Get ready for a high-stakes Muay Thai clash as Thongpoon PK Saenchai faces off against Danial “Mini-T” Williams in a strawweight thriller at ONE Fight Night 26, airing live on U.S. primetime this December 6. With both fighters bringing relentless action and a thirst for victory, fans are in for an explosive battle. Thongpoon, coming off two consecutive losses, knows this fight could define his future in ONE Championship. "For this fight, I am hungry for victory because if I lose again, it will affect my future in ONE. My back is against the wall right now," Thongpoon confessed. The Thai dynamo has vowed to evolve, promising fans a sharper, smarter version of himself. Despite the pressure, Thongpoon insists he won’t hold back. "I will still use my aggressive style but fight smarter. I’ve learned from my mistakes and am ready to think faster and adapt in the heat of the moment," he stated. His strategy? Force the fast-moving Williams into a corner and unleash his power. On the other side, Williams enters with momentum after breaking a four-fight losing streak by defeating Banma Duoji at ONE Fight Night 25. The Australian striker admires Thongpoon's fearless style and anticipates a fight that will keep fans on the edge of their seats. "I’m a fan of [Thongpoon]. We’re both risk-takers, and it’s gonna be a lot of entertainment," Williams said. But Williams isn’t taking any chances in the firefight. Aware of Thongpoon’s power, “Mini-T” plans to strike first and strike hard. "When he throws, he takes big risks. If it turns into a dogfight, it’s a 50-50—first person to land. I feel like one of us is getting put away," Williams predicted. Both fighters share the belief that the match could end in a spectacular finish, with Williams gunning for an early knockout. "The ideal way would be finishing him in the first round. If I can get it done in the first 10 seconds, that’ll be awesome," he remarked. Don’t miss this electrifying showdown between two of the division’s most exciting athletes. ONE Fight Night 26 streams live and free to all Amazon Prime subscribers in the U.S. and Canada on Friday, December 6, at 8 p.m. EST/5 p.m. PST. Buckle up for a Muay Thai battle that promises fireworks!

2024 has been a groundbreaking year for the BRAVE CF Women’s Strawweight division, with electrifying fights and emerging stars redefining the landscape. Among the year's highlights was a Fight of the Year  contender between Monika Kučinič and Fabiola Pidroni, but the real buzz came at BRAVE CF 90 when the division welcomed its newest sensation, Songül Karatorak. Making her professional MMA debut, Songül capitalized on the visionary BRAVE CF–IMMAF amateur pathway. An IMMAF European Champion riding a three-fight winning streak, she showcased her skills with a dominant first-round submission victory over Kinga Jendrasik. This wasn’t just any win—it was a statement. Despite Kinga entering the bout with more professional experience and weighing in one kilogram above the Strawweight limit, Songül left no doubt about her potential. From the opening bell, she overwhelmed her opponent, demonstrating the depth of her amateur MMA experience. BRAVE CF’s investment in IMMAF athletes is clearly paying off, as Songül’s seamless transition to the professional ranks underscores the success of this pathway. Songül’s arrival adds a surge of excitement to a Strawweight division that has yet to crown its inaugural champion. While she’ll need a few more wins to solidify her status as a title contender, her stellar debut has set the stage for a thrilling rise. Could she be the future face of the division? Songül Karatorak’s debut not only turned heads but also hinted at a new era for the Women’s Strawweight division. Is this the beginning of a championship journey for the rising star? Fans will undoubtedly be watching closely.

As the UFC wraps up 2024, December promises to be a barnburner with marquee matchups, title fights, and must-see bouts that will shape the future of various divisions. From undefeated contenders clashing to seasoned veterans proving their mettle, here are the top 10 fights that have every MMA fan buzzing. UFC 310: Pantoja vs. Asakura 1. Alexandre Pantoja vs. Kai Asakura Event Date:  Saturday, December 7, 2024 | Location:  Las Vegas, Nevada This Flyweight Championship bout headlines UFC 310 as reigning champ Alexandre Pantoja  faces Rizin standout Kai Asakura  in a classic grappler-vs-striker showdown. Can Pantoja defend his throne for the third time, or will Asakura’s striking prowess deliver a stunning upset? 2. Shavkat Rakhmonov vs. Ian Machado Garry Two undefeated welterweight titans, Shavkat Rakhmonov  and Ian Machado Garry , collide in a high-stakes co-main event. With a title shot hanging in the balance, this showdown promises fireworks as both fighters put their spotless records on the line. 3. Movsar Evloev vs. Aljamain Sterling Former Bantamweight Champion Aljamain Sterling  tests the waters in his second featherweight bout against the unbeaten grappling ace Movsar Evloev . This pivotal fight could determine the next big contender in the highly competitive 145-pound division. 4. Ciryl Gane vs. Alexander Volkov A heavyweight rematch with huge implications, Ciryl Gane  and Alexander Volkov  face off in a battle of elite strikers. Both fighters have made adjustments since their first encounter, making this a can't-miss clash. 5. Randy Brown vs. Bryan Battle – UFC 310 Welterweights Randy Brown  and Bryan Battle  clash in a bout with ranking implications. Brown’s technical prowess meets Battle’s aggressive style, setting the stage for a thrilling fight that could elevate the winner into the welterweight rankings. UFC Fight Night: Covington vs. Buckley 1. Colby Covington vs. Joaquin Buckley Event Date:  Saturday, December 14, 2024 | Location:  Tampa, Florida The brash and battle-tested Colby Covington  headlines the final UFC event of the year against the surging welterweight star Joaquin Buckley . With Buckley riding a five-fight win streak, including a knockout of Stephen Thompson, can he topple one of the division’s most durable veterans? 2. Amanda Ribas vs. Mackenzie Dern 2 In a rematch five years in the making, strawweight contenders Amanda Ribas  and Mackenzie Dern  square off once again. Both fighters are looking to climb back into title contention, making this bout as strategic as it is personal. 3. Manel Kape vs. Bruno Silva Expect fireworks in this flyweight matchup as the enigmatic Manel Kape  takes on the surging Bruno Silva . With Kape’s dynamic striking and Silva’s finishing ability, this bout could steal the show in Tampa. 4. Sean Woodson vs. Fernando Padilla Two tall, rangy featherweights, Sean Woodson  and Fernando Padilla , go head-to-head in a stylistic dream matchup. Both fighters are looking to crack the division’s Top 15, adding even more stakes to this exciting clash. 5. Joel Alvarez vs. Drakkar Klose – UFC Fight Night: Covington vs. Buckley Lightweight sleepers Joel Alvarez  and Drakkar Klose  meet in a bout that promises high-level grappling exchanges and striking precision. Each fighter is riding momentum, making this a key fight to watch in the stacked 155-pound division. This lineup showcases a perfect blend of title fights, grudge matches, and rising contenders staking their claim in the sport. Whether it’s Pantoja defending his legacy, Covington trying to hold off the red-hot Buckley, or the epic Rakhmonov vs. Garry clash, December is set to close 2024 with a bang. Don’t miss a second of the action — mark your calendars for these electrifying events!

BRAVE Combat Federation, is set to light up Bahrain on December 13 with a full stacked fight card for BRAVE CF 91, part of the highly anticipated BRAVE International Combat Week . A Bantamweight Battle for the Ages Headlining the event is a historic All-African Bantamweight title showdown between reigning champion Nkosi Ndebele  and challenger Nicholas Hwende . This monumental clash marks the first time two African fighters will compete for a world title in BRAVE CF history. Ndebele, fresh off a dominant title defense against Jose Torres at BRAVE CF 82 in Mauritius, faces Hwende, who’s riding a two-fight win streak, including a statement victory over Khurshed Nazarov. Arab MMA Legend Hamza Kooheji Returns In the co-main event, Hamza Kooheji , Bahrain's beloved MMA icon, makes his long-awaited return to the BRAVE CF cage after a two-year injury hiatus. Kooheji aims to reignite his title aspirations as he faces Alperen Karabulut , a Turkish sensation looking to make a thunderous debut. Fighting in front of his home crowd, Kooheji's comeback story adds an emotional layer to an already electric event. Muhammad Mokaev's Perfect Record on the Line Muhammad Mokaev , widely regarded as the best undefeated Flyweight in the world, puts his pristine 12-0 record to the test against South Africa's Luthando Biko , who enters on a four-fight winning streak. This matchup promises fireworks as Mokaev continues his climb to global dominance. More Action-Packed Matchups Flyweight standouts Dias Erengaipov  (Kazakhstan) and Marciano Ferreira  (Brazil) square off in a pivotal bout as the division inches closer to crowning its inaugural champion. In the Super Welterweight division, undefeated rising star Eliezer Kubanza  meets Bahrain’s Zagid Gaidarov , who boasts an impressive six-fight win streak. Former Olympic wrestler Mahmoud Sebie  takes on Kazakhstan’s Babur Maymakov , while Women’s Flyweight sensation Sabrina De Souza  battles Filipino standout Mariane Mariano . Homegrown Bahraini Talent in the Spotlight The preliminary card will showcase Bahraini superstars Mohammed Alsameea  and Hussain Al Kurdi , who face Egypt’s Salah Walid  and Seif Shawki , respectively, ensuring a thrilling start to the night. A Week of Combat Extravaganza Held at the Khalifa Sports City Arena  in Isa Town, Bahrain, BRAVE CF 91 kicks off BRAVE International Combat Week , which also features the IMMAF Youth Asian Championship  on December 14-15 and BRAVE CF 92  on December 15. This eleventh BRAVE CF event of the year is poised to deliver unforgettable moments and cement Bahrain’s reputation as a hub for MMA excellence. BRAVE CF 91 Full Fight Card Main Card Undisputed Bantamweight Championship : Nkosi Ndebele (South Africa) vs. Nicholas Hwende (Zimbabwe) Bantamweight : Hamza Kooheji (Bahrain) vs. Alperen Karabulut (Turkey) Flyweight : Muhammad Mokaev (UK) vs. Luthando Biko (South Africa) Flyweight : Dias Erengaipov (Kazakhstan) vs. Marciano Ferreira (Brazil) Super Welterweight : Zagid Gaidarov (Bahrain) vs. Eliezer Kubanza (DRC) Preliminary Card Super Lightweight : Mahmoud Sebie (Egypt) vs. Babur Maymakov (Kazakhstan) Flyweight : Sabrina De Souza (Bahrain) vs. Mariane Mariano (Philippines) Flyweight : Mohammed Alsameea (Bahrain) vs. Salah Walid (Egypt) Lightweight : Hussain Al Kurdi (Bahrain) vs. Seif Shawki (Egypt) Prepare for history, drama, and explosive action at BRAVE CF 91 !

Reece McLaren is laser-focused on his lifelong dream: the ONE Flyweight MMA World Championship. With the legendary Demetrious Johnson retiring and leaving the title up for grabs, McLaren sees his chance to rise to the occasion. But before he can punch his ticket to the gold, the Aussie fighter must conquer a colossal challenge—current ONE Strawweight MMA World Champion Jarred "The Monkey God" Brooks—on Friday, December 6, at ONE Fight Night 26 on Prime Video. McLaren, known as "Lightning," isn’t convinced Brooks can handle the move up to flyweight. “Every time [Brooks] talked about coming up to fight DJ, he kept talking about coming up to flyweight. I would constantly be telling him he’s too small, too short. I’m standing by that. You should stay at strawweight, bro,” McLaren said. Brooks has dominated the strawweight division, but McLaren believes things will be different at flyweight. He openly criticized Brooks’ style, labeling it as overly reliant on wrestling. “I kind of feel he is a little bit one-dimensional with his wrestling offense. He moves lots, and then he always looks to try and wrestle,” McLaren said. Despite only having a four-week camp, McLaren has promised fans fireworks. "He’s probably not gonna be fighting the best Reece, but he’s definitely as hell going to be fighting the most violent. I can guarantee violence,” the Aussie declared. McLaren aims to make Brooks look like an amateur while delivering a highlight-reel performance for the global audience. But McLaren isn’t underestimating Brooks’ credentials. He recognizes Brooks’ status as a reigning World Champion and the opportunity a win represents. “He is a current World Champion and a World Champion for a reason. I cannot deny his skill. He is an awesome fighter, I think,” McLaren said. This matchup is more than just another fight for McLaren; it’s a stepping stone toward fulfilling his destiny. With the flyweight title now vacant, McLaren is determined to solidify his position as the next contender. “With DJ retiring, I think for sure I’ll put my name way up at the top for a shot for the vacant belt coming off a good win,” he asserted. McLaren knows the stakes. A victory over a World Champion like Brooks would catapult him into the conversation for the coveted flyweight belt. “I feel like I should be fighting for a World Title. If that’s not the case, then this stamps my name on that top-tier list for the next title contender by taking out a current World Champion,” he added. The stage is set for an explosive showdown at ONE Fight Night 26, airing live on Prime Video at 8 p.m. EST/5 p.m. PST on Friday, December 6. The event is free for Amazon Prime subscribers in the U.S. and Canada. With everything on the line, McLaren promises nothing short of violence and glory in his pursuit of gold.

Cage Warriors 181 lit up Newcastle on Saturday night, delivering a thrilling night of MMA action that saw local stars Harry Hardwick and Kennedy Freeman claim victory in their respective title bouts. The event, held at a packed venue, showcased high-stakes matchups and electrifying finishes, cementing Newcastle as a hotbed for Cage Warriors' premier action. Here are the Cage Warriors 181 Results. Main Card Highlights Harry Hardwick Retains Featherweight Title In a display of precision striking and relentless pressure, Newcastle’s own Harry Hardwick  retained his featherweight championship by defeating Keweny Lopes  via TKO (punches) at 1:02 of the fourth round. Hardwick weathered an early storm from Lopes but turned the tide with devastating combinations to keep the belt in his hometown. Kennedy Freeman Secures Women’s Bantamweight TitleKennedy Freeman  claimed the vacant women’s bantamweight title with a TKO victory over Mafalda Carmona . The fight was stopped after Carmona's corner called it between the fourth and fifth rounds, unable to continue due to Freeman's relentless pace and striking dominance. Justin Burlinson Shines with Arm-Triangle FinishJustin Burlinson  thrilled fans with a third-round submission victory over Theodor Berggren . Burlinson locked in a textbook arm-triangle choke at 2:44 of the round, demonstrating his ever-evolving ground game. James Power Delivers a Highlight KO Power lived up to his name, stopping Dumitru Girlean  with a vicious elbow KO at 2:08 of the second round. The highlight-reel finish was one of the night’s standout moments. Sean Clancy Jr Targets the Body for a KO WinSean Clancy Jr  showcased his striking prowess with a devastating body shot KO against Andrey Augusto  at 1:27 of round three, leaving the crowd in awe. Yannick Bahati vs. Charles Joyner Ends in a Draw In a closely contested bout, Yannick Bahati  and Charles Joyner  fought to a split technical draw after an accidental foul brought the action to a halt at 2:54 of round three. Judges’ scorecards read 29-28 Bahati, 30-28 Joyner, and 29-29. Preliminary Results Daniel Konrad  defeated Aiden Lee  via submission (rear-naked choke) at 2:52 of the first round. Bailey Gilbert  bested Alberth Dias  via unanimous decision (28-27, 28-27, 28-27). Dias had two points deducted in round two for an illegal knee. Leon Armes  stopped Michał Folc  with a first-round KO (punches) at 3:41. Michael Tchamou  submitted Delmar Silva  with a guillotine choke at 1:20 of round one.

It’s become an all too common sight on the nightly news: allegations of police officers using excessive force, which lead to furious protests from outraged citizens, followed by a vocal defense on the part of the law-enforcement community. Regardless of which side of the debate you fall on, you’ll agree that attempts should be made to limit these kinds of incidents. But is this possible? What measures can be taken to reduce the use of excessive force while at the same time keeping police officers safe? “There are some common-sense things that can be done, but no one wants to pay for them,” Albert Gotay said. “In the long run, it might be better for cities to just invest more money in police training — including self-defense training — rather than pay the cost of lawsuits.” When it comes to training police, Gotay knows better than most. A high-ranked black belt in karate and judo, as well as a former amateur boxer, he served for 28 years in the New York Police Department. He worked on the elite tactical patrol force and eventually ran the department’s physical-education unit, which included all self-defense training for police recruits. Although he retired from the force in 1990, the manual he wrote on the subject is still in use. He’s also quite candid on the pros and cons of the current situation with law enforcement. “I imagine there are still incidents of officers using too much force, and the media attention on this is good in a way because they’re being held more accountable,” Gotay said. “But it can also be bad for the public as a whole because officers are becoming more timid. They don’t want to get into trouble, so they’re slower to respond to situations, and consequently citizens are getting less coverage. We call it officers becoming ‘flower pots.’ They just stand there and do nothing.” The solution to the problem of law enforcement officers using too much force, Gotay said, is to have them engage in more training while they’re at the police academy and more follow-up training afterward. For example, the NYPD has one of the longest and most rigorous training courses in the United States for its recruits. The empty-hand self-defense curriculum Gotay taught there included punches and defenses against them, kicks and defenses against them, escapes, and counters to grabs, takedowns and ground attacks — in addition to body language. All that had to be accomplished during a six-month period with only 40 hours of devoted training time. Unfortunately, many police departments around the country are forced to educate their recruits with even less training time. Clearly, police officers are being asked to accomplish a nearly impossible task when it comes to skill acquisition. And that doesn’t even take into account our evolving knowledge of defensive tactics. Case in point: The rear choke used to be a key component of an officer’s arsenal, but it’s no longer employed by many departments because of safety concerns that have recently come to light. “It was still allowed when I was on the force, and I’d use it all the time to finish situations quickly so I didn’t have to resort to my nightstick or hitting the suspect,” Gotay said. “I remember one incident when I was a sergeant at the 20th Precinct in Manhattan and a family called in about their son. I got to their home with another officer, and this kid was about 200 pounds and acting crazy, so I told the other officer to engage him from the front. Then I stepped around behind him and applied a chokehold. It only took about two seconds to take him down. “If I hadn’t been able to do that, we probably would have had to start punching and kicking him and using our batons. There would have been blood all over the place. In the hands of someone who knows how to do it, the chokehold is an excellent tool.” Given the current amount of training most officers receive, Gotay said, chokeholds have been deemed unsuitable for many police departments because of the danger that someone who lacks experience might apply them for too long, which could lead to a fatal outcome. Even more worrisome to many are incidents in which police shoot unarmed suspects. Although each of these cases must be examined individually before assigning blame, Gotay said that in some of these incidents, officers do not seem to be following basic self-defense guidelines that say they should take cover when talking with a suspect who may be armed. “If you’re behind cover, when he turns toward you, you don’t have to let go a round — you can wait to make sure he does have a weapon,” Gotay said. “But this is also something that needs to be emphasized constantly in training.” Clearly, there’s not enough time in the average academy course for recruits to master every aspect of police work, particularly when you consider all the subtleties of close-quarters combat. This is why ongoing training and recertification are so important, he said. But convincing overworked officers to devote more time to developing difficult physical skills can be an uphill battle. One solution was implemented during Gotay’s tenure with the NYPD: To improve the physical fitness of its rank and file, the department began offering any officer who volunteered to take a fitness exam — and pass it — an extra quarter point toward a promotion. While that might not sound like much, Gotay said in a department where thousands of people might take the exam to become a sergeant, something that moves you up a hundred spots on the promotion list could be extremely valuable. He said he doesn’t see why similar incentive programs can’t be instituted to improve safety of law-enforcement officers and ensure they continue to improve their self-defense skills. In the end — for better or worse — much of the burden for training will fall on the officers themselves. “I always told recruits in the academy that when they’re on the job, one of the biggest things is going to be self-defense,” Gotay said. “The main reason people give for not being fit is that they don’t have the time, and you hear that same excuse when it comes to learning self-defense. So I’d always tell them [that] what you have to do is make this your personal hobby. Find a school, get involved with it and get good at it so it becomes part of your normal lifestyle.”

This Saturday, November 23, the Cotai Arena in Macau will witness one of the most electrifying matchups in UFC history as former Bantamweight Champion Petr Yan  takes on former Flyweight Champion Deiveson "Deus da Guerra" Figueiredo  in a high-stakes showdown. This main event promises to be an unmissable spectacle of precision striking, relentless aggression, and undeniable grit as two of the UFC's most dynamic fighters collide in the Octagon. Here is a breakdown of Petr Yan vs. Deiveson Figueiredo. The Fighters: Unstoppable Forces with Unfinished Business Petr Yan (Record: 17-4) Hailing from Dudinka, Russia, Petr Yan's journey to UFC glory is a tale of resilience and relentless determination. Known as "No Mercy," Yan is a ferocious striker with a well-rounded game that has left many of his opponents battered and bewildered. After capturing the Bantamweight title with a stunning TKO victory over José Aldo at UFC 251, Yan's reign was cut short in controversial fashion against Aljamain Sterling. Undeterred, Yan has since rebounded with clinical performances that have reminded fans why he’s one of the most feared fighters in the division. Key Moment: Yan's dominating performance against Cory Sandhagen at UFC 267 showcased his elite boxing and ability to adapt mid-fight, securing an interim title and cementing his reputation as one of the best in the sport. Deiveson Figueiredo (Record: 22-3-1) Representing Brazil, Deiveson Figueiredo has been a destructive force in the Flyweight division, earning the nickname "Deus da Guerra" (God of War) for his relentless approach to combat. With explosive power, unorthodox striking, and a lethal ground game, Figueiredo has left a trail of devastation in his wake. After an iconic rivalry with Brandon Moreno that saw them trade the Flyweight belt multiple times, Figueiredo has now set his sights on conquering new territory in the Bantamweight division. Key Moment: Figueiredo’s submission win over Alex Perez at UFC 255 in just under two minutes was a masterclass in seizing opportunities and solidifying his status as one of the most dangerous finishers in the UFC. Styles Make Fights: The Breakdown Yan’s Strengths:  Known for his high fight IQ, Yan excels at wearing down his opponents with precise combinations and a suffocating pace. His ability to transition seamlessly between striking and grappling makes him a nightmare matchup for any fighter. Figueiredo’s X-Factor:  Figueiredo brings a unique blend of knockout power and Brazilian jiu-jitsu mastery. His unpredictability and killer instinct make him a constant threat, capable of ending the fight at any moment. The Stakes: Legacy on the Line For Petr Yan, a victory would mark another step toward reclaiming his throne and solidifying his legacy as one of the Bantamweight greats. For Deiveson Figueiredo, this fight is an opportunity to cement his status as a two-division threat and redefine his career with a stunning upset against a top contender. Potential Strategies Yan’s Game Plan:  Expect Yan to rely on his high-volume striking and sharp counters, aiming to test Figueiredo’s cardio in the later rounds. He’ll likely use his wrestling to neutralize Figueiredo’s submission game if the fight goes to the ground. Figueiredo’s Path to Victory:  Figueiredo will look to capitalize on his explosiveness early, attempting to land a fight-ending strike or secure a submission. His unpredictability could disrupt Yan’s calculated approach. Don’t Miss the Action! With two former champions, contrasting styles, and undeniable stakes, this main event is shaping up to be an instant classic. Will Yan’s calculated aggression and elite striking reign supreme, or will Figueiredo’s explosive power and submission prowess shock the world? Tune in this Saturday, November 23, as UFC Macau delivers a night of unforgettable fights, culminating in this epic clash of champions.

The techniques you see in MMA are not new techniques. They’re just a blending of old martial arts techniques. In MMA, we’re just taking what works from a lot of different arts, then we make sure it does work. How? By experimenting. In MMA competition — outside of biting, eye gouges, and groin shots — everything else is pretty much fair game. Once we identify a technique that we think might work, we have the perfect laboratory to do that. It’s hard to argue with results that say, ‘Here is a move that just failed six times in a row, and here is a move that just worked 20 times in a row.’ It’s hard to fight empirical feedback. Yes, you can say, ‘I would just gouge his eyes,’ which happens in MMA occasionally. Or ‘I would just kick his groin,’ which also happens in MMA. Or ‘I would bite him,’ which MMA fighters don’t do. But those things are at the very top of the self-defense pyramid. You have to pay attention to the rest of the pyramid because a lot of fighting takes place there. It used to be that you had to take people’s word for it that a technique was going to work. In MMA, however, you don’t have to take anyone’s word for it anymore; you can see if it works. If you look at the big picture, you see that self-defense is about time and place. If I had tried a double-leg takedown on a samurai, he would have killed me. That would be the dumbest thing I could do. That environment is where the one-shot, one-kill concept of karate came from. If you didn’t hit the samurai with that perfect reverse punch, you were dead. You may know 28 different mixed martial arts moves, but the guy just cut your head off. That’s what I mean by time and place. Karate was made by people who were being oppressed and who needed to defend themselves. They didn’t have anything, and the other guys had swords! Does that make karate the most effective martial art you can do here and now? Not necessarily. If we find a technique from karate works as well now as it did then, MMA fighters will adopt it. There are millions of dollars on the line in MMA. It would be stupid for them not to borrow any technique that’s effective. No art is off-limits when it comes to borrowing techniques. Money is a great impetus to push forward the evolution of fighting. If something works, we take it. In some ways, every art has something to give. If we can discover something that we didn’t think was going to work and it ends up working, that’s great. People will use it. Getting back to karate, it has some great hand-to-hand moves and concepts like distancing. So trainers and coaches look at karate, and if something seems like it will work, we experiment with it. If it’s successful, we use it. For proof, look at Lyoto Machida. He’s an awesome fighter. Here’s another example that will explain what I mean by time and place. In kung fu, people used the butterfly swords because that’s what they had and because they were fighting to the death. Now, we’re not fighting to the death and our weapons are different. We’re not using butterfly swords, just like we’re not using muskets anymore. Everything changes. If one day we have lasers on our wrists, then all this stuff we do now with guns will be antiquated. We’ll have to move on. This change is what makes it so exciting to be in the martial arts at this time in human history. It’s all made possible by the internet and video. We can watch people fight using techniques you’d never have seen otherwise because those techniques were developed on the other side of the globe. In the past, we didn’t have that. If you were a Greek pankration fighter, you had Greeks and some Egyptians and maybe some other people around, but you didn’t have a lot of Japanese jujitsu masters coming to Greece so you could test your skills against them. Now we have hundreds of people moving around and mixing martial arts. Video and the internet are big, but so are the connections we can now make with people from France, from Japan, from Mongolia, from everywhere. I can be anywhere in the world in 16 hours — from here to Australia or China. We never had that before. We had some people, like Morihei Ueshiba, who went to China, but not many. We had a few people who cross-trained, but they were older guys who already knew a lot, and by the time they got somewhere different, they probably weren’t ready to ‘empty their vessel’ and learn something totally new. But now, because of video, we can watch fights that happened yesterday or 40 years ago in the city we live in or on the other side of the world. And because of air travel, we can connect with martial artists from the other side of the world and train together. So it’s video and travel that enable us to learn and to test techniques, and we have the immediate feedback of the fights. We never had that kind of laboratory before. It used to take martial artists months to get to other countries, and they might stay there for a month or two. Now you can do all that in three days and then go somewhere else in another three days. Never has the world been this small. We get to experience these wonderful strategic principles, techniques, and methodologies from all over. The reason some people are resistant to learning from the MMA laboratory is they’re invested in their art. Let’s say you spend 25 years doing silat and that’s your reality. And then some kid comes along and says, ‘We’ve been in the laboratory, testing all these things you do, and they work sometimes but not all of them work all the time.’ That’s hard for the silat instructor to take. Remember in the ’80s when everybody argued about things like that? They’d be like, ‘I’ll blast you through the wall with my ki power.’ ‘Oh, no, my karate will stop you!’ It’s an old argument. And then the Gracie family said, ‘You do yours and we’ll do ours.’ That’s what enabled us to actually put things to the test — again, outside of biting, eye gouges, and groin shots. By the way, there’s plenty of eye gouging and groin shots that happen inadvertently in MMA, and they can be very effective. So when you’re teaching self-defense, the lessons of MMA are still useful. You eye-gouge a certain way because of all those times it was done that way in a match illegally. This is what worked, and this is what didn’t. It’s the same with groin shots. Of course, it all changes when you’re fighting more than one person. MMA is for one-on-one fighting. However, you have to address certain things whether you’re fighting three people or one. If you don’t know how to get up off the ground, if you don’t know how to do a sprawl and stay on your feet when three dudes are trying to beat you up, you might be in trouble on the street. I’m not saying MMA is the answer for all self-defense, but for one-on-one combat — even if it’s within a multiple-opponent scenario — you’re not going to find anything better. In a nutshell, the difference between street fighting and MMA fighting involves environment, tools, and numbers. In a match, it’s one-on-one in a static environment with just the tools provided by the human body. In a street fight, it’s the opposite. You might be using a book or a chair as a weapon — or the desk, which you might push your attacker over. There might be three opponents, and if there are, it would be silly to do a double-leg and get on top. But that doesn’t mean the double-leg and get on top doesn’t work for one-on-one. The techniques used in MMA are very tested. Which techniques you use, now that depends on the environment. If your opponent has a knife, the game changes. If your opponent has a gun, the game changes. It’s all about what you should do at any given time in that environment. Is a move effective against one person? Against three people? Is it appropriate for what you’re dealing with? You can’t naysay about the techniques themselves because they’re tested all the time in the cage. In self-defense, how do you know whether something works? Maybe you’ll get into a street fight, maybe not. People sometimes claim that because certain targets on the body [like the throat] are off-limits in a match, an MMA-trained fighter would have trouble targeting them on the street. In training, I get hit in the throat a lot. In competition, fighters get hit in the throat constantly. It’s not illegal to hit the throat in MMA. It sucks. But there’s a myth that a strike to the throat is going to stop a person immediately. In actuality, it’s very hard to target. Will a throat strike stop the fight? Yeah, sometimes, but sometimes not. I wouldn’t rely on it in self-defense. It’s not unlike what we had in the ’80s with ‘I’ll just side-kick you in the knee. All it takes is 10 pounds of pressure to …’ In MMA, we tested this using every kick possible — because kicking the knee is not off-limits in competition. We hit knees with everything but the kitchen sink, and I think we’ve had maybe one incident. In contrast, a strike to the groin will stop a fight, and that makes it a great street-fighting technique. If I was in a street fight, I’d try to choke the other guy unconscious, hit him in the groin, and poke him in the eyes. However, again, those things are the top of the self-defense pyramid. If your opponent tackles you, all of that’s now irrelevant. If he mounts and starts pounding on you, you can’t reach his eyes and good luck trying to hit his groin. What are you going to bite, his leg or maybe an arm? The top of your self-defense pyramid needs to be built on strong fundamentals. If you can reverse the mount, get into a guard position, and stay out of trouble there so you can use a bite and maybe bring in a throat strike, that’s a much better skill set to have. If you look at the evolution of MMA, you can see that there have been so many changes involving so many techniques that were brought in. We had the Brazilian jiu-jitsu guys who could choke out anybody, then the wrestlers who could sprawl and stop anybody, then the kickboxers who could knock out anybody. We’ve been through so much in such a short time because the techniques get tested over and over. You learn that it’s about appropriateness. Sometimes people misunderstand it and think it’s about efficacy, but it’s not. You wouldn’t do a double-leg takedown in a bar fight against six guys. However, if one of them does it on you, you’d better know how to get out of it, and that’s what MMA does best. Remember that everything I said pertains to being more effective in MMA and self-defense. If you train in your martial art for other reasons — maybe for point sparring, for kata competition, for health, or for relaxation — continue doing exactly what you are doing. All martial arts are wonderful. Contributor Greg Jackson’s website is jacksonwink.com . Photography by Ian Spanier

“There are, more or less, three kinds of people in the world. There are those who make things happen, there are people who watch things happen and there are those folks who so often say, ‘What happened?’” Although Jhoon Goo Rhee spoke those words to me nearly 30 years ago, they might just as well have been said yesterday because they’re set in stone in my mind. Rhee was most certainly the kind of man who made things happen. In his 86 years, he made so many things happen — important things, things that have affected millions of people — that it puts him firmly in the company of the greatest masters in martial arts history. Rhee passed away on April 30, 2018. He died, according to his daughter Dr. Meme Rhee, of complications from post-herpetic neuralgia. His passing represents the end of an era in American martial arts history — as he is credited with not only bringing taekwondo to the United States but also being instrumental in the cultivation and development of many aspects of the martial arts we take for granted. I was fortunate to meet and befriend grandmaster Rhee when I was in my mid-20s. There are many other people who knew him longer, who knew him better and who had more time with him, but few people have so deeply affected why I practice the martial arts, how I teach and what I know about being a person who seeks to make things happen. After looking back on the career of Jhoon Rhee, I wrote this article to outline five lessons derived from his life, things that he used to teach and inspire others and that we can refer to as we move forward on our own journeys. Lesson 1: Vision, Knowledge, Character and Commitment Are More Valuable Than Money Rhee came to the United States from war-torn South Korea in 1957 with $46 in his pocket. He was spared what likely would have been a tragic death only because a truce was signed to end the Korean War. That happened just days before he was to be deployed as an officer in a conflict where officers had a 70-percent casualty rate. When he immigrated, he had enough funds to buy a bus ticket, a cot at the YMCA and a couple of meals. What he also possessed, though, was the knowledge needed to use his martial arts training to set goals, to persevere when times got tough, and to keep one’s mind and body sharp and ready should opportunity come calling. As we now know, opportunity did come calling for Jhoon Rhee. It left him with a life vigorously lived, deep friendships and accomplishments that would shape the martial arts community. Many times during my own life, when money was tight, I thought of Rhee coming to the States with so few financial resources but with his knowledge, conviction, character and passion to share what he knew. Today — just like in the 1950s when Rhee arrived in San Marcos, Texas — every talented and committed martial arts practitioner regardless of style can still draw on Rhee’s example to fuel his or her own dreams. Rhee made plenty of money during his 86 years, but it was how he carried himself that serves as a model for us, especially when we have few financial assets save for conviction and character. Like him, we can rise from humble roots and use the martial arts to start a lifelong career. Lesson 2: Friendships Are Important During his life, Rhee made many friends. While sharing his martial arts knowledge, he met and then befriended Bruce and Linda Lee; Chuck Norris; Muhammad Ali; five decades of U.S. presidents, senators and representatives; Pulitzer Prize–winning reporter Jack Anderson; and plenty of other Washington movers and shakers. And then there are the martial arts leaders and the hundreds of thousands of ordinary people who came to know and admire him. His relationship with Bruce Lee was cut short by Lee’s unfortunate death at 32 — but not before the two had met many times, trained together, shared insights and formed a close bond. It was Lee who helped Rhee get a publishing deal with Black Belt’s book division and build a friendship with Black Belt founder Mito Uyehara. Lee also connected Rhee with Sir Run Run Shaw of Shaw Brothers Studios in Hong Kong, which resulted in Rhee starring in two martial arts films. Rhee and I once worked on a project together, along with Los Angeles martial arts teacher Fariborz Azhakh. It was just after the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001, and we had launched the Acts of Kindness project to allow martial arts schools around the globe to record their students’ kind acts into a database. It was the first website of its kind in the world. Rhee’s chosen job was to seek political help to get September 11 declared National Acts of Kindness Day by Congress. As he was reaching out to friends in Congress, I phoned him to ask if Norris might help us. The conversation went like this: Me: “Master Rhee, can we get Mr. Norris to help us with this?” Rhee: “Yes, I think we could do that, but first I will have to put him in a position where he cannot say no.” Me: (laughing) “How do you do that?” Rhee: “Tom, I want you to remember that if you ever really want someone to help you with something, you would be wise to do something for them that’s so important to them, so meaningful, that when you eventually ask them for help, they simply can’t refuse you.” I remember. From that point on, I’ve tried to give friends and people I wanted to work with something of value, a contribution to something that’s important to them, rather than simply hope for a “yes” when I need to ask them for a favor. I regard it as a Jhoon Rhee–inspired practice of martial arts mastery. In fact, Rhee made it his life’s work to give to others, and as a result, he made and kept many friends and got plenty of help whenever he asked. It’s a lesson that’s as relevant today for the aspiring master of the martial arts as it was in 2001. By the way, the Acts of Kindness website cataloged more than a quarter million acts in 2002. The project was taken over by my student, martial arts teacher Brian Williams of Reno, Nevada, who has served as a catalyst for millions of acts of kindness performed by schoolchildren and their teachers all over the nation. See his work at thinkkindness.org . Lesson 3: Marketing That Matters, Matters Jhoon Rhee became well-known in Washington, D.C., for many reasons, one of which was his early marketing efforts. When he opened his first school there in 1962, he embarked on a letter-writing campaign aimed at the ambassadors who were serving in the city. Rhee declared that he not only could teach their children taekwondo but also could help them make A’s and B’s in their academic studies. At the same time, he placed regular two-column ads in the Washington Post that, according to Rhee’s son Chun Rhee, “made the phone ring off the hook.” But Rhee’s marketing genius shone brightest when he decided to produce and run a series of TV commercials for his schools on local stations. The memorable tag lines came when his two youngest children, Chun and Meme, then 5 and 4, would say, Meme first, “Nobody bothers me,” after which her big brother would chime in, “Nobody bothers me, either!” The theme music for the commercials, written by a soon-to-be-legendary guitarist named Nils Lofgren (the guitarist for Neil Young and Bruce Springsteen), can still be hummed by longtime D.C. residents. One commercial was recently used in the TV show The Americans , a spy thriller set in the early 1980s. It played on a television in the background of a scene — and for nearly every Washingtonian in the know, it harkened back to a time when you couldn’t watch a local station without hearing about Jhoon Rhee’s schools. Those commercials were probably the first of their kind to promote the martial arts and certainly the first to promote the arts as a tool for the prevention of bullying. Rhee knew that marketing mattered, and his advertising focused on things that mattered to parents. He loved inspiring young people to be studious, knowledgeable, honest and honorable. He also knew that one had to spend money to make money and that good advertising was creative and consistent. Rhee made marketing for his schools that mattered to prospective students in his town, and he advertised with catchy phrases and jingles that people remembered. There isn’t a martial arts school owner in America who wouldn’t benefit from his strategies, who wouldn’t derive better results from investing in promotion, engaging in more frequent marketing and making simple yet substantive claims that can be backed up with results. You can watch some of those legendary ads on YouTube by typing “Jhoon Rhee Commercials” into the search box. Lesson 4: Adversity Can Be the Mother of Invention For many years, Rhee promoted martial arts tournaments in his adopted hometown of Washington. Tournament fighters who went on to become legends — including Rhee students Jeff Smith and John and Pat Worley, as well as pioneers like Joe Lewis, Mike Stone and Pat Burleson — attended and won at these events, establishing themselves as the toughest fighters of the day. At one of them in 1969, Pat Worley took a vicious kick to the face and suffered a broken cheekbone. Rhee was so upset that he started experimenting with protective gear to make the sport safer. Thus was born foam-covered sparring gear — dubbed the Safe-T-Chop, Safe-T-Kick, Safe-T-Face and Safe-T-Chest — which Rhee patented and started producing. A little-known component of this product line was the Safe-T-Butt, which Rhee devised to protect his children’s rear ends while they learned to ride skateboards. Then, as now, things don’t always go right — or might even be undeniable tragedies. However, they often have contained within them seeds of opportunity, invention and innovation. Following Rhee’s lead, any of us who can recall the story of Worley’s injury and his teacher’s ambitious solution might be able to inspire ourselves to devise creative solutions that can turn negatives into positives. Jhoon Rhee did it more than once in his career. Lesson 5: Contemplation Is Useful, But Action Is Divine My favorite Jhoon Rhee quote is this: “If a picture is worth 1,000 words, then an action is worth 1,000 pictures.” This notion is what made Rhee the martial artist he was. He knew how to take action. He was a master of getting things done. Never much of a passive observer, he liked to throw himself into projects. When he decided to open schools, he hired talented people to teach and manage them, and he refined the curriculum and the enrollment process in ways that are still used in martial arts schools.  When he determined that sparring and competition would be safer if combatants wore protective gear, he started a gear company. When he ran tournaments, he filled the event centers, then filled the ranks of competing athletes with martial artists who would become the era’s greatest fighters. When television came calling, he facilitated some of America’s first televised full-contact karate matches. Example: One of Rhee’s top students, the legendary Jeff Smith, fought on the televised undercard of The Thrilla in Manila , the epic third and final battle between boxers Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier. Smith fought Karriem Allah in front of a pay-per-view audience of 50 million. Rhee combined his love of music and martial arts training to create the first American-based musical forms, which he called “martial ballet.” Not only did he use classical music to accompany his forms choreography, but he also wrote poetry to accompany some of the routines. When he committed himself to teaching members of Congress, he showed up at the Rayburn House gym across from the Capitol Building for more than 30 consecutive years — and taught hundreds of politicians for free, doing the groundwork of spreading martial arts awareness and goodwill. When Rhee decided he could help other school owners with business management, curriculum design and teaching philosophy, he crisscrossed the nation, giving three-day seminars that inspired a wave of unprecedented professionalism in the martial arts industry. Clearly, Jhoon Rhee was a man of continuous action, and that provides a fine lesson for all martial artists today. His “an action is worth 1,000 pictures” philosophy is one worth remembering — and putting into action. He wasn’t one for waiting around to see what might happen; he liked to make things happen. We all would be better off doing more of that.

The undefeated Flyweight, Muhammad Mokaev, has finally locked in his opponent for his highly anticipated return at BRAVE CF 91 in Bahrain on December 13. Mokaev will face African superstar Luthando Biko in a Flyweight clash that’s shaping up to be one of the most awaited fights of the year. A former multiple-time IMMAF World Champion, Mokaev recently re-signed with BRAVE Combat Federation after creating a buzz as MMA’s hottest free agent. Unbeaten in both his amateur and professional careers, Mokaev made his professional debut with BRAVE CF in 2020, where he competed five times before continuing his streak elsewhere. With seven additional wins under his belt, Mokaev is ready to resume his dominance in the BRAVE CF cage. On the other side, Luthando Biko is bringing his world-class credentials  to the BRAVE CF stage. A former Commonwealth Gold Medallist in Judo  and regional African MMA champion, Biko is riding a four-fight win streak. After an injury sidelined his BRAVE CF debut earlier this year, Biko is now fully recovered and eager to shock the world by handing Mokaev his first-ever loss—a feat that could define his career. This showdown is not just another fight—it could crown a frontrunner for the inaugural BRAVE CF Flyweight Championship , adding even more stakes to an already electric matchup. BRAVE CF 91 , set to take place during BRAVE International Combat Week  at the Khalifa Sports City Arena, marks the promotion’s triumphant return to Bahrain after a year of record-breaking global events. Don’t miss the action as these two elite fighters collide in one of the most talked-about bouts of the year!

The June 1987 issue of Fighting Stars  featured Ernie Reyes Sr. soaring through the air with a powerful side kick aimed at Scott Coker—a striking moment frozen in time. Reyes earned his reputation as the "trainer of champions," producing numerous national champions and leading the world-renowned West Coast World Action Team. Among his students was Scott Coker, who took his martial arts foundation into a legendary career as a fight promoter, founding Strikeforce and later serving as president of Bellator MMA. Learn more about this cover and the entire magazine preserved in digital format: https://www.blackbeltmag.com