabriel Santos (split decision), and Josh Culibao (unanimous decision) Fighting Style : Predominantly a kickboxer/striker Stance : Orthodox Signature Moves : Favors the guillotine as his go-to grappling technique and the spinning back kick in striking Martial Arts Ranking : Blue belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Don't miss Murphy's attempt to solidify his rising star status in the featherweight division this weekend at UFC APEX.

COMBATE GLOBAL and Fuse Media today announced a new main event between  Patrick “The Leech” Lehane  (7-2) and  James “The Alley Cat” Gonzalez  (10-7), live from Miami on Saturday, May 18, and airing exclusively in English on Fuse at 9:30 p.m. ET/PT. The new main event will be contested at a catchweight of 160 pounds. The announcement comes just four days after it was announced that Lehane would take on Mexico’s  Ivan “Choko” Castillo  (24-17), who has since been forced to withdraw from the bout due to sustaining a bad eye poke during a sparring session. The 24-year-old Lehane of Cork, Ireland has emerged as one of COMBATE GLOBAL’s premier athletes and most exciting fighters to watch since making his professional debut with the promotion on August 1, 2021 and scoring back-to-back upset victories over two opponents – Sebastian Santana Guedes and Maxime Giacalone – with over a dozen professional bouts combined, to win the first-ever COMBATE GLOBAL one-night European tournament. Following his last COMBATE GLOBAL victory – a unanimous decision over Mexico’s Roberto Romero on December 17, 2023 – Lehane ventured to Tokyo, Japan where he represented COMBATE GLOBAL in a Shoot Boxing Federation contest, coming out victorious by way of unanimous decision over local Japanese star Ryoga Imoto on February 10. Gonzalez, 33, hails from East Patchogue, NY, and holds a black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu under retired, former world champion Matt Serra. Gonzalez brings a significant amount of high-level experience with him for his first start in La Jaula, having squared off with a few notable names in the sport.  His best victory to date came on February 1, 20202, when he earned a first round (:46) TKO (arm injury) victory over world-ranked Pat Sabatini. In the previously announced women’s flyweight (125 pounds) co-main event,  Nadia Vera  (5-2-1) will face off with undefeated  Veronica Vargas  (3-0). Vera hails from Mexico City, Mexico and is a member of the Bonebreakers fight team, which won the 2022 COMBATE GLOBAL competition reality series pitting four of MMA’s top camps against each other in a series of bouts. Vera is coming off a first-round (2:39) submission (rear-naked choke) of Giuliana Cosnard on April 12. Vargas of San Jose, Costa Rica will return to COMBATE GLOBAL action for the second time this year, following a thrilling, three-round battle with Spain’s Blanca Medina that Vargas pulled off after being out of MMA action for two years, a hiatus she took in order to compete in grappling events. Prior to her latest win, Vargas had beaten all of her professional and amateur opponents by way of TKO or submission.  In a previously announced, featured featherweight (145 pounds) contest, social media sensation and Mexican MMA prospect  Luis “Pride” Escudero  (3-2) will battle  Carlos Cordoba  (1-4). Fighting out of Hermosillo, Sonora, Mexico, Escudero is a 26-year-old TikTok star with over 6.8 million followers and subscribers across all of his social media pages. In his last effort, Escudero produced a   highlight reel armbar submission  of Juan Campos in the first round (1:11) of their meeting on August 25, 2023. Cordoba is a 31-year-old native of San Jose, Costa Rica fighting out of Orlando, Fla., and is looking for his first COMBATE GLOBAL victory.

Jonathan Di Bella and Prajanchai PK Saenchai will have their highly-anticipated showdown on Friday, June 28, at ONE Friday Fights 68  for the vacant ONE Strawweight Kickboxing World Championship. The electric matchup was slated for April at ONE Friday Fights 58. However, Di Bella was ill and did not meet the weight and hydration requirements. The match was scrapped, and Di Bella was stripped of the gold. The disappointment of not seeing that match in the spring has now been replaced with anticipation for the summer. Both men will have plenty of motivation to take the throne in Bangkok. Di Bella undoubtedly wants to regain the title he never lost in the ring. The Canadian-Italian striker has looked sensational in his ONE Championship tenure with wins over Zhang Peimian and Danial Williams. Prajanchai is seeking two-sport glory. The Thai star only suffered one loss in his ONE career, but got to avenge that defeat and stopped Joseph Lasiri by knockout in his last outing. Prajanchai is currently enjoying a four-bout winning streak against the elite of the Muay Thai world. The two top strawweight strikers will get five rounds to display their world-class striking in front of a worldwide viewing audience, with the biggest prize in the sport on the line. It is a sensational matchup that will bring more heat in the summer. ONE Friday Fights 68 airs live from Lumpinee Boxing Stadium on Friday, June 28. The action begins at 8:30 a.m. ET/5:30 a.m. PT on watch.onefc.com .

This Friday, May 17, the draw for the GLORY Light Heavyweight Grand Prix will take place live from Amsterdam, the Netherlands, and will be available to stream on the official GLORY  YouTube channel . Eight of the best light heavyweight strikers on the planet will all go head-to-head in a thrilling one-night tournament on June 8 in Rotterdam, the Netherlands, to determine who is the baddest man in the division. The draw will proceed as follows: All eight fighters will select a number at random. The number selection process will be determined by the official GLORY rankings with top ranked fighter selecting a random number first.   The fighter who draws number one will then be placed in the first quarter-final of the night and, more importantly, will have the opportunity to challenge an opponent. The challenged fighter can then either accept or reject the fight. If accepted, the fight is then set. If rejected, an opponent will then be chosen at random from all remaining fighters not matched at that point, including the fighter who opted to reject that fight. The process is then repeated until all four quarter-finals are set. The eight participants are: GLORY champion, Tarik Khbabez (58-10-1, 28 KO) , Morocco. Former champion, Donegi Abena (27-10, 7 KO) , Suriname. Former champion, Sergej Maslobojev (38-6, 23 KO),  Lithuania. Undefeated in GLORY, Stefan Latescu (17-2, 8 KO) , Romania. ‘Mister Cool’ Ibrahim El Bouni (41-9-1, 22 KO),  Morocco. The wild & unpredictable, Bahram Rajabzadeh (67-2, 59 KO) , Azerbaijan. Top French light heavyweight, Pascal Toure (20-6, 7 KO) , France. Veteran fighter, Bogdan Stoica (58-14, 40 KO) , Romania.

Belgian-Moroccan superstar will face Anando Amoksi at BRAVE CF 83, on May 25, which takes place in association with Enfusion's ECE MMA. The combat sports fans in the Netherlands and across the globe are in for a treat as kickboxing and Muay Thai legend Youssef Boughanem has inked an exclusive MMA deal with BRAVE Combat Federation to make his return to the sport at BRAVE CF 83 on May 25. He will face Anando Amoksi in the main card of the show, which is hosted in association with Enfusion's ECE MMA, in Alkmaar. One of the top strikers in the world, Youssef Boughanem has so far fought more than 200 fights across Kickboxing and Muay Thai having won more than 150 fights with nearly 90 percent of his wins coming through knockouts.  Having started his combat sports journey at the age of 12, Youssef made a name for himself in the Muay Thai and Kickboxing circuit in Thailand where he piled up victories and title belts. He has won title belts in almost all the major Muay Thai stadiums in Thailand. He clinched the MAX Muay Thai Championship title in 2014 and followed up with the Middleweight title at Omnoi Stadium in 2015. Subsequently, he secured the WAKO World title in kickboxing and the Middleweight title at Thailand's prestigious Rajadamnern stadium in the same year. The peak of Youssef's striking career spanned from 2018 to 2022, during which he captured the title at the legendary Lumpinee Stadium in 2018 and amassed an impressive collection of accolades, including the WKN World title in Muay Thai, WBC Muay Thai title, WBC Muay Thai Diamond Title, and WMC Golden King Title. In 2024, Boughanem made a seamless transition into MMA with a debut in France, marking his arrival with a first-round TKO victory. Now, fuelled by the success of his professional MMA debut, Youssef Boughanem is poised to make a resounding impact on the global MMA stage with his BRAVE CF debut at BRAVE CF 83 in the Netherlands. The Netherlands offers an ideal venue for the BRAVE CF debut of Youssef considering the extensive kickboxing background of the nation. The fans in the Netherlands are known to celebrate strikers and Youssef is bound to get a grand welcome when he steps into the cage at BRAVE CF 83.

A surefire way to start a controversy is to create a top-10 list — in any field. Similarly, if you want to start an argument in the martial arts community, try telling a Bruce Lee follower who is and isn’t qualified to teach jeet kune do. You can relax. This article doesn’t attempt to do any of that. Rather, my intent is simply to identify individuals who have contributed and are still contributing to the ever-changing world of JKD instruction. Early Days Lee considered himself a “scientific street fighter.” He spent countless hours researching other arts, not to replicate their moves but to discover the best ways to counter any form of aggression offered by those styles. He also understood the importance of strength and conditioning and proceeded to build his body to maximize his abilities. Most important, he tested each technique in full-contact fighting to determine which ones to keep and which ones to discard. The end result of Lee’s research was JKD, a martial art that really isn’t a style. It’s meant to be a personal expression of the individual’s ability. The more he engaged in R&D, the more confident he became that the art of fighting was best taught one-on-one or in small groups. Although he once envisioned owning a chain of schools, he came to realize that JKD was not meant for the masses. In January 1970, he closed his schools and, in his own words, “disbanded the teaching of jeet kune do.” Regarding his reason for stopping, he said he feared that “students would take the agenda for the truth and the program as the way.” Lee continued to move forward, however — so much so that the JKD of the 1970s didn’t mirror the JKD of 1967, when the term was coined. One of his personal students, legendary screenwriter Sterling Silliphant, recalled that Lee was constantly developing his system, “which he continued to evolve right up to the time he died.” Because Lee taught different things to different people at different times, interpretations of JKD can and do vary. Those who like the jeet kune do/kali/silat blend tend to favor the Inosanto method. Those who prefer the strong wing chun influence often trace their lineage to the likes of Jerry Poteet and Steve Golden. Those who follow in the footsteps of Ted Wong or Joe Lewis typically have less association with wing chun and focus on the latter-stage kickboxing approach with an emphasis on testing via full-contact sparring. Now let’s look at those lineages and the people who propagate them. First Gen JKD as an art might have perished had it not been for Dan Inosanto. He was Lee’s trusted teaching assistant at the 628 West College Street school, where he taught most of the lessons. Lee preferred to teach privately and had amassed a following of dedicated students, however, so when enrollment at the Chinatown school declined toward the end of 1969, Lee decided to close it. Inosanto petitioned for permission to continue to train the remaining students. In Bruce Lee 1940–1973, a tribute released by Rainbow Publications in 1974, Inosanto recalled that Lee once told him, “Only have six students, Dan.” Inosanto went on to explain, “In all of his teachings, [Bruce] never taught more than six students at a time.” After Lee died in July 1973, Inosanto taught JKD to small groups in his backyard. In early interviews, he said he couldn’t do JKD like Lee — but who could? Inosanto remembered that Lee had instructed him to research and discover his own jeet kune do. Inosanto’s genius was in creating his own expression of JKD, and it resulted in massive growth of the art around the world. In 1974 Inosanto partnered with fellow first-generation student Richard Bustillo to open the Filipino Kali Academy in Torrance, California. It became the home for Filipino martial arts and JKD. This has prompted some to argue that Bustillo was as important as Inosanto when it came to preserving and propagating Lee’s system. Best-known for his expertise in boxing and JKD, Bustillo traveled the world to teach martial arts and was inducted into the Black Belt Hall of Fame in 1989. He passed away in 2017. Back to Inosanto: As seminar offers poured in, Dan Inosanto in the mid- 1970s was torn between his promise to teach only groups of six and his need to placate promoters who wanted him to disseminate Lee’s methods to the masses. To solve the dilemma, Inosanto coined a new term: JKD concepts. It emphasized the research methods Lee used to discover his own JKD and conveyed them to students. JKD concepts encompassed kali, silat, muay Thai and boxing. Eventually, the “Inosanto blend” would expand to include Brazilian jiu-jitsu, savate and a host of other arts. Even though he’s 85, Inosanto continues to teach JKD concepts around the world. It’s no surprise that he’s been inducted into the Black Belt Hall of Fame. Belt Hall of Fame four times. Many of the students at Lee’s Chinatown school went on to build reputations for excellence in teaching. Daniel Lee and Steve Golden fall into that group. Daniel Lee was officially the first student admitted to the school in 1967. He was a black belt in kenpo, a former Golden Gloves boxer, a tai chi practitioner and a credentialed scholar. Often a speaker at Bruce Lee events, he was a highly regarded member of the JKD community until he passed away in 2015. Golden is a kenpo black belt, as well as a student under Lee and Inosanto. He’s taught JKD for years and never fails to impress audiences with his hand speed. Combining that with the sensitivity he developed, he became a well-known proponent of JKD trapping. Larry Hartsell was another prominent first-gen student. He started a JKD class in Charlotte, North Carolina, in 1974 and continued to teach until his death in 2007. Hartsell concentrated on JKD transitions from modified wing chun to kickboxing. Inosanto had encouraged him to research the grappling that was identified in Lee’s personal notes, and Hartsell dedicated much of his career to teaching grappling methods that could be blended with the JKD principles he’d learned from Lee and Inosanto. Hartsell is best-known for founding the Jun Fan Jeet Kune Do Grappling Association. He was inducted into the Black Belt Hall of Fame posthumously in 2007. His next generation of students include Dick Harrell, Michael Brown and Reuben Griffith. Jerry Poteet trained under Lee in the Chinatown school. In 1967 the curriculum there consisted mostly of modified wing chun and a sparring method that was used to test the individual’s techniques, skills and stamina. Poteet stayed true to that original wing-chun-based formula until his death in 2012. Because Poteet was renowned for teaching exactly what Lee had taught him, he was selected to train Jason Scott Lee for the 1993 film Dragon, The Bruce Lee Story. Poteet groomed two prominent protégés: Octavio Quintero and Fran Joseph, his widow. The Jerry Poteet Jeet Kune Do Association tends to the needs of their followers. Second Gen Two of Inosanto’s best-known students are Chris Kent and Tim Tackett. Kent has authored several books and instructional videos about JKD and travels extensively to teach. He launched his JKD career in Inosanto’s backyard in the mid-’70s. His best-known student is David Cheng, author of Jeet Kune Do Basics. Tackett is perhaps the most prolific JKD writer today. Having penned, among other titles, Chinatown Jeet Kune Do and Chinatown Jeet Kune Do, Volume 2, his contributions to the preservation of Lee’s art have served a wide audience. Inosanto has called Tackett the “most eloquent spokesperson for jeet kune do.” Before he died, first-generation Bruce Lee student Bob Bremer partnered with Tackett to create the famous Wednesday Night Group in Redlands, California, an effort designed to raise the next generation of JKD proponents. So far, it’s produced Dennis Blue, Jeremy Lynch and Vince Raimondi, among others. Another famous instructor from the Inosanto tree is Paul Vunak. He first gained notoriety in the 1980s with a series of instructional videos that taught popular topics from the Inosanto academy. The founder of Progressive Fighting Systems, Vunak went on to develop his Rapid Assault Tactics program based on what he taught the U.S. Navy SEALs. Fellow Inosanto academy member Burton Richardson, who’s based in Hawaii, has garnered attention by training UFC fighters and expanding the principles of JKD as they apply to the Indonesian art of silat. Richardson is also an instructor of kali, muay Thai and BJJ. Also in the Dan Inosanto lineage we find his daughter Diana Lee Inosanto. She learned JKD and other arts from her father and has had success transferring her considerable skills to the film industry. At first, she did stunt work and choreography for major motion pictures. Now she’s moved up to directing and producing. Along the way, she married and teamed up with former law-enforcement officer and bodyguard expert Ron Balicki, and they continue to spread the martial legacy of Bruce Lee. Well-known on YouTube, Dwight Woods is an Inosanto protégé who hails from Barbados and now lives in Florida. In addition to having conducted interviews with dozens of JKD instructors, he provides jeet kune do and kali instruction in person and on the internet. Also a product of the Inosanto and Vunak lineages is internet sensation Harinder Singh Sabharwal of California. He recently teamed up with Black Belt to produce an online course titled Jeet Kune Do for Black Belts. Lamar M. Davis II is another popular YouTube instructor, as well as an author and an in-demand seminar instructor from the Steve Golden and Jerry Poteet path. Private Students While the Chinatown school has gained much attention over the years, Lee preferred to teach students privately. Two JKD instructors were members of that school at one time, but most of what they learned was acquired in a private setting: Ted Wong and Joe Lewis. Because Lee and Wong spoke the same language, and perhaps because Wong demonstrated an extraordinary eagerness to learn, he was invited by Lee to become his primary training partner at his home. They discovered that they shared an appreciation for boxing and spent hours watching fights and deciphering the methods used by the champions. Wong was privileged to witness firsthand the transition from jeet kune do as a wing-chun-based style to jeet kune do as an individual expression that was free of the limitations of a designated style. “When Bruce changed his stance to be more speed oriented, he pretty much eliminated the trapping,” Wong once said. “If you understand his JKD philosophy of simplicity and directness, you can understand that trapping was complex and not very direct. It also included a lot of passive moves — for example, taking several moves to get the job done.” Wong was on the front lines of the original-JKD movement that began in the 1990s, and he continued as the top representative of this interpretation. He was inducted into the Black Belt Hall of Fame in 2006 and passed away four years later. Among Wong’s next generation of students are Tommy Carruthers; Bill Mattucci; Lewis Luk; Zee Lo; Tommy Gong, author of Bruce Lee: The Evolution of a Martial Artist; and Richard Torres. Joe Lewis earned his black belt in Okinawa after only seven months of training. He won repeatedly on the tournament circuit but grew bored with competition and started training as a boxer in the Los Angeles gym owned by Sugar Ray Robinson. Lewis met Lee in 1967 after winning the Jhoon Rhee Nationals. He said he was impressed with Lee’s speed and went on to become a private student that same year. For the next 18 months, Lewis and Lee trained together, during which Lewis credited Lee with having coached him to win 11 national and world titles. Lewis referred to Lee as his primary mentor during the early years of his career. After meeting him, Lewis said he abandoned his karate practice in favor of JKD. Wong, who often met Lewis at Lee’s home, once said, “Joe Lewis was the jeet kune do test tube.” Lee would develop a plan and Lewis would execute it in competition. Some have observed that Lee never competed— but his protégé Joe Lewis offered proof that JKD works in the ring as well as on street. Tournament champions Jerry Piddington, Darnell Garcia, John Natividad, Jay T. Will and Jerry Smith were often present when Lee accompanied Lewis to sparring sessions at Southern California karate schools and tournaments. Piddington said, “Bruce didn’t spar, but he was actively coaching Joe, and Joe was unstoppable.” Smith recalled, “It was pretty much understood that Bruce was training Joe to be a lead instructor should Bruce open a chain of schools.” Linda Lee Cadwell, Bruce’s widow, said: “Joe and Bruce were like two peas in a pod. They were research partners.” Lewis’ first Black Belt Hall of Fame induction was in 1975. He died in 2012.This survey sheds some light on the scope of Bruce Lee’s creation and the sad fact that many of its best-known adherents have passed. Other skilled instructors, however, are still spreading JKD. It’s comforting to know that the seed Lee planted will continue to grow thanks to the work of these dedicated martial artists. Jerry Beasley, Ed.D., is a member of the Black Belt Hall of Fame and a professor of health and human performance/Asian martial arts at Radford University in Virginia. He trained privately in jeet kune do under Joe Lewis for 20 years. Beasley holds the distinction of being the only person authorized by him to teach the Joe Lewis Jeet Kune Do Method. For information about Beasley’s free online course covering that method, visit TheKarateCollege.com . This article originally appeared in a 2021 edition of Black Belt Magazine

The inaugural PFL MENA Season debut event took place at The Green Halls in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia last Friday, May 10th, and provided a handful of memorable moments. From jaw-dropping knockouts to stunning submissions, here are five highlights from PFL MENA: Riyadh Abdullah Al-Qahtani Thrills the Hometown Crowd In the main event, Riyadh’s very own Abdullah Al-Qahtani showcased his skills in front of his adoring fans with a dominant performance against Yazeed Hasanain. Al-Qahtani's relentless attack and unforgiving barrage of strikes led to a verbal submission victory at the last second of Round 2, securing his spot in the PFL MENA Featherweight Semifinals and sending the crowd into a frenzy. It was indeed a landmark moment for the rising star, who now moves one step closer to becoming a PFL MENA champion.  Hattan Alsaif announces her Arrival to MMA and the PFL Another hometown favorite, Hattan Alsaif made history in her amateur MMA debut. A highly-decorated Muay Thai practitioner, Alsaif showcased her elite striking skills and delivered a stunning head kick knockout against Nada Faheem in the second round. This impressive debut came just months after she made history by becoming the first ever female from Saudi Arabia to sign a contract with a major MMA promotion.  If this is any indication of how Alsaif’s MMA career will go, then it looks like Saudi Arabia has another star in the making.  Ali Taleb Dominates His Way to the Semifinals Iraq's Ali Taleb proved to be a force to be reckoned with as he dominated Nawras Abzakh in the co-main event. From start to finish, Taleb imposed his will on his opponent, earning a unanimous decision victory and securing a spot in the Bantamweight Semifinals. With his impressive performance, Taleb improved his career record to 11-1 and solidified his status as a top contender in the division. A favorite to go all the way in the bantamweight division, Taleb strengthens his chances at becoming the inaugural PFL MENA 135-pound titleholder.  Rachid El Hazoume's Submission Masterclass Morocco's Rachid El Hazoume showcased his submission skills in a thrilling showdown against Xavier Alaoui. After a back-and-forth battle, El Hazoume locked in a rear-naked choke in the second round, forcing Alaoui to tap out and advancing to the Bantamweight Semifinals.  With the victory, El Hazoume moved to an impressive 14-3 in his career and proved why he is a force to be reckoned with in the division. Maraoune Bellagouit's Undefeated Streak Continues In Featherweight action, Morocco's Maraoune Bellagouit extended his undefeated streak with a powerful knockout victory over Mido Mohamed. Bellagouit landed a devastating left hook in the third round, sending Mohamed to the canvas and securing his spot in the Featherweight Semifinals.  With the win, Bellagouit moved to an impressive 5-0 in his career and established himself as a top contender in the division. Overall, the inaugural event of PFL MENA in Riyadh showcased the incredible talent and excitement of MMA in the region. With thrilling performances and historic moments, the night proved to be a memorable start to what promises to be an exhilarating season of action-packed fights. PFL MENA returns to action with the Featherweight and Bantamweight Semifinals on July 5th.

Official rankings by ONE FC ONE FC Rankings STRAWWEIGHT MMA WORLD CHAMPION Joshua Pacio 1 Jarred Brooks 2 Bokang Masunyane 3 Gustavo Balart 4 Hiroba Minowa 5 Mansur Malachiev FLYWEIGHT MMA WORLD CHAMPION Demetrious Johnson 1 Adriano Moraes 2 Yuya Wakamatsu 3 Danny Kingad 4 Reece McLaren 5 Hu Yong BANTAMWEIGHT MMA WORLD CHAMPION Fabricio Andrade 1 John Lineker 2 Stephen Loman 3 Kwon Won Il 4 Artem Belakh 5 Enkh-Orgil Baatarkhuu FEATHERWEIGHT MMA WORLD CHAMPION Tang Kai 1 Thanh Le 2 Garry Tonon 3 Ilya Freymanov 4 Martin Nguyen 5 Shamil Gasanov WOMEN'S ATOMWEIGHT MMA WORLD CHAMPION Stamp Fairtex 1 Ham Seo Hee 2 Denice Zamboanga 3NR Chihiro Sawada 41 Alyona Rassohyna 51 Tiffany Teo FLYWEIGHT KICKBOXING WORLD CHAMPION Superlek Kiatmoo9 1 Rodtang Jitmuangnon 2 Takeru Segawa 3 Taiki Naito 4 Tagir Khalilov 5 Elias Mahmoudi WORLD CHAMPION Jonathan Haggerty 1NR Wei Rui 21 Hiroki Akimoto 31 Alaverdi Ramazanov 41 Nong-O Hama 51 Felipe Lobo FEATHERWEIGHT KICKBOXING WORLD CHAMPION Chingiz Allazov INTERIM CHAMPION Superbon 1 Vacant 2 Marat Grigorian 3 Sitthichai Sitsongpeenong 4 Tawanchai PK Saenchai 5 Giorgio Petrosyan FLYWEIGHT MUAY THAI WORLD CHAMPION Rodtang Jitmuangnon 1 Superlek Kiatmoo9 2 Denis Puric 3 Jacob Smith 4 Dedduanglek TDed99 5 Elias Mahmoudi BANTAMWEIGHT MUAY THAI WORLD CHAMPION Jonathan Haggerty 1 Nico Carrillo 2 Nong-O Hama 3 Felipe Lobo 4 Saemapetch Fairtex 5 Liam Harrison WORLD CHAMPION Tawanchai PK Saenchai 1 Superbon 2 Sitthichai Sitsongpeenong 3 Jo Nattawut 4 Jimmy Vienot 5 Luke Lessei

Twelve supercharged martial arts bouts will hit Lumpinee Boxing Stadium for ONE Friday Fights 63  on Friday, May 17. Yodphupa Wimanair won the Road to ONE Thailand tournament and burst onto the global stage with four consecutive victories. Just when it looked like title contention may be in his future, he hit a roadblock in his journey. Yodphupa has dropped his last three matches, two by narrow majority and split decision. He will try to get off the schneid against Soner Sen in Bangkok. Sen got off to a hot start in his ONE career with two victories but dropped a decision against Rambolek Chor Ajalaboon in February. Toppling Yodphupa would put him right back in the hunt in the bantamweight division. Sagaengarm Jitmuangnon and Chatpichit SorSorToipadriew will duke it out for the fourth time in their careers when they meet in a 113-pound catchweight contest. Last April, Chatpichit edged ahead 2-1 in their exciting series. Still, the next installment will give Sagaengarm a chance to even the score and continue to show how, on any given night, either man can notch a win over the other. Eight additional Muay Thai bouts help round out the card, but two mixed martial arts encounters will also help drive excitement in Thailand. Undefeated Suleyman “Sultan” Suleymanov puts his 10-0 record on the line against Kazakbai Tilenov in bantamweight action. The night begins when David Cooke meets Kohei Takegami as both men seek an impactful debut in the organization. The action gets underway at 8:30 a.m. ET/5:30 a.m. PT on Friday, May 17, via ONE’s official YouTube channel . ONE Friday Fights 63 Full Card Yodphupa Wimanair vs. Soner Sen Sanpet Sor Salacheep vs. Nuengubon Wankhongohm MBK Sagaengarm Jitmuangnon vs. Chatpichit SorSorToipadriew Pansak Wor Wantawee vs. Pornsanae Sor Phumpat Patakake Sinbimuaythai vs. Tuangsap Sor Salacheep Chartpayak Saksatoon vs. Mowgli Chor Ajalaboon Rak Erawan vs. Nicolas Leite Silva Sulaiman Looksuan vs. Tomoki Sato Silviu Vitez vs. Kimura Ayumu Gregor Thom vs. Taku Kondo Kazakbai Tilenov vs. Suleyman Suleymanov David Cooke vs. Kohei Takegami

Women’s Flyweight and Heavyweight Playoffs Nashville Municipal Auditorium, Nashville, TN August 2 Light Heavyweight and Lightweight Playoffs Hard Rock Live in Hollywood, Fl August 16 Welterweight and Featherweight Playoffs The Anthem, Washington, D.C. August 23 2024 PFL Global Season Playoffs, available live across ESPN platforms in the U.S. and via DAZN in Canada, Europe and additional premium sports platforms internationally The Professional Fighters League (PFL) today announced dates, locations and ticket availability for the 2024 PFL Global Season Playoffs. PFL athletes across six weight divisions will look to keep their World Championship and $1 million dreams alive. The 2024 Professional Fighters League Global Season Playoffs will begin in the Heavyweight and Women’s Flyweight divisions on August 2 from Nashville Municipal Auditorium in Nashville, TN. The Light Heavyweight and Lightweight divisions will take to the PFL SmartCage on August 16 from Hard Rock Live in Hollywood, Fl, with the Welterweight and Featherweight divisions closing out the 2024 PFL Global Season Playoffs on August 23 from The Anthem in Washington, D.C. 2024 has seen the toughest test in MMA, the PFL Global Season, get even tougher with Bellator and PFL Europe athletes joining the fray. In the end 12 elite athletes can claim a spot at the “Richest Night in MMA” the 2024 PFL World Championship “PFL Playoff action is second to none, with the best athletes in the sport vying for a chance to continue their million-dollar championship journeys,” said PFL CEO Peter Murray. “The PFL is excited to bring the 2024 PFL Global Season Playoffs to Nashville, Miami and D.C. as well as our fans from 160 countries around the globe. The PFL Global Season Playoffs win and advance format is the epitome of meritocracy.” The pathway to the 2024 PFL World Championship and $1 million purse that comes with it will begin with a field of 24 fighters across six divisions. Each of the three Playoff events will feature the top-four fighters across two weight divisions battling to earn a spot in the 2024 PFL World Championship in a thrilling win-and-advance, lose-and-go-home format.  The second half of the 2024 PFL Global Season begins Thursday, June 13 from Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, CT with continuing action June 21 in Salt Lake City and June 28 in South Dakota. The 2024 PFL Global Season and Global Season Playoffs are available live across ESPN platforms in the U.S. and via DAZN in Canada, Europe and additional premium sports platforms internationally.

In A Traditional Martial Arts School, Parents And Instructors Become An Unbeatable Team Helping Shape Children For The Path To Success.   Those words come from a motivational speaker named Bill Banan. They’re fun, inclusive and positive — good medicine for any martial arts school, club or program, whether traditional or eclectic. The underlying message is simple: We are in it together! I like the concept so much that I placed the quote on my school’s website. I’m discussing it here because it can help you build your school’s youth program, and it’s good for business. It’s also noble, which is one of my four keys to success in business and in life.  What could be better than that? I originally picked up the quote from the Facebook page of James C. Smith II, who told me he got it from Banan. Smith — owner and master instructor of White Tiger Martial Arts in Hagerstown, Maryland — said he believes in the quote and the concept on which it’s based. His 6,500-square-foot dojang, where he teaches taekwondo, hapkido and kickboxing, offers tangible proof of its logic: The school has nearly 300 active students. I’ve visited Smith’s facility several times and seen him in action. He likes to put his teamwork beliefs right out in the open when he signs up a student. “I always discuss with parents what they want out of the training,” he says. “I ask, ‘Do you want your child to listen better in school? Do you want your child to fight better? Do you just want your child to have an activity?’ “We discuss whatever is on their minds. I tell them their child is not a number; they are a person, and they are going to be an important part of the school and a part of a family. And I tell them we are a team. I let them know that I want them to be around for a long time.” One method I use to cultivate parent-instructor teams is the “I’m OK, you’re OK” approach. In meetings, I say this: “You’re a good parent, and I’m a good martial arts teacher. I want your child to be a good martial artist, and you want your child to be a good martial artist. We both want your child to be the very best he or she can be as a martial artist and as a person. Parents and the dojo are a team, and together, we can be unbeatable in helping shape the course of your child’s life in a positive way.” Smith agrees with this message. He notes that the concept works best when everyone understands their responsibilities. The instructor has responsibilities, and parents have responsibilities. The parents’ responsibilities begin with having the student in uniform, getting him or her a snack or beverage before class if one is required, and then transporting the child to the school. “Out of all the parental responsibilities, the one I feel is most important is getting the child to the dojang regularly for training,” Smith says. “I can’t help the student get better if they aren’t here.” Other parental responsibilities include paying fees, making sure students keep track of events like belt tests and so on. The responsibilities for the instructor include teaching quality lessons, properly maintaining the facility and running the business well so the school remains solvent. The instructor also must ensure that students have an opportunity to refine old material, try new applications of previously learned material and acquire totally new skills. Further, students should receive a good workout and feel upbeat afterward, participate in fair rank tests and so forth. Interestingly, there are responsibilities that are shared by the instructor and the parents, and sometimes they’re overlooked. Both parties should be encouraging and positive. Students should be given time to figure things out and then improve. Some of that improvement should take place on their own — which means the teacher should  not intervene every time a minor mistake is made in an effort to save the student time.  This is how inner strength develops. The instructor and the parents always should encourage students to try their best. Part of that is having the confidence to attempt new things. It’s fostered by offering positive comments like “Good job,” “Nice work,” “Your side kick is much better,” and “Your new tournament form is really cool.” This next point is exceptionally important: Both parties should promote a mindset that says martial arts training is an individual pursuit. The student should not feel like he or she is competing against other students. The process of learning how to wield weapons, perform kata and execute self-defense techniques is different for everybody. The less any student is concerned with what others are learning and how quickly they’re advancing, the better. That doesn’t mean the student won’t be motivated by those things; it just means they should be downplayed by parents and instructors. There are also issues that parents and instructors should join forces to stamp out. One unfolds like this: Most kids like karate class, so that fact winds up being used by some parents as a tool for disciplining their child. “If you don’t do this, you’re not going to karate tonight,” they say. Parents should be made aware that attending karate class is a commitment and that all commitments should be honored. This helps students understand that the self-discipline they learn in class applies to all aspects of life. If need be, parents and the instructor can devise alternate plans to ensure that a child’s conduct — in the dojo or elsewhere — improves. “Having the parent in your corner, working with you instead of against you, is so important,” Smith says. “The key is to communicate openly, honestly and positively.” By promoting parent-instructor teams in your school, you ensure that you’re in the business of making people’s lives better, and there’s no job that’s more noble than that. Fringe benefit: When you succeed at making someone’s life better, good things tend to come back to you. It’s not always immediate, but it eventually happens. Floyd Burk is a San Diego–based 10th-degree black belt with 50 years of experience in the arts. To contact him, visit Independent Karate Schools of America at iksa.com .

The Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) is set to thrill mixed martial arts (MMA) fans with the third season of its innovative tournament, ROAD TO UFC. This competition is designed to provide a clear pathway for the top MMA prospects from Asia to secure a UFC contract, further promoting the development of martial arts talent in the region. The tournament kicks off with its first round on May 18 and 19 at the UFC Performance Institute Shanghai. The bouts will be held over two episodes, with Episode 1 airing at 6 AM ET on May 18 and Episode 2 following at 8 AM ET on May 19. The event times are scheduled to cater to the Asia prime time audience, GMT+8. ROAD TO UFC features a "win and advance" format, focusing on four weight classes: flyweight, bantamweight, featherweight, and women's strawweight. Each class consists of an 8-person bracket. The first round, or quarterfinals, will see four fights in each bracket, along with one additional non-tournament fight per fight card, ensuring that the audience gets a packed show. The winners of the quarterfinals will move on to the semifinals, with two fights in each bracket. Success in the semifinals will lead the fighters to the finals, which will be featured on the preliminary card of a UFC Fight Night later in the year. Victors in the final round will be awarded a UFC contract, marking a significant step in their professional MMA careers. How ROAD TO UFC Works: Four divisions: flyweight, bantamweight, featherweight and women's strawweight 8-person brackets for each division  Round 1 (quarterfinals) Four fights in each bracket (plus one non-tournament fight, making five fights total per fight card); winners move on to semifinals   Round 2 (semifinals) Two fights in each bracket; winners move on to finals   Round 3 (finals) One fight in each bracket taking place on the preliminary card of a UFC Fight Night later this year. Winners will earn a UFC contract. For fans across the globe, the tournament will be accessible via UFC FIGHT PASS. Additionally, regional broadcasting partners include MIGU in China NOW SPORTS in Hong Kong SONY TEN 2 in India MOLA in Indonesia U-NEXT in Japan TVN and TVING in South Korea and many others throughout Southeast Asia, ensuring wide coverage for the event. Fans are encouraged to follow along on UFC.com and @UFCNews on social media for the latest updates, live results, and more details on how to watch all episodes of ROAD TO UFC.