Willie Lim: Combat Tai Chi Master
9th degree Black Belt, Willie Lim was born into a Malayan family of Kung Fu practitioners, his uncle was Head of the Eagle Claw...
Adriano Emperado: Kajukenbo
Adriano Emperado
June 15, 1926 – April 4, 2009
It was in 1947, while still training under Chow, that Mr. Emperado joined with 4 other...
Ed Parker Sr: Teacher, Author, and Promoter
On March 19, 1931, Ed Parker Sr was born to Arthur and Eva Parker in Honolulu, Hawaii. He was the sixth of seven children...
Richard Norton of Zen do Kai Karate Has Passed Away
Richard Norton is a martial arts icon, body guard to the rich and famous and an international movie star. A man to be envied.
The History of James Mitose’s Martial Arts
James Mitose remains the one truly enigmatic figure in all the history of Kempo. James Masayoshi Mitose was born on December 30th, 1916 in...
Sam Kuoha: Kara-Ho Kempo Karate
Sam Kuoha (Samuel Alama Kuoha) began his training at the age of four with his Uncle, Sensei Joe Mack Makahilahila, who was caring of...
Shugoro Nakazato: Shorin Ryu Karate
Shūgorō Nakazato was born in Nahn-city Okinawa on August 14, 1919. While attending normal school in Osaka Japan in 1935, he began his study of...
Anko Itosu: Father of Modern Karate
Born in Shuri, Okinawa, Japan in 1831, Itosu trained under karate greats Sokon "Bushi" Matsumura and Kosaku Matsumora. His good friend Yasutsune Azato recommended...
Takayuki Kubota: Gosoku Ryu Karate
Born in Kumamoto, Japan, Takayuki Kubota began studying martial arts at the age of four under the direction of his father, Denjiro Kubota. Because...
Pat Burleson “Grandfather” of Open Tournament Fighting in America
Pat Burleson, acknowledged as the “grandfather” of open tournament fighting in America, having won numerous national titles before retiring from competition in 1966. Mr. Burleson...
Frank Shamrock 5-time UFC World Champ
Frank Shamrock became an icon to fight fans all over world when he entered the Ultimate Fighting Championship’s famous squared circle and as the...
My Experiences And Memories With Ernest Lieb
I first met Ernie Lieb at a karate tournament in South Bend, Indiana in November of 1972. His easygoing personality and obvious love for...
And, In This Corner, Jerry Piddington
"And, in this corner, Jerry Piddington" . . . was the title of an article written about Mr. Piddington in the 1974 issue of...
Tadashi Abe Aikido With Samurai Roots
Tadashi Abe was born in 1926 and began Aikido in 1942 under the direct supervision of O'Sensei for a period of nine years. He...
Ron Marchini: Renbukai Karate
Ron Marchini, an American karate instructor and Black Belt Hall of Famer, was a champion tournament fighter in the late '60s and early '70s.
Caylor Adkins: Shotokan Karate
Caylor Adkins is one of Mr. Tsutomu Ohshima’s first American-trained black belts in Shotokan karate. He is a pioneer in karate and a legend...