Who’s the Master? Or the better question is what’s a M.A.S.T.E.R.? Bruce Lee did not consider himself a martial arts master but a student constantly learning and improving. 50 years ago, Bruce Lee transcended however his spirit continues to cross multicultural eras. Passing on July 20, 1973 (Yes! 720 for all the Martial Arts Trickers who celebrate International Tricking Day), he provided the blueprint to encourage a practitioner to not only learn multiple disciplines but most importantly STUDY the essence of martial arts to apply one’s wisdom through philosophy, business, entertainment, sports, family, and community. We need to take a moment to reflect on the works that have inspired our modern day warriors. I would like to share a framework that may support our industry platforms where your contributions have been recognized. With HEAL and STEM based educational programs, martial arts activity activates the mind, body, and spirit. The acronym of M.A.S.T.E.R. is a strategic methodology encompassing these attributes however complex in tactical and technical application. This is a Bruce Lee Tribute. Math | Olympics: As a Cha Cha champion, Bruce Lee had a rhythm of expression (charisma) and understood the 8-count. Was Bruce Lee a contributor of Hip Hop culture? Absolutely. As B-Boys prepare for Paris 2024 Olympics, the disciplines of Chinese animals styles combined with ground and air power moves holds true to his inspired philosophy. “ I fear not the man who has practiced 10,000 kicks once, but I fear the man who has practiced one kick 10,000 times." The 10,000 kicks paradigm are the notable break beats that these modern day monks battle inside the cypher transforming themselves as visual instruments utilizing their flow state as a weapon. I believe he would have continued to promote the marriage of Eastern and Western cultures sanctioning the B-Boys on behalf of the International Olympic Committee. He would’ve loved Hip Hop and enjoyed learning the elements. Arts | Action Design : Bruce Lee’s action design and directing continues to be the source reference for video game, animation, live stage show, and film studio franchises throughout the world. From wide screen action sequence to close up emotional reactions, from story board sketches to directing scripts, from emojis to avatars, the camera was Bruce Lee’s tool to present culture his truest expression of a human being with impeccable gifts. “ To me, ultimately, martial arts means honestly expressing yourself. Now, it is very difficult to do. It has always been very easy for me to put on a show and be cocky, and be flooded with a cocky feeling and feel pretty cool and all that. I can make all kinds of phoney things. Blinded by it. Or I can show some really fancy movement. But to experience oneself honestly, not lying to oneself, and to express myself honestly, now that is very hard to do." He knew the structures of cinematography growing up as a child actor. The Bruce Lee style was to extract the motion from motion pictures. There are known department filters that have the ability to take away from the authenticity of developing a movie such as executing a script, developing a character, directing the film crew, shooting camera angles, and post-editing techniques. Being an organic filmmaker who studied each of these crafts, he was enthusiastic to collaborate with the production team to bring his innovative heroic action genre to the silver screen. I believe we would have gained further wisdom from him with a production company delivering martial arts content not only for Hollywood, but also for Bollywood and beyond. Science | Business : Bruce Lee was only able to share a short time with us, but he was able to demonstrate his calisthenics and Jeet Kune Do (JKD) practice. Once he passed, his brand was briefly fractured by production companies attempting to substitute his likeness due to FUD (fear, uncertainty and doubt). “ Always be yourself, express yourself, have faith in yourself, do not go out and look for a successful personality and duplicate it." The presentation JKD as a new art form quickly regressed as traditional styles reclaimed market share. Martial art styles and publication dogmas emerged searching for their next martial arts superstar. Martial art schools began to integrate with corporate sales teams and a new media marketing engine was adopted as the Bruce Lee brand became the iconic representation catapulting martial arts as “big business”. Fortunately, his philosophical writings and memorabilia left to his family has been well preserved with the BruceLeeFoundation.org. His teachings are still widely accepted and acknowledged within the martial arts community and across a plethora of business industries. I believe he would have obtained his philosophy degree from the University of Washington and could have very well contributed into the PhD program as a professor while branching out to support Asian American studies and International Business programs. Technology | Competition : Known as the father of mixed martial arts (MMA), the recognition that Bruce Lee has received in competitive sports is inevitable. His philosophies of technical precision, patience for enduring repetition, and mindset of expressing oneself freely has been the deciding factor between winning a game versus being a champion of life. He concentrated on the latter experiencing the best versions of himself. He did support tournament promotors and utilized the competitive platform to expand the martial minds of his peers showcasing a way (Tao) for them to educate the ecosystem. “ The world is full of people who are determined to be somebody or to give trouble. They want to get ahead, to stand out. Such ambition has no use for a gung fu man, who rejects all forms of self-assertiveness and competition.” I believe he would have been inducting within numerous Hall of Fames as well as been one of the most decorated award winning actor/director/producer with many EGOTs (Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony) recognizing him for his lifelong ambitions and contributions. His award speeches and TV interviews would have been captivating. Engineer | Networking : From business to technology seminars, conventions have been events to share new products and services to educate the market on future innovations. Mixed martial arts and tricking have been that millennial innovation from applying Bruce Lee philosophy inside the cage to becoming part of an action stunt team. One region that takes much pride in the Bruce Lee phenomenon is the Bay Area of California. It’s not a coincidence the pioneers of martial arts sport performance (Bellator MMA & Loopkicks Tricking) have been greatly influenced by the San Francisco/Oakland native. “ Ever since I was a child I have had this instinctive urge for expansion and growth. To me, the function and duty of a quality human being is the sincere and honest development of one's potential.” The convention model has become a platform for mixed martial artists, martial athletes, dancers, and movement subject matter experts to network and express themselves. The cultures primary objective is to provide a venue where new legends are always being developed and created. Over the past decade, conventions have become the venue where talent is being discovered for upcoming entertainment projects and harnessing careers. I believe he would have sponsored and attended an array of conventions to recruit and develop emerging talent. He loved to teach and the lineage of JKD decedents would have been global influencers across all motivational and movement lifestyles. His M.A.S.T.E.R. class conventions would have included powerhouses such as Tony Robbins, Les Brown, Robert Kiyosaki, and Bob Proctor to name a few. Reading | Philosophy : Accumulating a personal library of over 2500 books centered around Eastern and Western philosophy, fighting methods, and self-help, Bruce Lee was an avid reader who composed over 800 aphorisms sharing his personal truths. He was known to journal his thoughts and ideas while using it as a reminder to maintain self-awareness. Within his writing were his 7 Affirmations of that being Memory, Subconscious Mind, Imagination, Reason, Emotion, Conscience and Will Power that he utilized as a harmonious system for well being and cultivation. “ One does not accumulate but eliminate. It is not daily increase but daily decrease. The height of cultivation always runs to simplicity.” Reading and writing is an ongoing journey one needs to develop to communicate and find total freedom within one’s self. Shannon Lee recently published “Be Water, My Friend” which presents how martial arts is a perfect metaphor for growth. Through her father’s writings she has been able to practice his teachings every day. I believe he would have continued to adapt and recreate himself through the times utilizing martial arts as the core principles to promote human behavior and the law of attraction. He would have been published in many research journals and authored many New York Times Best Sellers. Bruce Lee is within us all. His wisdom that we have embraced has developed us into generational healers striving for unity giving breathe to social consciousness. If he was President, a Nobel Peace Prize Winner, and peacekeeper with the United Nations, martial arts would be the campaign to serve and save our future generations. I would like to extend my sincere thanks to Shannon Lee and the Bruce Lee Foundation. “Be Water, My Friend” and Camp Bruce Lee have been the most valuable source of wisdom that presents the depth and breadth of self-actualization.

It seems former UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou will finally get what he wants - a big money, crossover boxing match against WBC heavyweight champion Tyson Fury. In what may well end up being the most hyped gimmick fight in history, the pair are slated to meet on October 28 in Saudi Arabia. ESPN is reporting the fight will take place in a boxing ring under regulation boxing rules but it's unclear how many rounds the bout will be, whether it will be for Fury's title or if it will even be classified as an official pro bout or simply an "exhibition." Francis Ngannou fights Tyson Fury. Ngannou captured the UFC heavyweight title from Stipe Miocic in 2021 and defended it once before his contract with the company expired. Unable to agree to a new deal with the UFC which would have allowed him to pursue boxing, Ngannou relinquished the title earlier this year never having lost it in the octagon. He signed a new contract to fight for the Professional Fighters League in May but that contract guaranteed him the right to compete in boxing outside the PFL. Fury is 33-0-1 as a boxer and is considered the lineal heavyweight champion in that sport. He'll likely be a massive favorite over Ngannou, who has never boxed professionally.

It's been reported that Nikolai Baranov, one of the last great sambo champions of the old Soviet Union where the sport was founded, passed away last week. Baranov, a two-time world champion, had been variously reported as being 70 or 71-years-old. From Nizhny Novgorod in Western Russia, Baranov began training in sambo as a teenager. Known for his groundwork, particularly his leg locks which earned him the nickname "Mr. Painful," Baranov won the world championships at 74 kg in 1979 and 1983. He also won the World Cup in 1980, as well European and Soviet national championships. Baranov would go on to become a successful coach counting among his students three world champions along with UFC 6 tournament winner Oleg Taktarov.

With the 50th anniversary of his death rapidly approaching, fans of Bruce Lee in the Los Angeles-area can celebrate the late martial arts legend's memory by viewing a life-size sculpture of Lee throwing his trademark sidekick. The sculpture will be the centerpiece of an exhibition of works by renowned Chinese artist Chu Tat-shing presented by the Chinese American Museum. Chu painstakingly created the 3.5 meter sculpture after watching Lee throw his sidekick on film and viewing a number of photos as he attempted to make the portrayal as accurate as possible down to the pants' creases and the type of shoes Lee wore. Previously exhibited in Hong Kong, it will be the first time the Lee sculpture has been unveiled in America. The exhibition is scheduled to run at Pico House in Los Angeles from July 15-23.

Jarred Cannonier said he wanted to up his output after losing a dull decision to middleweight champion Israel Adesanya last year. He did that in spades, setting a division record for most significant strikes en route to battering Marvin Vettori over five rounds capturing the main event at UFC on ESPN 47. Vettori actually opened strong staggering Cannonier several times with straight left hands. Appearing the much bigger, strong man, Vettori seemed in control. But Cannonier kept moving forward and his pressure paid off in the second as he landed a big overhand right that had Vettori in serious trouble. Cannonier than cut kick Vettori's legs out from under him landing some ground and pound and continuing to smash Vettori when he got back to his feet. Though he appeared ready to go out, the Italian fighter somehow managed to last the round and come out fighting in the third. Vettori was the worse for wear though, his face a bloody mess as Cannonier kept control of the action. He kept snapping Vettori's head back with right hands while mixing in some low kicks and takedowns. In the end, Cannonier took the unanimous decision to run his record to 17-6 as Vettori dropped to 19-7.

Black Belt Hall of Fame inductee Jimmy Kim, the first American male to ever win a gold medal in taekwondo at the Olympics, passed away Friday at the University of California San Diego Medical Center at the age of 56. Born in Cerritos, Calif. to a father who ran a taekwondo school, Kim began training at the age of 2 and started competing by the age of 7. He was part of the American team that shocked the taekwondo world capturing four gold medals when the sport was included in the Olympics for the first time as a demonstration event at the 1988 games in Seoul, South Korea. Though the host country, which created the sport, had thoroughly dominated international taekwondo up to that point, Kim and his teammates, including fellow gold medalists Lynnette Love, Arlene Limas and Dana Hee, showed that America and the rest of the world was quickly catching up. Despite suffering from a fever and a broken toe, Kim upset South Korea's Jong-Suk Kim in the finals to capture the first heavyweight Olympic title. Prior to the Olympics, Kim told the Los Angeles Times he was motivated by a desire to please those close to him saying, “If I did this for myself, I probably wouldn’t work as hard as for my family and friends.” Kim would eventually earn a doctor of chiropractic degree and open his own martial arts school, the Jimmy Kim Taekwondo Center, in Laguna Niguel, Calif. Among his students was 2008 Olympian Charlotte Craig. Herb Perez, a friend of Kim's and fellow Olympic gold medalist, informed Black Belt Kim died from Dermatomyositis, a rare autoimmune disorder he had been suffering from for some time.

A thug pulls a gun, and with a flick of the wrist, the attacker spins through the air and lands with a thud. Bodies fly through windows, arms are graphically broken with an unnerving “snap,” and no matter what an attacker comes at our hero with, they are flattened in the blink of an eye. It was fast. It was exciting. It was the 80s action tour de force, Above the Law . In 1988, I was working at a video store. Incidentally, I should explain to younger readers that a video store was like streaming, only you had to pick up the stream in your car and then take it back again. Our store received a few copies of a new movie called Above the Law with a poster of a guy I’d never seen before looking steely-eyed and holding a gun. It looked like it would be another generic 80s action movie, but man, was I wrong. After seeing the movie fly off the shelf as quickly as it came in, I decided to check it out. As a fan of Chuck Norris, the first thing I noticed was that this was a very different martial art. It looked like nothing I had ever seen before. And who was this guy starring in it? Who was this Steven Seagal? I’d never seen him even as a bit player in any other movies and he didn’t look like the conventional action hero. During that time, muscled stars were ruling the box office. The tone of the movie was dark. The action was fast. I had to keep running it back. What the heck is he doing? Is it mind control? Aikido In the opening scene , Nico (Steven Seagal) is teaching an Aikido class. It was a good way to set up the story, introduce the character, and introduce the audience to the martial art that they would soon see applied out of the dojo and on the street. It also helped to differentiate aikido from karate and kung fu styles, by showing, rather than explaining, the philosophy. As Nico teaches the class, we see him demonstrate his signature clothesline takedown (Iriminage) against a variety of attacks. Nico levels his opponent multiple times with an audible thump. The voiceover narration provides the backstory, while a brutal randori against multiple opponents is shown in slow motion to help establish the utility of the art. I was sold on both the new star and the martial art, and I was less than ten minutes in. Above the Law In the 80s, the action film had become a staple of the decade. Stallone and Schwarzenegger were churning them out fast and furious. However, the movies were also getting quite silly. Giant biceps, giant guns, ever-larger explosions, and one-liner asides that were taking on a life of their own, were all common by 1988. The time was ripe for something different to slide into a less bombastic space. Above the Law stars the aforementioned Steven Seagal as Chicago cop, Nico Toscani. Once an intelligence officer, and still a martial arts badass, Toscani sees his years in the CIA come back to haunt him as he battles old rivals and new villains dealing in drugs and more. However, they soon come face to face with their reckoning in the form of Steven Seagal’s Nico, as he declares: “You guys think you’re above the law, well you ain’t above mine.” Though the film’s star was not well-known, the great supporting cast, which was made up of new faces and established actors, was instrumental in scenes where no one is flying through a window. Above the Law features Sharon Stone as Nico’s wife Sara in one of her early film roles. In an inspired choice, Nico’s partner is played by the legendary Pam Grier. And in casting to type, the villain Zagon was portrayed by screen veteran Henry Silva. Directing it all was Andrew Davis, who was no stranger to martial arts action films, having previously directed Chuck Norris in Code of Silence(1985) . Seagal would reunite with Davis in 1992 for the action film classic, Under Siege(1992). Having control of a film is usually something most actors aspire to, but from the beginning, Seagal had a great deal of influence on the movie as he is credited as one of the film's producers, as well as contributing to the story and as the aikido choreographer. Enter Steven Seagal Steven Seagal seemed to have appeared out of nowhere as a fully formed action star. He had hit upon a formula that gave moviegoers a hero that was different and martial arts action that was exciting and yet devoid of flying kicks, leaping punches, or gymnastic flourishes. Above the Law became the template for many of the films that came after, and fans grew to know what to expect from a Steven Seagal film, even down to the three-word title. The films, Hard to Kill (1990), Marked for Death (1990), and Out for Justice (1991) usually featured Seagal’s character taking on corruption and/or delivering vengeance in wickedly unique action set pieces that displayed his martial arts prowess. Fight scenes that featured Seagal vanquishing his attackers with quick and decisive moves, often sending them into objects like mirrors, walls, and contemporary furnishings, were what fans were coming to see. In the canon of great martial arts films, Above the Law holds a unique place and it helped to reinvigorate the genre. The film’s success seemed to usher in a new crop of martial artists-turned-actors, but most were not as successful as Seagal, who would eventually move on to direct as well as star in the cinematic environmental warning, On Deadly Ground in 1994. On a chilly evening in 1990, when I was living in Hollywood, California, and a lifetime away from the employ of a video store, I went to the historic Chinese Theatre, just around the corner from my miniature substandard apartment. Going to the theatre was an unusual extravagance, but I felt compelled to go. The new Steven Seagal movie was playing. I settled into my seat. When the lights dimmed, hoots and hollers erupted from the audience, as we watched Seagal slink down a rain-soaked alley. The title Hard to Kill splashed onto the screen.

In the summer of 2022, I was asked to write short bios of who I thought were the top 100 martial artists of all time. After jotting down a list of 100, I noticed 50+ of them had a historical tie to the Shaolin Temple. Since part my martial arts lifestyle is strongly attached to martial arts cinema and martial arts cinema history, the idea of Shaolin Studios was born. This is the 11th and final chapter of what has been a journey filled with extensive research and I appreciate the flexibility afforded to me by blackbeltmag.com. Shaolin became the first institutionalized martial art school in the world. It’s important to remind new generations that the fount of many a martial art movie arose from the fount of martial arts, the Shaolin Temple. Though the Shaolin suffered other major crises during each dynasty and the modern era, such as being wrongly implicated to be teaching boxers during the Boxer Rebellion; and that 90% of one temple was burned down by a traitorous Kuo Ming Tang general, such events have never made it to the silver screen. Yet a story about a child practicing martial arts who affected the history of Shaolin Temple in a way that no other has done before, I felt was worth writing about. The Last Kung Fu Emperor of China The Chinese people are made up of five races: Han (the Chinese), Man (Manchus), Mong (Mongolians), Hui (Muslims) and Tsang (Tibetans). When the Manchus took over China and established the Ching Dynasty, that made the Han and Manchus bitter enemies. In history, after the brutal 13-year reign of the Manchu Emperor Yong Zheng, known for razing and burning the Shaolin Temples and slaughtering many monks, his fourth son, Hong Li, became Emperor Chien Lung, the fifth emperor of the Ching Dynasty (fourth to rule over China) and he ruled China for 60 years (1736-1796). Due to his expertise in martial arts, Chien Lung was also known as the last kung fu emperor of China. Chien Lung’s contribution to martial arts film is enormous. He recognized what his father did to the Shaolin was tragic and wrong, and he took it upon himself to rebuild and revitalize the return of Shaolin and Shaolin martial arts. Chien Lung was also a Chinese Opera buff and after becoming emperor he eventually invited all the top opera troupes to perform in Beijing. After choosing what he considered to be the top performers from each troupe, he then commissioned the creation of a Beijing opera school, and those performers became the teachers. Who’d have thought that 170 years later Beijing opera performers would become the backbone for Hong Kong's amazing stuntmen that included many of the best fight choreographers in martial arts cinema like Jackie Chan, Sammo Hung and the father of wire-fu Ching Siu-tung. In the 1970’s, Shaw Brothers made four films based on the life and times of Chien Lung, with Liu Yong starring in all four as Chien Lung. Liu was the first actor who received the brunt of Bruce Lee's first iconic and intensely furious, death blow punch seen in The Big Boss (1972). One of the famous legends of the last kung fu emperor Chien Lung was that he secretly visited the area of Chiang Nan in southern China six times dressed as a commoner because he wanted to blend in and learn about how his subjects felt about him. On an interesting quantum entanglement note, one of the greatest warrior Kings of England, King Richard I (aka Richard the Lion Hearted; 1157-1199), during his reign only spent six months on British soil and during those periods, Richard would don peasant clothes six times to walk among his subjects. One of Chien Lung’s trips is the focus of Adventures of Emperor Chien Lung (1977), where during this excursion Chien Lung wanted to understand the whole subculture of tea. Yet also in this film, we bear witness as to how Chien Lung learned to defend himself while growing up in the cold Mulan lands of Heilongjiang province in northern China and as a young teen saved his grandfather Emperor Kang Xi’s life from a ferocious black bear during a hunting trip. Though he had no direct impact on improving any specific Shaolin martial skills, Chien Lung helped maintain Shaolin’s popularity and cultural significance during the Ching dynasty as the temple and its martial arts continued to flourish during his reign. A Fatherless Impoverished Son Born 1963, impoverished as a child, father died when he was two, at age nine, Jet Li (Lee Lian-jei) began his martial arts flight and by 1982 he became one of the most important Shaolin martial artists since the Ten Tigers of Canton by instigating one of the largest revivals of Shaolin martial arts in history against overwhelming odds and at a critical time in China’s history. Jet Li is a descendant of a creed bent on the subterfuge of intellectuals and philosophers, a government that outlawed martial arts, and who zealously destroyed Shaolin Temples and executed Shaolin monks who refused to enter re‑education camps. Yet Li broke down these fabled walls of scourge to become Communist China's first actor to conquer the shores of Hollywood. He derisively accomplished this feat by excelling in the cultural contraband of martial arts, philosophy and cinema. Li was raised during the Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution, which was a time when Shanghai movie star wannabe Jiang Qing (Madame Mao) was at the peak of her relentless, wholesale house cleaning of the arts. Li began practicing wushu as Madame Mao organized the dreaded "Gang of Four." Although terms like wushu and kung fu can be considered as synonyms for Chinese martial arts, the Chinese government reinstated wushu as a sport in the early 1950s, eradicating the combative and philosophical aspects of the arts. During wushu's auspicious beginning, movements were performed with hands held as tight fists, representative of the hammer striking out against the nail of capitalism. Charismatic and highly skilled, Jet's film career took off after he was discovered by director Chang Hsin-yen to star in The Shaolin Temple (1982), China's first kung fu film since the Communist takeover in 1949. Taking three years to film, the movie inspired millions to visit the real temple's remains forcing the paranoid government to warn the public that it was unnecessary for people in China to learn self-defense. Yet the public never stopped visiting and as the world became privy to wushu and Jet Li, global interest about Shaolin and wushu exploded. In Shaolin Temple , Jet plays Jue Yuan, one of a band of real 13 Shaolin monks that rescued future Tang Dynasty emperor Li Shi-min from his father's evil Sui Dynasty enemies. In recognition of the monks' bravery and martial skills, when Li ascended to the throne as Emperor Taizong (A.D. 626-649), the film and history explained that he granted extra land to the temple and decreed that a monk could eat meat and drink alcohol if he chose to. Though two non-related sequels were shot, Shaolin Temple led to the eventual resurgence and reopening of the Shaolin Temple doors, and most importantly the film’s underlying impact reinstated the cultural and historical recognition and significance of the Shaolin Temple in China, yet this time on a global level. In 1973, at age 16, my life’s goal was to go to Song Shan Shaolin and learn Chi Gong. The irony of life is that in 1980, I learned Chi Gong in the Song Shan area of Taipei, Taiwan. Far out.

ONE Championship brought an absolutely stacked card to Bangkok, Thailand, with ONE Friday Fights 22. The event featured two title tilts and a who’s who of Muay Thai. Lumpinee Boxing Stadium was deafening from start to finish for one of the year’s best martial arts cards. If you missed any of the action, here is your chance to catch up. This is your recap for ONE Friday Fights 22. Main Event: Arjan Bhullar vs. Anatoly Malykhin Main Event Arjan Bhullar vs. Anatoly Malykhin Malykhin Winner by TKO Anatoly Malykhin is now the undisputed ONE Heavyweight World Champion. And he accomplished the task in his typical fashion — utter dominance. Malykhin walked Bhullar down in each round. If Bhullar attempted to clinch, the Russian heavyweight simply pushed him away and went back to work. As “Sladkiy” attacked the body, he set up bigger shots to the head. In the third round, he began to overwhelm Bhullar. Finally, Malykhin was able to drag him to the canvas and pummeled him until the referee had seen enough. Malykhin now reigns as the undisputed ONE Light Heavyweight and Heavyweight World Champion and is unquestionably one of the best and most exciting martial artists on the planet. Main Event: Prajanchai PK Saenchai vs. Sam-A Gaiyanghadao Main Event Prajanchai PK Saenchai vs. Sam-A Gaiyanghadao Prajanchai Winner by Knockout Prajanchai PK Saenchai put a stamp on his rematch against Sam-A Gaiyanghadao with a brutal second-round KO to become the ONE Interim Strawweight Muay Thai World Champion. Prajanchai unseated Sam-A two years ago and once again asserted himself as the better man. After a knockdown, the Thai star saw his chance to finish his fellow countryman. But it did not come immediately. Prajanchai reset himself and slowed down to allow the finish to come, and it did. The deciding blow came while Prajanchai was throwing a flurry of strikes. As Sam-A tried to defend, a beautiful right elbow crashed into his face, putting him out for good. Prajanchai’s stellar performance put the gold back around his waist. Full Card Superlek Kiatmoo9 vs. Nabil Anane Superlek Winner by Knockout Seksan Or Kwanmuang vs. Nathan Bendon Seksan Winner by Unanimous Decision Muangthai PK Saenchai vs. Nico Carrillo Carrillo Winner by TKO Sitthichai Sitsongpeenong vs. Eddie Abasolo Sitthichai Winner by Unanimous Decision Rambolek Chor Ajalaboon vs. Fariyar Aminipour Aminipour Winner by Split Decision Gingsanglek Tor Laksong vs. Kongthoranee Sor Sommai Kongthoranee Winner by Knockout Jomhod Auto MuayThai vs. Akram Hamidi Hamidi Winner by TKO Thongpoon PK Saenchai vs. Yangdam Sor Tor Hiewbangsaen Thongpoon Winner by Split Decision Fan Rong vs. Shamil Erdogan Erdogan Winner by Knockout Superlek Kiatmoo9 displayed his excellence in a quick 2-minute victory over Nabil Anane. The long frame of Anane merely gave Superlek more targets to hit as he blasted the body and head. A pinpoint accurate shot to the body put Anane on the canvas, and he could not meet the count. After the match, Superlek called out ONE Bantamweight Muay Thai World Champion Jonathan Haggerty. Sitthichai Sitsongpeenong looked outstanding in his three-round victory over Eddie Abasolo. The American was able to open a cut late against the Thai, but it only spurred the talented Thai on to rally. Abasolo’s toughness was displayed, but Sitthichai cruised to a unanimous decision win. Kongthoranee Sor Sommai weathered Gingsanglek Tor Laksong’s storm in the first round and closed the show in the second. The perfect finish came when Kongthoranee landed a perfect left hook during an exchange between the two warriors. The victory gave him the third win of four bouts between the two and another highlight for his reel. Thongpoon PK Saenchai and Yangdam Sor Tor Hiewbangsaen threw down for nine minutes in an absolute war. Thongpoon immediately charged his fellow countryman, and the two duked it out. That close-quarters action continued each second of the fight. In the end, Thongpoon’s power shots did enough to win a split decision.

Oftentimes in life, we come across people who call themselves specialists in certain areas of work, i.e. professionals, scientists or, simply, owners of certain knowledge and skills. But, after a certain amount of time, we gradually come to see that they are so-called self-proclaimed experts with very poor general knowledge and, usually, with not enough experience and sometimes even with a fake diploma or a diploma that was falsely obtained. Such situations can, unfortunately, be witnessed with martial arts masters. Such experts often praise themselves with their alleged knowledge, but when they are faced with a real professional master, their true lack of knowledge and incompetence comes to show. The problem lies mostly in their elementary ignorance, insufficient awareness about topics concerning martial arts, their poor and distorted way of performing certain martial arts techniques, insufficient acquaintance with scientific and expert literature, etc. The worst among them are those masters who are arrogant and young, having acquired some knowledge or even a diploma, but do not have the real amount of experience. The only ones who are worse than them are those who fake or buy their diplomas, i.e. they cannot back up their existence with any real effort, years of work, a book they have read, etc. Those who have never actually passed a professional exam and no one has ever made a real evaluation of their work and skills. Fake diplomas are a simptom of a serious illness in today's society, they are a reflection of a crisis in education as well as of all efforts to acquire it thanks to your own efforts and hard work. Those who have been given such fake diplomas and have obtained fake knowledge are, in reality, dilettantes, opposed to respectable martial arts teachers, masters, instructors or experts. We need to ask ourselves: Who gave a diploma to such a person? How is it possible that someone allowed such a person to teach martial arts and didn't notice his/her lack of knowledge and competence? Fake diplomas are a huge threat. Self-proclaimed and fake martial arts masters are an even bigger threat. Such persons are making big damage to martial arts and, thanks to their appearance, are destroying the reputation of other legitimate masters and professionals. Parole,parole, parole – Parole, soltanto parole Everyone knows that, if you wish to seek employment, you need to show your CV and credentials to your future employer. They will ask you about your education, professional diploma, i.e. if you have completed the necessary education for that position. If you meet their criteria, they will ask you about your former work experience. Then they will put you on probation in order to check if you have the necessary skills, experience and knowledge for the job. This is the same process that should be applied when questioning the competencies of a martial arts master. Unfortunately, it isn't so in most cases. When you ask some of them where and with which martial arts master have they learnt the necessary skills, you will always get similar answers. They will say that they learnt the techniques with one or two masters- instructors. They will usually mention some lesser known or entirely unknown martial arts instructors. This is where you start questioning their expertise. Moreover, if you ask them if they have published any books- they haven't. Have they perhaps published any scientific papers in journals? They haven't. Have they ever competed at a martial arts tournament? They haven't. Have they held any seminars, conferences, lectures, etc. They haven't. This is when your doubts about their competence and martial arts knowledge are justified. Still, these so-called masters continue to assure you that they are knowledgeable and competent. They continue to talk about their titles, skills, expertise. All in all, they talk a lot, but they don't have anything to cover the truthfulness of their words and stories. If you wish to invite them to a sparing duel in order to check their skills (which is entirely normal among martial arts masters), you will always get the same answer. If you invite them to a sparing, they will complain that they are too old for that (although they are 40, 45, 50 or 55 years old). Also, they will tell you that they have injured themselves in training yesterday and they are not able to accept it. And that's not all. They will oftentimes tell you that they need to have control over some very dangerous skills and techniques so it's not a good idea to accept the sparing invitation for your own safety. They could easily injure you or even kill you if they are not careful. In other words, they are refusing the sparing "allegedly” for of your own safety because you are not on their level. So what can you say to that? Such self-proclaimed masters often call themselves warriors, samurais, ninjas, shaolin monks, some ancient karate, kung fu, tae kwon do masters, etc. They give themselves all kinds of titles. They try to look dangerous and they constantly talk about being dressed in special clothes or about knowing special martial arts techniques. Still, if you ask them if and where they have gone through special or military training they won't have an answer. If you ask them whether they have been in any wars, they will say that they haven't. And still, they call themselves warriors or heroes. They call themselves "dangerous warriors”, but they won't (because they can't) go to sparing with young men that are 15, 16 or 17 years old because they would beat them up. So what can you say to such stories? Words, words, words. Words, just words. This is all these so-called masters can and know. They can talk a lot, invent stories, fantasize, lie. Words are cheap, so anyone can talk. Don't we live in a country where there is freedom of speech? Why are we surprised that such self-proclaimed master all that do is talk? Talking is easy and anyone can do it, but doing that what we are talking about is something else entirely. Words are just words, not actions. Real and truthful martial arts masters won't talk much- they will show their actions right away. This is the basic difference between a real and knowledgeable martial arts master in comparison to a fake and self-proclaimed "alleged” master. What is he a master of, exactly? You will sometimes read in certain martial arts magazines, on social media, on a seminar or in a conversation in one of the martial arts centers that such a self-proclaimed master is called a "fake” master. Telling or giving such names for this type of persons, saying that they are fake masters, impostors, liars or that they are unprofessional, cowards, etc. is not something that you will hear from real martial arts masters- experts. Why is that so? Every real master knows about the basic martial arts postulate and it is- respect. Because of this respect they do not want to make fun of, laugh at or insult anyone. And get this- these so-called masters know about that and use it to their own advantage. Respect! Respect needs to be earned. In Europe, if you wish to say that someone is a fake master, unprofessional, coward or that he talks too much, boasts and doesn't show any real actions, you would start to sing a well-known Italian ballad. It is a melody and lyrics that all European masters (as well as many other worldwide masters) know and understand- "Parole, parole, parole. Parole, soltanto parole.” Anyone can talk, but doing that what you are talking about is something that these persons can't do. This is the basic difference between a real and self-proclaimed martial arts master. World Champions and Fame Today when you talk to athletes who compete is some of the many martial arts disciplines, you can't but notice the fact that there is an extremely large number of world champions. There almost isn't a slightly better athlete that wasn't or isn't a world champion is a martial arts discipline. As it is widely known, there is a huge number of martial arts disciplines across the world. Athletes are divided according to the martial arts discipline, weight categories, sex and age. So, they are competing in many different disciplines and, as we all know, there are numerous world federations that exist. There are several world organizations (federations) in some martial arts sports such as boxing, kick boxing, karate, tae kwon do, jiu jitsu, wrestling, etc. This enormous number of different martial arts sports (according to their skills and different styles), as well as a large number of different disciplines consequently have produced a large number of world champions and winners. So, if an athlete cannot become a world champion in a certain federation, he just needs to change his weight category or discipline which he is competing in. If he still doesn't become a world champion after that, he simply needs to go to another bigger or smaller world federation of a certain martial arts sport. If this doesn't give him the wanted result, he just needs to gather a couple of like-minded individuals and form his own world federation, create a new discipline or category and he will become a world champion. And this is exactly what is happening. A world championship between certain federation is not a rarity anymore. In certain disciplines or weight categories there are only 2 or 3 athletes-competitors. Athletes from those federations only need to wait to become world champions in a certain discipline or weight category. As much as it may sound funny, a world championship where only 2 or 3 athletes are competing is a reality. The winner is proclaimed as the world champion, he gets a diploma, lifts the trophy, his picture is being taken and he becomes the new world champion with all the honors the title gives. We can find this odd, we can laugh or complain, but we still can't change the fact that this "athlete” has become one of many world champions. Such "champions” teach other athletes that same martial art later on. Yes, that happens, too. Why? Because they are "world champions”. They have the title and certain honors just like some other athletes who earned those same results with hard work and dedication. Many athletes who competed in the most popular world federations fought against the most famous fighters or appeared in a discipline where they truly had to show their skills and knowledge and who earned that title fairly. They are astonished by such practices, but they cannot change them. Why? The majority of such avid persons who call themselves "athletes” and world champions can make themselves believe that they earned such titles. This is far easier that actually deserving those honors in a larger and better-known federation by fighting and competing with the best athletes in the world. Such persons are, later on, hungry for attention, self-promotion and fame. So why wouldn't they want that? After all, they are winners, world champions. All of their family members, friends and neighbors are proud of them. They have the support of other similar "athletes” of that certain sport as well as certain members of their sports center. They become famous and children from sports centers are in awe of them. Maybe you won't believe it, but these fake champions even become future athletes' role models. They are recommended and accepted into that sport's Hall of Fame. You ask yourselves why. Well, just like famous athletes that are responsible for their martial arts' development and promotion which they gained by becoming world champions. You can wonder about it, you can laugh or disapprove, but they will be accepted into the Hall of Fame. Such persons want to become its members although they don't belong there. Today, every martial arts sport has its own Hall of Fame. Every country, city, magazine, organization, even every larger town has its own Hall of Fame. If they don't, they will try to form something similar to that. Human vanity is extremely big and many people wish to become famous just so they can boast themselves in from of others and show that they are somebody in the world of martial arts and sports. Sadly for them, they chose the wrong sport. In martial arts sports and disciplines hard work, order, discipline, bravery, boldness, skill and humbleness is appreciated. We all know what the term "bloody sport” means. And we certainly know who is the real martial arts winner. Who is the true world champion, and who isn't. Self-proclaimed martial arts masters are those who constantly talk about themselves, boast and make up all sorts of stories like they are trying to convince themselves. They wave at you with their recognitions, show diplomas that are beautifully designed, but that are not worth anything, they are just a piece of paper. They are simple fake diplomas (bought diplomas) or diplomas that aren't earned truthfully. Their words, diplomas and titles are not worth anything- there is no real knowledge, skill, experience, advanced technique, dangerous knowledge or techniques. Nothing. Just a lot of talk, made up stories and mostly cowardice. Winners that aren't really that, world champions that gained their titles in an entirely inappropriate way at some weird and laughable world championships. Such world champions, realistically speaking, wouldn't be able to make it to the top 10 best fighters in that sport. World champions that are waving with a weapon and performing some nonsensical katas, katas without the bunkai technique. World champions that are waving with a weapon and do not really know how to use it in self-defense. World champions that were the best at some ridiculous and oddly-organized world championship where a total of 2 or 3 athletes were planned to compete in a given category or discipline. Martial arts world champions that could easily be beaten up by a beginner, i.e. a person that never really practiced that martial art. And that is their reality, the truth. Their knowledge, skill and ability to defend themselves is at the lowest level. We can marvel at that, laugh or complain, but we can't change the fact that these self-proclaimed fake masters as well as fake "champions” exist among us in a community where people seriously practice martial arts. And as much as we wonder about that, you cannot change the fact that their number is increasing. Such persons are making a huge damage to martial arts and their appearance is destroying the reputation of other true masters and experts. And all of this would be really comical if it wasn't tragic. So, when you come across such persons, the only thing you can do is sing "Words, words, words. Words, only words.” Parole, parole, parole. Parole, soltanto parole.

Seven elements of teambuilding… Device of Judo (and all kind ) coaching. If you are satisfied about your results: develop. If you are not satisfied about your results: change! 1. Each team member should have the opportunity to have his or her view on; the targets/goals that have to be set, the role that each individual member has to perform, the methods that will be employed to reach the targets/goals and the expectations that the team members have of the team. This section is a brainstorming phase. Expressing the views of the group process may then lead to the formulation of group targets/goals and to understand how these targets/goals can be best achieved. Important is that the team gets confidence in the cooperation . Therefore the probability that the set target/goal will be reached will be larger. In this section we come to common targets/goals 2.Make clear what the individual skills of team members are and which tasks the individual team members aspire. The tasks of the team members are then matched and the team comes to collaboration and targeted teamwork. shared visions . 3. Individual and collective responsibility and accountability. In the interest of the team, team members are required to work utmost to reach the stated goals. Team members must seek to account for their individual actions, but they should also bear responsibility for the group results. 4. A team culture should arise. This includes the acceptance of leadership, developing a team identity, team spirit and team attitude. A positive team culture and cohesive group atmosphere . In order to promote culture, the team coach or manager should be aware of what goes on within the team. Setting up a participation council can be a good way to get informed. 5. Team identity is important in team building. Team identity can be built explicitly by involving team members in the group’s goals, formulating common ideals and open expressions of pride in their performances. 6. The promotion of open and honest communication. Good communication prevents problems, but it is also important in solving problems. Open and honest communication is based on trust, sincerity and mutual understanding . 7. Mutual help and social support. The willingness of teammates to provide each other, if necessary, with practical and emotional support has a beneficial effect on the functioning of the team as a whole. Partly for this reason it is good that team members know each other outside the functional atmosphere. These seven basic components of team building is an approach at different levels: ➢ Individual approach ➢ Group approach or interpersonal approach ➢ Task-oriented approach In the individual approach the team member is the central. In the group approach is the formation of the team central. The task-oriented approach, the primary efforts are focused on achieving goals. Willem Visser Executive coach, Strategic Adviser, International Lecturer, 8th Dan Judo IJF With gratitude to all my teachers, specialists, colleagues and especially all the judoka that I was allowed to guide and to coach. Sources and inspiring professionals: Van der Horst, Cobben, Abe, Saitoh, Yamashita, Uemura, Sugawara, Murata, Hosokawa, Komata, Takahashi, Nakamura, Kasuga, Kawashima, Kariya, Brousse, Besson, Rougé, Ruska, Geesink, de Cree, Barta, Vachun, Viser, Lascau, McConnell, Snijders, Sins, Hoogendijk, Boersma, Odinot, van Dijk, Klok, Agúndez, Landsberg, Covey, de Waal, DeCaluwe, Drucker, Franzen, Goldratt, Hammer, Kets de Vries, Kotler, Mastenbroek, Mintzberg, Peters, Porter, Quinn, ten Bos, Trompenaars, Vinke, Weggeman, Wissema and many others. I shared this news with the widow of Jeremy Glick and got this response... "Thank you for sharing this. Our family had heard a life well lived and certainly a man who shaped so many lives including Jeremy's starting as a young boy. Hope all is well, Lyz" Results - 2023 Junior Olympic National Championships Results - 2023 Junior Olympic National Championships usajudo.smoothcomp.com Results and medals for 2023 Junior Olympic National Championships Sensei Gary Goltz on Lifting in Judo Using a Tonfa as an Aid - 6-17-23 Sensei Gary Goltz demonstrates the proper way to use your arm in forward throws such as Tsuri Komi Goshi using a Tonfa to emphasize the proper gripping motion. New Video on Proper Lifting in Judo Using a Tonfa as an Aid Sensei Gary Goltz demonstrates the proper way to use your arm in forward throws such as Tsuri Komi Goshi using a Tonfa to emphasize the proper gripping motion. Calendar: June - 2023 25th Sunday - U.S. Adaptive Judo Championships , Riverside, CA July - 2023 16th Sunday - CA State Games , San Diego, CA August - 2023 5th Saturday - Beginner & Intermediate Tournamen t, Las Vegas, NV 6th Sunday - Nikkei Games Budo Tournament , Cypress, CA 23rd Saturday - Veterans Judo Open , Myrtle Beach, SC September - 2023 17th Sunday - Nevada State Judo Championship , Las Vegas, NV 24th Sunday - Nanka Fall Tournament , Westminster, CA October - 2023 1st Sunday - Capitol Open Judo Championships , Sacramento, CA 22nd Sunday - Fresno Invitational Tournament , Fresno, CA 29th Sunday - Fight for a Cure Women's Tournament & Clinic , Riverside, CA 29th Sunday - Hanabi Halloween Classic , Albany, CA November - 2023 1st Wednesday to 3rd Friday - IJF World Veterans Championships , Abu Dhabi, UAE 5th Sunday - Nanka Team Tournament , Westminster, CA 19th Sunday - Presidents Cup National Championships , Irving, TX December - 2023 8th Friday to 10th Sunday - Nanka Winter Nationals & Clinics , Azusa, CA April - 2024 7th Sunday - Nanka Spring Tournament , Westminster, CA May - 2024 5th Sunday - Nanka West Coast Invitational , Westminster, CA June - 2024 28th Friday to 30th Sunday - USJF & USJA Summer Nationals , Tacoma. WA September - 2024 29th Sunday - Nanka Fall Tournament , Westminster, CA October - 2024 20th Sunday - Nanka Team Tournament , Westminster, CA December - 2024 6th Friday to 8th Sunday - Nanka Winter Nationals & Clinics , Azusa, CA I’m always looking for new subjects to write about regarding judo as well as contributions from my readers. Please send them to gary@garygoltz.com , thanks.

In all my 50 years of watching martial arts movies, Fist of the Condor is the second film that reveals the real secret training method on screen of ching gong (in Condor , Defy Gravity skill ), undoubtedly influenced by Jimmy Wong Yu’s Master of the Flying Guillotine (1976). It is also the only film in the West and possibly the East that comes close to understanding one of the most important aspects of Chi (Qi) and how that affects one’s health and inner power. Beyond the film’s significant substance, collective exuberance and personal joy, there’s an exhilarating electric charge that quickens the pulse with a zealously renaissance sense of a terrifying and tantalizing suspenseful interpretation of one of martial arts most important tenets, in the East and West, “Who is the most dangerous opponent that you will ever face in life?” When you realize the metaphor is not too encrypted, you’ll find it mesmerizing when you consider the film arose from another legendary bird’s ashes of fiery discontent, on probably one the most emotionally draining, anger intensifying, population-splitting and country-dividing true global dangerous opponent the world has ever faced…COVID. After we shared stories about how Bruce Lee instantly gave both of our lives purpose and direction while watching our first Lee movie, the 8-year-old Zaror in the-mid 1980s with friends seeing Enter the Dragon on Chilean TV, I esoterically noted and asked that not only did Marko want to make Condor , yet maybe something else wanted him to make the movie too? The mindfully reflective Zaror shares, “Wow! That is a good question though. I believe this film is from the soul of my honest expression. It was during COVID, we’re in quarantine, everything closed, no movies, no connection, isolating myself at the beach with few folks around. Doing long meditations at beautiful sunrises and sunsets, I was trying to re-think my purpose and my life because we were facing the end of the world. “I thought, ‘If this it, how would I like people to remember me? If kids see me and see my last movie, what do I want that movie to be?’ I wanted to do a love letter to everything that inspired my life, being the martial artist that I am, the human being that I am. “I captured the cultures of the martial arts world and kung fu movies and brought them into our culture, our reality. I also had all these notes that I collected through my life on training systems, philosophy, nutrition that captured the Latino culture and gave them to the director. Merging them was the whole concept behind Fist of the Condor , honestly expressing myself, and wanting to create a Latin American kung fu film as an homage to everything that inspired me.” Prior to the fall of the Incas by Spanish conquistadors circa 1572, where in years past the Chilean Mapuche warriors halted the Inca invasion in Central Chile, Inca Rumi Maki masters hid a sacred manual containing the deadly secret Fist of the Condor . Flash forward to today-ish, the secret has fallen into evil hands (Zaror) leaving the manual’s only rightful guardian (Zaror) as an incomplete martial artist that has a weakness every vicious assassin bent on killing him know. These are the days of reckoning, there is no hiding place, the days of black and white, clarity and parity, evil and good, there are no half measures, no reprieve for the two warriors that will go hell for leather to kill each other. The Inca spirits are maybe the judges, jurors and executioners that will hand down a verdict of death and one spared. Who’s really in control, good, evil, the Condor, Inca spirits, the Condor Woman? It is like two boats on the edge of a water fall, paddling like nuts, jumping through hoops or oops!, not fully knowing what is safe or accidental, or if that has already happened or not. Only time, emotion and Chi may delineate the truth. Condor is an eclectic provider of more nods to many classic martial arts films than a Bruce Lee bobble-head doll. I’m actually nodding my head as I’m writing this. They’re subtle, blatant and secretive, where part of the fun is looking for these homages that are hidden in plain sight, I’ve already mentioned two. Few more clues: Duel to Death (1982), Billy Jack (1972), Carradine’s Kung Fu , a Lee film, 36th Chamber of Shaolin (1978), The Brave Archer (1977) and many more. If anyone is familiar with Chinese wuxia films or has had the chance to read my blog about wuxia martial arts novels ( https://blackbeltmag.com/martial-arts-movies-wuxia ), the most obvious nod, which is the most logical, is the film’s title that is based on where the film is shot and honors the country’s national symbol, the Andes Condor in Chile. The film’s titillating title comes with a lovingly brotherly spiritual tribute to arguably the most popular wuxia novel in history, The Legend of the Condor Heroes (1957), by Louis Cha. For bird buffs. Although the novel’s title Condor Heroes refers to legendary condors twice as big as humans, the literal Chinese translation The Legend of the Bird of Prey Shooting Heroes , the bird is an eagle. Condors are New World vultures only found in parts of North America (California, Arizona) and South America (the Andes Mountains). Old World vultures are the vultures we are familiar with, whereas the cinereous and red-headed vultures, the two main species in China, are not condors. Yet in the West, the English word, Giant Condor is more attention grabbing than an eagle, certainly Cha and his publishers were aware of this. Marko’s Martial Journey: Bruce Lee to Mexico to Hollywood to Prodigal Son “After Enter the Dragon ,” Marko enthusiastically avers, “That changed my life forever, Lee didn’t live long (we both sigh), and I was just a little kid, but it was such a powerful moment, he showed me that my life was going to be connected with martial arts and it never stopped.” Due to the military regime prohibiting martial arts, his mother, Gina Aguad (first female black belt in Chile; played Condor Woman in Condor ), got him into a tae kwon do (TKD) school, yet he still wanted to learn kung fu. His city-wide search failed; he could only find a karate school. He shivered, “It was a big thing for me because in the Bruce lee film Fists of Fury , kung fu are the good guys, karate are the bad guys, and I’m like, ‘Aaaaah, nooo, I cannot do this.’ When I must throw my black pants aside, the Bruce Lee kung fu shoes, and white socks to having to wear a white gi with a belt…man, that was one of the hardest days of my life. I’m not kidding.” Yet a friend told him about karate master who was so amazing and after meeting him, Zaror agreed. So, he began learning Okinawan Kenshin karate noting, “He changed my attitude, it was very strong for me, everything changed. I just had to empty my mind and start over.” Eventually returning to TKD, the WFT system with the same TKD master, he once again, had to empty his mind and start over. It seemed with age, as young as he was, he was becoming wiser. The old master took Zaror aside as he fondly recalled, “He told me I was an amazing martial artist, ‘You could be very good at this, you have such ability, but I feel in this style you won’t reach your maximum potential. Try join the national TKD team.’ I did. I’ve never forgotten his words; they were powerful. (pause) Empty my mind and start from zero.” I wondered if things would have turned out differently if the wide-eyed wee lad Zaror who wanted to be like Bruce Lee, knew back then that Lee’s kicking skills were influenced by TKD. When he was 18 and due to being on the Chilean national TKD team and participating in competition, Zaror got the opportunity to fly to Mexico City where a new martial art life direction opened up…or did it? He hooked up with the former Chilean kickboxing champion Jose Luis Mosca and began kickboxing training with him. Then one day something caught his eye, a movie poster in the gym with Mosca in it, a hitman. “And that’s when my eyes went boom,” Zaror blurted. “I’m like, ‘You’re doing martial arts movies?’ Before seeing this, it was never my dream to be in movies. My brain clicked. I have to get to Hollywood (he snickers), it’s not far from here.” Mosca invited Zaror, to participate in one film, and then it happened, “That’s when everything started for me, this is what I wanted to do. Did five movies in Mexico that were low budget and made for the Latino communities that live in the U.S., near the border that don’t speak English.” He got a scholarship to attend Telivisa to train as an actor to be in Mexican soaps operas. His first bite of the apple was at hand. He was offered a job working in a soap opera, yet no fights, and they told him if someone slaps him, he cannot block it and kick them. He declined, realizing that he must stay honest to his journey and make it to LA, Hollywood, and start from zero. When Zaror arrived in LA, it was tough, finding a place to live wasn’t easy. To make ends meet and meat, he became a waiter, dishwasher and began teaching in a gym. Then, to keep the dream alive he started training at the LA Valley College amid the stunt community. He recalled, “I’d see these guys flying in the air. Training hard every day. Everyone started talking about this legend. One day he shows up at the gym and I asked, ‘Who’s he?,’ someone replied, ‘Oh, that’s Andy Cheng, Jackie Chan’s stuntman.’ He was nice to me. A year later he asked if I was interested in doubling the Rock in The Rundown (2003). He was my first big mentor in learning how to do a fight scene.” Zaror quite all his jobs only to find out that he didn’t have a work visa and that Andy had to find someone else. “I told Andy that I didn’t want to get him in trouble, yet he told me not to worry saying there is no one that can do what you do at your height, the flips, corkscrew kicks. Yet he still needed to run auditions. Three months went by, and I thought no way I’m getting this job . Then I got the job, Andy got me the job. He became like my older brother that I had in the U.S. He fought for me, got me the visa and the opportunity to be in the U.S.” And that’s when Zaror met famous stuntman JJ Perry who was doubling for Sean William Scott and together they did the excitingly dangerous and insane tumbling down the mountain stunts. “Yet I still wanted to do fights,” Zaror affirmed. “The stunt was dangerous, and I just didn’t want to do tumbling, crashing cars, guns, horses, motorcycles. Being a stuntman is an honorable profession, yet I still wanted to follow my dream and honestly express myself as a martial artist. This was a second red apple, the opportunity for another incredible career, to be a stuntman.” He declined the offer and returned to Chile, not distraught, yet hopeful, adding, “With that money, I put together all that I learned, what I did with Andy Cheng, to create my own movies and that’s how we created Kiltro (2006), the first Latin American martial arts movie in Chile.” Condor Combat In the same wuxia martial arts novel article mentioned earlier, I also detail the history and importance of the worlds of Jiang Hu and Wu Lin created for wuxia novels. Jiang Hu is an alternative society made up of beggars, martial art heroes and villains, and outcasts who coexisted with normal society yet lived by their own laws, morality codes and systems of brotherhood. Wu Lin is a subworld of Jiang Hu for martial artists and swordsmen only. Condor intelligently weaves the blueprints of these worlds that were so vividly revealed in many Shaw Brothers films of the 1970s where age old storylines of whoever owned the secret weapon or kung fu manual would be the head of Jiang Hu, right down to where the villain and hero agreed to fight at a specific time and place and were bound by the rules to fight no matter what. Director Chu Yuen’s film were popular because he was known for having many short fights evenly spaced apart to create the illusion of lots of kung fu action. Director Ernesto Diaz either knowingly or unwittingly, by dissecting the script into nine chapters with a fight, training sequence and/or a bit of both within each chapter, to where sometimes they would meld into the next chapter’s angst of action. He created a Chu-ish flavor within a distinctive Chilean menu. Parts of the fight choreography include old style editing cuts and fight postures used in early 1970s Hong Kong/Taiwanese wuxia films. Overdone snapping stop shots of a kick, block, posture or a panning flying punch were tricks of the trade back then that made actors look like they had Lee speed. Hats off to Zaror, for creating what could be construed as a condor kung fu style if the condor was a bird of prey. Zaror’s hands don’t copy anything white crane-ish. His low looming stances clearly show his straight spreading fingers bending up like when a condor glides through the air with its long wing-tip feathers arching up so the condor can maintain lift while in flight. Another condor skill is when Zaror is lifting and pushing heavy objects onto to the ground as if it was a wing unfolding its powerful wing muscle pushing out an unwanted condor attacking baby condors in its nest. The training Defy Gravity skill sequences are uniquely taught by the Condor Woman in a way that creates hyper concern to the hero where his growing doom is as nervy as surgery. He’s hurdling toward the desperate, at a time when he needs a calm head and a steely resolve to face the prevailing pressure of the world’s most psychopathic assassin sent to unmind and unwind the hero’s psyche. Enter a zealously potent fight with a twisted mischievous ambience that features two animal styles, one surreal, one funereal, where each unrelenting combatant will be bruised, bemused, to where heightened devotion to emotion is but a flicker of light created by Zaror. It makes sense that in this new-fangled Chilean world of Jiang Hu that the finale fight, ending Part 1 of Fist of the Condor pits the psychotic Kalari (Eyal Meyer) spotlighting the ancient Indian martial art of Kalaripayattu that is rarely seen in Western movies. It’s refreshing to witness this multi-animal style that many will find it unfamiliarly fresh yet cool to observe. The ground fighting is most grand and so entertaining as these crouching low to the ground fighters, looking like ferocious, body-twisting mongooses, jump over and under each other with great camera choreography beautifully capturing each movement. A bright barn light starts to dim and flicker as if the light is losing voltage. The light goes out, it’s toss in the towel time for the hero. What’s going on is one the major points that Zaror is trying to get across. He explained, “Voltage is the Chi, our whole system works with the Chi, Chi is our inner energy, inner power, and Chi gets affected in different ways. There are lot of ways to build it up or ways to lose it, and emotion is one of them and that’s what we talk about this movie.” I close my asking every martial artist the same final question, how has martial arts influenced you as person and filmmaker. After a long-drawn breath, Marko averred, “Martial arts showed me my life purpose. It didn’t influence me, it made me who I am today, in every realm, dimension. The way I approach my work and all my relationships, are based on the spirit of martial arts.”