Timeless Legacy: A Black Belt Moment That Shaped History
- Black Belt Team
- Jul 12
- 1 min read
Updated: Jul 12
It all starts with this iconic photo—a single moment frozen in time, capturing six black belts who helped shape the very foundation of modern martial arts.
From the early days of American Championship Karate to the global impact of Enter the Dragon, from reinventing Hollywood action and ninja films to grounding The Karate Kid in authenticity, and launching the era of televised professional combat sports—nearly every corner of the martial arts world owes something to these six trailblazers.
Who are they.....the answer is below!
Left to right:
Bob Wall – Known for his roles in Enter the Dragon and Return of the Dragon, Bob was one of Bruce Lee’s most iconic on-screen opponents.
Mike Stone – The first International Karate Champion and a visionary who helped launch the ninja movie craze of the 1980s.
Tadashi Yamashita – The legendary master who brought dynamic showmanship to martial arts through what we now know as the “demo.”
Pat Johnson – Appearing in Enter the Dragon and The Karate Kid, Pat was the brilliant choreographer who brought authentic martial arts to Hollywood action cinema.
Joe Corley – The driving force behind the Professional Karate Association (PKA), Joe helped lay the foundation for American professional combat sports.
Chuck Norris – Champion, movie star, humanitarian—and the only man who can say: “Once a king cobra bit me. After six days of agonizing pain... the cobra died.”
