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Growing up in Salzburg, Austria, surrounded by the Alps and a culture more associated with skiing than striking, Stella Hemetsberger tried everything. Gymnastics, football, climbing, hiking, skiing, and more. She was the kind of kid who needed to move, to compete, to test herself against new challenges. At 13, she walked into RS-GYM, a martial arts facility close to her home, expecting to add Muay Thai to her list of activities.  She had no way of knowing that this would be different from all the rest, that fourteen years later she'd be Austria's first-ever ONE World Champion. Or that on February 13 at ONE Fight Night 40 in Bangkok, Thailand, she'd challenge Jackie Buntan for the ONE Strawweight Kickboxing World Title in pursuit of something even rarer – two-sport glory.  What started as another sport to try became the path that would define her life. The foundation was laid long before she threw her first punch, in a loving family that understood the value of dedication and the power of encouragement. "The lessons I have learned both from my mom and dad from a young age are that I just have to be disciplined and work hard to achieve my goals," Hemetsberger reflected, describing the principles that would carry her from an athletic teenager to the pinnacle of women's Muay Thai. That combination – natural athleticism from trying every sport imaginable and the discipline instilled by her parents – created the perfect bedrock for martial arts.  When she entered RS-GYM for the first time, something clicked in a way it never had with gymnastics, football, or any of the other activities she'd explored. "I felt like I was picking up things quite quickly. From learning combinations to punching or kicking, it just felt as if it was something I had been doing for quite a while," she recalled, describing the rare experience of finding the thing you were always meant to do without knowing you were searching for it. Her coaches, Roland Schwarz and Christin Fiedler, recognized immediately that they had something special. But talent and work ethic alone don't guarantee smooth sailing, especially in a sport like Muay Thai where experience often trumps physical gifts. Hemetsberger's early amateur career became a crucible that would either forge her into a champion or convince her to return to the safer pursuits of her youth. "I was always fighting a lot more experienced opponents. I had a lot of losses at the beginning of my amateur career. But I just took it as a motivation to get better and to train harder," she explained, determined to get better. Those early losses could have broken her. Many talented fighters walk away after tasting defeat after defeat, convinced they're not cut out for the brutality of combat sports. But Hemetsberger saw losses not as verdicts but as information, data points showing her exactly what she needed to improve. The transition to professional fighting brought its own challenges. Amateur competition, no matter how serious, still exists in a protected space. Professional fighting is different. It's your livelihood, your identity, and the real test of whether all the sacrifice and training translate to success at the highest level. "Before my first professional fight, without a doubt, I was very nervous. But the moment I tasted the first fight professionally, I knew this was going to be it for me," Hemetsberger shared, describing the clarity that comes when you find your calling. From the mountains of Austria to the global stage of ONE Championship, Hemetsberger has proven that greatness doesn't require the perfect background or the traditional path. It requires discipline, hard work, resilience in the face of losses, and the courage to pursue what you're meant to do once you discover it.

Most martial artists who train for self-defense regard disarms as one of the most important skill sets. In particular, they strive to perfect their ability to defend against the gun, knife and stick, which are the most prevalent street weapons in the Western world. For expert guidance along this path to proficiency, we spoke with Kelly McCann, a renowned combatives expert based in Fredericksburg, Virginia. McCann isn’t just a martial artist who’s obsessed with weaponry. He’s a former U.S. Marine Corps special-missions officer who was responsible for counterterrorism and counter-narcotics operations. In 1993 he founded Crucible, a company that trains military, government and law-enforcement personnel and conducts security missions in high-risk environments. McCann, who was Black Belt ’s 2008 Self-Defense Instructor of the Year, has spent the past three decades researching and teaching combatives. — Editor What are your thoughts on gun defense? For military members, street cops and others who have to deal with firearms in their face, gun defense is essential. The military knows its special operators need to spend time developing motor memory for gun defense. Unfortunately, law enforcement doesn’t devote as much time to it as they should, often because of overtime issues and budget limitations. With respect to civilians, until about five years ago, I was concerned that in a standard two-day combatives seminar, how much time can you devote to this one aspect of self-defense and all the variations of it? The gun could be in your face, aimed at your chest, pointed at your side or behind you. Then a point was made to me by Nick Hughes. He said that every day in America, people who know nothing about self-defense defend themselves against a firearm. He said those of us who teach the military and law enforcement should share the material with civilians because anything you give them only ups their chance of surviving. Even if they understand only the main principles — avert the muzzle, control the gun, get behind it and so on — they’ll be far better off than if they tried to figure it out in a moment of duress. So we started including disarms, which we believe will keep people from being shot and enable them to control the gun. Yes, gun disarms are very important, but how to disarm is less of a problem than when to disarm. How to disarm is about mechanics and body movement. When to disarm is much more challenging. If a guy has a gun in your face but just wants your stuff, you give him your stuff and he goes away. It’s no longer a problem. The hard part is trying to get a sense of whether this untrained gun handler in front of you — who is nervous, agitated, afraid or whatever — really will shoot you. That’s the bigger problem, and it’s impossible to teach. You have to figure it out in the moment. Taking all the variables into account, can we assume that in combatives, principles are more important than techniques? What we do is all principle-based. In self-defense, you don’t want your techniques to be too complicated, but you want to apply those principles in all your techniques. In a moment of duress when things are coming unraveled, you’ll be OK if you apply the principles. It may not be pretty, but you’ll be OK. What’s your opinion of the gun disarms of the traditional martial arts? Some of the techniques are dangerous because they don’t account for the guy’s finger being on the trigger, maybe with some tension already, or retraction of the weapon arm. Sympathetic muscle tightening often occurs when you make your self-defense move. Also, there’s the flinch that can occur when you startle him with your movement, which can cause him to step back and pull the trigger. That’s why gun defense is so sketchy. Some techniques look great and are very fast, but they don’t account for these things. My point is, if you apply good principles and have good technique, that’s OK, but the more important thing is deciding whether you should risk your life by trying to disarm someone who may not have intended to shoot you in the first place. Gun defenses commonly end in one of two ways. One, the defender gets possession of the weapon and uses it to strike the attacker. Two, he uses it to shoot the attacker. Where do you stand on this? We’re clearly on the side of the first option. You can’t back off and shoot the guy because the threat may have ended when you took the gun away. Also, the idea that you would strip a gun out of a guy’s hand and then figure out what’s in your hand — is it a BB gun, an AirSoft gun, a Beretta, a SIG, and are you familiar with it? — is problematic. In reality, you don’t know what you have or even if it’s functional. At the end of your gun defense, can you run? Yes. Can you hit the guy with his gun to make sure he can’t get it back? Yes. Can you drill him? I don’t think so. You’d have a real explaining to do. It’s a different situation altogether if he attacks again to take his gun back from you. Does the possibility that you will be unfamiliar with the gun you just took from the bad guy and won’t know whether it’s functional also mean you shouldn’t back off and say, “Stay there — don’t move!”? You can make him think you know how to use it. If he knows it’s a BB gun or not functioning, you could still have to deal with a charging attacker because he knows he had a piece of shit in his hand. At the end of the day, can you back off, give verbal commands and make him believe you’ll shoot him? Sure. Can you shoot him? No. Are you a cop? No. Should you try to arrest him? No. I say knock the guy unconscious with his own gun and get the hell out of there. Let’s move on to knife defense. What are the main things to keep in mind? The same things that make a knife a great weapon also make it a scary weapon. A knife is dangerous because it’s inherently short — normally 4 or 5 inches long. It can cause damage while it’s coming at you and while it’s moving away from you, on projection as well as on retraction. For example, if a guy tries to stab you and you hollow out to move your stomach away from the blade and if the knife touches you on retraction, even by accident, you can be cut. Also, a knife is very difficult to see at night. It can be difficult to even determine if a guy has a knife. If the thug just sticks you, you may not know right away that you got cut — it might feel like a punch. Remember that a knife maims at first, after which it may or may not stop the person. Finally, people who never had a single day of training with an edged weapon can kill you with one. All they have to do is stab and slash — it doesn’t take sophistication to murder. All that makes disarming a guy with a knife very difficult. You always have to account for the retraction of the hand. In a lot of schools, instructors use a “pillar assault method” that supports the disarm technique and actually makes it look straightforward. For example, the attacker attempts a stab, then his arm just stops while the defender does whatever he wants. In a real attack, the guy will probably drive the knife out repeatedly like a piston. In order to isolate it, you’ve got to rely on counterintuitive movements. For instance, in our stab-to-the-midsection disarm, once you contact the arm while he’s thrusting his knife out, you know he’s going to retract, so you charge in. You maintain contact between your arm and his so you know where the weapon is. Then you’ve got to isolate it and control it. That’s a learned response. It’s counterintuitive, so unless you drill it all the time, it’s difficult to pull off at full speed, under duress and perhaps with limited visibility. Does what you said about not being legally able to disarm a gunman and shoot him also apply to disarming a guy who has a knife and cutting him? Absolutely. Then how do you approach knife disarms? Remember what our definition of “disarm” is. In combatives, a disarm isn’t necessarily the act of taking away the weapon. It can mean that, but it doesn’t necessarily. Our definition also includes knocking the person unconscious so he can’t use the weapon. Or breaking the limb that holds the weapon so he can’t use it. Or making him unwilling to use it — he’s unwilling to come inside because you keep hitting him on the shin with your boot, finger-jabbing his eyes, hitting him with cupped-hand strikes or nailing his leg with Muay Thai kicks. Another way to disarm a criminal is changing your body demeanor and making him think he lost the element of surprise, which causes him to decide not to attack you. An example of this is using situational awareness to detect the threat and then putting a physical barrier between the two of you. You shouldn’t get hung up on the notion that a disarm always means you’ll end up with the bad guy’s weapon. Anytime you can stop him from using it, prevent him from using it or make him unable to use it, it’s a valid disarm. If a person always trains to disarm an attacker and then retrieve the weapon, is there a danger that in a real altercation the martial artist might fixate on gaining possession of the weapon? Absolutely. In my book Combatives for Street Survival , I highlight a story of one of my students who killed two attackers with their own knives. Actually, he killed one with his own knife and then picked up the knife that guy dropped and used it on the second attacker, so sometimes that can work, but you don’t want to get fixated on it. Again, if you disarm a guy and take possession of his weapon and the guy attacks you again, you can use it to defend yourself again. However, if you disarm him and he’s just standing there, begging you not to hurt him, you can’t cut him — or shoot him or hit him with a stick. When it comes to self-defense, is the threat posed by a screwdriver the same as the threat posed by a knife? Should you respond the same way? You can get killed just as quickly by a guy with a Phillips No. 10 screwdriver as by a guy with a knife. It’s still a weapon. We define a weapon of opportunity as an everyday implement that wasn’t designed to be a weapon but can be used as one. Criminals carry screwdrivers because they don’t want to catch a felony charge for carrying a weapon. Both present the same level of threat — the same way a .22-caliber pistol offers the same level of threat as a .38-caliber revolver. What’s the combatives approach to stick defense? When you’re attacked by a guy with a stick, you want to get inside so you’re no longer at the range where the power of the weapon is concentrated. Then, once you lock that arm down, you’ve disarmed him. From there, it’s just a matter of making him unconscious. Our stick disarms are that simple. They’re designed just to get you inside the arc of the weapon. Imagine the attacker is trying to strike you with a one-arm blow. You move inside, and he winds up hitting you with his wrist instead of the end of the stick. You’re fine because there’s no power. You then use the principle of simultaneity and palm-heel him in the chin or face-mash him with the goal of knocking him out. Whether you need to control the stick after that depends on the effect your strike had. Would an untrained person on the street ever attack with an intricate kali technique, or is it always going to be what’s usually a “cave-man strike”? The bottom line is, you can’t know, can you? As far as technique goes, that’s pretty much what you’ll see — unsophisticated, brutal attacks. But they can be clever and sneaky before they strike. Remember, cheating isn’t in the lexicon of thugs. That’s why we rely on principles and not necessarily defensive techniques. Three of them apply here. The principle of moving your body off the line of attack means getting out of the path of the swing. The principle of perpendicularity says that when you’re blocking an attack, you want to be perpendicular to whatever’s coming at you. The principle of simultaneity says that you want to hurt him right away, so when you defend, you should also attack. You’re moving yourself off the line of the attack, you’re using perpendicularity to make sure you really did stop the thing that’s coming at you, and you’re using simultaneity to get in there and hurt him. No matter what angle the attack comes in on, you are OK as long as you’re in the moment. As Bruce Lee said, don’t think about anything but where you are right now. Don’t think about what he might do, what he could have done. Just be right there in that moment and use his offensive action as your trigger. Some martial artists spend their time learning how to defend against weapons they’ll probably never encounter on the street — like the nunchaku and the sai. Do those skills transfer to the weapons we’re talking about? Knowing how to keep any weapon from touching you transfers. Some of the techniques that are specific to the attributes of the sai or tonfa or nunchaku may not work on the street, but the general principles of not getting the sai in your rib cage, not getting the nunchaku upside your head and not getting the broadsword right down the middle of your skull are valid. Of course, all that has to do with moving off the line and avoiding the weapon. With respect to the gun, the knife and the stick, does knowing how to use these weapons help a person defend against them? On the street, you don’t know who you’re standing in front of. If a guy pulls a stick out and looks like he’s going to do a cave-man strike on you, you can’t know whether that guy has studied arnis for years or whether he bought a couple of escrima DVDs and knows basically what to do. As a martial artist, you need to know how all weapons function because that forms your ability to measure the threat he poses. If you’re facing an attacker on the street, you have to assume the worst: That nitwit with the stick never went to a martial arts school to learn how to hit with just enough force to knock me out, so if he hits me now, I could end up dead. Is there value in training to use a weapon against a person with the same weapon — in other words, doing stick-vs.-stick fights and knife-vs.-knife fights? Or are such self-defense situations movie fantasies? You can’t say two guys with knives will never square off because it does happen. However, the speed at which it happens may prevent you from ever drawing your weapon. Years ago, one of my students was attacked by a man with a knife, and the student had a knife and was trained with it. But there wasn’t time for him to pull his knife out. He got cut badly on the forearm but managed to knock the guy out with kicks to the head once he hit him enough to get him to the ground. The guy just wouldn’t stop trying to cut him, even from the ground. In the vast majority of situations, however, you won’t see a guy with a knife fighting a guy with a knife or a guy with a stick fighting a guy with a stick. But you could be in a situation in which a weapon of opportunity makes the circumstances very similar to that. For example, a guy attacks you with a knife and you initially fend it off, then grab something like a broken bottle and start wielding it like a knife. When practicing gun, knife and stick defense, how important is it to use training weapons? It’s important to use training weapons for safety, but you don’t want them to be too unrealistic. First, throw away anything made of rubber. It doesn’t have the rigidity of the weapons you’re training to defend yourself against. A stick that’s too soft won’t behave like a real, rigid stick when you try to rip it out of your opponent’s hand, and that flexion might keep you from disarming him. The same is true with training firearms. When you try to turn it or manipulate it, it might bend, at which point the defense turns into a grab-ass contest. It’s also true with knives — it’s hard to take seriously a floppy knife being thrust at you. For all weapons, make sure you eliminate the sharp edges. A lot of training firearms have sights, and when the gun goes flying through the air, those sights can cut people. I’ve seen it happen many times. If you have one that has sights, grind them off. The gun should be able to be twisted and turned in the hand without cutting or abrading. A training knife should have a broad, flat tip so that if a thrust gets through, it might leave a bruise but there won’t be a puncture. Finally, training weapons should present the same problems real weapons do. For gun disarms, don’t just get a full-frame-size trainer. Also, get a snubbie revolver and a little .32-caliber — they present a whole different problem because of their size. It’s the same with knives. You don’t want only large knives that present large opportunities. You want a range of weapons so you develop all your skills.

Fox to Expand Their Combat Sports Library With the Addition of 24 PFL Events in 2026 PFL Kicks Off 2026 in Dubai on February 7 The Professional Fighters League (PFL) today announced a landmark multi-year media rights agreement with FSM Rights LLC, a division of FOX Corporation, to broadcast 24 live PFL events and programming across Mexico and Central America beginning in 2026. Under the agreement, FOX will become the exclusive regional home of PFL’s world-class MMA products, delivering an unprecedented slate of live sporting events and complementary content across Canal FOX (Pay TV), Fox on Tubi (AVOD/FAST), and Fox One (SVOD). As part of the deal, FOX subscribers in Mexico and Central America will be able to enjoy all 16 PFL Global events live in 2026 , beginning with PFL: Road to Dubai, on February 7 , followed by PFL Madrid, in March . PFL will then continue its U.S. schedule with events in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and Chicago, Illinois . The remainder of the 2026 calendar will be announced in the coming weeks, along with additional dates and venues. In addition to the global events, the agreement also encompasses PFL’s rapidly expanding regional ecosystem. FOX will broadcast eight PFL International events in 2026 , split evenly between PFL MENA and PFL Africa , offering audiences across Latin America a window into the sport’s emerging international talent. The partnership also includes a robust slate of additional PFL content, such as weigh-in shows, event-week specials, and athlete-focused programming designed to deepen fan engagement. Complementing the live coverage, FOX will also have access to PFL’s extensive archival library, allowing fans to revisit classic bouts, past seasons, and long-form original content across Canal FOX, Fox One, and Fox on Tubi . “PFL is proud to partner with FOX to deliver our world-class MMA product to millions of fans across Mexico and Central America,” said John Martin, CEO of the Professional Fighters League . “ This region is home to one of the most passionate combat sports communities in the world. FOX’s unmatched reach across pay TV and streaming will accelerate our growth and elevate our athletes on a massive stage.” “FOX is committed to delivering premium sports and entertainment experiences to audiences across Latin America,” said Luis Maldonado, Director of Programming and Marketing, FOX Latin America in Mexico . “PFL’s innovative approach to MMA, global footprint, and elite roster of athletes make it an ideal partner for our platforms. We look forward to showcasing live events, regional leagues, and compelling original content across Fox One, Fox on Tubi, and Canal FOX.” The partnership between PFL and FOX Corporation marks a key step in PFL’s international expansion, bringing elite competition and its fighter-first approach to one of the world’s most passionate combat sports regions.

The Professional Fighters League (PFL) today announced the launch of its official fighter rankings, presented by Cloudbet, officiated and administered by Combat Registry , a leading global combat sports data and rankings organization used across top MMA promotions, including the UFC. The rankings establish a baseline competitive framework for PFL athletes, listing the top-10 fighters across nine divisions, including a men’s Pound-for-Pound ranking. This marks the first time PFL fighters have been evaluated within a traditional rankings system designed to evolve alongside live competition. Combat Registry, an independent administrator of the PFL rankings, oversees vote collection, tabulation, and publication. Rankings are determined by a panel of MMA journalists and industry experts, who cast ballots following each PFL event, with updated results published as part of each rankings release. This process operates independently of the PFL, with rankings determined solely by panel voting administered through Combat Registry. “These rankings provide a clear, objective snapshot of where each PFL division stands,” said PFL CEO John Martin . “By partnering with an independent data organization like Combat Registry, we’re giving fans and our athletes a transparent and credible rankings system that reflects performance inside the PFL cage.” Inaugural rankings include: Men’s Pound-for-Pound rankings Men’s divisional rankings at Bantamweight, Featherweight, Lightweight, Welterweight, Middleweight, Light Heavyweight, and Heavyweight Women’s Flyweight rankings Champions are designated at the top of their respective divisions, with ranked contenders listed beneath them. The full list of initial PFL rankings, presented by Cloudbet is available below: MEN’S POUND-FOR-POUND RANKINGS Usman Nurmagomedov (20-0, 1 NC) Vadim Nemkov (20-2) Corey Anderson (20-6, 1 NC) Costello Van Steenis (17-3) Shamil Musaev (20-0-1) Johnny Eblen (16-1) Thad Jean (11-0) AJ McKee (23-2) Sergio Pettis (25-7) Paul Hughes (14-3) BANTAMWEIGHT Sergio Pettis (25-7) Raufeon Stots (21-3) Taylor Lapilus (23-4) Magomed Magomedov (21-5) Marcirley Alves da Silva (15-4) Sarvajon Khamidov (16-1) Ciaran Clarke (10-0) Renat Khavalov (10-0) Lazaro Dayron (9-0-1) Lewis McGrillen (12-1) FEATHERWEIGHT Timur Khizriev (18-0) AJ McKee (23-2) Jesus Pinedo (25-7-1) Adam Borics (20-3) Ibragim Ibragimov (10-0) Gabriel Braga (16-3) Asael Adjoudj (10-1) Alexei Pergande (7-0) Julio Arce (21-6) Akhmed Magomedov (11-2, 1 NC) LIGHTWEIGHT Champion: Usman Nurmagomedov (20-0, 1 NC) Archie Colgan (13-0) Alfie Davis (20-5-1) Gadzhi Rabadanov (26-5-2) Paul Hughes (14-3) Jakub Kaszuba (15-0) Natan Schulte (25-5-1) Jay Jay Wilson (11-2) Alexander Shabliy (24-4) Darragh Kelly (9-0) Connor Hughes (12-3) WELTERWEIGHT Shamil Musaev (20-0-1) Ramazan Kuramagomedov (13-0) Thad Jean (11-0) Logan Storley (18-4) Abdoul Abdouraguimov (19-1, 1 NC) Magomed Umalatov (18-1) Florim Zendeli (11-1-1) Omar Al Dafrawy (14-6) Masayuki Kikuiri (11-3-1) Chris Mixan (7-1) MIDDLEWEIGHT Champion: Costello Van Steenis (17-3) Johnny Eblen (16-1) Fabian Edwards (16-4) Impa Kasanganay (19-6) Jordan Newman (8-0) Dalton Rosta (11-2) Aaron Jeffrey (16-6) Bryan Battle (12-2, 1 NC) Josh Silvera (15-5) Boris Atangana (8-0) Haider Khan (10-1) LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT Champion: Corey Anderson (20-6, 1 NC) Antonio Carlos Jr. (19-6) Dovletdzhan Yagshimuradov (25-8-1) Rob Wilkinson (19-4, 1 NC) Simeon Powell (11-2) Rasul Magomedov (8-0) Luke Trainer (9-1) Sullivan Cauley (8-2) Emiliano Sordi (26-13-1) Tyson Pedro (10-5) Rafael Xavier (14-8) HEAVYWEIGHT Champion: Vadim Nemkov (20-2) Renan Ferreira (13-5, 3 NC) Oleg Popov (22-2) Denis Goltsov (36-9) Linton Vassell (25-10, 1 NC) Rodrigo Nascimento (12-4, 1 NC) Sergei Bilostenniy (14-4) Slim Trabelsi (8-1) Pouya Rahmani (5-0) Abraham Bably (8-2) Karl Williams (10-4) WOMEN’S FLYWEIGHT Dakota Ditcheva (15-0) Liz Carmouche (25-8) Taila Santos (22-4) Sumiko Inaba (8-2) Denise Kielholtz (8-5) Paulina Wisniewska (6-1) Jena Bishop (9-3) Ariane Lipski da Silva (17-11) Kana Watanabe (13-4-1) Viviane Araujo (13-7)

UFC today announced that former UFC and WEC bantamweight champion Dominick Cruz will be inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame’s Modern Wing as a member of the Class of 2026. The 2026 UFC Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony will take place this summer.  “Dominick Cruz is one of the greatest bantamweights in combat sports history,” said UFC President & CEO Dana White. “Dominick was an amazing athlete who set the standard for bantamweights, and it will be an honor to induct him into the UFC Hall of Fame this summer.” Cruz will enter the UFC Hall of Fame as the 17 th  member of the Modern Wing. The Modern Era category includes athletes who turned pro on or after November 17, 2000, when the first UFC event under the unified rules of MMA was held. Other requirements include a minimum age of 35 or those who have been retired for one year or more. A veteran of 28 fights during his 17-year professional MMA career, Cruz compiled a record of 24-4 (14-2 UFC / WEC), earning notable victories over UFC Hall of Famer Urijah Faber , former UFC flyweight champion Demetrious Johnson , former UFC bantamweight champion T.J. Dillashaw , and former WEC bantamweight champion Brian Bowles . Cruz made his professional MMA debut on January 29, 2005, defeating his opponent via split decision. He would win his first nine fights across various MMA promotions, before facing future UFC Hall of Famer Urijah Faber for the WEC featherweight title in the co-main event of WEC 26: CONDIT vs. ALESSIO , which took place on March 24, 2007.  Cruz would lose his WEC debut to via first round submission but bounce back one year later with a first-round victory in another promotion. Following his victory, Cruz would rejoin WEC and win his next four fights in the bantamweight division to earn his second title fight with the promotion against the undefeated champion, Brian Bowles, in the main event of WEC 47. WEC 47: BOWLES vs. CRUZ  took place on March 6, 2010, at Nationwide Arena in Columbus, Ohio, and served as Cruz’s first professional main event. Cruz set the pace from the opening bell, using his speed and elevated movement to connect on several punches and low kicks to win the first round.  Cruz continued his dominance of the fight in the second round, striking Bowles with a series of punch and low kick combinations to counter the champions attacks. After the winning the second round, Cruz was declared the winner and new WEC bantamweight champion, as Bowles was unable to continue due to a broken right hand. Cruz would win his next seven fights over six years, defending the WEC bantamweight title two times and becoming the inaugural UFC bantamweight champion by defeating Scott Jorgensen in the co-main event of WEC 53: HENDERSON vs. PETTIS .  WEC 53 was the final event of the promotion before merging with UFC and the only time a UFC title fight occurred during a non-UFC event. After losing the UFC bantamweight title to Cody Garbrandt in the co-main event of UFC 207: NUNES vs. ROUSEY , Cruz would win two of his final four fights. Cruz retired in February 2025, two and a half years after his last fight, where he lost to former UFC bantamweight title challenger Marlon “Chito” Vera in the main event of UFC on ESPN: VERA vs. CRUZ . Cruz enters the UFC Hall of Fame with an impressive resume that includes: UFC: Longest title reign in UFC bantamweight history – 1,117 days Most title fight wins in UFC / WEC bantamweight history – 7  Tied for most wins in UFC / WEC bantamweight history – 14 Second-longest fight winning streak in UFC / WEC bantamweight history – 12  Second-most takedowns landed in UFC / WEC bantamweight history – 55 Fourth-most strikes landed in UFC / WEC bantamweight history – 1,590 Outside the Octagon, Cruz has been honored with several awards throughout his career, receiving Fighter   of the Year  by USA Today in 2010 and Comeback Fighter of the Year  in 2014 by the Fighters Only  World MMA Awards. A seasoned analyst, Cruz has also captured honors for his commentary work being named Analyst of the Year  in 2015, 2016 and 2017 by the Fighters Only  World MMA Awards.  A native of San Diego, Calif., Cruz began wrestling in the seventh grade at Flowing Wells High School in Tucson, Arizona. He currently serves as a combat sports analyst and resides in San Diego. To view Cruz’s UFC FIGHT PASS collection please visit: https://ufcfightpass.com/playlist/34506 . To see a complete list of UFC athletes and fights enshrined in the UFC Hall of Fame, as well as details regarding the UFC Hall of Fame format, please visit UFCHOFFAQ . For additional information, please visit UFC.com .

If you’re reading this magazine, you already know Al Leong— action-movie legend, perennial big-screen bad guy and evil henchman extraordinaire. He’s menaced his way through more than 100 movies and TV shows, with iconic scenes in Lethal Weapon , Big Trouble in Little China , Kung Fu: The Legend Continues  and The Scorpion King  — more films than we have space to list here. Besides, you already know who Al Leong is. Or do you? Here are eight facts we’re willing to bet you never knew about one of Hollywood’s iconic villains: 1. He grew his hair out after seeing The Beatles  perform on The Ed Sullivan Show  and has kept it long ever since. 2. He was a top kung fu student and instructor under the legendary Ark Yuey Wong (1900–1987). Leong is an expert in ng ga kuen (five families/five animals kung fu) and won multiple martial arts tournaments in the mid-1970s. ln 1980 he came out of retirement to win the World Silver Cup Martial Arts Championship. 3. He’s an accomplished Chinese lion dancer. ln fact, Leong was a founding member of a lion-dance team called the Four Seas, which performed regularly at Chinese New Year celebrations, cultural festivals and restaurant openings. Leong is credited with introducing the guan gung–style, red-faced Cantonese lion to Los Angeles, and he was part of the first two-lion team to dance “the whole length” of LA’s Chinatown— climbing “every pole, every rooftop, over every railing, and all this in one day,” Leong says. Why? Because someone bet them they couldn’t. 4. His nickname is Ka-Bong. lt was given to him by one of his brother’s friends, a man named Chuck Wagner. “l believe [it was] just because it rhymed,” Leong says. “Anyway, it stuck.” 5. Leong has collected stuffed animals all his life. He has more than 150, and all of them have names. His favorite, a stuffed wolf named “Wolfman,” was a member of his wedding party — and even wore a custom-made suit. 6. Leong has ridden motorcycles, both on and off road, for most of his life. Before getting into movies, he worked as a motorcycle mechanic, welder and custom automotive pinstriper. These days, he off-roads in a Rhino UTV (utility terrain vehicle). 7. ln addition to having survived brain cancer (1993) and a stroke (2005), Leong has sustained three broken collarbones, 25 fractured ribs, several torn ligaments in his left ankle, multiple knee surgeries, broken fingers, broken arms, broken legs and one failed marriage. “l haven’t broken my back,” he says, “but then again, life isn’t over yet.” 8. His favorite weapon is the kwan dao, with which he performedat Ed Parker’s Long Beach lnternationals and for the film Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure  (in which he played Genghis Khan).

Women’s Flyweight Action Sees Ariane Lipski da Silva Make Her PFL Debut Against Sumiko Inaba, While at Featherweight, Unbeaten Alexei Pergande Faces Julio Arce PFL Makes Its First Stop in the U.S. in 2026 at the UPMC Events Center for PFL Pittsburgh on March 28 Tickets On Sale Now on Ticketmaster Two main card bouts have been added to the Professional Fighters League’s (PFL) debut at the UPMC Events Center in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania on Saturday, March 28.  In Women’s Flyweight action, No. 8 ranked Ariane Lipski da Silva (17-11) makes her PFL debut against No. 4 ranked Sumiko Inaba (8-2) of Hawaii. Additionally, at Featherweight, No. 8 ranked Alexei Pergande (7-0) takes on No. 9 ranked Julio Arce (21-6). With these additions, the main card now features four bouts. General sale tickets are available now via Ticketmaster. For more information, visit http://pfl.info/pittsburgh . Additional bouts will be announced shortly. The Main Card will be available in the U.S. on ESPN2 and ESPN Deportes at 10:00 pm ET/7:00 pm PT. The early card will begin at 7:00 pm ET/4:00 pm PT on the ESPN App for fans with access to the ESPN Unlimited plan. In the PFL Pittsburgh main event, former Bellator Champion Johnny “Pressure” Eblen (16-1) will face Bryan “The Butcher” Battle (12-2-1 NC) in his PFL debut. The co-main event will see Pittsburgh’s own Dalton “Hercules” Rosta (11-2) return to action in a tough test against former PFL Champion Impa Kasanganay (19-6). A 14-fight veteran of the UFC, Ariane Lipski da Silva has competed professionally since 2013. Aptly nicknamed “Queen of Violence,” the Brazilian standout has secured finishes in 10 of her 17 professional victories. She faces Maui’s Sumiko Inaba, a dangerous striker coming off a five-round battle with undefeated Dakota Ditcheva. A former Bellator MMA mainstay, Inaba has a strong finishing instinct and has never been stopped in her two career losses. Undefeated to start his professional career, Nashville’s Alexei Pergande looks to keep his momentum rolling against Julio Arce, a 10-fight veteran of the UFC making his PFL debut on March 28. A top prospect at Kill Cliff FC, Pergande is coming off a first-round submission win in August, while Arce enters the PFL cage riding a three-fight winning streak. Updated PFL Pittsburgh Main Card:  UPMC Events Center, Pittsburgh, PA  March 28 | 10 pm ET ESPN2 & ESPN Deportes (US) Middleweight Main Event: #1- Johnny Eblen (16-1) vs. #7- Bryan Battle (12-2, 1 NC)  Middleweight Co-Main Event: #5- Dalton Rosta (11-2) vs. #3- Impa Kasanganay (19-6) Women’s Flyweight Main Card Bout: #8- Ariane Lipski da Silva (17-11) vs. #4- Sumiko Inaba (8-2) Featherweight Main Card Bout: #8- Alexei Pergande (7-0) vs. #9- Julio Arce (21-6)

Long before the advent of sport sparring and modern safety gear, in a time when fighting meant defending one’s life, an ingenious method of transmitting martial skills from master to disciple was developed. Tradition holds that it started with warriors who returned from combat and decided to re-enact techniques they used to vanquish enemies on the battlefield in an effort to educate those who were less experienced in the ways of war. In all likelihood, this ritual was performed on countless occasions around campfires, in secluded gardens and at Buddhist temples, lending credence to the notion that formal martial arts exercises have existed for centuries. In fact, scholars have uncovered numerous works of art that depict this practice taking place in antiquity. Such choreographed sequences of martial arts movements play an important role in traditional taekwondo. Whether you call them poomsae, hyung or tul, forms are used to teach techniques designed to fend off attacks coming from various directions. They also can be thought of as mini-catalogs of the traditional skills that make up the art. In the eyes of many researchers, taekwondo forms can be separated into two categories: those that were created in modern times and those that can trace their roots to the distant past. To appreciate the significance of this division, we must first acknowledge that the formal exercises found in traditional taekwondo were not created in a vacuum. Rather, an analysis of the historical evidence reveals that empty-hand fighting arts, in conjunction with their associated formal exercises, developed naturally across continents as various cultures tried to cope with the dangers posed by human aggression and imperialist desire. The need to practice prearranged chains of combat techniques in a relatively relaxed environment devoid of mayhem and death was apparently universal. In Moving Zen , Shotokan karate practitioner C.W. Nicol describes forms practice as “a dynamic dance, a battle without bloodshed or vanquished.” He goes on to say that “we are somehow touching the warrior ancestry of all humanity” and that “of all the training in karate, none is more vigorous, demanding or exhilarating than” From this, we can see that poomsae training, if approached in a traditional manner, not only cultivates offensive and defensive proficiency and develops ki, but also establishes a link with masters of the past who clearly did not perform formal exercises merely for physical fitness as some have claimed. Rather, they did them as a means of collating hard-earned martial skills for the benefit of all future students of the art. Roots To understand the history, philosophy and applications of traditional taekwondo forms, one must consider the role that Okinawan/Japanese kata and Chinese taolu played in their creation. In 1901, Tatsutsune “Anko” Itosu (1830–1915) introduced karate into the curriculum of Shuri Jinjo Elementary School and later throughout the Okinawan educational system with the goal of cultivating physical fitness and enriching the character of students. This worthy objective was accomplished in part by practicing sanitized versions of the pinan (peaceful mind) kata created by Itosu. Because self-defense was not the focus of this training, the practical applications of the techniques were intentionally masked or eliminated. This method of instruction represented a shift in forms training that had great ramifications. Criticized for diluting the fundamental purpose of kata — and, thus, karate in general because forms were said to represent the core of the art — Itosu wrote, “You must decide whether your kata is for cultivation of health or for its practical use.” He further advised adult students to “always practice kata with its practical use in mind.” Another endorsement of kata, one that represented it as a central pillar of karate-do, came from Gichin Funakoshi (1868–1957), who in his youth traveled the back roads between Naha and Shuri by lantern light to study with Itosu and a colleague named Tatsutsune Azato (1828–1906). Funakoshi was required to repeat individual kata under the supervision of Azato, often for months on end. It clearly instilled in Funakoshi an appreciation for the formal exercises, one that he carried for the rest of his life. Funakoshi didn’t bring his karate to Japan until 1922 while he was in his early 50s. Yet through a concerted effort by him and his third son Gigo (1906–1945), who moved to Tokyo in 1923 at age 17, significant changes were made to the traditional methods of teaching Okinawan karate. For example, in an attempt to simplify the pronunciation of “pinan,” Funakoshi changed the nomenclature to heian while altering certain prescribed stances and kicks. Likewise, Gigo is credited with creating ritual one-step sparring and the three taikyoku (or kihon) kata that virtually mirror the kicho patterns used today in traditional taekwondo. The taikyoku set was generally used as a precursor to the more complex heian kata. Evolution Recognizing the vital roles that Itosu, Azato and Funakoshi played in the proliferation of forms brings us one step closer to the nexus that links Okinawan/Japanese kata and contemporary taekwondo forms. Korean forms were heavily influenced by events that occurred in neighboring countries shortly before and during the Japanese occupation (1910–1945). The practice of karate required a deep understanding of and respect for kata, which continues to stand as a centerpiece of its practice. This principle was almost certainly inculcated in chung do kwan founder Won Kook Lee (1907–2003); Byung In Yoon (1920–1983) of the chang moo kwan; Hwang Kee (1914–2002), father of the moo duk kwan; and Choi Hong-hi (1918–2002), creator of the oh do kwan, while they studied in Japan under either shudokan karate founder Kanken Toyama (1888–1966) or Funakoshi. All these innovators, who were destined to promote martial traditions within their native land, returned home from abroad with practical knowledge of the taikyoku, pinan, bassai, jitte, empi and tekki kata that would ultimately evolve into the kicho, pyung-ahn, balsek, sip soo, yunbee and chul-ki hyung, respectively, of taekwondo. Throughout the 1950s and early ’60s, when taekwondo — still referred to as tae soo do, tang soo do or kong soo do in some circles — was still in its infancy, poomsae practice consisted largely of exercises derived from these Okinawan, Japanese and Chinese disciplines. As a result, the founding fathers of the original kwan (institutes) couldn’t help but transmit the formal exercises they had learned abroad while their nation was under the Japanese occupation. Nevertheless, a strong desire existed among many masters, Choi Hong-hi not being the least, to create patterns with a distinctly Korean flavor. Consequently, in founding his style of taekwondo, Choi was the first to deviate from the past by developing the chang han forms between 1955 and 1988 with the assistance of Tae Hi Nam, Young Il Kong, Cha Kyo Han, Chang Keun Choi, Jae Lim Woo, Kim Bok Man and Jung Tae Park. They were influenced by techniques culled from Choi’s training in karate-do. Furthermore, as a tribute, Choi based the underlying definition of each pattern on personalities and concepts pivotal to Korean history. The chang han series of International Taekwon-Do Federation forms consists of 24 patterns and differs significantly from others in that their movements describe a wave pattern as the body transitions from stance to stance and technique to technique. Following Choi’s exodus from Korea and the eventual entrenchment of the Korea Taekwondo Association, coupled with the establishment of Kukkiwon and the World Taekwondo Federation by a younger generation of practitioners not directly affected by Japanese instruction, three sets of forms were developed over the course of eight years in an effort to eliminate any vestige of foreign influence. Of these, the elder palgwe and yudanja series, created between 1965 and 1967, were intended to test the proficiency of color-belt (gup) students and black-belt (dan) practitioners, respectively. Partially inspired by the pinan/heian kata, the eight palgwe poomsae reflect philosophical doctrines culled from the I Ching  ( Book of Changes ) and tend to emphasize low stances amplified by a variety of hand techniques. Moreover, the technical component increases in complexity as the student progresses, thus providing a barometer for rank advancement. The yudanja poomsae were crafted concurrently with the palgwe set and at the time included original koryo, keumgang, taebaek, pyongwon, sipjin, jitae, cheonkwon, hansoo and ilyo. (The latter eight of these continue to be sanctioned by Kukkiwon, the Korea Taekwondo Association and the World Taekwondo Federation.) Aside from their technical diversity, the yudanja forms follow lines of motion described by Chinese and Korean characters that depict the philosophical concept characterized by each poomsae and contain advanced techniques. The committee members participating in the formation of the palgwe and yudanja forms consisted of Keun Sik Kwak (chung do kwan), Young Sup Lee (song moo kwan), Kyo Yoon Lee (han moo kwan), Hae Man Park (chung do kwan), Jong Myung Hyun (oh do kwan), Soon Bae Kim (chang moo kwan) and Chong Woo Lee (ji do kwan). Update Since its inception in the mid-20th century, taekwondo has continued to evolve. Even today, technical enhancements are evident at almost every training venue in South Korea — whether at a university offering “taekwondology” as a major or at Kukkiwon. And so it comes as no surprise that less than a decade after the introduction of the palgwe forms, it was decided by committee to generate an innovative series of formal exercises in conjunction with a revised version of original koryo. Born in 1972, the taegeuk poomsae effectively replaced the existing palgwe forms. This significant modification to the taekwondo curriculum of the time is thought to have been politically oriented inasmuch as the moo duk kwan was not represented during the formulation of the palgwe series. Yet in a practical sense, the taegeuk poomsae were exceptional in that they contained the high-forward or walking stance and featured a greater percentage of kicking techniques than their forerunners. Moreover, as taekwondo evolved into a combat sport with Olympic aspirations, a method was required to teach and support the upright fighting stance used in sparring competition, and these new poomsae satisfied that need. If viewed from above, the pattern of movement within the taegeuk forms traces the Chinese character for “king.” Referencing the Korean flag (taegeukgi), the forms share philosophical principles that run parallel to those of the palgwe series based on the powers or elements of the universe. Concurrently with the creation of the taegeuk series, the original koryo form was superseded by an intricate poomsae bearing the same name. Opening dramatically with a knifehand block in a back stance, which is quickly followed by two side kicks of varying height, kukki koryo poomsae was deemed appropriately challenging for the black-belt holder and a worthy vehicle to gauge proficiency for promotion to second dan. Overseeing the developmental process of kukki koryo and the taegeuk series were Keun Sik Kwak (chung do kwan), Young Sup Lee (song moo kwan), Kyo Yoon Lee (han moo kwan), Hae Man Park (chung do kwan), Jong Myung Hyun (oh do kwan), Soon Bae Kim (chang moo kwan) and Chong Woo Lee (ji do kwan), with the addition of Young Ki Bae (ji do kwan) and Young Tae Han (moo duk kwan). Over the years, other patterns were created by first- and second-generation grandmasters, including the seven chi/sung hyung of moo duk kwan soo bahk do and the 18 songahm forms of the American Taekwondo Association. They reflect slightly divergent styles of the Korean martial art. Today, the forms that Korean stylists are required to learn vary greatly from organization to organization and school to school. Based on the 1970s edict by Kukkiwon that the taegeuk series should eclipse the palgwe series completely, a vast majority of master instructors sadly jettisoned the latter in favor of the former. Likewise, the original iteration of koryo was replaced by the radically different version currently sanctioned by the WTF, Kukkiwon and the KTA. Nevertheless, schools supporting a classical approach to training frequently include both the palgwe forms and what has come to be known as “original koryo” in their syllabus. Moreover, as an adjunct to the traditional curriculum, many poomsae with a direct lineage to their Japanese/Okinawan and Chinese kin are also included. Although they’ve been altered somewhat to suit the basic parameters of taekwondo, we see evidence of this fact with the inclusion of formal exercises such as balsek (bassai), chul-ki (tekki/nihanchi), yunbee (empi), sip soo (jitte) and jion, to name a few. Future The practice of forms is a double-edged sword: forfeiting poomsae altogether in favor of strategies that focus on sparring represents a tragedy of grand proportions because it denies the practitioner a chance to experience the myriad benefits associated with the process. Likewise, attempting to master every pattern in taekwondo could be equally injurious to one’s martial education because an in-depth analysis of the practical applications of so many forms would require many lifetimes. As Funakoshi was fond of saying, “The old masters used to keep a narrow field but plow a deep furrow.” In many circles today, it’s said that if the traditional methods of teaching taekwondo are to be preserved, it will occur in the West. This statement is based in part on the fact that the most influential practitioners no longer reside within the borders of Korea.  Moreover, a vast number of instructors outside the homeland of taekwondo favor the practice of formal exercises coupled with self-defense techniques — both hallmarks of traditional taekwondo — rather than Olympic-style sparring and fitness-oriented training. Clearly, it’s this group that will safeguard the rich heritage of traditional taekwondo and act as fertile ground for the conservation and continued cultivation of the forms unique to the art.

John Chung and John Valera  grace the 1998 MA Training  cover, published under the magazine’s then-parent company, Rainbow Productions . Valera would go on to become one of the industry’s most successful action directors, with credits including the Netflix film The Old Guard , starring Charlize Theron.

A Self-Reflection Quiz Instructions: For each question, choose the answer that feels most true  right now—not the one you think sounds best. This is not a test of knowledge as a martial artist, but of awareness. 1. What motivates you most in your training? A. Recognition, rank, or being seen as skilled B. Improving performance and capability C. Understanding principles and long-term growth D. Personal discipline and self-mastery 2. When you learn a new technique, what matters most to you? A. How impressive it looks B. How powerful or fast it feels C. Why it works and when it fails D. How it aligns with your overall strategy 3. How do you feel about rank and titles? A. They validate my effort B. They motivate me to push harder C. They reflect responsibility, not status D. They are markers, not the goal 4. When you compare yourself to others, you mostly feel… A. Pressure to keep up or stand out B. Competitive and driven C. Curious about what you can learn D. Largely unconcerned 5. If no one could see your training, you would… A. Train less intensely B. Train the same C. Focus more on fundamentals D. Enjoy the process even more 6. What do you hope others see when they watch you train? A. Skill and confidence B. Power and control C. Calm, precision, and intent D. Integrity and consistency 7. How do you respond to correction or critique? A. Defensively B. With determination to prove yourself C. With curiosity D. With gratitude 8. What role does your instructor play in your journey? A. Authority figure B. Coach and motivator C. Guide and mentor D. Reference point, not a crutch 9. How do you treat those less experienced than you? A. Patient, but distant B. Helpful when asked C. Actively supportive D. As reflections of your responsibility 10. If you stopped training tomorrow, what would remain? A. Frustration or loss of identity B. Confidence in what you achieved C. Lessons that apply to life D. Discipline as part of who you are Interpreting Your Answers Mostly A’s: You are likely motivated by external validation . This is not wrong—but it is fragile. Ask yourself what happens when recognition fades. Mostly B’s: You value performance and achievement . You thrive on challenge. Growth comes from balancing ambition with reflection. Mostly C’s: You are pursuing understanding . You see martial arts as a system, not just a skill set. Depth is becoming more important than display. Mostly D’s: You are walking the path of integration . Martial arts are no longer something you do—they are something you live. Most people will not fall cleanly into one category.The pattern  matters more than the score. The Closing Question There is no finish line to this quiz. Revisit it: at new ranks after injuries when ego shows up when motivation fades Because the most important question in martial arts isn’t “How good am I?” It’s “Who am I becoming because of how I train?”

Editor's Note: Did you miss the Spring 2025 issue of Black Belt ? Here's a look at one of the stories that ran in the special issue. Even better, you can check out the WHOLE issue with Black Belt Plus ! Tracing the footsteps of a martial arts legend and discovering a personal journey Cynthia Rothrock. When you hear her name, what comes to mind? World champion? Hong Kong action star? Mentor? Producer? Whichever title you choose, one word rises above them all: legend . Since bursting onto the scene in the 1980s, Rothrock hasn’t slowed down. Four decades later, she’s still going strong—showing the world that passion and perseverance are the ultimate combo in building a lasting martial arts career. This isn’t just a highlight reel of Rothrock’s achievements. It’s a guide. Her journey offers a blueprint for any martial artist ready to turn talent into impact. These are the seven steps of success as inspired by the life of the Queen of Martial Arts Films herself. Step 1: Creating the Foundation — Discipline Through Training Every epic journey starts with the basics. For Cynthia Rothrock, it began as a teenager walking into her first martial arts class in Scranton, Pennsylvania — a place far removed from the action-packed worlds she would one day conquer. She wasn’t looking to prove a point. She just knew, instinctively, that she belonged there. But not everyone agreed. She was told martial arts was a man’s game. That girls couldn’t fight like the boys. She heard the doubters loud and clear — and kept training anyway. That quiet defiance became her foundation. She didn’t just choose one path and stick to it — she immersed herself in multiple disciplines: tang soo do, taekwondo, eagle claw kung fu, northern Shaolin, and weapons training. She earned black belts across styles, mastering both traditional techniques and performative tournament moves. Each system brought something new — structure, flow, precision — and she absorbed it all. This phase of her life didn’t just build her body. It forged her mind. It taught her patience, resilience, and the grit to keep going even when she didn’t feel welcome. Cynthia wasn’t just learning how to fight — she was learning how to stand her ground. For any martial artist looking to make their mark, this is where it starts. Not with the spotlight, but with sweat on the mat, humility in the dojo, and a relentless drive to improve. Lesson: Build a solid foundation of excellence — especially when the world tells you not to. "I began my martial arts journey with tang soo do, and that early training gave me an incredible foundation—especially in kicking. It’s a base I’ve relied on throughout my career. Even after fully transitioning to kung fu, I never strayed from the strong, precise kicking techniques I developed through the Korean style. That training brought a real authenticity to my movements, especially when facing opponents on screen. The power and precision of hard-style kicking set me apart from other kung fu practitioners of that era. That early discipline didn’t just shape my technique—it’s been a constant driving force in my evolution as a martial artist." Step 2: Claiming Your Place — Rising Through Competition Once Cynthia had built her foundation, it was time to test it under pressure on the national stage. She started traveling the country, entering the tournament circuit, and going toe-to-toe with the best martial artists in America. The scene was fast, political, and fiercely competitive. But Cynthia was ready — not just to compete, but to evolve. That evolution took a leap in San Jose, where she connected with martial arts visionary Ernie Reyes Sr. and joined the electrifying West Coast Demonstration Team. Their performances weren’t just technical — they were storytelling in motion. Synchronized kata, aerial kicks, weapons choreography — they lit up crowds like action movie fight scenes. It was martial arts reimagined: bold, rhythmic, theatrical. It was on that stage that Cynthia met George Chung — a world champion with a mind for innovation and a magnetic energy. He trained with her, challenged her, and together they pushed the boundaries of what martial arts could look like. They weren’t just preserving tradition; they were reshaping it. The result? Cynthia hit her stride — and the world took notice. She exploded on the tournament scene, dominating both national and international competitions. In forms and weapons divisions, she went undefeated for five straight years. She became a five-time world champion, often defeating male competitors in head-to-head matchups. Her routines blended structure with showmanship, tradition with innovation — and she did it all with undeniable presence. Of course, not everyone loved it. Some whispered that she was too flashy, too modern, too different. But Cynthia wasn’t chasing approval. She was raising the bar. She wasn’t trying to be the best female martial artist. She was trying to be the best — period. Lesson: Don’t wait to be accepted. Compete. Win. Redefine what success looks like. "That final year was special as I began working in films over in Hong Kong while still competing. My last competition before retiring was a special one—I had achieved my goal of remaining undefeated in Women's Forms for five straight years. There's actually some rare footage—really, the only clip I have—of me performing my complete form. It captures what I like to call the golden years of competition. Back then, everyone had their own unique style, especially in forms and weapons. It was such a vibrant, creative time, and I truly loved that chapter of my life." Step 3: Giving Back — Mastery Through Mentorship Before the movie sets, the world titles, and the standing ovations — Cynthia Rothrock was standing in front of a room full of students, ready to teach. Opening America’s Best Karate  in Los Gatos with George Chung, she created more than just a martial arts school. It was a launchpad, a home, and a heartbeat. A space where tradition met innovation, discipline met creativity, and where every student could feel empowered to belong. With every class, she learned to pass along skills as an educator, inspire confidence as a leader, and develop mindsets as a mentor. She quickly found that teaching wasn’t just about imparting knowledge; it was about helping others grow — as fighters and as people. The key? Great teachers never stop learning. Even as a mentor, Cynthia remained coachable. She showed up on time, stayed prepared, and treated every student — from beginners to black belts — with respect. Teaching sharpened her communication skills, patience, and ability to connect on a deeper level. Teaching also gave Cynthia a deeper understanding of what it meant to lead. Every student had their own fears, goals, and stories. A teacher’s job wasn’t just to make them better fighters — it was to help them become stronger, more confident people. Cynthia experienced this firsthand as she mentored others, many of whom went on to excel in competition, transforming from timid beginners into confident, fearless champions themselves. Lesson : Teaching is transformational–for both the student and the sensei.  “Back in those days, the pace was nonstop. Mornings started with workouts—what we called aerobics back then—heavily inspired by the Jane Fonda era. Over time, I developed my own system that blended those routines with martial arts. But that was just one piece of a much bigger puzzle. I was constantly juggling training, creating, and teaching—all at once.  Even late at night, George and I would hunt down open gym space to rehearse in full competition mode. We were always preparing. But the truth is, it never felt like work. It was a joy to have a mission. While many people found it draining to teach while competing—because it demands so much inner focus—I found the opposite. The balance of training, teaching, and creating gave me purpose. It kept me evolving, and that’s what made it all feel so alive.” Step 4: Battle Trained - Battle Ready  When Cynthia Rothrock was offered a starring role in a Hong Kong action film, she didn’t just step onto a new stage—she crossed a threshold few outsiders, let alone women, had ever dared to approach. With no acting experience and no grasp of the language or local customs, she let her grit lead the way. There were no stunt doubles. No easing into the role. Just her skills, her instincts, and the raw, unrelenting pace of a filmmaking culture known for its intensity. She didn’t say yes because she wanted to be famous. She said yes because she was a competitor. That drive became the key to transformation. Rothrock had already proven herself in the martial arts world—she was a multiple-time champion, an elite competitor. But this was a new arena entirely. She had to learn how to fight for the camera, how to sell the impact of a strike, how to fall in a way that looked painful but didn’t stop the scene. She had to act through action—projecting emotion and character through movement, breath, and rhythm. And every day was like a competition proving to many that a “foreigner” could stand and fight among the best.  It wasn’t just a career pivot. It was a reinvention. In the process, she shattered expectations. Rothrock wasn’t cast as a sidekick or love interest. She was  the action. And by showing she could hang with—and often outperform—the best in the business, she opened the door for herself and an entire generation of women who would follow her into the world of action cinema. For every martial artist, there comes a moment like this: an unexpected opportunity, a curve in the road, a challenge that lies outside the familiar arena. You can ignore it. Or you can answer it—with courage, curiosity, and the willingness to grow. Lesson:  When opportunity calls you into unfamiliar territory, let it. That’s where new chapters begin, and where your legacy truly takes shape. “I remember that pivotal day like it was yesterday—my unexpected entry into the world of cinema and martial arts on screen. At the time, I was in Los Angeles with George Chung, Scott Coker, and Ernie Reyes. They were part of a talent search for the ‘next Bruce Lee,’ and the auditions were taking place on Santa Monica Blvd at the martial arts school of Hee Il Cho, the producer and talent scout included Roy Horan, alongside the legendary director Ng See Yuen—best known for Snake in the Eagle’s Shadow. After George, Scott and Ernie finished their auditions, we were getting ready to leave when the director suddenly turned to me and asked, ‘Do you know martial arts?’ Without missing a beat, I said yes . George and I were always prepared—we regularly did martial arts demonstrations—so I stepped onto the floor and performed what, to me, was just part of our everyday demo routine. But that simple moment changed the course of my life. It also taught me a powerful lesson: always be prepared, because you never know when opportunity will knock. That audition was the turning point. I was in the right place, at the right time—with the right preparation. And when opportunity meets preparation, that’s when success happens. I’ll always be grateful for that moment.“ Cynthia Rothrock vs. Sammo Hung Step 5: Staying Relevant — Evolving with the Times Cynthia Rothrock didn’t fade into the background after a long and successful film carrer—she leveled up. After years of dominating tournaments and starring in hard-hitting fight scenes, Rothrock found a new kind of calling. She hit the road, teaching seminars across the globe—Germany, Australia, South America, small-town dojos, and fully-packed sports halls. The venue didn’t matter. Whether it was five students or five hundred, she gave them everything she had. Her teaching style isn’t about ego or nostalgia—it’s about connection. She’s stood in hotel ballrooms and high school gyms, working with black belts and beginners alike, and lighting that spark that reminds us all why we train. Language barriers disappear the moment she steps on the mat. A stance is a stance. A block is a block. Respect is universal. While her reach spans continents, Rothrock didn’t stop at martial arts events. Comic-Cons, retro film expos, and pop culture conventions have become new arenas where she inspires fans of all stripes. They bring posters, DVDs, VHS tapes—sometimes even dress as characters she brought to life. Cynthia Rothrock starring alongside Richard Norton Relevance, she shows us, isn’t about clinging to the past—it’s about evolving with purpose. She didn’t retire her gi and rest on her legacy. She transformed it. Through social media and seminars, Rothrock continues to grow and give back to the community that shaped her. She teaches because she still loves  it. She signs autographs because it brings joy. And she stays visible because she stays valuable—not by chasing trends, but by staying true to her passion while adapting to new platforms and audiences. So what’s the takeaway? Staying relevant takes effort. You have to keep learning, listening, and giving. If you do—it’s not just your name that endures. It’s your impact.  Lesson: The more you pour into your community, the more it rises to lift you in return. “Some people see the seminar circuit or convention appearances as a grind—but I absolutely love it. There’s nothing better than connecting with audiences, meeting new students in fresh markets, and hearing from people who either grew up watching me or are discovering me for the first time. To me, attitude is everything. If you genuinely embrace your audience, they’ll embrace you right back. But it has to come from a real place—authenticity matters. I learned early on that it’s never about being envious of someone else’s career or success. It’s about your own journey, and having gratitude for where you are and the fact that you're still in demand. At the end of the day, there’s no better feeling. The simple truth? I do it because I still love it.” Step 6:  Claiming Control — Taking Destiny Into Your Own Hands Cynthia Rothrock could’ve lived in the glow of her past—signed autographs, smiled for throwback reels, and let the credits roll. But legacy, to her, was never about standing still. With Black Creek (2024), she didn’t just return to the screen—she rewrote the script, both literally and figuratively. She crowdfunded the dream, pulled together a team, and even stepped behind the camera. It wasn’t about reliving old glories. It was about creating something new. Something hers. She didn’t wait for permission. She didn’t wait for someone to cast her. She carved out space and filled it with her own fire. That’s the quiet power of a creator: the courage to build without a blueprint, to write roles that don’t yet have names, to tell stories that wouldn’t be told otherwise. She wasn’t just acting—she was amplifying. Uplifting others. Lighting torches and handing them off. Not every path is paved when you arrive. Sometimes, you have to make the road by walking. And in doing so, you leave a trail for others to follow. Lesson:  Be willing to create your own place in the world. “Sometimes, finding success means changing the way you’ve traditionally approached your work. For years, I waited for the next call—for the next role or film to come to me. But everything shifted when my boyfriend, Robert Clancy, encouraged me to take control of my own path. He suggested I crowdfund my next project—an idea that was completely new to me. The thought of stepping into the role of producer was intimidating at first, but also empowering. I was excited by the possibility of creating something on my own terms, and most of all, involving the fans—giving them a chance to be part of the process. It wasn’t just about making a movie; it was about building a community. The result was incredible. Our campaign became one of the most successful ever on the platform, and it allowed us to produce a film in a truly unique way—breaking the mold of the traditional actor-producer dynamic. Looking back, it was a lesson straight out of martial arts: sometimes, you have to take a risk and bet on yourself if you truly want to keep evolving and forging your own path.” Step 7: Stay Curious — Break Free from Your Mold By this point, Cynthia Rothrock wears every title—world champion, action star, beloved teacher, independent producer. But she’s still not finished. She’s just getting curious again. So she picks up new tools, learns to direct, crafts scripts, and starts shaping stories from the ground up. Not just for herself—but also for others. She could stay right where she is—respected, celebrated, admired. But that’s not how legends are made. That’s how they fade. To break your mold is to outgrow the thing that once defined you. It’s feeling the stretch in your bones as you reach for something untested, unknown. It means stepping away from what’s comfortable and into the uncertain—where transformation happens in the heat of new challenges. It means becoming a student again. A beginner. It means risking imperfection in pursuit of evolution. Because the truth is, your next chapter doesn’t live inside your comfort zone. It lives just beyond it. What’s next for Cynthia Rothrock? Who knows. But one thing is for certain. That fire inside the Dragon Lady is never going out, it’s only going to blaze brighter and brighter while she keeps forging her own life. Lesson:  Don’t settle into the version of you that everyone recognizes. Surprise them. Surprise yourself . “Although my career keeps me incredibly busy—with teaching, appearances, and my next film always in motion—one thing that never stops is my curiosity. A few years ago, I stumbled upon a new passion: globe trekking. Hiking, mountain climbing, scuba diving—exploring both heights and depths. It challenged me not just physically, but mentally. For me, it became more than just adventure—it was another form of discovery. New places, new experiences, and another way to test my will and spirit. In many ways, it mirrors my life: full of twists, falls, and unexpected turns. But staying curious is what keeps the journey alive—fun, fulfilling, and joyful. I didn’t always see myself as an adventurous person… until I realized I kept ending up on adventures. Sometimes, the best way to start is by simply taking that first step—even if it scares you. Because on the other side of fear is joy, growth, and the kind of memories you’ll never regret. It sounds simple. Because it is.”

Allen R. Steen RIP: 1940–2025 Representing Tae Kwon Do at the World Championships in Chicago in 1962 A Pioneer of American Karate and the Architect of Texas Martial Arts Texan Allen Steen was one of the most influential pioneers of martial arts in American history. He was the first American-born black belt under Jhoon Rhee, making him the first Tae Kwon Do black belt ever promoted in the United States. Subsequently his efforts and influence account for an empire of hundreds of schools throughout the United States and beyond, while tens of thousands of black belts can trace their roots back to him.  Roy Kuban, Allen Steen, Keith Yates In 1958, a young Allen Steen went to the University of Texas at Austin to study business and there his life path was forever changed when he saw a demonstration of Tae Kwon Do by Jhoon Rhee—the man who had introduced the Korean martial arts into the USA. Interestingly, the college administration thought the term “martial arts” to be confusing and the exhibition was billed as “athletic stretching” and several of the university sports teams were in attendance. Allen Steen, far left, teaches one of the first Tae Kwon Do classes in the U.S. in 1962 Steen recalled that most of them weren’t paying too much attention to the diminutive Rhee showing off his stretching and were more interested in talking among themselves. Frustrated, Rhee invited some of the football players to come up onto the stage and try to grab or punch him. After a little cajoling by their friends, a couple actually did. Diron Talbert (who ended up playing several seasons in the NFL) took a half-hearted swing at Rhee who immediately side kicked him in the solar plexus knocking the six-foot-plus defensive tackle to his knees.   Needed to say, Steen was impressed and immediately joined Rhee’s fledgling class. He recalled that Rhee ran the class like a military boot camp. However, as a track and field athlete and boxer accustomed to extreme workouts, Steen persevered and became Rhee’s first black belt in America.  A 1964 photo shows Allen Steen, Tsutomu Oshima, Pat Burleson and Bruce Lee That hard-nosed style of training set the stage for his no-nonsense approach to martial arts. Allen Steen became one of the most noted champions of early American martial arts competitions. He beat Joe Lewis and Chuck Norris back-to-back to win Ed Parker’s 1966 Long Beach International Karate Championships in California. Keith Yates, Roy Kurban, Jhoon Rhee, Allen Steen and Pat Burleson at the Tae Kwon Do Masters Hall of Fame in 2018. That same year he was a member of the victorious U.S. National Karate Team competing in Hawaii along with Mike Stone, Skipper Mullins and Chuck Norris. Black Belt Magazine rated him one of the top ten fighters in the country. Mr. Steen’s favorite technique was a sliding sidekick and he would often, literally, knock his opponents out of the ring with it. 1968 victorious U.S. karate team featured Skipper Mullins, Allen Steen, Mike Stone, and Chuck Norris After a brilliant tournament career, Mr. Steen’s coaching and business abilities established him as one of the pioneers of the business side of American martial arts. He opened the very first commercial school in the entire state in 1962, and soon established schools across Texas. He also partnered with many of his students who began schools in other states and countries. Steen traveled across Europe in the 1960s helping to establish Tae Kwon Do as a popular sport and art. His United States Karate Championships, held annually in Dallas became one of the largest and most prestigious events in the country, eventually becoming a springboard for champions such as Bill Wallace, Joe Lewis and Skipper Mullins. 1973 was its biggest year as over 2,000 competitors gathered in the Dallas convention center and ABC’s Wide World of Sports televised a portion of the black belt competition. In 1966, Steen had founded the Southwest Karate Black Belt Association, one of the very first martial arts organizations in the U.S. It was soon renamed the American Karate Black Belt Association as its influence spread nationwide.  Steen on the cover. In the early days when the name Tae Kwon Do was not well known, most instructors called their art "karate" and the name stuck. Not only did he open that first school in the Lone Star state, Steen soon owned eight more schools across Texas and interests in numerous others across America and even in Europe. His innovative business practices became the example for other school owners, tournament promoters and teachers worldwide. Trophy won by Allen Steen after defeating Joe Lewis and Chuck Norris But business never got in the way of his high standards. Grandmaster Steen was known as the “Father of Texas Blood and Guts Karate” because he and his stable of black belt champions were ferocious competitors whenever they stepped into the ring. In fact, Bill “Superfoot” Wallace once said that a point in a Texas tournament would be called “murder” in most other states.  Numerous martial arts notables attended the services for Allen Steen. Steen’s students included famous world-class fighters like Skipper Mullins, Pat Burleson, Fred Wren, Demetrius Havanas, D. P. Hill, and Roy Kurban. His black belt protégés went on to become noted teachers, authors and grandmasters such as Larry Caster, Keith Yates, James Toney, Richard Jenkins, Marian Erickson, and Royce Young. There are literally tens of thousands of black belts worldwide who trace their lineage back to Mr. Steen. After retiring from active teaching in commercial settings he was a successful oil executive, founding SESCO Petroleum, an oil exploration and drilling company, with his college roommate Dr. Frank Elliot. An outstanding athlete, Steen excelled at golf and snow skiing and also became a national champion skeet shooter, being voted to the All-American Team three times. He became a pilot and even owned his own plane.  Allen R. Steen passed away in December of 2025 just after Christmas. His funeral services were held in Dallas, Texas and officiated by Dr. Keith D. Yates, one of his original black belts. A host of martial arts luminaries attended to pay tribute to this giant of Tae Kwon Do and karate. His legacy will certainly live on for generations to come.