Southern pride Keith Vitali graced the May 1980 cover of Karate Illustrated , marking the start of the flashy 80s era. A former Karate Champion, he made his impact well before the UFC and MMA took center stage. Learn more about this cover and the entire magazine preserved in digital format: https://www.blackbeltmag.com

Date:  Saturday, November 9, 2024 Location:  UFC Apex, Las Vegas, Nevada Broadcast:  ESPN+ The Octagon is set to host another intense night of fights as UFC Fight Night: Magny vs. Prates brings 13 electrifying matchups to Las Vegas. With seasoned veterans, up-and-comers, and powerful debuts, this fight card promises a range of explosive bouts from the prelims to the main event. Here’s a breakdown of each fight to get you ready for an unforgettable event Main Event: Welterweight Bout Neil Magny vs. Carlos Prates Neil Magny, the seasoned UFC welterweight and ranking gatekeeper, faces off against Carlos Prates, a hungry challenger looking to make a statement in his UFC career. Magny’s relentless pace and ground control will be tested by Prates’ striking precision and grappling skills. Can Magny maintain his status, or will Prates secure a breakthrough win? Co-Main Event: Bantamweight Bout Cody Garbrandt vs. Miles Johns Former UFC Bantamweight Champion Cody Garbrandt squares off against Miles Johns in a battle that could reshape the Bantamweight rankings. Garbrandt’s knockout power meets Johns’ well-rounded game, and both fighters are known for bringing the heat. With each seeking resurgence, expect fireworks as they battle for a shot at higher ranks. Main Card Fights Female Strawweight: Karolina Kowalkiewicz vs. Denise Gomes - Kowalkiewicz brings her veteran experience into the Octagon against Denise Gomes, an emerging talent in the Strawweight division. Kowalkiewicz’s technical striking and defense will face Gomes' aggressive style. It’s a classic veteran vs. prospect showdown, and the winner could climb up the division’s ranks. Bantamweight: Ricky Turcios vs. Benardo Sopaj - Turcios, a fan favorite with an unorthodox style, battles Sopaj, who’s looking to establish himself in the Bantamweight scene. Turcios' unpredictable moves and Sopaj’s raw power promise a high-paced bout with potential Fight of the Night energy. Middleweight: Gerald Meerschaert vs. Reinier de Ridder - Meerschaert, a submission artist, faces the Dutch powerhouse Reinier de Ridder, known for his grappling expertise. Both fighters are submission-savvy, and this ground war could end quickly if one secures a solid position. Expect a tactical fight with plenty of high-stakes moments. Female Strawweight: Luana Pinheiro vs. Gillian Robertson - Grappling aficionados will enjoy this bout as Pinheiro and Robertson, both submission specialists, lock horns. Pinheiro’s Judo background and Robertson’s BJJ pedigree make this a fascinating stylistic clash that could end in a thrilling submission finish. Preliminary Card Fights Welterweight: Nicolas Dalby vs. Elizeu Zaleski - Two veterans in the welterweight division, Dalby and Zaleski bring striking-heavy arsenals to the Octagon. This matchup has the makings of a slugfest, with both fighters known for durable chins and striking versatility. Middleweight: Mansur Abdul-Malik vs. Duško Todorović - Abdul-Malik and Todorović, both powerful middleweights, are eager to prove their skills. Todorović’s aggressive striking and Abdul-Malik’s well-rounded skill set promise an action-packed bout. Welterweight: Charles Radtke vs. Matthew Semelsberger - This matchup pits Radtke’s technical striking against Semelsberger’s knockout power. Both fighters have a lot to prove in the stacked welterweight division, making this a potential highlight-reel fight. Bantamweight: Cody Stamann vs. Da'Mon Blackshear - Stamann’s wrestling prowess will be tested by Blackshear’s explosive style. This bout promises a high-energy clash, with each fighter aiming to climb the bantamweight ladder. Female Bantamweight: Melissa Mullins vs. Klaudia Syguła - Two emerging talents, Mullins and Syguła, step into the Octagon to showcase their skills. This bout is critical for both fighters as they seek to establish their presence in the bantamweight division. Bantamweight: Cortavious Romious vs. Gaston Bolaños - Romious’ grappling meets Bolaños’ striking in a classic clash of styles. This bout could go either way, depending on who controls the tempo. Middleweight: Tresean Gore vs. Antonio Trócoli - Gore’s power and Trócoli’s technical striking make for an interesting middleweight bout. With both fighters looking to make a statement, expect a strong finish. This stacked fight card brings together a unique blend of experienced fighters and ambitious newcomers, promising thrilling finishes and memorable moments. Tune in for UFC Fight Night: Magny vs. Prates on ESPN+ to witness every hard-hitting moment live!

Let’s start with a definition. For the purposes of this column in giving tips for martial art teachers, the term “training scar” does not refer to a casual wound incurred by martial arts students during their regular workouts. Those bumps, bruises, scrapes, and abrasions are collateral damage, the results of accidents — and often things the students point to for bragging rights. In contrast, a training scar is what often develops because of a cognitive quirk of the human brain. Also called “path dependence,” it’s a habit unknowingly cultivated in training that may carry over to real-world application much to the detriment of the student. Training scars don’t specifically refer to bad habits in the sense of students practicing with bad form — for example, a student “swimming his jab,” which refers to leaving an open line as he fires or retracts his punch; or a student “sweeping out of plumb,” which refers to paying no attention to eye level while hitting a sweep from the bottom. These are bad habits of technical execution, not training scars so much as mistakes you need to correct whenever you see them. A training scar is a bad habit that students build in the off-moments of their workouts, their perceived downtimes, the seconds that fall between drill iterations. Unfortunately, all students, no matter their skill level, are susceptible to developing training scars, and they likely have nothing to do with bad instruction. Let’s go to an example to illuminate. Two of your students are working a weapon disarm. It’s Student A’s turn to get the knife away from Student B, which she does with fight-film perfection. Then she bends down, picks up the dropped blade, and hands it back to her partner for another go. That bending down to retrieve the weapon, that simple act of courtesy, is a training scar. Whether they realize it or not, that rote bit of kindness can get stored in the human brain as a component of the disarm. That means this little practice of civility can manifest in street conditions by sheer dint that the student has made it part of her training. And the consequences can be deadly. If you doubt the likelihood of this happening, look on YouTube and you’ll find more than a few videos of law-enforcement officers disarming weapon-wielding suspects in real life and then — you’ll be aghast when you see this — handing the weapon back to the assailant. Here are two more examples of training scars. (Once you know what to look for, you’ll start spotting them in class.) Student A offers Student B a helping hand so he can get up quickly after being thrown to the mat. Student A stops in the middle of a light-contact sparring session, pops out her mouth guard, and proceeds to discuss Student B’s lead hook. Does that mean you should forbid your students from helping each other up after a takedown or throw? Should you prohibit them from discussing techniques in the middle of sparring? Not at all. It means you should educate them and point out potential problems when you notice them. For example, after you spot someone dropping her guard to dissect a punch, explain that she can do that as long as she makes sure to keep her hands up, her eyes on the opponent, and her body out of range. Fortunately, training scars are relatively easy to identify once you learn the concept, at which point they’ll be easy to remedy. The best way to detect them is to examine your students’ actions during the gaps between drill repetitions and in the post-execution phase, and then offer remedial advice on the spot. Harder to cope with, however, is something similar that’s often called “task saturation.” In chaotic or unfamiliar circumstances, the human animal often reacts less than ideally, hence the importance of training for those in the military, law enforcement, and combat sports. Training for chaos with chaos in mind is not a guarantee that you’ll perform up to snuff, but it’s a nice bit of insurance. Task saturation comes into play when students get exceptionally focused on their training protocol. In essence, one of them performs every step perfectly, in perfect order, no matter what details crop up along the way. The military has studied task saturation extensively because the nature of military training ingrains skills so well under so many chaotic circumstances that soldiers have a higher likelihood of developing issues. That means when one item on the checklist is no longer ideal, a soldier who is task-saturated will tend to fixate on completing the task despite the fact that it’s no longer valid and might actually cause harm. Example: There have been many instances of military helicopters having to ditch. Task saturation can be a problem when pilots adhere so closely to the ditching checklist that some of their actions make the ditch even hairier. Task saturation is a tough glitch to overcome because it’s the opposite of having bad form in training. It entails having a person who’s so well-trained that protocol will not be broken come hell or high water. The good news is that this is seldom experienced by people who are good at improvising, folks we’d call quick on their feet. Make sure your students follow in their footsteps as they walk the fine line between being well-trained with an eye on protocol and being well-trained but having eyes that are always searching for indications that protocol — or even a bit of it — needs to be tossed. In training, the military attempts to thwart task saturation by varying the tasks soldiers perform and creating scenarios in which protocol must be scrapped. In other words, they force improvisation. A similar concept was used in Native American warrior training that was designed to teach a lightness or flow in response to stress. In Comanche, the catch-all term was wumetu. It directed warriors to follow their training but also to keep their eyes open at all times so the battle plan can be adjusted — or abandoned — at a moment’s notice. Wumetu was inculcated, just as in the modern military, by having warriors engage in stressful training with unexpected variables intended to keep the mind hopping. There’s no reason you, as a martial arts instructor, can’t benefit from the wisdom of these two groups the next time you’re devising self-defense scenarios for your students.

For decades, I’ve wished I could supplement my martial arts skill set with a few years of boxing without subjecting myself to the punishment boxers appear to endure. Also holding me back is the fact that boxing just doesn’t appeal to me the way traditional Asian martial arts do. For those reasons, I figured the best way to improve my hands was to seek out a boxing instructor who likes to share. Enter James Bennett. Not only is he a skilled boxer — he’s trained since he was 10 years old — but he also holds a third-degree black belt in kenpo and cross-trains in muay Thai, judo, Brazilian jiu-jitsu and escrima. That makes him the perfect person to offer advice on how a martial artist can learn the lessons of the sweet science without taking a beating and without abandoning his or her art. “Bruce Lee once said you employ your hands the most in any self-defense situation,” James Bennett said. “It’s normal — we use our feet to walk, run, jump and kick, but we use our hands for everything else.” Martial artists looking to fortify these primary weapons with the lessons of boxing shouldn’t worry about sacrificing overall effectiveness, he added. “The hands are absolutely not lacking in power. Hit a heavy bag at head height with a roundhouse kick, then hit it with a left hook. Nine times out of 10, the left hook will be more powerful because you’re not fighting gravity. When you properly use your backup mass and your torque, when you rotate and drop your weight, a punch to the head can be stronger than a roundhouse to the head.” The following are the insights Bennett offered on the four main boxing punches, as well as the overhand right. THE LEFT JAB What Makes the Boxing Jab Special “When boxers punch, their weight is usually distributed 50-50, and they’re always ready for a follow-up shot, whether it’s a straight right or a left hook. They never overextend because it would reduce their mobility.” How Specialization Leads to Power “The boxing jab generally has more power than the [ordinary] forward-hand punch. The main reason is punching is what boxers practice all the time. Martial artists, on the other hand, practice elbows, palms, knees, kicks and all sorts of stuff. They can’t dedicate as much time to punching. This specialization teaches boxers to thrust the jab out like a ramrod. When their arm is three-quarters extended, they turn into the jab for more power. When their fist is almost in the opponent’s face, they lean into it for even more force. That way, they don’t telegraph it.” How Horizontal Compares to Vertical “Even though I do kenpo, I prefer to jab with a horizontal fist because that’s how it’s done in boxing. Of course, you can also jab with a vertical fist and still lean into the punch and hit your opponent with a ramrod-type shot. The advantage to the vertical fist is if someone has his hands up, the vertical fist might be able to slip through, while the horizontal fist sometimes gets caught. Either way, the jab is mostly used to stun the opponent, bloody him up a bit, water his eyes — and then set him up for what he doesn’t see coming.” Whether the Jab Should Gauge Distance or Do Damage “I teach the jab to hurt as much as anything else. Yes, it’s used to gauge the distance and to ‘feel out’ the opponent — in the ring. On the street, however, you don’t smack a guy in the face with your jab to gauge anything; you do it to hurt him. As Mike Tyson used to say, ‘Punch with bad intentions.’” When You Shouldn’t Feel Out an Attacker “Using the jab to feel out your opponent in the ring is fine. Both of you know you’re going to get hit by punches. There are no surprises; you know what to watch out for. On the street, though, you never know what to watch out for. If you throw a couple of jabs for the purpose of measuring, you’re giving up the element of surprise. You’re telling your opponent that you’re a puncher, and that will make him watch your hands.” What Targets Your Jab Should Aim For “A jab will often target the face but not always. It depends on the size of your foe, the environment, your clothing and the level of danger present. A jab can be thrown to the midsection, which puts you in a great position for an overhand right, which can be a knockout blow. On the street, however, I’d probably go for the face.” Why You Shouldn’t Think Single Techniques “In a real fight, always plan to use combinations. If you throw an initial jab and he goes down, fine. If he doesn’t, you’re ready to keep going until he does go down. Never depend on one-punch-one-kill. Never think, I don’t need a follow-up because I’m going to throw one punch and I’m going to get one kill. Always prepare for combinations.” THE STRAIGHT RIGHT What’s in a Name “Some people call it the straight right, and some call it the right cross. They’re the same thing: a straight right punch that goes down the middle. If you’re right-handed, you’re standing with your left foot forward. Your feet are a little wider than shoulder width. You have your front toe and back heel aligned so you can rotate into the punch and get your body mass behind it. Your hands are up. As you extend your right arm, your right shoulder stays in close proximity to your jaw for protection. You torque your upper body just before it lands. Always use a horizontal fist. “The traditional martial arts reverse punch starts with the fist on the hip. Then you punch forward while retracting your other hand, which creates a push-pull opposing force for power. The problem is you don’t have a hand to guard your head and your chin is usually up and your back straight. It is a powerful punch, there’s no doubting that, but it leaves you susceptible to a counter. In contrast, a boxer is crouched, his chin is down for protection, and his shoulders and hands are up for protection.” Where the Power Comes From “In addition to the arm, shoulder and torso, a boxer throwing a straight right gets power from the legs. If you look at the greatest knockouts in the sport, the victors usually have big legs and big glutes — they’re heavy from the waist down. That’s because their power comes from driving off the rear leg; their hand just makes the connection. They tilt forward, but they don’t distribute their weight unevenly.” What the Preferred Targets Are “If you want an instant effect, go to the head. In a boxing match, where the fighters are wearing gloves and maybe headgear, you don’t always get an instant response. On the street, with the knuckles landing directly on the opponent’s head, you do get that instant response. “Depending on the situation, you might drop a straight right into the body and come off it for a left hook to the head. If you see an opening to land a right hand on his ribs, go ahead and take those ribs out. Then come back up and take the head off.” Whether This Should Be Your Go-To Weapon “It all depends on the person and the scenario. If you’re in the ring and you know who you’re sparring with, it’s OK to think that way. But if you’re in a street scenario, you won’t know what your opponent will do. You have to be prepared for anything. “If you’re at medium range and can fire off a straight right, absolutely. But if you’re at close range and can’t fire, maybe your go-to weapon is an elbow. The good thing in this situation is that concept and principle are the same; the only differences are the weapon and the distance. The targets and the movements are the same. I’ve seen people get knocked cold with elbows.” THE LEFT HOOK Why It’s the Left Hook “If you’re right-handed, you want to use your [left] hand for the hook because it’s closer to your opponent. If you get full rotation into it, it’s very powerful even though it’s fired off your lead hand. The disadvantage comes when your timing’s off because it can leave you susceptible to a counter with the right hand, so you’ve got to make sure you’re throwing it properly.” Why It Has Knockout Power "The left hook is a knockout punch because of the force it gets from body rotation. Earlier, I said the left jab isn’t typically a knockout blow, but the left hook is.” When to Throw It “If you feel sufficiently threatened, you might just fire off a left hook and hit your adversary smack on the jaw. But the safest way to use it is when someone launches an attack and you’re able to slip to one side and come across with a counter-hook. Or when you bob and weave and then come up before throwing a left hook. It’s fine as an initial attack, but if you miss, you need to watch for a counterstrike that comes over the top. “Sometimes you’ll throw a left hook and miss — but it still stops him from attacking. Often, not hitting him is OK as long as you stop him from hitting you.” Whether Fist Orientation Matters “Some people do the left hook with their fist horizontal, and some do it with their fist vertical. In a real fight, I say just hit him. The last thing you want to be thinking about is details. It will have the same effect either way. “In training, I do the hook to the head with a vertical fist because if I’m off a little bit, there’s no damage to my wrist. However, when I’m training to hit the body while I’m in close, I usually go with the horizontal fist. Both work; that’s all that matters. “If you’re a martial artist who’s just starting out in boxing, train both ways. You will automatically find what works for you. It’s best to be able to use either one, depending on the angle and the distance.” Whether the Angle of the Arm Matters “It can be adjusted according to the situation and the opponent. If the person is farther away, you might reach out with your hook to cover that distance. But it’s better if you can throw it from up close. That’s where most of the power is.” Where the Power Comes From With the Right Hook “It comes from the exact same place as the straight right. The body mechanics are the same. The only difference is the angle the punch comes in. Whereas the straight right comes down the middle, the right hook circles around. You shouldn’t cut too wide or you’ll leave yourself open.” THE UPPERCUT What’s Technically Correct “When you teach a person how to throw the uppercut, you never swing it wide because that will telegraph it. You just shoot it from where your right fist is near your chin. To do that, you drop and then rotate as you bring your body up and let it go. The power comes from the act of standing up. All this gives you the correct base to work off. “But when you use it in a fight or in sparring, sometimes you end up reaching and looping with your arm. Let’s say your foe is coming after you. You throw a jab in his face and put him off-balance. He bends over a little, and you shoot an uppercut that’s really tight — you’re not going to land it. His head is already at your shoulder height, so you have to swing wider and lower. “It’s best to know how to do it right and how to modify it for different situations. Which one works is dictated by the situation. If he’s down on his knees, maybe your choice will be an uppercut that’s not technically correct and that telegraphs.” Where You Should Aim “The chin is the primary target, but you can also throw an uppercut to the body or the liver, depending on the angle. Usually, an uppercut to the body is used after you slip a punch and need to counter fast. You wouldn’t throw an uppercut to the body straight off the bat. You’d go for the chin in that situation. When you do land it on the chin, it usually puts him to sleep. If it doesn’t, it will set up a punch that will. “If you hit somebody on the street with this punch, you’re going to break his teeth and there’s going to be blood everywhere. His eyes will be watering. Even if he’s still standing, the fight is over technically — unless he wants to keep coming, but usually he won’t.” THE OVERHAND RIGHT What the Mechanics Are “The punch originates from where your right hand is positioned by your jaw. You make a semicircle over the top and come down on the target. The opponent doesn’t see it coming most of the time because he just sees you begin to fire a shot and then it’s gone — and then it hits him!” How It Combines “The overhand right combines well with the left uppercut because of how you align your body. When you throw a left uppercut, you tend to move up, and you’re rotating your body slightly to the right, which puts you in a perfect position to rotate back the other way and come down with an overhand right.” What It Targets “If you can hit your opponent on the temple with your overhand right, or even straight in the face or on the jaw, it will have an immense effect. The reason so many MMA fighters use it now is it’s so effective and so simple. “Of course, if you’re not wearing gloves and you hit someone in the head in a street fight, you could break your wrist or a bone in your hand. That can happen anytime the alignment of your hand and forearm is off or the force of the weapon hitting the target exceeds the strength of the bone. But I do know that I’ve hit people with the overhand right on the street and didn’t break any bones.” Whether You Can Take Steps to Mitigate the Damage “Some people say you can throw a punch with, say, 50-percent power in a fight. I doubt that. If you’re throwing a punch in a fight, it’s in reaction to what’s happening. That’s how you train to defend yourself. Is it going to be 50 percent, 70 percent, 80 percent? You can’t measure that. And you don’t have time to measure it. The action determines the response. “If the guy is small and doesn’t appear to be a serious threat — if he’s more of a nuisance — I’d restrain him. If he’s got a lot of fight in him, I’d hit him, but it wouldn’t be 50 percent.” Why Stopping the Threat Is the Mission “If it’s a real threat, nobody thinks, I’ll do this and this but not this. If you’re actually justified in hitting a person — if you can walk away, then walk away — but if you’re justified, just hit. Your mission is not to hurt him; it’s to eliminate the threat. I don’t mean you should kill him or anything, but you can’t do half measures. You have to hit until he goes down.” Photography by Cory Sorensen

This article was published in the April 1974 issue of Fighting Stars magazine, a sister publication of Black Belt. That means it appeared just five years after the original Star Trek was canceled and many years before the sci-fi series became a staple of film and television. At the time, William Shatner was not the international superstar he’s recognized as today. He was just an actor who’d had a good run on a series that happened to be set in space. And he was a martial artist. When the USS Enterprise abruptly splashed down from its three-year trek to the stars, angry fans denounced the TV “highthinkers” who chose to ground the space adventure with the hope of replacing it with an even higher-rated show. The industry captains never did find that higher-rated program, but the adventures of Capt. James T. Kirk and his Star Trek crew still delight science-fiction aficionados, even if only in syndication. Life on board the Enterprise must have been something else. The crew traveled more space miles in prime time than the entire NASA program from John Glenn to Skylab. The adventures of Capt. Kirk made the void of space so convincingly alive that real astronauts in Houston and Cape Canaveral sheepishly confessed that they, too — like millions of collegians, housewives, doctors, lawyers, and sci-fi fans — were addicted to the show. For William Shatner, life during Star Trek must have seemed rigidly controlled and cautious. Capt. Kirk’s adventures are not worth a moon rock compared to Shatner’s off-screen exploits as a Shakespearian actor, an athlete, and, lately, a karate practitioner. While the 37-year-old does not present an image of a decathlon champ, the years before Star Trek saw him rise to just about every physical challenge offered him. Now that he’s back on terra firma, Shatner’s everyday activities range through a multitude of sports, and on any given day, he can be seen fencing, swimming, racing cars, or even skydiving. “Hell,” he says with a satisfied-with-life grin, “I’ll do anything once.” When he was still a novice at films — after having gained a good reputation in plays by the Bard — Shatner sent shivers up the spines of directors who found him to be an uncanny horseman and amateur acrobat during the making of Westerns and war pics. Even during the years Star Trek was on the air, Shatner always insisted on doing his own fight scenes. “Looking back on the things I’ve done, I must be a little crazy,” he reflects. “But I’m constantly testing myself, both in athletics and acting. I’ve always believed that if you don’t define your limits by trying everything, you’ll never know your capabilities.” Shatner has defined his limits, all right. He didn’t set his sights on acting until after leaving McGill University in Montreal, where he majored in commerce. He then served a two-year stint as a member of the Stratford, Ontario, Shakespeare Festival, where the roles he played made him begin to practice fencing. He co-starred with such noted English stage stars as Alec Guinness, James Mason, Anthony Quayle, and Ann Todd. Shatner even had a starring role as Henry V. He studied more advanced sword and shield techniques and started lifting weights while preparing for a role in Alexander the Great. His successes distinguished him as a creative actor in such notable films as Judgment at Nuremberg and The Brothers Karamazov. More recently, he won kudos for his stunning performance in The Andersonville Trial on TV. Shatner followed his early film appearances with increasingly larger guest roles on top TV shows. He tested for the demanding part of Capt. Kirk and eventually landed it. Today, Shatner is reluctant to discuss the end of Star Trek, but he says he has fond memories of his years working on the series. The actor is a veteran boxer who, when time permitted, spent many arduous hours in the gym working with punching bags and a sparring partner. He’s respected as a man who is very able to handle his own action. “In various movies I’ve made, I was able to get rid of a lot of hostilities by punching the air, which is what film fights are all about,” Shatner says. “One always stops short of hitting the opponent. This requires a certain amount of knowledge. A screen fight is more exaggerated, but the mechanics of the fight remain the same.” Enter Karate In part, it was the physical demands put on William Shatner during the filming of Star Trek that aroused his curiosity about karate. While the show never depicted any of the crew members as skilled martial artists, the action was considerably more sophisticated than old-fashioned fisticuffs. “There were all types of things I had to be adept at — things like kicks and leg work,” Shatner says. “And all these things were constantly landing me on my ass. This made me realize I had a lot more to learn about combat, even for staged action. Stunt and fight work in films has been always a pet preoccupation of mine. I know when to let the stuntmen and true experts take over. But if I think I can do something without ending up in the hospital for too long, I’ll do it.” Shatner’s introduction to formal martial arts training came at the hands of an associate screenwriter/karate teacher named Tom Bleecker. “I did not run out and seek help immediately,” Shatner recalls. “In fact, I had to be pushed into the martial arts. The arts were an entirely new area for me, and I was not about to underestimate what an endeavor like taking karate would mean. I’d had a passing interest in karate, both the physical and philosophical aspects, but I wasn’t sure that the investment would pay off on-screen. And frankly, my time was limited, and I didn’t want to approach it half-baked. “My immediate concern was solely the Star Trek action. If knowledge of a sport enhances a film or TV segment I’m doing, I’m pretty quick to jump into it. But I’m not one to take uncalculated risks. If a leading actor gets himself hurt, he can cost the studio thousands of dollars in delayed shooting costs and put a lot of people out of work. But I thought I’d try it and at least start to pick up the basics of karate. I was also fascinated by the discipline.” In the two years he’s studied with Bleecker, Shatner has gained knowledge of how real fights happen. “Aside from the boxing and stunt techniques, I’d only had a few lessons in judo many years before,” he says. “I did not want to become a martial artist who would abuse karate’s fighting skills. I was more than aware a little knowledge of karate could be dangerous, but I rarely get into physical hassles. In fact, in any unavoidable fight, the only thing my opponent would most often see is my back.” Stimulation from an Active Life Despite his interest in the sport, Shatner admits to having found karate more of a stimulant than a drain of energy required for his work. “There are times when I am so tired, it’s an effort to even put on the gi,” he says. “But in making an effort to get out there and work for at least a half-hour, I find I get a second wind and go back to my acting with renewed vigor. “This might sound like a cop-out, but if I had the time, I would go for a black belt. I would put everything I have into the martial arts. I may have my own limits, but karate is an open endeavor for the ablest of athletes.” How does Shatner’s teacher feel about the actor’s progress? “His memory is incredible,” Bleecker says. “His discipline as an actor and his gift for total recall make him a prime student of karate. He is strong, coordinated, and fast. If we miss a week of work, when he returns, he finds it easy to remember exactly what he has learned and where we left off. He’s right on all the time.” It was that athletic ability that prompted Shatner to consider becoming a professional athlete. Equestrian riding, swimming, and football were possible goals for the young man. “I was a bit small for a pro football career,” he says, “but I was mean.” He may be mean, but he also has a passion for nature and the outdoors. He recently shot the rapids of the Salmon River in a kayak for television’s American Sportsman. And Shatner loves to take hunting trips where he can use his archery skills. “Hunting with a bow and arrow is a prime example of man’s need to be in harmony with nature,” he says. “I have to be one with my environment. Man is constantly violating the natural environment through pollution and a hectic pace of life. Though hunting has been ‘out’ lately, it really has been in for hundreds of thousands of years as the fundamental way of obtaining food. I think that when hunting as an archer, it gives the animal an equal chance with the predator, man. With a bow and arrow, hunting becomes a one-to-one relationship. With a gun, hunting is a completely different story.” Shatner amusingly recalls many hunting expeditions that yielded no game. He points to the impossibility of bagging game with a bow and arrow from distances where a gun would easily score a kill. “That is part of the limitation and challenge of hunting with arrows,” he says. “The basicness of archery appeals to me. But many times I have gone hunting with cameras, too.” Shatner sees the popularity of the martial arts as a potential cause for concern. “I once bred German shepherds, and the thing that made the dogs great was that only a few of them existed,” he says. “Now, the shepherd has had its fineness overbred because the demand for them has increased and breeders have to mass produce them. “It may be the same with karate. With so many people taking it, the beauty that is karate may be lost. The millions of novices, possibly including myself at this point, may be reducing the arts to a point of compromise where the greatness is left to only those very few dedicated masters. That would be a tragedy, but I suspect it’s what’s happening.” While Shatner has every intention of pursuing karate when and if he’s able, competition will play no part in his martial arts future. “There are too many accidents,” he says. “I’ve heard of people getting killed in competition. Also, my interest is in self-satisfaction through self-mastery of the arts. I don’t much care about proving that I can do someone else in.” Martial Entertainment Despite his acclaimed dramatic background, Shatner admits to being just a plain old popcorn-munching fan when it comes to escapist entertainment. “I’d rather go see a double feature of karate films than many Academy Award winners,” he says. “The cheaper, the better. It drives my wife up the wall. I love them!” On a more serious note, he doesn’t see much of a future in purely action-oriented martial arts films. And he says that the violence trend in movies may have reached its saturation point. “The arts can have a great future in movies if they are integrated into strong story structures,” he says. “A movie about violence isn’t a very lasting experience to behold. I think films in which both the action and the serenity of the martial arts philosophy were blended would be a tremendous success with a wide-ranging audience.” Coincidentally, Shatner and writer-sensei Bleecker have just such a script that they’re planning to produce. But at this stage, they’re evasive about the details. “Just as those studying martial arts must mature and hopefully explore the true depth of their endeavor, movies should do the same in their treatment of the arts,” Shatner says. “Look at the Kurosawa samurai films. There’s no reason why American moviemakers couldn’t do that kind of justice to their subjects.” Shatner says he holds out the firm hope that the Eastern influence provided by karate’s popularity in America may eventually prove beneficial to our violent society. “There’s always the possibility of the opposite, but I like to think it may appeal to the better side of people. I hope the net result will be peace in the world rather than just an army of citizens with deadly hands.” Quick to recommend karate to other actors, Shatner goes so far — in a tongue-in-cheek vein — as to claim it could be more beneficial than actual acting classes. “Of all the things to study in terms of physical preparedness as an actor, karate is the best,” he says. “You learn to give and take, to remember, to truly perceive — all the aspects of the ideal acting class. The essence of drama is conflicts, as is the essence of the martial arts, whether it be internal or external.” Meaning Behind Experience William Shatner has great regard for the enigmatic philosophies and morals inherent in the martial arts. “There are the apocryphal tales of the students who sit and wait in the rain for days, just to see the master for a moment,” he says. “Then they have to do menial jobs like raking leaves for months in order to prove that they really want to study, like the opening segment on Kung Fu when Caine is a boy. That is an illustration of real dedication and desire, which is very seldom seen on any level in modern society.” He recalls that his sensei used similar psychology with him when his interest in the arts began to develop. “When I’d finally decided to study, Tom was very cagey about it,” Shatner says. “And the cagier he was, the more I wanted to start studying. I found myself finally begging him to teach me. It was a good experience and just the kind of reverse-psychological kick I needed.” Although he enjoys Kung Fu as entertainment, Shatner finds flaws in the show in that Caine is never afflicted by his encounters with people in the Old West. He profoundly affects them, yet he’s never forced to re-evaluate his attitudes. “But on the other hand, I suppose the first time he got drunk in a bar and got into a brawl, that would be the end of the character,” Shatner adds. Although he doesn’t recall having had any misconceptions about karate before he studied, Shatner, who’s ranked as an orange belt, claims to have had pleasant discoveries in his current training. “The kata I found to be particularly intriguing in their rhythmic and symmetrical beauty,” he says. “I have no formal dance training, but I greatly appreciate the dance-like kata. They’re really open to interpretation and aren’t just exercises to be done by rote.” Recalling his many physical endeavors squeezed into his busy life, Shatner is reflective. “I want to savor it all before I’m too old to do it,” he says. “Some people might say that studying karate or even doing an occasional action film might limit my career — that afterwards, I’d be typecast in only those kinds of roles. I don’t think that’s a valid pitfall. “I’ve never been typecast in the first place. If an actor can do only one thing, there is that danger. But if he’s been fortunate enough to spread his ability around to a number of fields, he’ll never be limited in what he does as an actor or as an individual. “I may have spread myself too thin, and that is always a danger. I’m the kind of person who likes to advance and better myself in several things simultaneously.” The end result is the proof: William Shatner — athlete, martial artist, actor, and ex-captain of the starship Enterprise — knows what he’s talking about. Photography by Ed Ikuta

UFC Fight Night at Rogers Place in Edmonton brought an electrifying night of MMA action, concluding with a hard-fought main event where Brandon Moreno emerged victorious over Amir Albazi via unanimous decision. Fans filled the arena with an attendance of 16,439, raking in a live gate of $2,600,463. The 13-bout lineup delivered unforgettable moments, and several fighters walked away with well-earned bonuses. Here are the Results of UFC Fight Night: Moreno vs Albazi.. Main Card Results Main Event (Flyweight): Brandon Moreno  def. Amir Albazi  via Unanimous DecisionMoreno showcased his champion spirit with superior technique, outscoring Albazi across five grueling rounds. His precise striking and dynamic movement sealed the victory, leaving no doubt among the judges. Co-Main Event (Women’s Flyweight): Erin Blanchfield  def. Rose Namajunas  via Unanimous DecisionBlanchfield continued her rise by neutralising Namajunas’ offense and dominating through each round, proving herself as a formidable force in the flyweight division. Light Heavyweight: Vitor Petrino Ribeiro  def. Caio Machado  via Split DecisionIn a close, back-and-forth battle, Ribeiro edged out Machado with a split decision, showing tenacity and power in this light heavyweight clash. Female Flyweight: Jasmine Jasudavicius  def. Ariane Lipski da Silva  via Submission (D’arce Choke) at 2:28 of Round 3Jasudavicius claimed a thrilling submission victory, locking in a D’arce choke on Lipski da Silva. Her performance earned her a $50,000 Performance of the Night bonus . Middleweight: Dustin Stoltzfus  def. Marc-André Barriault  via KO/TKO (Right Hook to Ground Strikes) at 4:28 of Round 1Stoltzfus showcased knockout power, finishing Barriault with a powerful right hook. His spectacular win earned him a $50,000 Performance of the Night bonus . Welterweight: Mike Malott  def. Trevin Giles  via Unanimous DecisionMalott showcased skill and endurance, convincingly defeating Giles through three rounds for a unanimous decision win. Preliminary Card Results Bantamweight: Aiemann Zahabi  def. Pedro Munhoz  via Unanimous DecisionZahabi’s composed game plan helped him outpoint Munhoz, securing a clear victory in the bantamweight division. Bantamweight: Charles Jourdain  def. Victor Henry  via Submission (Guillotine Choke) at 3:43 of Round 2Jourdain displayed his grappling prowess with a swift guillotine choke finish. This exciting win earned him a $50,000 Performance of the Night bonus . Featherweight: Youssef Zalal  def. Jack Shore  via Submission (Arm Triangle Choke) at 0:59 of Round 2Zalal made quick work of Shore, securing an arm triangle choke in the second round. His flawless execution earned him a $50,000 Performance of the Night bonus . Heavyweight: Alexander Romanov  def. Augusto Sakai  via Unanimous DecisionRomanov’s controlled performance ensured a unanimous decision over Sakai, demonstrating his grappling dominance in the heavyweight division. Bantamweight: Blake Sidey  def. Garrett Armfield  via Split DecisionSidey earned a hard-fought split decision in a close bout against Armfield, showcasing resilience. Bantamweight: Isaiah Gibson  def. T.J. Anheliger  via Unanimous DecisionGibson’s technical striking and takedown defense secured him a unanimous decision win over Anheliger. Female Flyweight: Diana Horth  def. Jovana Petrović  via Split DecisionHorth edged out Petrović in a tightly contested split decision, closing out an action-packed preliminary card. Fight Night Bonuses ($50,000 Each) Performance of the Night:  Jasmine Jasudavicius for her D’arce choke submission win over Ariane Lipski da Silva. Performance of the Night:  Dustin Stoltzfus for his KO/TKO victory against Marc-André Barriault. Performance of the Night:  Charles Jourdain for his guillotine choke win over Victor Henry. Performance of the Night:  Youssef Zalal for his arm triangle submission victory against Jack Shore. This electrifying night reaffirmed UFC Fight Night as a premier showcase of elite MMA talent, delivering action, grit, and skill in every bout.

UFC is back at the UFC APEX with an exciting welterweight fight featuring the No. 15 ranked contender Neil Magny and the emerging talent Carlos Prates . Additionally, renowned international middleweight Reinier de Ridder will make his UFC debut against the experienced Gerald Meerschaert . UFC FIGHT NIGHT: MAGNY vs PRATES is set for Saturday, November 9 in Las Vegas and will be exclusively available on ESPN+ (English and Spanish). The prelims start at 4pm ET/1pm PT, followed by the main card at 7pm ET/4pm PT. UFC Fight Night: Magny vs Prates Official Weigh-In Results: MAIN CARD Main Event - Welterweight Bout: Neil Magny (171) vs Carlos Prates (170.5)   Co-Main Event - Middleweight Bout: Gerald Meerschaert (185) vs Reinier de Ridder (185)  Bantamweight Bout: Gaston Bolanos (135.5) vs Cortavious Romious (136)   Women’s Strawweight Bout: Luana Pinheiro (115.5) vs Gillian Robertson (116) Middleweight Bout: Mansur Abdul-Malik (186) vs Duško Todorović (185.5) PRELIMS Women’s Strawweight Bout: Karolina Kowalkiewicz (115.5) vs Denise Gomes (115) Welterweight Bout: Elizeu Zaleski dos Santos (171) vs Zach Scroggin (174)** Welterweight Bout: Matthew Semelsberger (171) vs Charles Radtke (170.5)   Bantamweight Bout: Cody Stamann (135.5) vs Da’Mon Blackshear (135.5) Middleweight Bout: Tresean Gore (186) vs Antonio Trocoli (186)     Women’s Bantamweight Bout: Melissa Mullins (137)*** vs Klaudia Syguła (136) *Ricky Turcios' fight against Benardo Sopaj has been canceled due to a medical issue on Turcios' side. **Zach Scroggin exceeded the welterweight limit of 171 pounds during the weigh-in. As a result, he will forfeit 20% of his purse to his opponent, but the fight will continue as planned. ***Melissa Mullins also exceeded the bantamweight limit of 136 pounds during the weigh-in. Similar to Scroggin, she will forfeit 20% of her purse to her opponent, but the fight will proceed as scheduled.

ONE Championship kicked off its November 8 doubleheader in electrifying style, with ONE Friday Fights 86 delivering jaw-dropping moments and thrilling matchups at Bangkok’s Lumpinee Stadium. Packed with intense showdowns, this event set the bar high with 12 bouts that left fans on the edge of their seats. In the main event, Chartpayak Saksatoon and Kompet Fairtex went toe-to-toe for nine fierce minutes. Chartpayak’s relentless aggression earned him a hard-fought majority decision, pushing Kompet back and sealing a narrow victory. Egor Bikrev made quick work of the returning Gingsanglek Tor Laksong, landing a powerful right hook that ended the bout in the first round. Meanwhile, Nueaphet Kelasport’s knockdown in the second round only fueled Chatpichit Sor Sor Toipadriew’s fury. Chatpichit retaliated, securing a knockout in the third round to close out a heart-pounding fight. Mahesuan Aekmuangnon displayed utter dominance, sending Panlam Sor Sommai to the canvas three times in the first round for a TKO win. Nontachai Jitmuangnon came back from behind, landing a crushing right hand on Dmitrii Kovtun in the second round for a KO finish. Carlos Alvarez showcased his superior grappling, overwhelming Mirza Aliev with relentless ground-and-pound until the referee stepped in. Alvarez’s pressure was unstoppable, earning him a TKO victory. Didn’t catch the action live? You can watch all the explosive moments from ONE Friday Fights 86 on demand on ONE’s official YouTube channel. ONE Friday Fights 86 Full Results: Chartpayak Saksatoon def. Kompet Fairtex by majority decision Petlampun Muadablampang def. Nuapet Tded99 by unanimous decision Egor Bikrev def. Gingsanglek Tor Laksong by TKO at 1:45 of the first round Yodseksan Rodsuayjajed def. Jaipet Singha Mawynn by split decision Chatpichit Sor Sor Toipadriew def. Nueaphet Kelasport by knockout at 1:42 of the third round Mahesuan Aekmuangnon def. Panlam Sor Sommai by TKO at 2:36 of the first round Nontachai Jitmuangnon def. Dmitrii Kovtun by knockout at 2:39 of the second round Koki Osaki def. Huo Xiaolong by unanimous decision Islay Erika Bomogao def. Fuu by unanimous decision Moa Carlsson def. Celest Hansen by unanimous decision Carlos Alvarez def. Mirza Aliev by TKO at 4:22 of the second round Fritz Biagtan def. Seyedali Asli by unanimous decision Prepare for more hard-hitting action as ONE Championship continues its thrilling journey!

Welcome to the Black Belt Hall of Fame 2024! This premier event took place on October 10th at the Avalon in Hollywood, celebrating the remarkable contributions of martial artists from around the globe. The night was a star-studded affair, with notable attendees such as Randy Couture and Michael Jai White, who remarked, "It felt like being at the Oscars, but for martial arts legends." The awards presentation was both efficient and engaging, completing in just 49 minutes, showcasing a new standard for martial arts events. In case you had to miss the fun, we made sure to capture the highlights of the event on film. Sit back, enjoy, and let’s honor the legends of the Black Belt Hall of Fame 2024!

The biggest kickboxing spectacle of the year, GLORY COLLISION 7, is set to ignite the GelreDome soccer stadium in Arnhem, the Netherlands, on December 7! This stacked card promises a night of thrilling clashes with twelve unmissable bouts featuring the world’s best. In the highly anticipated main event, the "King of Kickboxing" Rico Verhoeven (64-10, 21 KO) will defend his GLORY heavyweight world title against the "Prince of Kickboxing" Levi Rigters (19-2, 9 KO) in a fierce rematch. Bad blood, titles, and trilogy drama define the co-main event as GLORY light heavyweight champion Tarik Khbabez (51-11-1, 28 KO) takes on grand prix champion Donegi Abena (30-10, 10 KO) in a heated rubber match to settle their rivalry once and for all. The main card is packed with thrilling matchups featuring seven of the top ten light heavyweights today. Fan-favorite Bahram Rajabzadeh (69-4, 61 KO) returns to face newcomer Daniel Stefanovski (34-5, 25 KO), former champ Sergej Maslobojev (39-7, 24 KO) takes on the ‘Newcomer of the Year’ Stefan Latescu (17-4, 8 KO), and KO machine Cem Caceres (17-1, 14 KO) faces French star Pascal Toure (20-7, 7 KO). Mory Kromah (30-2-1, 18 KO) will also battle with Milos Cvjeticanin (11-2, 8 KO) in another must-watch showdown, while heavyweights Ionut Iancu (30-9, 12 KO) and Sofian Laidouni (36-4-1, 18 KO) complete the main lineup. Even the free preliminary card, streaming on the GLORY YouTube channel, is action-packed. Longtime rivals Tayfun Ozcan (87-10-1, 28 KO) and Younes Smaili (41-3, 19 KO) will finally settle their score in a fiery catchweight bout. The lineup includes top-ranked middleweight Serkan Ozcaglayan (46-10, 36 KO) facing Ramy Deghir (7-1, 1 KO), former welterweight champ Endy Semeleer (36-3, 18 KO) versus ‘The Matrix’ Jay Overmeer (30-7, 16 KO), and heavyweight titans Oleh Pryimachov (15-5, 5 KO) and Barkouch (2-1, 1 KO) locking horns. Tickets for GLORY COLLISION 7 are available on GLORYKickboxing.com , and fans worldwide can tune in via Videoland, Bally Live & Stadium, and DAZN. Don’t miss the action on December 7 – this is kickboxing’s night of reckoning!

The cover of the August 2006 issue of Black Belt  featured the incredible Dan Henderson , a true powerhouse of MMA. Known for his devastating knockout ability and exceptional wrestling foundation, Henderson earned a reputation as one of the sport’s most dynamic and respected fighters, thrilling fans with his fierce battles against the world’s best. Learn more about this cover and the entire magazine preserved in digital format: https://www.blackbeltmag.com

Here are some Updates to UFC Fight Night: Magny vs Prates - Nicolas Dalby has had to withdraw from his welterweight fight against Elizeu dos Santos due to an injury. Stepping in for Dalby is Zach Scroggin, a UFC newcomer with an unblemished 7-0 record. The bantamweight fight between Cody Garbrandt and Miles Johns has been called off, leading to its cancellation from the upcoming weekend event. UFC FIGHT NIGHT: MAGNY vs PRATES is scheduled for this Saturday, November 9 at UFC Apex in Las Vegas. Make sure not to miss any of the action at UFC Fight Night: Magny vs Prates , broadcasting live from UFC APEX in Las Vegas, Nevada on October 12, 2024. The prelims start at 4pm ET/1pm PT, with the main card going live on ESPN+ at 7pm ET/4pm PT.