Wally Jay and the Evolution of Small-Circle Jujitsu Ask anyone to compile a list of the martial arts movers and shakers of the 20th century, and you’ll likely see Wally Jay’s name near the top. A three-time Black Belt Hall of Fame inductee — 1969 Jujitsu Instructor of the Year, 1990 Man of the Year and recipient of the 2011 Honorary Award — Jay founded small-circle jujitsu. After spending decades teaching and refining his system, he passed away in 2011 at age 93, no doubt secure in the knowledge that he’d groomed a successor who was fully capable of continuing his life’s work. That successor is his son Leon. Since he assumed the mantle of the small circle, Leon Jay has overseen the system’s development. In fact, he’s established an international reputation for being a martial arts technician and, more important, a teacher who can convey the superior mechanics for which the art is renowned. The 10 Key Principles of Small-Circle Jujitsu The essence of small circle’s techniques and mechanics is described by 10 key principles that Wally Jay formulated: Balance Mobility and stability Avoiding the head-on collision of forces Mental resistance and distraction Focusing to the smallest point possible Energy transfer Creating a base Sticking, control, and sensitivity Rotational momentum Transitional flow At any given moment, more than one of those principles will be applied, Wally always said, and during the execution of a combination, it’s likely all of them will be in play. Naturally, the development of small-circle jujitsu that’s taken place under Leon remains consistent with those principles. One field that’s captivated him is the refinement of techniques through the use of pressure points. Wally discovered the value of a number of points decades ago through trial and error, and Leon has committed himself to conducting a structured study of this discipline. This is precisely how Wally hoped his art would continue to evolve. The Small-Circle Philosophy “My father always emphasized that you should never be afraid to be open with what you have,” Leon says. “We were at a seminar one time, and Remy Presas was teaching. One of his young students came rushing in and said, ‘Professor Remy is stealing your techniques!’ “My father thought about it for a second, looked the student in the eye and then reassured him. ‘Yes, and I’m stealing all of his,’ he said. ‘We call it sharing.’ That’s the small-circle way: Always be ready to share what you have, and you’ll get back more than you give away.” In that spirit of sharing, Leon Jay and I present these three small-circle jujitsu defenses. We’d feel honored if you were to “steal” the moves and make them part of your self-defense arsenal. Triceps-Tendon Armbar The triceps-tendon armbar is a core technique of small-circle jujitsu, as is evidenced by the fact that several variations of it exist to suit different defensive scenarios. That makes it an ideal move to demonstrate how mechanical efficiency functions in the art. One variation of the triceps-tendon armbar happens to be the technique Wally Jay used to start almost every seminar he taught. It illustrates a fundamental mechanical principle of two-way action. Taking a volunteer from his seminar audience — usually a young, athletic-looking black belt — Wally would square off with him. Once each party had assumed a relaxed neutral stance, Wally would ask the volunteer to punch him with either hand. As soon as the young man had raised his arm a few inches, Wally would grasp the wrist with his matching hand (right for right, left for left) and rotate it outward. He’d place the palm of his other hand on the volunteer’s elbow and then form the hand into a fist. As he pulled and lifted with the wrist-holding hand with the intent of moving it toward his same-side hip, he’d drive the knuckles into the triceps tendon, rolling the elbow while pushing inward and downward. Wally dubbed this the “confrontation triceps-tendon armbar” because rather than applying it from a grab or other static starting point, it was designed to be a dynamic response to a punch. Leon demonstrates the technique in the accompanying photo sequence. To better understand the move, note that the short tendon running from the base of the triceps into the elbow is the location of a golgi tendon organ (GTO). Once activated, the GTO instructs the joint to disengage rather than continue to resist and risk a bone break. Activation of the GTO is akin to a fitness instructor at the end of an exercise telling the class, “And relax…” This small-circle technique illustrates two-way action. Leon pulls and lifts the wrist while pressing and pushing at the elbow. Practitioners of Wally Jay’s art regard this as superior to merely securing the wrist and applying leverage at the elbow. The use of the GTO is also significant. Wally was always searching for the most efficient way to overcome resistance, and he found that various GTOs and other pressure points could be incorporated into the system to make it more efficient. Not surprisingly, Leon is continuing that tradition. Outward Wrist Twist This technique can be found in aikido, aikijujutsu, hapkido, shorinji kempo, and almost any grappling system that includes wrist manipulations and throws. I’ve studied several of these arts and still find the small-circle version unique. In part, that’s because it can be implemented in a basic way using two hands, yet the mechanics are so effective that single-handed application, with either a matched (“cross-body” in small-circle parlance) or unmatched grip, is both practical and powerful. Once again, two-way action is implemented. Specifically, the thumb (or thumbs) pushes and presses while the fingers lift and pull. The technique also illustrates the importance of multiple mechanical principles being applied simultaneously. Two-way action is combined with “focusing to the smallest point” and disruption of the opponent’s balance. You might think this is normal — after all, the use of kuzushi, or off-balancing, is common in judo and jujitsu — but in the small-circle implementation, the wrist is bent not simply to the outside of the elbow and shoulder line. That manner of execution would result in the opponent being thrown away from the martial artist. Instead, small-circle practitioners prefer to bend the wrist in a tightening circle, first outward and over and then inward (toward the thrower’s center) and down. The resulting forces deposit the attacker at your feet within easy reach of numerous follow-up techniques. In actuality, the expression “tightening circle” is not entirely accurate. The path is more of a spiral that shrinks. An easy way to visualize it is to imagine the wrist lock as taking place inside a funnel. To follow the technique through to its logical conclusion, you must continue to apply force to the point of the funnel. Finger-Lock Control From the earliest days of his art's existence, Wally Jay sought to expand its arsenal of finger locks, and now Leon Jay is seeking to do the same. I’ve encountered martial artists from differing backgrounds who protest that small circle's finger locks aren't unique, and there's some validity to their complaint. However, unique properties are involved, and they're emblematic of the system precisely because they express the mechanical efficiency of the style so well. A trademark of small-circle jujitsu is the control of an aggressor through the manipulation of a single finger. It works on a psychological level, as well as on anatomical and physiological levels. Interestingly, small-circle stylists usually begin by learning to manipulate two fingers at a time because this reduces the range of articulation of the captured fingers, resulting in less to control in terms of reducing the potential for escape. The art teaches by encouraging a question that builds on that base: If the manipulation of a small joint can confer control over the whole person, what can the defender achieve by counterattacking larger targets and exploiting bigger vulnerabilities? It quickly becomes clear that for both self-defense and arrest purposes, tiny amounts of physical force can have exponential effects. Earlier, I said finger locks are emblematic of small-circle jujitsu, and that’s for two reasons. Externally, they are because of their visual and visceral impact. Internally, it’s because they bring together so many mechanical principles. They begin with two-way action, continue along an ever-tightening parabolic path, and then focus to the smallest possible point. If I were to describe the essence of grappling (with the possible exception of chokes), it would be as a simple process that does two things: takes the slack out of the joint and compromises the opponent's balance. By this definition, small circle in general and finger locks in particular are the epitome of effectiveness. Just as a wrist lock efficiently takes the play out of the wrist, which then isolates and limits any possible articulation of the elbow and shoulder, a technique that starts with the fingers—assuming the requisite skill and sensitivity are there—is an even more powerful statement of skill and control. Because such techniques are highly controllable, they're particularly useful for law-enforcement and military personnel, who must pay close attention to the issue of reasonable force vs. excessive force. The logic: If the worst should take place—that is, the aggressor refuses to stop struggling—the most serious consequence is likely to be a broken finger. In the execution of a finger lock, the practitioner’s control over the maneuverability of the opponent is enhanced as tiny changes of direction and angle create large and very immediate effects. Anyone who’s endured the small-circle “dance of pain” at the hands of either Wally or Leon Jay will attest to this. It's an illustration of the principle of transitional flow, which allows the user to vary the source and direction of the pain to prevent the assailant from adapting and resisting. Strategic Approach “If there is such a clearly definable thing as a typical small-circle stylist, I would say we would prefer to operate as a counterfighter, allowing our opponent to commit and then punishing him for it,” Leon Jay says. “We train for that by teaching students a referencing system to resistance. No matter how tight or how painful a locking technique is, the opponent will habituate to the discomfort and then the resistance is coming! We circumvent this by maintaining each lock for only a few seconds before moving to another, which is why transitional flow was such an important concept to my father. “Taking an opponent through several locks in sequence with no opportunities to escape is demoralizing. We’ll usually finish with a throw—the ground is another weapon, after all—then we either walk away or pin the opponent.” It’s clear that Leon Jay is guiding small-circle jujitsu further along the strategic course his father envisioned. At the same time, he's laboring to take that message to the world—in several forms. “Over the past few years, I've been trying to bring small-circle judo back to the prominence it once held,” Leon says. “Personally, I can't perform the art to showcase it adequately due to old injuries from an automobile accident, but two of the really great judoka my father trained—David Quinonez and Brad Burgo—are still doing it and refining it continually. They've started to teach at our camps, which is wonderful because small-circle jujitsu wouldn’t exist without small-circle judo. "Judo was my father’s proving ground for jujitsu; it’s where he developed and pressure-tested many of his principles and technical improvements. I don’t think we can go forward without bringing that part of the art back into its rightful place at the core of the system alongside finger locks and the like. It's our roots, and you should always appreciate where you come from.”

The May 1975 cover of Karate Illustrated featured Parker Shelton , a leading competitor in judo and karate during the 1970s. Ranked as the nation’s No. 1 karate fighter from 1972 to 1974, he competed internationally in Europe, Japan, and Korea. Over the years, Shelton trained thousands of students and, after retiring in 1978, continued to teach martial arts worldwide. Learn more about this cover and the entire magazine preserved in digital format: https://www.blackbeltmag.com

“You can’t define someone else’s success—choose your own path in martial arts and life” –Stephan Kesting In this episode of The Black Belt Podcast, host Harinder Singh sits down with Stephan Kesting—a Canadian martial artist, educator, and author renowned for his contributions to Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ) and other martial arts. Holding a fourth-degree black belt in BJJ, he has dedicated over 40 years to martial arts training, including disciplines such as Combat Submission Wrestling, Kajukenbo Karate, and various forms of Jeet Kune Do and Filipino Martial Arts. His extensive background also encompasses studies in Judo, Sambo, Kung Fu, Capoeira, and Muay Thai. Stephan is the founder of GrappleArts.com and brings a broad perspective on martial arts effectiveness across different contexts—from sport to street to survival. In addition to being a world-class instructor, Stephan has a background in outdoor survival training, having completed an unassisted 42-day solo canoe trip covering 1,000 miles through seven river and lake systems, without seeing another human for 21 days. Whether you’re a competitor, coach, traditional martial artist, or someone seeking a warrior’s mindset, this episode will give you deep insights into mastering yourself through the martial path. Get ready for a powerful conversation that challenges conventional thinking, bridges sport, tradition, and reality-based training, and shows you how to apply martial arts to every aspect of your life. Click the link below to listen now on your favorite platform: Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3t227s4 Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3KvsIDy Google Podcasts: https://bit.ly/3Kxcg5D Main Directory: https://theblackbeltpodcast.buzzsprout.com/

STARZPLAY to Air All PFL Programming Across Its Extensive Network in the Middle East and North Africa network, Including UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Egypt PFL Action Kicks Off on STARZPLAY April 3 With the PFL World Tournament Main Event of the PFL MENA Season 2 Quarterfinals on May 9 in Jeddah Set with Featherweight Bout Pitting Saudi Arabia's Abdullah Al-Qahtani Against Egypt's Islam Reda The Professional Fighters League (PFL) today announced a multi-year partnership with STARZPLAY, the leading subscription video-on-demand service in the Middle East and North Africa region. This will bring PFL’s full suite of premier MMA franchises to fight fans in the regions, including the PFL World Tournament, Champions Series, PFL Europe, PFL MENA and PFL Africa. All PFL content beginning with the 2025 PFL World Tournament launch on April 3 will be available on STARZPLAY application on multiple screens, mobile and TV apps. Fans in the MENA region will be able to watch their very own league for free in 2025 via STARZPLAY, with the main event of PFL MENA Season 2 Quarterfinals on May 9 in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia being confirmed with a Featherweight fight between Saudi Arabia's Abdullah Al-Qahtani  (10-2) and Egypt's Islam Reda  (12-1). This partnership between STARZPLAY and PFL reinforces PFL's commitment to delivering world-class mixed martial arts to audiences across the Middle East and North Africa, with STARZPLAY uniquely positioned to bring this thrilling content to fans throughout the region. “We are very excited to partner with STARZPLAY, the leading streaming platform in the MENA region, to bring world-class MMA action to millions of passionate fight fans. This multi-year partnership marks a significant milestone in our mission to expand the PFL’s global footprint and deliver premium combat sports content to audiences worldwide,” said Pete Murray, CEO of PFL . “The Middle East is a key market for the PFL and now, fight fans across the region can watch and support their favorite MENA fighters in all PFL events, including the electrifying kickoff of PFL MENA Season 2 in Jeddah this May 9.” Danny Bates, COO and co-founder of STARZPLAY , said: "Our partnership with the Professional Fighters League further strengthens our sports content portfolio, bringing the excitement of world-class MMA to STARZPLAY. With more people seeking diverse sports offerings today, this collaboration allows us to deliver premium MMA content to our subscribers across the MENA region, connecting them with the best in regional and international MMA talent. Now, our subscribers can experience all the thrilling action of PFL on STARZPLAY."

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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