Featured on the cover of Karate Illustrated ’s January 1971 issue, the incredible Thomas LaPuppet stands as a defining figure in American martial arts history. An 8th-degree black belt and USA Karate Hall of Famer, he helped karate gain recognition and defeated icons like Bill "Superfoot" Wallace in competition. A revered coach and mentor, he trained stars like Gregory Hines and Ralph Macchio, leaving a lasting legacy Learn more about this cover and the entire magazine preserved in digital format: https://www.blackbeltmag.com

Black Belt Magazine showcased Hirokazu Kanazawa on the cover of the May 1987 issue. Widely regarded as one of the greatest fighters in Shotokan history, Kanazawa claimed the kumite title at the inaugural All Japan Karate Championships in 1957, the first major tournament in karate history. Renowned for his technical mastery, Kanazawa would go on to be considered one of the most proficient karateka of his era. Learn more about this cover and the entire magazine preserved in digital format: https://www.blackbeltmag.com

All PFL Brands to be Broadcast Across Mexico on FOX Sports Mexico Multi-Year Agreement Begins With PFL World Tournament on April 3 The Professional Fighters League (PFL), the fastest growing and most innovative sports league, today announced a multi-year partnership with FOX Sports Mexico. As a pioneer in the mixed martial arts broadcast space, FOX Sports Mexico will provide fight fans throughout Mexico with live PFL events in Spanish. With this agreement, FOX Sports Mexico will air all of PFL’s high-level franchises, including the 2025 PFL World Tournament, Champions Series, PFL Europe, PFL MENA, PFL Africa and the extensive PFL fight library. In addition, FOX Sports Mexico will showcase featured programming, including pre-and post-fight shows, press conferences, and weigh-ins. FOX Sports Mexico and the PFL will debut their monumental partnership with the start of the 2025 PFL World Tournament on April 3 from Orlando, Florida. This landmark partnership underscores the PFL's global expansion and commitment to delivering world-class mixed martial arts to its dedicated international fan base, while showcasing the organization's premier talent. “We are thrilled to announce our partnership with FOX Sports Mexico,” said PFL CEO Peter Murray. “Much like the PFL, FOX Sports Mexico has been a trailblazer in the mixed martial arts space, and together, we are committed to bringing world-class MMA to fans across Mexico and Latin America. With our roster of elite Latin American fighters continuing to grow, this partnership marks just the beginning of our expansion in one of the fastest-growing regions in the sport. As we build toward the future, we are exploring exciting opportunities to further elevate MMA in the region, including the potential launch of a PFL Latin America league as early as next year.” Watch the First Round of the 2025 PFL World Championships on Thursday, April 3rd live on FOX Sports Mexico, where some of the best Welterweight & Featherweight athletes will face each other for a chance to advance to the semifinals. Fans can find all of PFL’s action on FOX Sports multi-platform channels, including FOX Sports Premium, and the FOX Sports MX APP. For more information visit www.foxsports.com.mx . Facebook: @foxsportsmx. X: @FOXSportsMX. Instagram: foxsportsmx

With a deadline fast approaching, the need for 1,000 words on the business of writing about martial arts and a case of writer's block, I finally realized that the best way to approach the creation of this column might be to let other people explain what it's like to write rather than explain it myself. It was Black Belt ’s editor who proposed a story on how martial artists can become martial arts writers. My initial response was, “Can I say how you need to be a masochist who doesn’t want to make money?” Undaunted by my pessimism, the editor provided a couple of suggestions for people to interview, starting with Stephen K. Hayes. Stephen K. Hayes stands ready Hayes was the first American to train in ninjutsu in the 1970s after reading about ninja warriors in a James Bond novel and in the pages of Black Belt .  Now the author of numerous books on the subject, Hayes is quick to admit that his life was changed by the writing of others. “They can do a lot with CGI in the movies, but it’s good writing that can really fire up the imagination and inspire you,” he said. Beginning as a martial artist who kept a diary of his time training in Japan, Hayes elected to turn his journal into a book. That’s not a bad way to get started as a writer — concentrate on your own experience, which is a subject you know well. Hayes continued writing about ninjutsu, supporting himself by penning a series of popular books published by Black Belt  in the 1980s. Hayes published many titles with Black Belt He became the ultimate niche writer, focusing on a narrow specialty that almost no one else had knowledge of. For a writer, this can be a positive and a negative. If you’re one of the few people covering a topic, you become the go-to person when a story is needed. The drawback comes if interest in that topic declines, as it did with ninjutsu. That’s why Hayes recommends being broad-based in your writing. His recent books have dealt with topics other than ninjutsu, but they’re still tangentially related to martial arts. One such subject he’s tackled: esoteric Buddhism. It also doesn’t hurt that he has 62,000 followers on Facebook. Obviously, having access to a network of people with similar interests is great for marketing your work. In Hayes’ case, that network also includes a chain of schools across the globe, which guarantees a deep pool of potential readers. Next, I was pointed in the direction of best-selling novelist Barry Eisler . Barry Eisler, author of the John Rain book series That’s when I was reminded of the fact that one of the enjoyable aspects of writing is the opportunity to talk with interesting people you wouldn’t normally meet. Case in point: Eisler, the author of the wildly successful martial arts–laden “John Rain” thrillers. With one book already made into a film, a potential TV series in the works and a new hit titled The God’s Eye View , he’s where most writers aspire to be. Since writing barely pays my electricity bill, I was prepared to hate him. But Eisler proved friendly and approachable, turning our conversation into a pleasant chat on topics of mutual interest. The Kodokan, the world famous training space in Japan Following a stint in the CIA, Eisler found work in Japan, where he trained in judo at the Kodokan and spent his off-hours writing his first novel about an assassin who just happened to have once been a CIA agent and learned judo at the Kodokan. Obviously, Eisler is a believer in the importance of writing about things you know and things that interest you. “I’m cognizant of wanting people to like what I write, but it’s really the things that I’m passionate about which end up in my work,” he said. Running down the list of prepared questions I always create for an interview — to avoid sounding like an idiot — I asked Eisler about the challenges of constructing fictional martial arts fights. Not surprisingly, he said those are some of his favorite scenes to write. Although details and authenticity are essential, he said, more important is what the combatants are experiencing. With an insight that sounded almost Bruce Lee–esque, Eisler added, “Don’t describe the rain; describe the way the rain feels.” Rather than penning fiction or focusing on their own experiences, many people who are looking to break into writing about martial arts will opt to concentrate on the exploits of others. In other words, they’ll be reporters. Jim Genia started as a martial arts enthusiast who trained in judo and karate. Then the first UFC reignited a desire to take up the pen. “I always wanted to be a writer, and I loved MMA,” he said. “It seemed like the perfect intersection for me.” He spent the next few years toiling as a part-time MMA journalist, then published a book titled Raw Combat: The Underground World of Mixed Martial Arts . Its success enabled him to quit his day job and start writing full time. Like every good author, Genia believes writers need to start out as serious readers. “Drawing inspiration from other people’s work is a great tool,” he said. “Even if you want to write about martial arts, don’t limit yourself to reading just about that.” Much of his work has been aimed at Internet sites, which is the route most aspiring writers follow nowadays. He said the immediate feedback you receive from readers, even if it’s just a comment on a blog, is invaluable. While I don’t necessarily disagree with that, I’m often dismayed by the many people who clutter up the Internet with poor writing. But since writers shouldn’t sound bitter, it’s best to have someone else express your negativity for you. Which led me to my final interview for this column. “The Internet has gutted the writing business,” said the refreshingly cynical Matthew Polly . “It’s enabled everyone to find an outlet to tell their stories. But when everyone can do it, the few people who do it well get paid less. Writing has less value.” Matthew Polly showing off his kick! There are still exceptions, though, and Polly is one of them. As the first American to live at Shaolin Temple, he parlayed his experience into a best-selling book called American Shaolin . Now he’s composing a Bruce Lee biography. Polly obviously has found a sweet spot in his writing, one that enables him to appeal to serious martial artists as well as readers with little interest in the arts. “If you want to write for a wider audience, you have to fit the martial arts into a larger story,” he said. “With American Shaolin , I took a coming-of-age story and just slipped it into a martial arts setting.” He added that while the pay may not be great, there are established ways to get started in the writing biz, like covering local tournaments for your hometown newspaper. If you like to think big, however, you’ll need to search for subjects and settings in which martial arts intersect with popular culture. But bigger isn’t always better. That realization hit me once I noticed that I’d exceeded my 1,000-word limit for this column. The blunder brought up one last tip for all the would-be writers out there: Writing is frequently about eliminating many of the precious words you just painstakingly composed.

All 32 First Round Matchups Unveiled for High-Stakes, Single-Elimination Tournament Beginning on April 3 2025 PFL World Tournament Bracket Reveal Show at 8pm ET on ESPN+ and PFL MMA YouTube WHAT: 2025 PFL World Tournament Bracket Reveal Show Fueled by VALR Energy WHEN: Tuesday, March 11 – 8 p.m. ET WHO: Sean O'Connell - Host Dan Hardy - Analysis WATCH:  ESPN+ and PFL MMA YouTube One shot at greatness. The 2025 PFL World Tournament kicks off from the backlot of Universal Studios Florida in Orlando on April 3, April 11, April 18, and May 1. The annual single-elimination tournament will feature eight athletes in eight action packed brackets spanning five months. 64 of the best fighters from around the world will compete to win MMA’s toughest test - win three straight times in five months to become PFL Tournament Champion. The 2025 PFL World Tournament will air live on ESPN platforms in the U.S. Internationally, fans can catch the action live on DAZN. In total, the tournament will be streamed in 190 countries through 20 premium media partners.

SEASON 2 OF PFL MENA COMING TO JEDDAH, SAUDI ARABIA, ON MAY 9 AS PART OF JEDDAH SEASON PFL MENA Continues to be the Premier MMA Competition in the Middle East PFL MENA to Partner with Jeddah Season to Help Grow the Sport of MMA in the Middle East The Professional Fighters League (PFL) has announced that Season 2 of PFL MENA will kick off at the Onyx Arena in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, on Friday, May 9. Following a successful inaugural season in 2024, the second season of PFL MENA aims to further expand mixed martial arts (MMA) in the Middle East by highlighting local talent and providing regional fighters a clear pathway to international recognition and success. This season, PFL MENA will be partnering with Jeddah Season to elevate the sport of MMA in the Middle East by integrating world-class fights into one of Saudi Arabia’s biggest cultural and entertainment festivals. This collaboration aims to bring the excitement of MMA to a broader audience while providing a platform for regional fighters to showcase their skills. A city rich in MMA history, Jeddah hosted its first major MMA event in 2014, and PFL MENA aims to reignite the city’s MMA scene this year. PFL MENA will also continue to celebrate local Middle Eastern talent, as the season will honor fighters who call Jeddah home, namely  Malik Basahel (21-3-1 AM.) who will make his professional debut, and Ahmed Makki , who will be competing in his final professional bout. “We’re very excited to be coming back for a second season and expanding our reach to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia,” said Jerome Mazet, PFL MENA General Manager . “Jeddah is home to a number of amazing fighters and has a strong fanbase, so we’re excited and grateful to bring the sport of MMA back to this incredible city.” “Last year, the first-ever season of PFL MENA was a massive success, and it did a wonderful job of elevating the sport of MMA in the Middle East, not only by putting on amazing events for the fans, but also creating heroes and building stars that represent the quality and level of Middle Eastern MMA. We cannot wait to put on even more amazing events and build even more stars this year,” Mazet added. More information about the upcoming PFL MENA season will be announced soon. Stay tuned to PFL MENA on social media for more details. Register on WeBook.com now and get access to an exclusive 24-hour pre-sale beginning Monday, March 24, 2025. Tickets will be available to the public on Tuesday, March 25, 2025.

The 2025 PFL Europe Lightweight Tournament bracket has been announced ahead of PFL Europe Belfast at The SSE Arena on May 10th All four Lightweight fights will take place at PFL Europe Belfast with seven European nationalities represented at 155 lbs Tickets for PFL Europe Belfast are on sale now at ticketmaster.ie The Professional Fighters League (PFL) today announced the PFL Europe Lightweight fighters and bracket, with all four first round fights due to take place at PFL Europe Belfast on May 10th at the SSE Arena. Belfast will be the home of PFL Europe’s first tournament fights of 2025, which will see the continent’s top athletes enter a bracket who will have one shot to win three bouts across the year to earn the coveted PFL Europe Championship and a cash prize of $100,000. The PFL Europe Lightweight bracket is as follows:   Connor Hughes , England (10-2) vs. Sebastian Di Franco , Belgium (10-3) Liverpool’s Connor Hughes is a devastating striker with tested one-punch knockout power, which saw him advance to the PFL Europe 2024 Lightweight final where he fell short against the repeat Champion, Jakub Kaszuba. He will look to right the wrongs of last year in his match-up against the Belgian PFL debutant, Sebastian Di Franco. From La Louvière, Di Franco has been making waves in the Lightweight division with 10 wins and only 3 loses. Having tested himself against some of the best fighters in Belgium and France, he is now stepping up to the PFL Europe Tournament in the hope of proving his skillset against the very best Europe has to offer.   Mark Ewen , Scotland (6-1) vs. Aleksandr “Pretty Boy” Chizov , Latvia (10-3) Edinburgh’s Mark Ewen has been touted as the next generation of MMA stars due to his 18 victories across amateur and professional bouts all coming by way of finish, not discriminating between KOs or submissions. After bouncing back in PFL Europe Glasgow in August 2024 following his first professional loss, he’s looking to pick up momentum in the PFL Europe Lightweight Tournament against Latvia’s Aleksandr Chizov. From Riga, Chizov boasts an impressive 10-3 record and is looking to re-enter the Lightweight tournament again in 2025. Alex has been training out of the elite Allstars Training Center in Sweden made famous by Alexander Gustafsson and Khamzat Chimaev.  Claudio Pacella , Italy (5-2) vs. Gavin “Big Tasty” Hughes , England (11-4) Rome’s Claudio Pacella, training out of Dublin, Ireland, is an incredibly tough, durable, and game opponent who always leaves his all in the SmartCage. With three outings in 2024, he gave Belgian sensation Patrick Habirora his toughest professional fight, and capped the year with two wins. Pacella will be confident with momentum on his side as he faces the PFL debutant Gavin Hughes from Liverpool, who has competed at the highest level in Bellator against opponents such as Yves Landu. Decky McAleenan , Ireland (9-5-1) vs. Gino “The Ghost Assassin” Van-Steenis , Spain (5-1) Local fighter Decky McAleenan will be making his PFL debut as he enters the tournament in hopes of bringing the European belt back to Ireland for the first time, but he has Gino Van Steenis standing in his way. Gino is the younger brother of PFL’s No. 1 Middleweight contender Costello Van Steenis, and is looking to follow in the footsteps of his brother. In 2025, there will be two weight division tournaments represented in PFL Europe, Men’s Lightweight and Men’s Bantamweight, with the 135 lbs roster and bracket to be revealed at a later date. PFL Europe Belfast will be headlined by Paul “Big News” Hughes  (13-2), who’s set for a homecoming showcase bout in the headline against Brazil’s Bruno “Robusto” Miranda  (17-5). Hughes will fulfil a lifelong dream to main event at The SSE Arena, Belfast’s iconic venue situated a stone’s throw away from his gym, with Miranda looking to spoil the party by displaying his aggressive fighting skillset in the SmartCage. Full bout listing can be found below: Updated PFL Europe Belfast Main Card: May 10th - The SSE Arena, Belfast, Northern Ireland Lightweight Main Event Showcase Bout: Paul Hughes  (13-2) vs. Bruno Miranda  (17-5) PFL Europe Lightweight Tournament Bout: Connor Hughes  (10-2) vs. Sebastian Di Franco  (10-3) PFL Europe Lightweight Tournament Bout:   Mark Ewen  (6-1) vs. Aleksandr “Pretty Boy” Chizov  (10-3) PFL Europe Lightweight Tournament Bout: Claudio Pacella  (5-2) vs. Gavin “Big Tasty” Hughes  (11-4) PFL Europe Lightweight Tournament Bout: Decky McAleenan  (9-5-1) vs. Gino “The Ghost Assassin” Van-Steenis  (5-1)

Lee’s life read like a novel that frequently found him appearing at the confluence of historical events — from escaping the Communist takeover of China to working on formative flights in the American space program to becoming Bruce Lee's first official Los Angeles student. The oldest of five children, Daniel Lee was born in Shanghai in 1930. That meant he was destined to grow up under the Japanese occupation of World War II. He briefly studied kung fu as a child, but after being beaten up by a couple of older boys, he turned his attention to Western boxing. “Shanghai was a very international city, so he went to a YMCA to learn boxing,” said his son Robert Lee. “At the time, I don’t think Chinese martial arts were that well-structured, and my father had a very orderly mind, so the more structured nature of boxing appealed to him.” Daniel Lee was so good at boxing that he continued to train after the war, and in 1948 he won the National Amateur Championship of China. But the following year, Shanghai fell to the Chinese communists, and Lee was forced to flee on a rickety destroyer that had to evade artillery fire and survive a typhoon in order to reach Taiwan. A New Chapter in America Lee’s next relocation would take him to the United States, where he attended Utah State University. While earning a degree in engineering, he continued to box. He then moved to Southern California, and his interest in the fighting arts exploded. Lee wound up studying judo, tai chi chuan, and Ed Parker’s kenpo. In fact, it was at Parker’s famed Long Beach International tournament that he got his first glimpse of a little-known martial artist named Bruce Lee (no relation). “There were several of us who trained in kenpo and used to hang out together,” Steve Golden said. “We all saw Bruce and were very impressed. Then Danny Inosanto mentioned to us that Bruce was opening a school in Los Angeles and invited us to attend the opening. Dan [Lee] and I started together there on the first day.” Dan Lee and Bruce Lee training together Becoming a Pioneer of Jeet Kune Do Daniel Lee’s background gave him a leg up in Jeet Kune Do, which incorporated elements of boxing and other arts at a time when few people were actively cross-training. He was considered by some to be the best boxer/kickboxer to come out of the Chinatown School. His diverse martial arts background gave him a style all his own. “His style of movement was like what you’d see watching old-time boxers, not like most of the other JKD guys,” Magda said. “Dan would put his foot down first and hit with his hip. He had a real power jab, not a fast, flicking jab. He also had a way of covering up where he’d glue his hands to his head and point his elbows out so punches would glance off his forearms. I call it the ‘Dan Lee cover’ and still teach it to my students.” A Renaissance Man: Martial Arts, Chinese Medicine, and Space Exploration Daniel Lee’s interest in both martial arts and Asian culture was far-ranging. He began studying tai chi in the mid-1960s, eventually opening a school and becoming president of the National Tai Chi Chuan Association. Meanwhile, he earned a degree in Chinese medicine. He did all this while holding down an engineering position at the California Institute of Technology’s famed Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Lee began working there in the early days of the space program and collaborated on many of the unmanned flights that paved the way for men to land on the moon. “I remember one time when I was little, I asked my mother where Dad was that night, and she just said, ‘He’s working late,’” Robert Lee said. “Then I turned on the TV and saw Surveyor 7 landing on the moon and realized he was in the lab monitoring the telemetry coming back from space.” Dan Lee's appearance on the cover of Karate Illustrated Daniel Lee was proud of the fact some of the deep-space probes he helped build are still flying through the outer reaches of the solar system. But he was equally proud of his contributions to the martial arts world, even traveling back to China several years ago to teach a seminar at a JKD school. And when one of the Chinese hosts sought to impress by punching him during a training session, the octogenarian Lee showed he hadn’t lost his touch — he deftly parried the blow and countered with a strike that knocked the younger man’s glasses off his face. “There are two types of martial arts: the combative and the artistic,” said fellow JKD practitioner Richard Bustillo. “The thing about Dan is that he was like Bruce — he could be combative but also beautiful in his movement.”

Featured on the cover of Black Belt Magazine ’s January 1981 issue, the legendary Larry Tatum stands as a powerful pillar in keeping the American kenpo legacy alive. A direct student of Ed Parker, he earned worldwide recognition as an authority on American kenpo, shaping generations of martial artists through his expertise and unwavering dedication to the founder’s vision of the art and science. Learn more about this cover and the entire magazine preserved in digital format: https://www.blackbeltmag.com

For years, Cambodia occupied a spot on my bucket list of countries in which I wanted to learn martial arts. Once there, however, I was saddened to learn that Khmer kung fu had nearly been lost. I tried training at the only club I could find in Phnom Penh but was disappointed. I stuck with it awhile, learning patterns and stances, but I periodically go through phases in which traditional classes seem pointless, and one was beginning to hit me. I concluded that the students were practicing strikes and blocks they could never use in a real fight. My mood wound up driving me back to professional fighting, which fortunately is well-established in Cambodia. The physical pursuit that captured my attention was bradal serey, aka Khmer kickboxing. I arranged to begin training on a Monday, so on Sunday, I went to a local TV studio to watch some matches. That’s when I discovered that most fighters in Cambodia are under contract to a TV studio. Locals told me the studios normally provide a salary of $20 a month so the fighters can train. They’re paid $20 to $25 per bout, and they fight whomever and whenever the studio orders them to. I quickly learned of the oddities that exist in Khmer kickboxing. For example, just before a match, I watched two fighters walk out and do an abbreviated version of wai khru, the symbolic dance that’s performed before muay Thai bouts. “That’s just like in Thailand,” I said to a friend. “Absolutely not,” shouted several Khmers who happened to overhear. They were offended that I’d suggested that their national sport even slightly resembled a Thai sport. After noting that the fighters were stripped to the waist, barefoot, and gloved, I said to my friend, “They’re wearing muay Thai shorts.” “No, they aren’t,” the bystanders argued. “They’re wearing Khmer-boxing shorts.” A bell signaled the beginning of the round, and the men began feeling each other out with kicks, punches, elbows, and knees. It looked exactly like muay Thai. The structure also was the same: five rounds with two-minute breaks. Even the rhythm mirrors muay Thai. The only way to win in the first two rounds is by knockout. The judges, as a rule, don’t record points scored in those rounds. So the first two rounds are slower, almost a warm-up. Rounds three and four are when the bulk of the action takes place. Whoever wins those rounds will most likely win the fight — unless he gets knocked out. Now, round five can be problematic. If the man in blue wins rounds three and four, the man in red will have no chance of winning, so he'll take it easy. Blue will also go easy, not wanting to take any chances that can upset his victory. In such cases, the fifth round is often boring. If, however, red wins round three and blue wins round four, round five is make or break. The men will pound each other, and the spectators will be on their feet the whole time, calling out their bets. I later learned that there are, in fact, no differences between the way pro kickboxing is done in Cambodia and the way muay Thai is done in Thailand. The Khmers claim they invented the art, which is why they get touchy when people refer to it as muay Thai. A local friend cited another possible reason for those occasional sleepy rounds: Because the martial artists are allowed to fight only other athletes who are under contract with the same TV station, they often wind up battling a teammate, a guy they train with every day. One national champion I spoke with said that because he's at the high end of the weight continuum, he'd fought a few opponents five or six times each. The first thing you notice when you walk into a kickboxing gym in Phnom Penh is that every Khmer man, almost without exception, can kick. You notice that because no one, not the young boys and not the middle-aged businessmen, can resist the urge to uncork a few deadly roundhouse kicks whenever they walk past a heavy bag. At first, it was intimidating. “They all can kick better than I can,” I said to myself. But then I noticed that most don't know how to train. Yes, they can throw leg-shattering kicks at the bag, but they seldom practice combinations. They just stand in front of the heavy bag, execute a few hellacious kicks, and then wander off to drink some water or chat with friends. That’s not to say Khmer kickboxing has no value. In fact, the combat sport has many fascinating facets. One of the more interesting is the way fighters often win with a head kick. It's not a conventional knockout in which the shin strikes the temple. Rather, it happens when the top of the foot hits the back of the opponent's neck. The punch that Khmer kickboxers do best is the roundhouse to the side of the head. They'd have more luck with it if they incorporated it into their combinations. Because the punch is usually initiated from too far away for it to have the knockout power of a disciplined hook, it needs to be linked to leg techniques to become a bout-ender. Clearly, the strength of Khmer kickboxing lies in its kicks, which most fighters can throw with pinpoint precision. Training to develop that kicking ability is probably why they can withstand body shots that would waste a Westerner. After a short time in Cambodia, I found myself comparing life as a foreign fighter there with life as a foreign fighter in Thailand. Both nations offer advantages. When it comes to fighting in Asia, training in Cambodia is cheaper than in Thailand. A whole month of training with a Khmer instructor costs $20. In Thailand, I paid $10 a day, and there were other programs that cost much more. The skill level of the kickboxers in the two countries is roughly the same. The difference, of course, is that there are more foreigners fighting in Thailand, which boosts the level of Thai bouts. As a result, the Thais are beginning to alter their training and techniques. In contrast, most Khmers have never fought a foreigner. Many don't have a television, and even if they did, it wouldn't matter because there aren't any broadcasts of foreign kickboxing or MMA shows to help educate them. In both countries, you can find plenty of sparring partners. If, however, you're a heavyweight, you might have trouble finding people your own size in both nations. I weigh 190 pounds, and I've never had a training partner anywhere close to my size. If you want to fight professionally, Thailand is hands down the better choice. In Phnom Penh, you pretty much have to be on contract with a TV studio, which will pay you $20 to $25 per fight. In Thailand, however, there are so many venues with weekly events that you can fight every day of the week if you want to. As a foreigner in Thailand, you can walk into a stadium the day before a show and not only get a match but also get a shot at a purse of about $120. The Thais love to watch big Westerners in the ring. Obviously, they prefer if we lose, but that’s to be expected. Worth noting is a strange phenomenon that exists in Thailand but hasn’t reached Cambodia yet. It’s called bar boxing. It was created because Thailand has areas with drinking establishments that resemble food courts in Western malls. Most have a boxing ring in the middle, and that means fighters are needed. Every night, fake fights take place in those rings, solely for entertainment purposes. Afterward, the fighters stroll among the onlookers and collect tips. Foreign fighters in Asia always do well when it comes to tips. If you want to live in Thailand and train long-term, bar boxing is a good way to supplement your income without getting injured. Choosing between Cambodia and Thailand ultimately depends on what you're looking for. If you want to have a unique cultural experience and meet the Khmers, a group of people most Westerners know nothing about, Cambodia is the way to go. If you're out to improve your kickboxing and make some money, Thailand may be the better choice.

Definition Combatives is a set of tactics and techniques designed to preserve your life in a violent situation with no regard to flashiness or formality. Some were created specifically for this purpose, while others were borrowed from the traditional martial arts. Either way, they become part of the combatives curriculum only if they can be easily taught and easily remembered. Even more important, they must be easy to execute under duress. That’s why they usually rely on gross-motor movements, motions that are largely unaffected by the adrenaline spikes that occur in a fight. “When combatives are made complicated, they’re no longer combatives,” said Kelly McCann, a renowned combatives authority and Black Belt’s 2008 Self-Defense Instructor of the Year. With that mandate to keep things uncomplicated, McCann described 10 tactics and techniques that he teaches to all who attend his combatives seminars. He has found they’re every bit as useful to beginners as they are to black belts. 1. Hollow Out to Avoid a Blade Anyone who’s studied an art that includes reality-based knife defense knows that hollowing out—the act of thrusting your abdomen backward when it’s targeted with a blade—makes a lot of sense. After all, why attempt a block and risk failure when you can move the part of your body that’s under attack out of the path of the edged weapon? It’s because of this logic, this simplicity, that McCann is a fan of the tactic. “When you hollow out, not only do you throw your ass back, but you also do it violently enough to make your feet move a good 18 inches,” he said. “That will put serious space—usually 24 to 30 inches—between the knife and your body.” At the same time, you need to move your arms out of harm’s way, he said. “That’s why we teach you to thrust your hands toward his face. If you get a finger in his eye, that will back him off.” The tactic is every bit as useful against a stick attack that’s aimed at your abdomen, McCann said. “The trick with any weapon defense is to not isolate the evasive movement. In other words, you have to be ready to chain a couple of moves together. If you hollow out and the guy misses you, you know he’s going to come back with another strike with the knife or stick. What you don’t know is whether he’s going to come back low again or go high to your neck and face. Therefore, you need to be able to switch between hollowing out and swaying back without losing your balance or getting your shoulders too far beyond your hips.” In the combatives lexicon, “swaying back” refers to leaning your upper body backward without repositioning your feet. To make it work, McCann said, you need to be in a natural athletic stance, which means your feet are shoulder-width apart from side to side and from front to rear so you don’t fall when you tilt. “After you sway back, the obvious follow-up is a shin kick or groin kick, the idea being to eat the elephant in small bites,” he added. “You need to make your attacker understand that every time he tries to stick you, he’s going to pay a price.” 2. Pound Away with the Hammerfist The same day a new student of self-defense is taught to punch, he or she should be taught how easy it is to break the bones of the hand when doing so. Rather than go into the relevant anatomy lessons, combatives instructors often will sing the praises of the hammerfist with a question like this: You’re tasked with beating on a door as loudly as possible to get the attention of people on the other side—would you punch the door with your knuckles or hit it with a hammerfist? Obviously, using a hammerfist presents minimal danger to your bone structure and guarantees maximum transfer of energy to the door. “And that’s true—with one exception,” McCann said. “You can’t do the hammerfist with ‘dinosaur arms.’ That’s what we call it when people do tiny strikes with their arms always bent, cycling their arms in very small circles. They’re sacrificing power for speed, which wastes at least 50 percent of the power that’s possible with this technique. “What you should do is open your arms up when you do the hammerfist. When a fist hits, you want to create a whipping effect by pulling the shoulder of that arm back. Your fist is hard, but your arm is relaxed. Once you make contact, jerk your shoulder back to set up the next hammerfist, and that shoulder pulling back is what actually snaps the hammerfist into the target.” And your non-striking hand? That should be thrust toward your opponent’s face as you chamber your other arm, he said. “We call that the ‘truth cycle.’ You take your off-hand and attempt to stick a finger in his eye. Then, when he backs up, you smash him in the face with a hammerfist using your other hand. Pull that through and immediately exchange hands in midair. The whole idea is that once you start hitting him, there’s always something in his face. It’s either your hammerfist or your fingers in his eyes.” Don’t get too hung up on targets, McCann cautioned. “If your offside hand hits his chest, it’s a check that keeps you in touch with where he is. It’s a signal that you got your range right. You can shove him and then go after his face with a hammerfist.” 3. Tactic: Target Your Foe's Face Let’s face it (sorry) — the human mug is an unusually sensitive part of the body. We’re programmed to protect it, and we’re almost guaranteed to react vigorously when a strike penetrates our defenses. Which is precisely why the face is a frequent target in combatives. The best attacks to the face target the eyes, McCann said. “The first is the eye jab. You shoot it out with an open hand — your fingers are positioned as though you’re holding a grapefruit. One thing it does is disrupt his vision. If he can’t see you, he can’t hurt you. If his eyes are tearing up, that’s good for you and bad for him. “It also makes him turn his head. In a fight, you don't want your opponent to be able to see you. If he can see you, he can establish a base with his feet, legs, and shoulders and then counter. But if you make him turn his face away from you, it’s hard for him to fight.” The other type of ocular attack is the eye gouge, which often involves grabbing an attacker’s head and digging in with your thumbs. “It differs from the eye jab with respect to speed and flexibility,” McCann said. “If you hit someone’s eyes with your fingertips, it’s a lightning-fast strike. You flick it out, and then your hand is back and chambered for something else. Gouging an eye requires you to commit because it’s most often done from a half-clinch. “You can finger-jab an assailant’s eyes and then run, but you can’t do that with an eye gouge. You’re attached, and that gives him the opportunity to grab you. He’ll probably bear-hug you and try to put his face in a position where you can’t reach his eyes. Then he’ll wrap a leg around you and push forward. Now you’re on the ground, and he’s likely on top. The finger jab avoids all that because it lets you stay outside and move around as you attack.” 4. Technique: Let Fly the Roundhouse Kick All kickers know the power of the roundhouse, Thai boxers in particular. They know how quickly it strikes, how it involves no wasted motion, and how it transfers insane amounts of energy using a virtually indestructible part of the body: the shinbone. “Aim your roundhouse kick at your adversary’s thigh, the outside of his calf, or his knee — always below the waist,” McCann said. “The first reason is it makes it harder for him to reach down and grab your leg. The higher your leg goes, the easier it is for him to drop his arm and get under it. “The second reason is high kicks aren’t as fast. The third reason is on the street, do you really want to kick high, knowing that you can never be sure what’s under your feet?” If you want to drop your foe or take the fight out of him, aim your kick at his thigh. “But if you want to destroy the leg, slam your roundhouse into his knee,” McCann said. “If he’s got weight on that leg and you hit the side of the knee, you’ll probably hyperextend the joint. If you hit slightly to the back of the knee, you’ll probably buckle the leg and break his base. That might not destroy the leg, but it will inflict a lot of pain. Of course, if he’s experienced, he can turn his leg to lessen the impact, but that will mean he’s turning away from you, which is dangerous for him.” Unless you’re prepared, kicking directly into the back of his knee can endanger you. Here’s why: “The strike can cause him to collapse, and that can trap your leg between his calf and thigh and drag you down, too,” McCann said. “To prevent that, get your foot out of there immediately after you make contact.” 5. Tactic: Pull Your Opponent Into Your Strike Think about how inefficient it is to throw strike after strike using a single arm each time. By leaving one arm out of the action, you're sacrificing half your firepower. Even worse, you could be reducing the effectiveness of what you are using. For instance, you can slam a right elbow into the melon of a standing opponent, and it might get the job done. However, if you place your left hand behind his head before using your right elbow, you’ll boost the likelihood of hitting the target and maximize the power transfer. “In that example, you can make your strike even more powerful,” McCann said. “Don’t simply cradle his head to keep it from moving backward when you hit him. Use your off-hand to yank his head, disorienting him a little, and then force the head into your elbow. That creates a head-on collision. Two cars moving in opposite directions on the highway tend to result in a worse accident than when one car hits a car that’s parked.” The same logic applies when you’re firing a knee thrust into a bent-over attacker’s head, McCann added. “Don’t just knee him in the face. Yank his head down to meet your knee as you thrust it up. That can be a real fight-ender.”

Featured on the cover of Karate Illustrated's December 1983 issue, Mike Shintaku —a dominant force in the Pacific Northwest karate scene—earned recognition for his success in both full-contact and AAU competitions. A versatile martial artist, he amassed numerous titles in fighting and forms divisions. Beyond competition, Shintaku gained widespread respect as one of the nation’s top tournament officials, renowned for his expertise and dedication to the sport. Learn more about this cover and the entire magazine preserved in digital format: https://www.blackbeltmag.com