When the Professional Fighters League ( PFL ) announced that they would be holding an off-shoot league that would feature fighters from Europe, the almost-immediate reaction was people pondering what region or continent would be on the horizon.  PFL Europe, as it would come to be known, held its inaugural season in 2023, which immediately became one of the highlights of the PFL’s landmark year. The four-event season, which featured the best fighters coming out of Europe, was indeed a massive success, and introduced the world to future household names like Dakota Ditcheva, Jakob Nedoh, Simeon Powell, and even Cedric Doumbe.  With PFL Europe’s success, the PFL has found itself a blueprint for what to do with future off-shoot regional and continental leagues as they build towards the vision of creating The Champions League of MMA.  With that, the question now is, where will the PFL head to next?  Following the massive signing of heavyweight king Francis Ngannou – which was also one of the PFL’s biggest moments of 2023 – it was made clear that the PFL already has Africa in its sights, and with good reason. Africa, for one, has become a fast-rising hotdbed for MMA talent, with the likes of Ngannou, Kamaru Usman, Israel Adesanya, Manel Kape, and others. Ngannou is set to be PFL Africa’s chairman, and while there’s no specific timetable yet, this is certainly one of the leagues to watch out for.  What was recently announced for 2024 however, is PFL (MENA) Middle East and North Africa, which is expected to hold events in key markets such as Qatar and Saudi Arabia. The Middle East has also become a steady-rising source of MMA talent, with a number of big names like Jordan’s Jarrah Al-Silawi and Saudi’s Abdullah Al-Qahtani carrying the Middle Eastern flag into the SmartCage.  Another obvious choice for a regional league would be Asia. Asia, which is widely regarded as the spiritual home of martial arts, is one of the biggest markets for MMA, with countries like Japan, China, Thailand, the Philippines, and South Korea all being home to some of the best fighters and the best fans in the world. PFL Asia would definitely open the door for a number of talents to break into the global stage.  Talking about places that produce world class fighters, it’s hard not to mention Russia, and PFL Russia would definitely be a major piece of the MMA Champions League puzzle. In each of the PFL’s five seasons, there has been a Russian in the finals, and there have been three Russian fighters to become PFL champion, including two-time titleholder Magomed Magomedkerimov. To round out the list of potential PFL regions of interest, PFL Latin America would be a no-brainer. Countries like Brazil and Mexico have rich combat sports histories, and a spin-off league featuring talents from those countries would be a massive ace for the PFL.  Wherever the PFL ends up going next, it’s almost certain that there would be success, and ‘MMA’s Champions League’ will be one step closer to becoming a reality.

Who is the top female martial arts movie star? With martial arts films finding a resurgence in the last year, we are looking to our all-time favorite female martial art movie stars. Some of these women are living masters and former world champions in martial arts, while others just play the part. Regardless of their background, these kick-ass women have created some of the most iconic moments in martial arts cinema. 1.Michelle Yeoh – The 2023 Oscar-winner for best actress is known for her graceful martial arts moves. Yeoh is a Malaysian actress and former Miss Malaysia has starred in numerous action-packed movies, including Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon , Supercop, and, of course, Everything Everywhere All at Once . 2.Zhang Ziyi - Chinese actress Zhang Ziyi has made a name for herself in martial arts films like Hero and House of Flying Daggers . Her graceful moves and intense performances have made her a fan favorite in the genre. 3.Cynthia Rothrock - Dubbed the "Queen of Martial Arts," Cynthia Rothrock is a former world champion in martial arts and has starred in over 50 action films. She is known for her impressive fighting skills and her roles in movies like China O'Brien and Lady Dragon . Check out Cynthia Rothrock hosting Black Belt Theater 4.Angela Mao - Known for her roles in classic kung fu movies like Enter the Dragon and Lady Whirlwind , Angela Mao is a martial arts legend. She has trained in various forms of martial arts, including taekwondo and karate, and has inspired a generation of female martial artists. Watch Angela Mao in Devil’s Dynamite here ! 5.Jeeja Yanin - Dubbed the "Female Tony Jaa," Jeeja Yanin is a Thai actress and martial artist known for her incredible stunts and action sequences. She has starred in films like Chocolate and Raging Phoenix and is considered one of the top female martial artists in the world. 6.Cynthia Khan - Another Hong Kong actress known for her martial arts skills, Cynthia Khan has starred in films like In the Line of Duty 4 and Yes, Madam! Her fast-paced fight scenes and impressive skills have made her a fan favorite in the genre. 7.Moon Lee - One of the top action stars of the 80s and 90s, Moon Lee starred in over 80 movies and was known for her high-flying kicks and impressive fight choreography. She has been compared to Jackie Chan in terms of her stunt work and has inspired many female martial artists. 8.Pam Grier - Known for her tough, no-nonsense roles in films like Coffy and Foxy Brown , Pam Grier is a martial arts icon. Though not trained in martial arts herself, her characters were often skilled fighters who could hold their own in a fight. That’s our list. Did your favorite make the cut? Check out some of their most legendary movies on Black Belt+ Black Belt+ biggest martial arts digital platform in history. The platform includes thousands of remastered instructional videos, martial arts movies, documentaries, and, of course, digital issues and articles from the iconic Black Belt Magazine . The new app is available on iOS and Android mobile devices and tablets. Or download and subscribe directly from Black Belt at plus.blackbeltmag.com.

UFC 296: T-Mobile Arena, Las Vegas | Dec 16, 2023 The Ultimate Fighting Championship is set to close out 2023 with one of the most anticipated events of the year, UFC 296. On December 16, the T-Mobile Arena will host an electrifying night of fights, headlined by a welterweight title clash between champion Leon Edwards and the formidable challenger Colby Covington. The co-main event promises to keep fans on the edge of their seats as Alexandre Pantoja and Brandon Royval battle it out for the flyweight title. The intensity ramps up with a welterweight bout featuring the undefeated Shavkat Rakhmonov taking on the striking specialist, Stephen “Wonderboy” Thompson. Adding to the main card, fan-favorite Tony Ferguson will face off against rising star Paddy Pimblett in what is expected to be a riveting lightweight bout. Rounding out the main card, Vicente Luque will go toe-to-toe with Ian Garry in a fight that is sure to showcase the depth of talent in the welterweight division. As we inch closer to the event, let's delve into some interesting data about the fighters featured on the main card: Leon Edwards steps into the octagon with an impressive record and the determination to defend his welterweight title against the always controversial and highly skilled Colby Covington . Alexandre Pantoja and Brandon Royval come into their flyweight title bout with a history of spectacular finishes, promising a co-main event that could end at any moment. Shavkat Rakhmonov enters the fight with an undefeated record, facing a veteran in Stephen Thompson , known for his unique karate style and dynamic striking. The lightweight bout features Tony Ferguson , a former interim champion with a reputation for his cardio and unorthodox style, versus Paddy Pimblett , whose charisma and finishing ability have quickly made him a fan favorite. The prelims are just as stacked, with notable fighters like Josh Emmett , Irene Aldana , and Cody Garbrandt all looking to make a statement. UFC 296 is not just the last event of the year; it's a celebration of the sport, showcasing the very best of mixed martial arts with a fight card that is absolutely stacked from top to bottom. As the fighters prepare to enter the octagon, fans around the world are marking their calendars for what promises to be an unforgettable night in Las Vegas. Here is the Full Fight Card Main Card Leon Edwards vs Colby Covington Main Event | Welterweight Title Bout Alexandre Pantoja vs Brandon Royval Co Main Event | Flyweight Title Bout Shavkat Rakhmonov vs Stephen Thompson Welterweight Bout Tony Ferguson faces Paddy Pimblett Lightweight Bout Prelims Card Josh Emmett vs Giga Chikadze [Featherweight Bout] Irene Aldana vs Karol Rosa [Women Bantamweight] Cody Garbrandt vs Brian Kelleher [Bantamweight] Casey O'Neill vs Ariane Lipski [Women Flyweight] Early Prelims Alonzo Menifield vs Dustin Jacoby [Light Heavyweight] Martin Buday vs Shamil Gaziev [Heavyweight] Tagir Ulanbekov vs Cody Durden [Flyweight] Randy Brown vs Muslim Salikhov [Welterweight]

ONE 165: Rodtang vs. Takeru is getting loaded with intriguing martial arts contests for Sunday, January 28. On Monday, ONE Championship announced four additions to the card that will have the Ariake Arena in Tokyo, Japan, rocking with excitement. Here is a preview to ONE 165 Two strawweight bouts will give four top contenders a chance to make their best case for being next in line for a shot at the ONE Strawweight MMA World Championship. #2-ranked contender Bokang Masunyane will meet unbeaten Keito Yamakita before #3-ranked Hiroba Minowa goes toe-to-toe with #4-ranked Gustavo Balart. The two strawweight bouts are a perfect showcase for the exciting division and could give way to creating the next title challenger. Contenders will also take to the ring in the flyweight division. #2-ranked flyweight MMA contender Danny Kingad will square off against #4-ranked Yuya Wakamatsu. After a brief setback in 2022, Wakamatsu got back in the win column in a big way this past July with a TKO win over Xie Wei. But toppling Kingad could prove difficult after the Filipino’s impressive showing against Eko Roni Saputra in February. The two contenders will try to impress and put ONE Flyweight MMA World Champion Demetrious Johnson on notice. In the fourth bout made official by the promotion, atomweight warriors Itsuki Hirata and Ayaka Miura will try to show out in front of their home crowd to position themselves as threats to ONE Atomweight MMA World Champion Stamp Fairtex. Miura is coming off an impressive win over Meng Bo at ONE Fight Night 16. However, Hirata is hoping to steal her thunder and get back in the win column to rejoin the title chase. ONE 165 will air live from Tokyo, Japan, on Sunday, January 28.

To celebrate the GOAT, you can watch this classics here on Black Belt+ Here are our two favorites. First is Return of the Dragon: “Return of the Dragon” also known as “The Way of the Dragon” is a 1972 Hong Kong martial arts action-comedy film written, co-produced, directed by and starring Bruce Lee . The film co-stars Nora Miao , Robert Wall , Wei Ping-ou , and Chuck Norris —launching Norris into his own super stardom. The scope of the set is huge, and by huge we mean colossal, as in the major fight scene is set at the Colosseum in Rome. Simply iconic. Also, watch The Chinese Connection “The Chinese Connection" might be the ultimate martial arts movie from the ultimate martial arts superstar Bruce Lee. This 1972 classic delivered the iconic line “you killed my teacher” and introduced the nunchuck to the world. The original name of the movie was “Fist of Fury , ” then released in America as “Chinese Connection.” But Bruce Lee had another movie called “Fist of Fury” so to avoid confusion they called that movie “The Big Boss”…confused yet? Don’t worry. Just follow the link to watch this legendary movie of many names!

On Tuesday, ONE Championship added another stellar title bout to the star-studded ONE 166: Qatar lineup. The ONE Featherweight MMA World Championship will be unified when Tang Kai meets Thanh Le for their highly-anticipated rematch on March 1. Le stormed to the title when he arrived in ONE with knockout after knockout. His highlight-reel finishes wowed audiences and made him the featherweight king. While the Vietnamese-American stood atop the mountain, Tang was on his way up the ranks with his own exciting highlights, setting the stage for their August 2022 showdown. The Chinese athlete pushed Le for five rounds, and when the final bell sounded, he did just enough to edge the champion on the scorecards to become China’s first-ever male MMA World Champion. However, injuries have prevented him from defending the belt. While Tang was on the sidelines, Le reassumed the throne as the ONE Interim Featherweight MMA World Champion with a swift submission over Ilya Freymanov at ONE Fight Night 15. In his post-match interview, Le was quick to put Tang on notice for the unification bout. The proud Louisianan wants to get that win back and prove he is the best featherweight in the world. After five incredible rounds in their first battle, the rematch between Tang and Le is guaranteed to be another barnburner. It is an outstanding matchup that joins the growing ONE 166 card, featuring title rematches of Reinier De Ridder vs. Anatoly Malykhin and Jarred Brooks vs. Joshua Pacio. ONE 166: Qatar airs live from the Lusail Sports Arena on Friday, March 1. More bouts will be announced in the coming weeks.

Best known to MMA fans as the “Warmaster,” Josh Barnett is the youngest UFC heavyweight champion in the history of the league.  He is a celebrated veteran of mixed martial arts and has fought in such leagues as Pride Dream, Strikeforce and Bellator and has had a successful pro wrestling career in the New Japan Pro Wrestling and TNA Wrestling. Today he continues to challenge himself with his Bloodsport promotion as well as competing in submission grappling and BJJ. Once dubbed the “baby faced assassin” he continues to thrill audiences both in and outside of the ring. Black Belt’s Tony Parrish talks with Josh about finding your path, the early days of UFC, wrestling in Japan, his teachers, and his current projects. Highlights 7:17-10:01 From a passion to play football to a journey to find martial arts and from traditional karate training to becoming the UFC’s youngest heavyweight champion. 11:51-13:46 How his old school blood and guts karate training under Jim Harrison, helped pave the way for him to be a champion. 22:42-25:27 He talks about the difference between Catch Wrestling and BJJ 41:11- 42:03 Josh Barnet shares his secret pre-fight playlist of music for inspired violence. For more on Josh Barnett, visit: https://www.joshbarnett.com/ instagram.com/joshlbarnett

ONE Championship  delivered endless martial arts excitement in 2023. Its elite roster of striking talent also delivered a vast amount of highlight-reel knockouts during the past 12 months. At year’s end, the promotion revealed its end-of-year awards for knockouts across kickboxing, MMA, and Muay Thai. Here are the 2023 Knockouts of the Year from ONE Championship. Unsurprisingly, the Muay Thai KO of the Year went to Jonathan Haggerty for his shocking first-round knockout win over Nong-O Hama at ONE Fight Night 9. After two knockdowns that put the fan’s jaws on the floor, the Brit finished off his work with a final right hand that put Nong-O face down on the mat. The win made Haggerty the ONE Bantamweight Muay Thai World Champion, but he would not be done claiming gold as he won the vacant kickboxing crown against Fabricio Andrade at ONE Fight Night 16. For its MMA KO of the Year, ONE awarded it to Stamp Fairtex. The Thai superstar thrilled the U.S. audience in her American debut at ONE Fight Night 10 in December with a second-round body shot KO over Alyse Anderson. Stamp, who would win the ONE Atomweight MMA World Championship later in the year, crumpled Anderson with a picture-perfect kick to the liver. For the Kickboxing KO of the Year, Superbon Singha Mawynn claimed the year-end award with his technical masterpiece against Tayfun Ozcan. At ONE Fight Night 11, attempted to break Superbon with pressure. However, the Thai star countered with a left high kick that knocked Ozcan out cold before he even hit the canvas. Ozcan had no way to defend what was coming, and Superbon returned in the win column in a memorable fashion. The three knockouts exemplified how exciting ONE action has been over the past year. After a thrilling year, 2024 looks to bring even more excitement to the global audience with massive events such as ONE 165 and ONE 166 in the first quarter of 2024.

Of all the fighters who appeared in the early UFC tournaments, none provokes a wider range of emotions than Ron “The Black Dragon” Van Clief by Mark Jacobs Photos Courtesy of Ron Van Clief On one hand, there he was, stepping into the octagon at age 51 — to this day, the oldest man ever to fight in the UFC — a renowned karate expert and martial arts film star who bravely put his reputation on the line against men half his age. On the other hand, watching him struggle on the mat under a much younger Royce Gracie still generates a profound sense of What were you thinking? “I did it because I wanted to do it and I thought it was a beautiful event,” Van Clief said. “There was no safety equipment, time limits or weight divisions. It was pure. I don’t feel bad about losing to Royce. I was 51 and he was 27, and I hung in there for four minutes. I can’t think of ever having competed in anything I enjoyed more.” Van Clief started martial arts in the late 1950s, learning jujitsu and then goju karate and kung fu. He became one of the East Coast’s most successful tournament competitors, racking up countless titles. Even when he was making films in Hong Kong during the 1970s and ’80s, he continued to compete. So it wasn’t as if at 51, he’d been retired for decades by the time he entered the UFC. Yet although he had a bit of boxing experience, Van Clief had never competed in kickboxing as some of the more successful early UFC strikers had. And his grappling skills were almost nonexistent. He’d tried his hand in full contact more than a decade earlier in a “free fighting” tournament in Hong Kong. Nearly 40 at the time, he made it through two bouts before being knocked out by his third opponent. Nonetheless, the UFC was a different animal, one Van Clief knew nothing about when he sat down to watch the inaugural event on television.  “I was impressed,” he said. “I saw real fighting, and what’s better than that?” It was an unusual attitude coming from a traditional martial artist at a time when many traditionalists were still insisting the fighters weren’t “real” martial artists and claiming the matches were fake. But after watching the first two UFC tournaments, Van Clief viewed it as the only truly realistic fighting competition he’d ever witnessed. He knew he had to take part.  “What person who considers himself a true martial artist wouldn’t want to?” he asked. Initially turned down because of his age, Van Clief made his case to the promoters and secured a spot in UFC 4. Surprisingly, although many insisted those early events weren’t legitimate because they didn’t include any well-known masters, he received little support from the martial arts community. “Everyone thought I’d lost my mind,” he said. “Even guys like Joe Lewis were calling me up, saying I was going to get my ass kicked. So what? I wanted to do it and nothing was going to change my mind.”  He trained for several months to prepare and wound up breaking his ankle while working with a wrestler just a week before the competition. But Van Clief didn’t let that stop him. He said that’s why he was taken down so fast — his ankle wasn’t stable enough to support him when he tried a kick moments into the bout. That might sound like the typical fighter’s excuse, but Van Clief readily admitted that Gracie was just too good on the ground. Even if he was healthy at the time and had trained more in grappling, he said he’s not sure that would have enabled him to win. “He was too far ahead of me in grappling,” Van Clief said. “I’d spent years working on stand-up, but this was something completely new. That’s why it was so magical to me. I got choked out in four minutes, but none of that mattered.” Van Clief received a bit of flak from some traditional martial artists for his loss but paid it no heed, adding that instead of sitting at home and watching the UFC while trashing the fighters, his critics could have done what he’d done. “But none of them did,” he said pointedly. He briefly maintained his association with the UFC after the Gracies approached him about becoming the organization’s first commissioner. Insisting it wasn’t a ceremonial appointment, Van Clief said he was intimately involved in recruiting fighters, developing concepts like the “superfight” and even appearing in court to speak for the company when it had trouble getting events sanctioned. But his tenure as the sport’s first commissioner was a brief one. He said that he didn’t like the direction the promotion was taking, which led him to step away from his role. He went back to films and frequently found work as a stunt coordinator, but he never lost his passion for martial arts competition. At age 60, he won his division at the All-American Open karate tournament. Then he moved to the Virgin Islands and began training in no-gi grappling while promoting mixed martial arts there. Finally, after moving to Hawaii 10 years ago, he came full circle when he became a student of Relson Gracie, Royce’s brother. After nine and a half years, at age 78, he’s earned a purple belt, and he said he’s not through yet. Van Clief is determined to make black belt, although he expects it will take him another four or five years, pushing him well into his 80s. And yes, he still competes. “I don’t have any gold medals yet in jiujitsu, though I’ve won six silvers and three bronze,” he said.  “But there’s never anybody in my age division, so I have to compete in a younger one. My goal is to get my black belt and compete one more time as a black belt. I will compete as a black belt.” Away from the mats, though, Van Clief found that his most difficult opponent was often himself. After nearly being lynched by a racist mob in North Carolina while serving in the Marine Corps in the early 1960s and then undergoing the trauma of combat in Vietnam, he suffered for years from post traumatic stress disorder. Following a brief hospitalization for it, he wrote The Hanged Man , a book about his life. He said the experience was cathartic. The memoir was recently made into a documentary, one of the many projects that’s kept him continuously busy. In addition, he’s scheduled to do a movie with Michael Jai White, whom he anointed as the new “Black Dragon.” Van Clief has other projects in the works, including an animated Black Dragon movie that’s nearly finished. “Every day, I wake up and have the opportunity to be better than I was the day before,” he said. “There’s no better challenge in life than that.” Mark Jacobs’ most recent book is The Principles of Unarmed Combat. His website is writingfighting.wordpress.com . This article originally appeared in a 2022 edition of Black Belt Magazine

Do you want to feel younger? Do you want to ensure that you can train in martial arts forever — or, more realistically, for the rest of your life? You don’t need to be a vampire and start drinking other people’s blood. You just need to pop some resveratrol. Resveratrol is all natural and totally legal. It’s found in grapes and, not surprisingly, red wine. The only problem with that fact is you would have to eat pounds of grapes and drink bottles of wine to see any benefit. Fortunately, there’s a better solution: Buy resveratrol in capsule or powder form. Benefits of Resveratrol: Longevity Mitochondria determine your longevity. As you age, you lose mitochondria, and that means you lose the ability to produce energy. Energy dictates how much life you have and how well you perform and train. When the mitochondrial decline happens, the cells become more unstable and reactive, and they harm other cells, which leads to disease, aging and fatigue. Resveratrol increases mitochondrial capacity and function. It protects you from aging, inflammation and oxidative stress. Resveratrol works by improving the function of sirtuin . Sirtuin is a protein that is responsible for preventing cells from dying, DNA repair, metabolism and energy. Unfortunately, as you age, the functionality of your sirtuin declines, and it becomes more susceptible to damage from inflammation and oxidative stress. By taking resveratrol, you boost your that functionality and preserve your body’s ability to withstand damage. The more active your sirtuin stays, the younger you will feel and the better you will move. Resveratrol’s protective effects work as an anti-inflammatory and antioxidant on the cellular level. The cellular level is where diminished health, aging, disease and fatigue stem from. Think of resveratrol as a file that boosts the operating system of your computer to function more efficiently, more quickly and more smoothly. Benefits of Resveratrol: Heart Health Resveratrol is excellent for your cardiovascular system because it protects your heart, veins and arteries. It reduces inflammation. It also dilates blood vessels, which helps lower your heart rate and blood pressure. All these reduce the adverse effects of hard training and boost recovery afterward. Furthermore, it increases your HDL and lowers your LDL. This helps maintain good cholesterol levels, which reduces your risk of atherosclerosis. Many studies show that eating a diet high in saturated fat while taking resveratrol significantly reduces the risk of heart disease. They call it the French Paradox . Benefits of Resveratrol: Blood Sugar Resveratrol enhances insulin sensitivity, which is essential to maintain and lower your blood sugar. Benefits of Resveratrol: Brain Health Resveratrol reduces inflammation and oxidative stress, which can cause a variety of neurodegenerative diseases. In addition, it has the capability to increase blood flow to the brain. This is often called acting as a brain flow dilator. Resveratrol is used for many things from prevention to restoration. It is a powerful anti-inflammatory and antioxidant that’s an effective tool for combating aging, cancer, heart disease, etc. If the research has convinced you to try it, know that 1 gram seems to be the recommended amount. If you take too much, it can have a detrimental effect. Also, it’s recommended to take it for three months, then cycle off for a month before resuming. If you are pregnant and breastfeeding, if you take medications, if you have a disease such as cancer, or if you have had recent surgery, talk to your doctor before starting resveratrol. For more info about nutrition, exercise and training, check out my YouTube channel: Balanced Body. For information about strength training, check out the book Instant Strength.

Conor McGregor's much-anticipated return to the UFC is now officially scheduled. The former lightweight and featherweight champion announced his comeback, confirming he will face Michael Chandler on June 29th during the UFC's International Fight Week pay-per-view in Las Vegas. This bout is set to take place in the middleweight category, at 185 pounds​​​​​​​​​​​​. This announcement ends a period of speculation and uncertainty surrounding McGregor's return to the octagon. Originally, McGregor and Chandler were supposed to fight in 2023 after their coaching stints on "The Ultimate Fighter." However, the matchup was delayed due to various reasons, including McGregor's absence from the United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) drug-testing pool. Notably, the UFC's relationship with USADA recently ended following a public clash over McGregor's status, leading the promotion to partner with Drug Free Sport International​​. The venue for this high-profile fight is the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, a fitting setting for what promises to be a blockbuster event. McGregor, known for his charismatic and dominant presence in the UFC, will be returning after a significant hiatus, making this fight a major draw for fans and followers of mixed martial arts​​. This match not only marks McGregor's return but also signals a major event in the UFC calendar, being part of the International Fight Week. With McGregor's popularity and Chandler's standing in the sport, this fight is expected to be a highlight of the UFC season and a potentially pivotal moment in McGregor's career as he steps back into the limelight of competitive fighting.

When you’ve studied the martial arts for half a century; you’ve served as a soldier, a street cop, a SWAT officer, a counterterrorist agent, a bodyguard and a private security officer; and you’ve taught warriors from a variety of fighting systems in 20 countries, you’re bound to discover some of the truths of combat and self defense. You have probably guessed that the opening paragraph pertains to my career. I wrote it as a lead-in to this post about punching the human head because I’m certain that I have discovered the secrets to delivering a knockout punch, and I’m going to teach them to you. Correction! Actually, there are no secrets when it comes to effective punching. It’s merely a matter of knowing and applying the nine “elements of an arm strike with fists.” Let’s go through those elements one by one. [1] START FROM AN IMMINENT-CONFLICT STANCE To throw a good punch, you must begin from a proper stance. The “imminent-conflict stance” is one that has your body bladed roughly at a 45-degree angle facing the enemy — just like a Roman Legionnaire, a Western boxer or a U.S. Marine in the MCMAP system. Your weight is even distributed on your legs, your knees are slightly bent, your torso is leaning slightly forward and your arms are up in front of you with your hands making tight fists (which also protects the bones in your wrists and arms because of the tensed muscles). I won’t get into the controversy that revolves around whether it’s better to strike with a closed fist or an open hand. This topic will be addressed another day. For now, let’s assume that you’re about to unload on the enemy with your fists, that your leading elbow is bent and that your lead fist is in front of your face just below eye level. You should be able to look over the top of your fist as if it were the front sight of a gun. Your rear fist is in a cheek-weld position. This means that it’s touching your cheekbone, and it should stay there until it’s launched so it can protect the side of your head while your elbow protects your rib cage. A corrections officer in my Defensive Tactics for Special Operations course is shown landing a perfect punch to the face of a SWAT officer. The key is properly applying the elements of an arm strike with fists. [2] ADVANCE TO STRIKE When you launch a strike with your fist, you must step into the punch in the direction of the enemy, even if that advancement is only an inch or two. You must “take the enemy’s ground.” You need to be standing where the enemy is standing, whether your counterattack is merely a hit-and-run tactic or you’re going in to stay and occupy. You want the enemy retreating while you’re advancing. If you need a concise way to express this tactic, it’s encapsulated in the Hebrew word kadima, which translates as “Forward!” When I was a guest instructor at the Wingate Institute on the military side of the institute called Bahad 8, the birthplace of krav maga, I kept hearing my Israeli soldier-students yell out “Kadima!” before doing what I ordered them to do. This is the philosophy that wins battles, and I like it. On the cover of my book Defensive Tactics for Special Operations (published by Black Belt Books), I show a cheek weld with my rear fist. Note how the positioning protects my head. [3] STRAIGHT-LINE TRAJECTORY Think of your fists as pistons in an internal-combustion engine. They move back and forth along a straight line inside the cylinders. So, too, should your fists. They should travel to the target and return, straight there and back. The principle is called economy of motion. In the military, I was a combatives instructor, and in my class here, I’m having soldiers strike a realistic head-like target. The focus gloves used by most martial arts schools and MMA gyms are not realistic in that they give the practitioner a false sense of security. Landing perfect punches on what is essentially a hard ball requires going for center mass, having a tight fist and striving for penetration. [4] STOPPING POWER When you drive your fists into the enemy’s face, the purpose is to stop him. If the contact is too light, he’ll keep coming, and that’s dangerous. Every second the fight continues is another second he can hurt you. Therefore, to stop the enemy, your punch must have stopping power. That means maximum power delivered at maximum speed. The notion of stopping power is popular in the firearms world, where I also work as an instructor. I decided it would be beneficial for those who are learning how to punch. Using the firearms comparison: If you get hit with a 9mm bullet, it will hurt or kill you. However, 9mm bullets don’t punch big holes in people, and many who have been shot with this caliber have survived. In contrast, if you get hit with a .45-caliber bullet, it will leave a big hole — or maybe rip part of your limb off. A .45-caliber bullet is known for its stopping power. It’s likely to knock you down no matter where it hits. [5] CENTER MASS In a fight, the enemy’s head will be moving to some degree, and to avoid missing it or possibly having your blow glance off the skull, you need to aim for center mass, which is another term from the firearms world. The center of the human face is between the tip of the nose and the top of the upper lip. The center of the side of the human head is just in front of the ear at the temple. Note: The center of the back of the head is between the top of the head and the base of the neck. However, nothing is there but hard bone, and punching it is likely to break bones in your hand. Therefore, because of human anatomy and the need for a viable target, center mass for the back of the head shifts downward. The target area starts at the base of the skull and extends down to the shoulder line. Of course, if you strike someone in the back of the head, it had better be because your life is in danger. Otherwise, the law will consider it a deadly force blow. Aiming for center mass, regardless of which side of the head you’re aiming for, increases your chance of hitting some part of the target even though it’s probably moving off the center line. That’s better than hitting nothing at all. When I was teaching new recruits in the Israel Defense Forces at the Wingate Institute Bahad 8, I learned something from them: “Kadima!” It’s a Hebrew expression and philosophy that means “Forward!” [6] TARGET PENETRATION You don’t ever want to hit just the surface of your target. Your goal is not to break the enemy’s nose or jaw; it’s to penetrate through the head. Obviously, this is physically impossible, but trying to do so guarantees the hardest blow that can be delivered. It’s the same principle as kicking in a locked door. You don’t want to kick the surface of the door and maybe crack it. Your actual target is on the other side of the door a few inches beyond the back panel. Likewise, the endpoint of your punch should be on the other side of the enemy’s head, and everything in between is merely in the way. When penetration is achieved, the punching principles of advancement, straight-line trajectory and stopping power will be automatic. [7] AVOID A PAUSE IN CONFLICT When you commit to striking the enemy, you want to avoid pausing. Yes, at some point in a fight — be it two armies on a battlefield or two people in a fistfight — there will be pauses. For your initial counterattack, however, you want to keep landing blows until the enemy stops and no longer poses a threat. All people have physical limitations because of their body structure, and even the best punches may not guarantee victory. However, put a weapon in the hand of the same fighter and apply the elements of an arm strike with fists, and the odds of prevailing increase. In this Women’s Survival course I taught in Paris, my assistant instructor teaches the women the same angles as fist strikes. [8] RECOVERY PHASE After throwing the desired number of punches at the enemy’s head, you must quickly reposition yourself for the next technique or tactic that does not involve the fists. This transitional phase is not a pause in conflict; it is the recovery phase of punching. [9] FOLLOW THROUGH Immediately following the recovery phase, in which you’ve momentarily positioned your body to execute the next technique or tactic, you might, for example, seamlessly go from punching to thrusting your knee into the enemy’s pelvis. Of course, to be able to quickly think on your feet in the fog of war, you must train this way, and there’s nothing better for this than realistic scenarios. Sparring is not a realistic scenario. Punching someone is not rocket science. The concept is elementary. Strike the enemy’s head as hard and fast as you can with the knuckles of your index and middle fingers. Obviously, a small or weak person may not be able to knock out a bigger, stronger or more-skilled enemy. Everybody, and I mean every body, has his or her physical limitations. Yet even a small woman can prevail against a hardcore criminal if she takes these elements of executing an arm strike with fists and substitutes a knife for a fist. Now, that woman can survive the attack. Clearly, the tool makes all the difference in the world. OK, in your jurisdiction, maybe knives are illegal to carry. Use a calligraphy pen instead. Recall the concept of “one mind, any weapon.” If you’re not familiar with this, see my article on BlackBeltMag.com . Of course, the mechanical portion of punching someone in the head — or shoving a knife into an attacker — is the easy part. The hard part is the mental aspect. To survive an attack and achieve victory, you’ll also need courage, determination, aggression and the will to survive. BE A HARD TARGET!