You probably learned it your first day in the dojo. The front stance, aka zenkutsu-dachi, is perhaps the most iconic position of karate. It’s done so often in training that it feels natural and comfortable. There’s some question as to how useful it is for karateka to spend so much time in this stance, though. No one fights—either for real or in sparring—from a front stance. Some cite this as a reason to skip learning it altogether. Others note that zenkutsu-dachi places unnatural stress on the knees. As reasonable as these arguments are, the stance makes it easy to teach hip rotation and other body mechanics. If you can move smoothly and easily from zenkutsu-dachi, you’ll find shifting and moving in more practical stances to be faster and more efficient. Stress and other potential causes of injury exist not because of the stance itself, in most cases, but because it’s incorrectly taught. Whether you’re just learning zenkutsu-dachi or you’ve practiced it for decades, it’s important enough to do a quick review. To that end, consider these highlights.

OK, I don’t mean the obvious—breaking the rules of an organized combat sports event. I’m talking about when you’re fighting in self-defense. Can anything you do to win be considered dirty? Or is dirty a word that’s irrelevant with regard to self-defense? Personally, I think that’s the case—that there’s only prevailing or not. To even define “dirty” with regard to a serious, life-threatening fight is difficult. Illegal? Not when used for self-defense. Underhanded? How can a fighting technique be dishonest when the only thing you’re concerned with is prevailing? Unsportsmanlike? A real fight isn’t sporting. Sneaky? Maybe, but I don’t see that as disreputable; I see it as wise. Perhaps serious fighting, in which the consequences are grave (your life or serious injury), may have been honorable at some time or another in history. Probably the concept of a fair fight was the byproduct of becoming civilized.

Today’s essay walks a fine line. I can see how the advice I’m about to offer can be interpreted as a carte blanche excuse to give your training time short shrift, but that interpretation is the furthest thing from my mind. On the contrary, I’m all for upping your training intensity. What I’m skeptical of is—well, here goes. As I get on in years, I’m beginning to wonder if a large contingent of martial artists have put training (whether for combat sports or reality combatives) on a par with—or even worse, made it more important than—the targeted activity. In metaphor land, have we given more value to the tools we use to construct something than to the construction itself? Consider the following: We need strength, stamina, and explosiveness to prepare for the tasks combat requires. To acquire such attributes, it’s wise to supplement our training with activities outside the arts. For example, to build ferocious punching power, we work the heavy bag and the pads, which we supplement with Olympic lifting or powerlifting. The marriage of sports is excellent. Here’s where I start cocking an eyebrow. If and when the training becomes more about “What can you bench?”—asked in that querulous John C. Reilly Boogie Nights  tone—and less about “How’s your punching power developing?” things start skewing in off-target directions. Splitting hairs? Probably, but stay with me as I shred that hair even finer. As combat athletes, we must never lose sight of what we’re trying to better—whether it’s our combat-sports game, our reality game, or a combination of them. Any training modality that comes down the pike should be road-tested for application to the sport in question. If it seems like a good fit for the fight game, terrific. If not, bye-bye. You’re probably on board for this paragraph; let me lose a few of you now with the next one. When any training modality that’s not your targeted sport becomes important in and of itself, you have a dilemma. You can either remember where your true focus is—on combat—or recognize that you’re now a multi-sport athlete who might want to spend more time building your bench, tweaking your sprint times, and increasing your pull-up numbers. We’ve all encountered such people—athletes with mighty good wind from one sport (marathon, let’s say) who gas in three minutes on the mat, those with bulging biceps and rippling pecs who punch like Little Leaguers, and so on and so forth. Specificity breeds specificity. In the past six months, I’ve encountered folks of many different fitness stripes—diet affiliations, fitness levels, and training approaches—in a variety of obstacle races I’ve run. Some of them—admittedly, people who are quite fit to all appearances—lament their performances post-race and offer “I thought I would do better because of [insert random preparation exercise here]” comments. The number of thrusters you can do uninterrupted, how heavy your bench is, or what your run time is on the treadmill at X degrees of inclination doesn’t matter much when you’re not doing that specific exercise. When we make the preparation for a sport the sport itself, it seems we’re like obsessively fit rodents on ever-turning hamster wheels. We place utmost importance on how fast or how long we run on the wheel while giving no thought to whether life outside the Habitrail is anything like this wheel we love so much. So what am I saying? Am I anti-preparation? Anti-training? Anti-exercise? Not at all. I’m exceedingly pro on all these points. I’m simply pointing out a shift in attitude that may spell the difference between how well your training applies to what you intend it to do—which is perform your martial art—and how well your training merely makes you better at training.

Featured on the cover of Black Belt  in 1978—long before TikTok or YouTube—Michael Echanis was teaching the art of military combat through books. His bestsellers flew off the shelves, building a reputation and following the hard way—through real knowledge and results. His light was gone too soon, but his legacy lives on through the pages that continue to influence warriors and martial artists today. Find the digital copy at https://www.blackbeltmag.com/ebooks . Knife Self-Defense for Combat  isn’t theory—it’s battlefield reality. Written by Michael D. Echanis, a Vietnam veteran who kept fighting even after being seriously wounded, this book comes from real-world experience—not the dojo.   After his medical discharge, Echanis went all-in on the martial path, earning a black sash in Hwarangdo and developing one of the most direct, no-nonsense approaches to close-quarters combat ever put on paper. This book breaks down knife fighting the way it was meant to be understood—raw, efficient, and unforgiving—through clear, step-by-step photographic sequences. His work has been regarded as ahead of its time, surpassing many traditional combatives manuals in realism and application. There were plans for a nine-book series—but his life was cut short at just 27. What remains is a legacy that still influences warriors, fighters, and serious practitioners today. This is not sport. This is survival. Read the digital version now through Black Belt Magazine at BlackBeltMag.com .

In an era when martial arts competition was still finding its identity—and women were rarely given a place in the spotlight—Karyn Turner didn’t just enter the arena… she redefined it. Known variously as the “Queen of Kata,” the “First Lady of Kung Fu,” and later the “Mother of U.S. Kickboxing,” Turner emerged in the mid-1970s as one of the most dynamic and versatile competitors of her time. Trained under Al Dacascos and Malia Dacascos in the Wun Hop Kune Do system, she brought a unique blend of artistry, athleticism, and fighting spirit into competition. Her breakthrough moment came in 1976, when she became the first woman to capture a double victory in both fighting (kumite) and forms (kata) at the International Women’s Karate Championship—a feat unheard of at the time. But Turner didn’t stop at women’s divisions. At a time when such barriers were rarely challenged, she stepped into men’s divisions at the World Championships—competing, and winning, in both kata and weapons, including the steel whip. By 1977, at the height of her career, Turner entered 23 tournaments and dominated across three divisions, once again proving her ability to transcend expectations. Black Belt recognized her impact early, naming her the “most outstanding woman in the history of martial arts” in 1978. More honors followed: in 1990, she became the first woman ever inducted into the Black Belt Hall of Fame as “Competitor of the Year,” the same year she was named “Woman of the Year.” Her legacy was further cemented with her 2009 induction into the Martial Arts History Museum Hall of Fame. Born in Lyons, Kansas, and raised in Colorado, Turner began her martial arts journey at 19 in tae kwon do before finding her path in kung fu. Though her competitive career spanned just a few years—from 1975 to 1979—her impact was lasting. After retiring from competition, she formed the “Hard Knocks” demonstration team and later helped shape the sport behind the scenes through her promotional company, Superfights, Inc. In a time defined by toughness, innovation, and few limitations, Karyn Turner stood at the center of it all—bridging divisions, breaking barriers, and leaving a legacy that continues to influence martial artists today. Listed below is a throwback article feature from November of 1979.

UFC ®  today announced that former UFC middleweight and light heavyweight champion Alex Pereira has been named the 2026 recipient of the Forrest Griffin Community Award. Named in honor of UFC Hall of Famer Forrest Griffin, the award recognizes a UFC athlete for their exceptional volunteer and charity work and the meaningful impact their efforts have on the community.   The Forrest Griffin Community Award is presented annually as part of the UFC Honors President’s Choice category, as the award recipient is personally selected by UFC President & CEO Dana White. UFC Honors is the company's annual awards program recognizing UFC athletes, exceptional performances, and special moments throughout each year.    As the 2026 recipient of the Forrest Griffin Community Award, Pereira will receive a $25,000  donation to the charity of his choice. All donations are courtesy of the UFC Foundation.  Pereira will also partner with celebrity artist Ant Kai   to design and auction a one-of-one pair of UFC-branded gloves as part of UFC’s Gloves for Good Program , with funds raised benefiting his foundation, The Instituto Poatan .    Pereira will be honored for this award during the 2026 UFC Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony  as part of the 14 th  Annual   UFC International Fight Week . The event will take place on Thursday, July 9  at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. “Alex is one of the biggest stars in the world and it’s great to see him use his platform to give back to the community by helping youth in Brazil,” said UFC President & CEO Dana White. “By offering free after-school tutoring, computer literacy programs, and jiu-jitsu training to more than 500 local youth, he is directly helping the students create better lives e for themselves. It’s an honor to present him with this award.” Pereira founded The Instituto Poatan  ( Poatan Institute / Poatan Cares Foundation ) in 2024, after purchasing and renovating a building in Sao Paulo, Brazil. The institute’s mission is to promote social and sports initiatives, using sports as a tool for transformation. The non-profits vision is to become a benchmark for encouraging, expanding, and spreading sports practices that drive social, educational, and community development. With core values centering on transparency, excellence, integrity and commitment, the institute offers free afterschool tutoring, English courses, computer literacy, nutrition, and jiu-jitsu training to underprivileged youth. Since its inception, more than 500 local youth have registered for the institute’s programs, and the organization plans on continuing its expansion in 2026.  Outside of Brazil , Pereira continues to give back to local communities around the world, visiting children’s hospitals, teaching jiu-jitsu, and speaking with underprivileged youth in conjunction with other athletes and in partnership with UFC’s youth mentoring programs.  Pereira is a veteran of 16 fights in MMA and has compiled a record of 13-3 (10-2 UFC) since his professional MMA debut in 2015. Before transitioning to MMA, he competed in 40 professional kickboxing fights, registering a 33-7 record and capturing the GLORY middleweight and light heavyweight titles.  To learn more about The Alex Poatan Institute, please visit INSTITUTOPOATAN .

When violence erupts, decisions must often be made in seconds. Yet lawful and ethical use of force does not depend on emotion or fear—it depends on the presence of specific conditions. Understanding how capability, intent, and immediacy intersect is essential for martial artists, professionals, and anyone serious about responsible self-protection. If you are a martial artist, a police officer, a security professional, or simply someone concerned with protecting yourself and your family, there may come a moment when events turn serious very quickly. Training, preparation, and mindset exist for that violent possibility. In those moments, decisions must be made under pressure, with incomplete information and very little time. For those who carry responsibility—whether through profession, training, or circumstance—the question is not simply whether force can be used, but when it is truly justified. Understanding that distinction is one of the most important aspects of responsible self-protection. “Force is not justified by fear. It is justified by facts.” We live in a time when almost every serious incident involving violence is instantly transformed into a story. Headlines, social media commentary, and political rhetoric compete to define events before facts are fully known. In this environment, emotional reactions often replace disciplined analysis, and outrage frequently overwhelms understanding. Recognizing Threat vs. Feeling Threatened Yet across legal systems, professional standards, and international frameworks, the lawful use of force—particularly lethal force—rests on a far more demanding foundation. Whether viewed through common law, civil law, United Nations guidelines, or modern policing doctrine, the same principle emerges: deadly force is justified only when specific, observable conditions are present. These conditions are commonly understood as means, intent, and delivery system . If one of these elements is missing, the justification for lethal force becomes fragile. If more than one is absent, it often collapses entirely. The professional obligation is not to feel threatened, but to recognize threat accurately. Actions taken under pressure must reflect disciplined assessment rather than emotional reaction. Under United States Supreme Court precedent, deadly force is considered reasonable only when, at the moment it is used, an officer can reasonably believe that a subject poses a significant threat of death or serious physical injury. This belief must be based on an objective assessment of what the individual can do, intends to do, and is capable of doing immediately. This standard originates in Tennessee v. Garner and was refined through Graham v. Connor. Similar principles appear in other jurisdictions under different language, but with the same underlying logic. At the foundation of this framework is the concept of means, or capability . The first question is straightforward: does this person possess the ability to cause death or grievous bodily harm? This may involve firearms, knives, impact weapons, improvised tools, physical disparities in size or strength, numerical advantage, or environmental factors. A weapon is not limited to what is held in the hand. It includes anything that can reasonably be used to produce lethal effect. Capability establishes possibility, not danger. Many people possess the means to cause harm and never use them. The second condition is intent . Intent concerns whether an individual is demonstrating a willingness to use their capability against others. It is revealed through behavior rather than attitude. Indicators may include verbal threats, target fixation, aggressive movement, escalation patterns, refusal to disengage, prior conduct, and situational context. Intent is not determined by emotion, appearance, or reputation. Someone may be angry without being dangerous. Someone may be calm and extremely dangerous. Professional assessment focuses on observable actions rather than assumptions or narratives. The third and most frequently misunderstood element is the delivery system , or immediacy. This refers to whether an individual can apply harmful force at that moment. Distance, positioning, access to weapons, speed, mobility, obstacles, terrain, and the defender’s own position all shape this assessment. A knife at thirty metres presents a fundamentally different threat than a knife at three metres. A firearm concealed in a waistband differs greatly from one held in a firing position. Capability combined with intent but lacking immediacy represents potential danger. Capability, intent, and immediacy together represent immediate threat. These three elements form what is often described as the lethal force triangle . Means, intent, and delivery system must align to create a justifiable lethal threat. When only capability is present, risk remains low. When capability and intent are present, risk is elevated. When all three are present simultaneously, lethal danger exists. Courts, investigators, and review boards consistently evaluate force through this structure, even when they employ different terminology. Importantly, these elements are not static. They shift continuously. Distance changes. Intent escalates or diminishes. Weapons appear or disappear. Barriers emerge and vanish. Situations evolve moment by moment. Force decisions are therefore judgments of moving circumstances, not frozen snapshots. This is why training, experience, and disciplined observation are indispensable. After any serious use-of-force incident, three questions inevitably arise: What did you see? What did you believe? Why was that belief reasonable? The framework of means, intent, and delivery provides structured, defensible answers. Statements grounded in specific observations carry far more credibility than generalized expressions of fear. Within the Reality Check philosophy, violence is understood as mechanical rather than emotional. Threat is evaluated through function, not feeling. Can this person cause serious harm? Do they appear willing to do so? Can they act immediately? These questions form the operational equation. A crucial aspect of this analysis is often overlooked: past actions and offenses do not, by themselves, justify lethal force. Individuals may commit crimes, behave aggressively, or act irresponsibly without presenting an immediate lethal threat. Force is justified by present conditions, not prior misconduct. The relevant question is not what someone did earlier, but what is happening now. Equally important is the issue of provocation and responsibility. When professionals unnecessarily escalate situations—through crowding, humiliation, aggressive posturing, poor communication, or the removal of reasonable alternatives—they increase the likelihood of violence. When danger is manufactured through avoidable choices, later claims of necessity become deeply problematic. One cannot create jeopardy and then rely on it for justification. In professional standards worldwide, this concept is often referred to as officer-created jeopardy or self-generated risk . In practical terms, it means individuals are accountable for decisions that make situations more dangerous rather than safer. Force is meant to be a last resort. It is not a shortcut, a punishment, or an escape from poor judgment. Reality Check emphasizes responsibility before reaction. Positioning, tone, timing, and restraint all shape outcomes. Once a situation is pushed beyond certain thresholds, control is lost and harm becomes more likely for everyone involved. Ultimately, lethal force is not about winning. It is about stopping an immediate, unlawful threat when no reasonable alternative remains. When means, intent, and delivery align, time compresses, options narrow, and responsibility becomes absolute. The professional obligation is to recognize that moment accurately—and only that moment. In a world increasingly driven by fear and rhetoric, disciplined evaluation remains the foundation of justice, safety, and trust. Force without fear is not weakness. It is professionalism. It is restraint. It is leadership. This framework forms part of the broader Reality Check approach to self-protection—an ongoing exploration of how martial artists and professionals can think clearly, act responsibly, and maintain discipline under pressure.

The Professional Fighters League (PFL) today announced a new multi-year partnership renewal with DAZN DACH, a regional division of DAZN in Central Europe home to Bundesliga and UEFA Champions League coverage, leading international football competitions across Europe’s top leagues, and a broad multi-sport offering including darts, tennis, golf, boxing, MMA and more.  The broadcast giant will now bring live coverage of PFL Global events alongside PFL MENA and PFL Africa tournaments to fans across Germany, Switzerland, Austria, Liechtenstein and Luxembourg. The partnership began with PFL Chicago on 11 April headlined by elite Bantamweight athletes Sergio “The Phenom” Pettis and Mitch “Merciless” McKee, with the next upcoming broadcast set to be Thursday 16 April for PFL Belfast headlined by undefeated Irishman Darragh “The Moville Mauler” Kelly against New Zealand’s Jay Jay “"The Māori Kid" Wilson.  Fans in the Central European markets will have access to pre and post-fight shows, press conferences, weigh-ins, feature programming, highlights and more.    The PFL is home to some of the world’s most talented fighters, including PFL Lightweight World Champion  Usman Nurmagomedov , Women’s Featherweight World Champion  Cris Cyborg , undefeated women’s flyweight star  Dakota Ditcheva , and PFL Middleweight World Champion  Costello van Steenis , showcasing high level talent from all over the world.  As the PFL continues to grow worldwide, the organization remains committed to developing elite fighters from across the globe and expanding its international leagues. Through competitions such as PFL Global, PFL MENA, and PFL Africa, the league is building a global platform that showcases emerging talent while delivering premium MMA content to fans around the world.

As a martial artist, you spend a lot of time practicing techniques and strategies designed to help you avoid problems and protect yourself in the event of an assault. Thinking defensively is part of your daily routine. Do you also think defensively when it comes to the food you eat? You might choose specific foods to improve your strength, stamina, or performance, but what about practicing nutrition as a method of self-defense that not only improves your overall health and vitality but also helps ensure your safety and longevity? When you look at it from that perspective, healthy eating seems just as important as those 37 death strikes you learned last week. Having been part of the self-defense world for 20 years, I've seen plenty of unhealthy people on the mat—people who are dedicated to mastering their art but who abuse their bodies through poor food choices. I've known accomplished martial artists who struggle to shed pounds or, worse yet, are eating their way into an avoidable disease. The reality that a person could spend years learning to defend himself or herself only to be taken out by a food-related heart attack, combined with the disturbing obesity statistics plaguing our society, inspired me to go back to school in 2007 to learn more about nutrition. My aim was to help people empower themselves with defensive and strategic food choices. The connection between self-defense and healthy eating is unmistakable. Virtually all the core concepts I teach my self-defense students have direct corollaries in the nutrition world: awareness, safe distance, boundary setting, simple techniques, and so on. That's why I decided to combine the two fields into a program called Kung Food! Master the Art of Healthy Eating. Success doesn't hinge on following a diet or giving up your favorite foods. Rather, it stems from adopting a nutrition philosophy that encourages you to be proactive and consciously participate in your health by applying simple self-defense strategies when you shop and eat. Example: If you saw trouble on your side of the street, you'd cross to the other side to avoid it, right? The nutrition corollary would be to shop the outside aisles of the supermarket first—that's where you'll find most whole foods and natural products. If you fill your cart with healthy options, you'll be less likely to visit the inside aisles, where the less-nutritious, processed, and frozen foods lurk. Sometimes you have to set a strong boundary and say "No!" whether your goal is to avoid assault or avoid diabetes. Like studying a martial art, learning how to choose and prepare healthy food requires dedication and focus, and it can create a sense of balance and confidence in your life. However, it needs to be approached as a lifelong, sustainable practice. If you concentrate only on short-term goals—losing weight or bulking up for a specific event—and then go back to a more convenience-based or fast-food way of eating, you can do more damage than you think. You may have been able to pull that off when you were young, but not now. The solution entails making healthy eating a priority, just like your martial arts training. You need a framework in which to explore a variety of healthy options so you can figure out what works best for you. You need recipes to follow, as well as explanations of dietary theories and opportunities. Everything in Kung Food is optional, of course, but if you don't know what it feels like to eat vegetarian for a while, wouldn't you like to find out? What if it's awesome? The aim is to create new habits by adding nutritious choices that will improve your health and performance while "crowding out" the old foods and habits that are doing long-term harm. By no means is it about being perfect; it's about setting realistic goals. My philosophy is, if you can be safety-minded 70 percent of the time when choosing what to eat, you'll be way ahead of the game, even during the other 30 percent.

UFC ® announced that former UFC flyweight champion Demetrious Johnson will be inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame’s Modern Wing as a member of the Class of 2026. The 2026 UFC Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony will take place this summer. “Demetrious Johnson is the greatest flyweight of all-time,” said UFC President & CEO Dana White. “Demetrious was a great champion who had one of the most incredible careers in MMA, and his streak of 11 consecutive title defenses is one of the most remarkable records we’ve ever seen in professional sports. It will be an honor to induct him into the UFC Hall of Fame this summer.” Johnson will enter the UFC Hall of Fame as the 18 th  member of the Modern Wing. The Modern Era category includes athletes who turned pro on or after November 17, 2000, when the first UFC event under the unified rules of MMA was held. Other requirements include a minimum age of 35 or those who have been retired for one year or more. A veteran of 30 fights during his 14-year MMA career, Johnson compiled a record of 25-4,1 Draw (17-3,1 Draw – UFC / WEC), securing victories over former WEC bantamweight champion Miguel Torres , former RIZIN flyweight champion Kyoji Horiguchi , former UFC flyweight and bantamweight champion Henry Cejudo , and former Pancrase flyweight tournament winner Yuya Wakamatsu . After winning his first nine (9) amateur MMA fights with various promotions, Johnson made his professional debut on August 15, 2009, securing his first win via submission at King of the Cage: Thunderstruck . He would then join Alaska Fighting Championship  and win his next two fights before joining WEC ® .  Johnson made his WEC debut on the prelims of WEC ®  48: ALDO vs. FABER , which took place on April 24, 2010, at ARCO Arena in Sacramento, California. He would lose his debut to Brad Pickett via decision but bounce back to win his next four fights across WEC / UFC to earn his first title shot against then-champion Dominick Cruz. Johnson faced Cruz in the main event of UFC LIVE: CRUZ vs. JOHNSON , which took place on October 1, 2011, at Verizon Center in Washington, D.C. Cruz would retain his title by defeating Johnson via unanimous decision. After competing to a draw against Ian McCall in his next fight, Johnson would rebound in his rematch with McCall by defeating him via unanimous decision. With the win, Johnson advanced to face Joseph Benavidez in the UFC flyweight tournament finale at UFC 152.  UFC ®  152: JONES vs. BELFORT  took place on September 22, 2012, at Air Canada Centre in Toronto, Ontario. Johnson faced Benavidez in the co-main event, capturing the split decision victory and becoming the inaugural UFC flyweight champion. As UFC flyweight champion, Johnson would embark on a record-breaking winning streak, securing 11 consecutive victories and title defenses over the next four years, securing his place on the list of greatest MMA athletes in history.On August 4, 2018, Johnson would lose his first fight in five years via split decision to Henry Cejudo in the co-main event of UFC ® 227: DILLASHAW vs. GARBRANDT 2 . Following his loss, he would leave UFC and sign with ONE Championship, an MMA promotion based in Singapore. He would win five of his next six fights with ONE, capturing the flyweight world grand prix title and becoming the organization’s flyweight champion with one successful defense. He retired on May 5, 2023, and vacating the title after a successful defense.  Johnson enters the UFC Hall of Fame with an impressive resume that includes: UFC: Longest title reign in UFC flyweight history – 2,142 days (Second-longest in UFC history)  Longest consecutive fight winning streak in UFC flyweight history – 13 Most title fight wins in UFC flyweight history – 12 (Third-most in UFC history) Most top position time in UFC flyweight history – 1:05:52 Recorded 1 of 3 performances in UFC history with 100% takedown accuracy (min. 10 attempts) Highest significant strike accuracy percentage in UFC flyweight history – 57.2% Highest significant strike defense percentage in UFC flyweight history – 68.4%  Tied for second-most wins in UFC flyweight history – 13  Tied for second-most finished in UFC flyweight history – 7 Third-most significant strikes landed in UFC flyweight history – 1,059  Johnson has been won with numerous awards during his career, such as Fighter of the Year  in 2013 by FOX Sports and again in 2017 by ESPN and Sports Illustrated. He also captured Submission of the Year  honors in 2017 from the Fighters Only  World MMA Awards, ESPN, and MMA Fighting. A native of Parkland, Washington, Johnson excelled in wrestling at Washington High School, placing second and third in the state during his junior and senior seasons. After high school, Johnson trained MMA as a hobby before competing as an amateur on the Washington regional circuit. Johnson is an avid gamer and jiu-jitsu practitioner, competing in the IBJJF Master World and Pan Championships. He currently lives in Washington, with his wife and children. To view Johnson’s UFC FIGHT PASS collection please visit: https://ufcfightpass.com/playlist/34822 To see a complete list of UFC athletes and fights enshrined in the UFC Hall of Fame, as well as details regarding the UFC Hall of Fame format, please visit UFCHOFFAQ . For additional information, please visit UFC.com .

OK, here’s the scene: you’re driving your car with the music cranked. You’re navigating just fine while singing along—until you come to a busy intersection. While you’re pondering how you’ll cross the lanes to make a left turn, you lower the volume of the music. Does this ring any bells? If so, why might this be? Why would you need to reduce the aural stimulus to execute a function that's almost all about visual awareness? Why would one sense interfere with another? I mean, you use your eyes and ears at the same time every day. You can walk and look where you're going while carrying on a conversation and not trip over your own feet. Why should the described instance be any different? The answer involves complexity of task and familiarity of task—with a little bit of multitasking debunking thrown in. Let's hit each one and then examine the implications for combat training. Complexity of task:  Driving a familiar route with few obstacles doesn't place many demands on the brain. As soon as you introduce complexity—the aforementioned intersection, for example—you've got to up your game. Familiarity:  Remember back to when you learned to drive. There were probably tasks that you take for granted now but that had you white-knuckling the steering wheel then. Every new task you confront requires attention input; once you've applied your shortcuts to navigating the new task, you raise the bar for complexity because of this newly acquired familiarity. Multitasking:  Human beings don't multitask. We aren't really walking while talking, or texting while driving, or answering emails while talking to our spouse. We're set up to pay attention to only one thing at a time, and when we engage in multiple tasks, we actually switch back and forth between them at a rapid rate. The switch is so quick we have the illusion we're doing more than a few things well. You don't recognize this defect in multitasking—unless you think about why you turn down the radio for the intersection and close your eyes to "hear." If you apply this realization to your combat training, you'll enjoy better results. The best way to begin is with "present moment" training procedures. Present-moment training is usually approached through vehicles such as Zen or mindfulness training. Those esoteric methods work for some, but they can split your focus. (To learn to be mindful or present in your training, you must first devote time to learning meditation or another contemplative process.) I prefer a more pragmatic way to stay grounded in training and avoid wheel spinning and false multitasking: engage in active training rather than passive training. Active martial arts training requires you to be present by force of complexity or some other outside restriction. Rather than simply working rounds on the bag, you can use external constraints to stay present and focused. Here are two options: • Compete against a partner or yourself for the highest strike rate. Example: If your partner got 235 strikes in his first round, you strive to top that number. • Beat the clock. Decide that you'll execute a certain number of thigh kicks on the banana bag in a certain number of minutes. If you reach that goal, up the ante in your next session. Practically any piece of solo gear can be used in this manner, but partner drilling is when active training really shines because contact is the ultimate stay-in-the-present tool. Partner drills should always involve the threat of contact. If your partner never hits back, you could just as well be training on a heavy bag. Don't get me wrong: I'm not advocating all-out, no-holds-barred donnybrooks in the middle of a double-leg drill. I'm talking about agreeing on contact levels to keep both parties in the game while ensuring there's a little spice. That spice can be as simple as, "Hey, we're both going to shoot double-legs on each other at 80 percent for the next three five-minute rounds, but if the head is open for a jab at any point, can we take that, too?" You both get to work the double-leg with contact to keep you awake, and you've got a wild card to remind you that many folks drop those hands when they switch to grappling mode. It keeps you engaged, and engagement leads to immediate correction of errors and, ultimately, to growth.

Nigeria’s Wasi Adeshina to Headline Historic Nigeria Event against Ignacio Campos  Patrick Ocheme Faces Octave Ayinda in Lightweight First Round Co-Main Event The Professional Fighters League today announced the first pair of bouts as PFL Africa heads to Nigeria for the first time at the Eko Convention Center in Lagos on Saturday, June 13, 2026. The event will mark the largest MMA event in West African history, featuring the opening round of the PFL Africa bantamweight and lightweight tournaments, alongside showcase bouts highlighting top regional talent. Headlining the event will be a featherweight Showcase Bout featuring Nigeria’s Wasi “The Nigerian Jaguar” Adeshina (10-3), who will compete in front of a home crowd in the main event against Spanish star Ignacio “Nacho” Campos (7-2). Adeshina enters as one of the notable local athletes on the card and will look to deliver a strong performance as PFL Africa lands in Nigeria for the first time. Campos, on the other hand, is coming off a big win over Mathys Duragrin at PFL Madrid last month.The co-main event will feature a lightweight first round tournament bout between Nigeria’s Patrick “Star Boi” Ocheme (8-1) and Cameroon’s Octave “The Bantu Warrior” Ayinda (7-1). Ocheme will look to capitalize on the home advantage as he begins his tournament campaign, while Ayinda enters as a challenger aiming to secure a statement victory in the opening round. “ Making our West African debut in Lagos is a major milestone for PFL Africa, and one we’re incredibly excited about ,” said Elias Schulze, General Manager of PFL Africa . “ Nigeria brings incredible passion, culture, and talent, and Lagos is the perfect stage for this moment. The energy from the fans, the depth of local talent, and the opportunity to showcase it all on a global platform make this event truly special. We’re bringing elite competition to one of the most vibrant cities in the world, and highlighting the pride, colour, and intensity that define African MMA .” Additional bouts for the PFL Africa: Nigeria card will be announced in the coming weeks. PFL Africa: Nigeria  card: SuperSport (Africa - English) | Canal+ (Africa - French) Saturday, June 13 Featherweight Showcase Main Event: Wasi Adeshina (10-3) vs. Ignacio Campos (7-2) Lightweight Tournament First Round: Patrick Ocheme (7-1) vs. Octave Ayinda (8-1)