Tenshin Nasukawa ended his illustrious kickboxing career with a mega-fight against Takeru Segawa in 2022. For the Japanese superstar, it served as more than just a battle against another elite striker, but a passing of the torch.   Takeru will carry that torch with him into his ONE Championship debut on Sunday, January 28, when he tries to become the ONE Flyweight Kickboxing World Champion at ONE 165 . During a media scrum promoting his next boxing match, Nasukawa praised Takeru as the face of kickboxing ( h/t Tokyo Sports ). The star also was clear that Takeru has his full support against reigning ONE Flyweight Kickboxing World Champion Superlek Kiatmoo9.   "Now that I am no longer in kickboxing, he is the icon of kickboxing now. As a representative of kickboxing, I don't want him to lose. When you think of kickboxing, you think of Takeru now. So, I hope he proudly showcases the essence of kickboxing and carries that pride firmly," Nasukawa said.   The Japanese star will need to showcase that essence in order to defeat one of the most technical and feared strikers in the world today.   Superlek is on an outstanding streak, which he extended in a catchweight super-fight against Rodtang Jitmuangnon last September.   His 10-bout winning streak has shown off his technical mastery and his ability to be aggressive and take home highlight-reel knockouts. The matchup showcases the true apex of the sport.   The elite kickboxing showdown happens at ONE 165 on Sunday, January 28, live on pay-per-view.

NEW YORK (January 10, 2024)  - The Professional Fighters League (PFL), the fastest-growing and most innovative sports league, has today announced the signing of undefeated multi-division standout  Murad Ramazanov  (11-0, 1 NC) to an exclusive, multi-fight contract.  “I'm looking forward to continuing my career in the PFL,” Ramazanov said. “There is no one in my division from now on." Ramazanov will enter the PFL SmartCage on the strength of his impressive undefeated record, boasting a staggering seven victories via finish – four by knockout and three by submission. In his last outing, Ramazanov dominantly defeated former world champion Zebaztian Kadestam via unanimous decision, adding to his already stellar professional career. Proudly hailing from Dagestan, Russia, the 28-year-old trains alongside athletes Islam Makhachev and Usman Nurmagomedov at Khabib Nurmagomedov’s renowned gym “Nurmagomedov MMA School.” Ramazanov is expected to make his promotional debut in the first half of 2024.

ONE Championship will make its return to the United States in 2024 for two events later in the year.   “America remains a high-priority market for us as we continue our global expansion, and we can’t wait to get back on-ground to entertain our passionate fan base in the region with quarterly events in September 2024 and beyond,” ONE Chairman and CEO Chatri Sityodtong said.   ONE first touched down in the U.S. last May, with ONE Fight Night 10 delivering an outstanding evening of martial arts action that thrilled the audience in Dever, Colorado. The sold-out 1stBank Center was rocking all night long, and global superstars got their first taste of the American audience.   The Mile High City will get to experience that excitement again. The city will be first up for the organization’s return on September 6.   The September event of ONE Championship return to U.S. will take place at the Ball Arena in downtown Denver. The arena plays host to both the Denver Nuggets and the Colorado Avalanche and will soon house the nonstop action of ONE.   The company will head to Atlanta two months later for its November U.S. primetime event. The event will mark the company’s expansion across the U.S. and give the South a taste of its unique brand of martial arts that features kickboxing, Muay Thai, and submission grappling alongside MMA.   ONE will take the event to the home of the Atlanta Hawks, State Farm Arena, on November 8.   Both states have adopted ONE’s global rule set that differs from the unified rules used in other promotions.

The Professional Fighters League (PFL) capped off a historic year in 2023 with the landmark acquisition of once-rival promotion Bellator MMA. While there certainly had been rumblings during the latter part of the year, the PFL finally made the big announcement on the week of their 2023 Season Finale, setting the tone for what would be a memorable culminating week for the United States-based MMA promotion.  With Bellator and it’s stacked roster now under the PFL’s control, there have been many doors opened for potential superfights and opportunities for memorable moments. It also opens the door for some of the Bellator stars to make an even bigger name on the PFL stage.  From current champions to stars on the rise, here are some Bellator names that could make a big impact in the PFL in 2024. Cris “Cyborg” Justino While Cris “Cyborg” is already a major name, the PFL-Bellator union allows the reigning Bellator Women’s Featherweight Champion to finally get the big fight that she – and the rest of the MMA world – have been calling for: a dream match with Kayla Harrison. Cyborg and Harrison have been going back-and-forth on social media for years now, and with both women’s MMA stars competing under the same company, it’s high-time that the two finally share the cage. Apart from the Harrison dream match, Cyborg can also test herself against the PFL’s best 145-pounders, including against fellow dominant Brazilian Larissa Pacheco. It’s safe to say that the PFL’s acquisition of Bellator will be a big boost for Cyborg’s career in more ways than one.  Johnny Eblen Coming into the PFL as Bellator’s reigning Middleweight Champion benefits Johnny Eblen for the simple fact that the PFL has no middleweight division. Should the PFL take Bellator’s best 185-pounders and hold an inaugural million dollar middleweight tournament, Eblen would likely be the odds-on favorite. Eblen could not only add “PFL Middleweight Champion” to his resume, but he also could bring home a cool million-dollar purse for his efforts.  Aaron Pico It’s been documented that featherweight contender Aaron Pico is already preparing for his PFL debut. While the elite level wrestler wasn’t able to capture gold in his Bellator career, he certainly should be a top contender in the PFL’s 145-pound shark tank, which is currently ruled by Jesus Pinedo. While it won’t be an easy task, Pico definitely has the skillset to become a champion in the PFL and add a world championship to his list of accolades.  Liz Carmouche Much like Johnny Eblen, Liz Carmouche could be the cornerstone for a new weight class in the PFL. After PFL Europe’s widely-successful inaugural season, the PFL found itself a crop of talented new women’s flyweight contenders, highlighted by English sensation Dakota Ditcheva, who went on to capture the league’s inaugural PFL Women’s Flyweight Championship. Bellator champion Carmouche and Ditcheva could be the stars behind the PFL’s newest women’s weight class, but if the league does pull the trigger on a female 125-pound tournament, “Girl-rilla” would be the odds-on favorite.  Patchy Mix Another champion to benefit from becoming one of the pioneers of a weight class in the PFL, Bellator’s reigning 135-pound king Patchy Mix would find great success competing for a million dollar purse and the inaugural PFL Bantamweight Championship. With the PFL looking to target regions such as Asia and the Middle East, both rich in talented fighters in the lighter weight divisions, a Mix-led bantamweight division would surely be a draw on an international stage.

Cynthia Rothrock is the queen of martial art movies and was Black Belt’s 1983 "Female Competitor of the Year." She has garnered decades of accolades, but had it not been for some good advice that came in the guise of a scolding, her journey in the arts could have ended before it even got started. Best Advice: Be a winner, not a loser. “Early in my career, I got some good advice that stopped me from quitting martial arts,” Rothrock said. “My instructor gave a talk to the class, emphasizing that quitters are losers. And at that point, I was ready to quit karate. I was the only girl in the class, it was hard and I was getting hurt. So I asked myself, ‘Why am I doing this?’“ When he said, ‘Quitters have bad attitudes,’ he was looking right at me — because I did have a bad attitude. And when he said, ‘Quitters are losers and will never amount to anything,’ I thought, I don’t want to be a loser.” What the instructor said prompted Rothrock to adjust her attitude and boost her focus. “I applied that positive mindset to my training and everything else in life,” she said. “That was 40-some years ago, and I have always lived by that advice.” Worst Advice: Use less power. “I was in China training in wushu in 1982,” she said. “My teachers were extremely pleased with my progress and that my techniques were smooth yet very powerful. Then I came back to the States, and another wushu instructor told me I was putting too much power into my forms and that I needed to do them softer without power.“ We were both competing in forms in the same division, and I decided if I’m going to kick, I have to kick hard because I’m not going to hurt someone with a soft swing kick. And, for the same reason, I wanted to have power in my punches, too. For me, every movement of my forms had to be effective, whether it was fast or fluid, so I didn’t take his advice. I did my forms with power. Long story short, I won and he didn’t.”

Oh Ho Taek has an unexpected opportunity to headline ONE Fight Night 18  on Friday, January 12, and position himself as a threat to the crown in ONE Championship’s featherweight division.   After Superlek Kiatmoo9 dropped out to replace Rodtang Jitmuangnon at ONE 165 against Takeru Segawa, the South Korean was elevated to the main event against Shamil Gasanov.   Knowing the credentials his opponent brings to the table, “Spider” is motivated to pick up the biggest win of his career.   “While my opponent is strong, I’m more motivated to win against a stronger opponent than I would be against a weaker one,” Oh told ONE.   Gasanov has routinely shown his grappling abilities, which was why he wanted to challenge Garry Tonon. Entering this match, Oh has similar aspirations to prove his ground game against his Russian foe.   But “Spider” won’t force the issue and will only try to take it to the mat when he feels comfortable.   “Although I’m an all-rounder, in this match I want to see who’s better at grappling, which is Gasanov’s strength,” Oh said.   “I’ll want to take it to the ground once my body warms up, and I’d like to see who’s better there. I’ll persistently grapple to see who’s better until the end.”   Oh notes where he believes “Cobra” is best, but he also thinks he knows where his weaknesses lie. The South Korean star enters with a gameplan to shut down Gasanov’s wrestling and put him in a position to dictate where the action takes place.   “He’s strong and known as a wrestling grappler. I think his striking is still lacking. It seems like grappling is all he’ll have for this match,” the 30-year-old remarked.   “He’ll probably push with his strong wrestling right from the start. I plan to counter him.”   Although he wants to showcase his ground game against one of the elite grapplers in the division, Oh won’t mind flashing his power on the feet.   Oh plans to utilize his length and take a knockout if the chance comes. However, he is more than fine putting in a full fight’s worth of work to get his arm raised on the scorecards at ONE Fight Night 18 on Prime Video.   “In terms of striking, I believe I have a longer reach with kicks and punches, and I have more weapons. My kicks, takedowns, and grappling are all dangerous,” Oh said.   “I’ll be looking for a finish, but I’m also considering a decision since MMA has many variables.”   ONE Fight Night 18 airs live on Friday, January 12, on Prime Video. The action begins at 8 p.m. EST/5 p.m. PST and is free for all U.S. and Canadian Amazon Prime subscribers.

STANISLAV GROSU VS. BRANDON SHAVERS IN THE MAIN EVENT Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship (BKFC), The World’s Fastest Growing Combat Sports Promotion , has announced a BKFC Prospect Series event for Friday, February 16, 2024   at The Salisbury Center in Manassas, VA, just outside of Washington, D.C.   “BKFC has received a wealth of support from bare knuckle fans in Virginia with both of our past shows selling out and we’re very excited to bring our acclaimed Prospect Series to the state on Friday, February 16.” said David Feldman, President and Founder of BKFC. “Washington D.C. is an outstanding sports town and we expect a tremendous crowd for our first event just outside of the nation’s capital.”   The  BKFC Prospect Series event on Friday, February 16 is headlined by a highly anticipated middleweight clash between Stanislav Grosu, (3-2), of Romania and Brandon ‘The Shredder’ Shavers, (1-1), of Alexandria, Louisiana.   The BKFC Prospect Series event will also be broadcast internationally as part of the BKFC+ Subscription for $7.99 per month on the BKFC App – The Best Value in Combat Sports  and is sponsored by Bucked Up, Grunt Style, Fubo Sports, MIT 45, Only Fans and Crescent Tools. The event will also be broadcast on Fubo Sports free of charge. Fast-rising Stanislav Grosu looks to stay in the win column following two consecutive second round knockouts; Quartus Stitt at BKFC-39 on March 24, 2023 and Blake LaCaze at BKFC-51 on September 29, 2023. The upset minded Brandon Shavers returns following a hotly contested loss to Bryce Henry on February 24, 2023 at BKFC-36. Tickets for the BKFC Prospect Series event are Now On-Sale at BKFC.com .   The Salisbury Center is located at 8890 Mathis Avenue, Manassas, VA 20110. For more information visit their website at TheSalisburyCenter.com .   Additional fights for this BKFC Prospect Series event will be announced shortly.

ONE Fight Night 18  will head to U.S. primetime on Prime Video this Friday, January 12, with nine action-packed martial arts bouts. ONE Championship revealed the full card on Monday to set the stage for its first week of action in the new year.   With Superlek Kiatmoo9 exiting the card to take on Takeru Segawa at ONE 165, Shamil Gasanov vs. Oh Ho Taek has been elevated to the main event slot.   Both men are looking to make a statement in the featherweight division and re-insert themselves back in the title picture.   In the co-main event, Suablack Tor Pran49 battles Stefan Korodi in a bantamweight Muay Thai matchup. The battle will mark Suablack’s U.S. primetime debut after a perfect 4-0 start on ONE Friday Fights in 2023. Each match ended by way of KO/TKO. The bantamweight MMA war between Kwon Won Il and Shinechagtga Zoltsetseg is guaranteed to be pure fireworks when the bell sounds. Both men are known for their explosive styles in one of the most fun-filled divisions in the sport.   Joining the fun will be the U.K.’s Liam Nolan. The Brit will take on Ali Aliev in a lightweight Muay Thai battle.   Also in action, “Mighty Warrior” Kang Ji Won returns to welcome Mikhail Jamal Abdul-Latif to the promotion in a heavyweight MMA scrap.   ONE Fight Night 18 airs live on Friday, January 12, from Bangkok, Thailand. The action begins at 8 p.m. EST/5 p.m. PST and is free for all Prime Video subscribers in the U.S. and Canada. ONE Fight Night 18 Full Card Shamil Gasanov vs. Oh Ho Taek Suablack Tor Pran49 vs. Istvan Korodi Kwon Won Il vs. Shinechagtga Zoltsetseg Rungrawee Sitsongpeenong vs. Shakir Al-Tekreeti Artem Belakh vs. Enkh-Orgil Baatarkhuu Liam Nolan vs. Ali Aliev Kang Ji Won vs. Mikhail Jamal Abdul-Latif Beybulat Isaev vs. Yuri Farcas Mark Abelardo vs. Ibragim Dauev

THE KARATE BREAKER - MOVIE Released late 2023 - Worldwide Starring and Directed by Karate Star/Film Director Gary Wasniewski The Karate Breaker movie brings back a dramatic action and storyline of Death, Rage and one man's lone fight for justice! The pain and suffering of a Father who takes on Evil Drugs Gangs/Murderers. Set in locations London, Houston and Orlando.  In a world of rules and regulations and political correctness, this man does not care about these rules. He risks all for his dead son, not knowing what will happen? But knowing he must risk his life and soul for what is right. But at what cost? Can he succeed? Can he do the impossible in a world of hate, false actions, corruption and death? The storyline mirrors much of present day life, where righteousness, truth and fighting for the right principles is a thing of the past. The movie gives a message that only the viewer will relate too, in a world which we live in now, where we know what is right but are afraid to speak out the words or actions of righteousness and truth. The Karate Breaker is an Action movie because it's about now, but also about the past and future of society. The Karate Breaker is also a movie that will touch everyone in a different way: Men, Women, Boys or Girls. Based on a story that is never ending in society worldwide, should we condemn or support the rights of the individual? Don't miss it! Released to download and dvd. The Karate Breaker www.imdb.com/name/nm3207578 www.garywasniewski.net www.facebook/GaryWasniewski Film Actor/Director

In an exciting announcement for mixed martial arts fans, UFC President Dana White has unveiled two major lightweight fights scheduled for the promotion's upcoming landmark events, UFC 299 and UFC 300. These matches promise high stakes and thrilling action in the lightweight division. At UFC 299, set for March 9 in Miami, former interim lightweight champion Dustin Poirier is slated to face the rapidly rising French fighter, Benoît Saint Denis, in what is expected to be a riveting 5-round co-main event. Poirier, known for his striking prowess and resilience, has been a prominent figure in the lightweight division, holding notable victories over top fighters. His opponent, Saint Denis, has been making waves in the division with his impressive performances, setting the stage for a compelling matchup. The excitement continues the following month at UFC 300, where former undisputed lightweight champion Charles Oliveira will clash with Arman Tsarukyan. This fight carries significant implications, as it has been announced that a title shot against current champion Islam Makhachev is on the line. Oliveira, renowned for his submission skills and all-around ability, is coming off a streak of high-profile victories. Tsarukyan, on the other hand, has been steadily climbing the ranks, showcasing his well-rounded skill set. These matchups are not just a display of individual talents but also a testament to the depth and competitiveness of the UFC's lightweight division. With Poirier and Oliveira, both former champions, facing off against rising stars like Saint Denis and Tsarukyan, these events are guaranteed to keep fans on the edge of their seats. The outcomes of these fights are poised to significantly impact the landscape of the lightweight division, especially with a title opportunity hanging in the balance at UFC 300. As the UFC continues to celebrate its milestone events with blockbuster cards, these lightweight battles at UFC 299 and UFC 300 are expected to be among the highlights of the year in MMA. Fans worldwide eagerly await to see if Poirier and Oliveira can reclaim their positions at the top of the division or if Saint Denis and Tsarukyan will shake up the rankings with landmark victories.

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ONE Championship will get its 2024 campaign started on Friday, January 12, with two exciting events. It all starts with ONE Friday Fights 47 earlier in the day, with 12 contests filling the lineup.   Suakim Sor Jor Thongprajin takes on Alexey Balyko in a 140-pound catchweight Muay Thai affair in the main event of the card inside Lumpinee Boxing Stadium.   Both athletes are coming off victories last September and are hoping another win brings them closer to a six-figure contract with the organization.   In the co-main event, Kompet Fairtex will do battle with fellow strawweight Daren Rolland. Rolland has been in the ring with the very best, but the 23-year-old hopes to continue building his resume against the French striker. Also on the card will be Ferrari Fairtex.   The Thai star entered the promotion with tons of hype but has found life on the global stage to be daunting. However, he has rebounded with two straight wins and hopes his third will come against Antar Kacem on Friday.   More exciting matchups round out the card, including two MMA bouts in the flyweight division. ONE Friday Fights 47 airs live and free on ONE’s YouTube channel at 7:30 a.m. EST/4:30 a.m. PST. ONE Friday Fights 47 Full Card Suakim Sor Jor Thongprajin vs. Alexey Balyko Kompet Fairtex vs. Daren Rolland Puengluang Baanramba vs. Rhuam Felipe Dentungtong Singha Mawynn vs. Petsirichai Detpetchsrithong Khunsuk Sor Dechapan vs. Nueaphet Kelasport Superman Or AudUdon vs. Kaenlek Sor Chokmeechai Ferrari Fairtex vs. Antar Kacem Alexis Nicolas vs. Magomed Magomedov Numpangna Eaglemuaythai vs. Sho Ogawa Elyes Kacem vs. Apiwat Sor Somnuk Ilimbek Akylbek Uulu vs. Khalim Nazruloev Coopar Royal vs. Komronbek Ortikov