Hector Echavarria
As a sickly child who suffered from severe asthma, Hector Echavarria was encouraged by his parents to use martial arts to overcome his handicap....
Pat Worley Still Winning
In 1967, Pat Worley began his martial arts training under Grand Master Pat Burleson in Forth Worth, Texas. Pat earned his Black Belt under...
Yong-Sul Choi Founder of Hapkido
Yong-Sul Choi was born on November 9, 1904 and passed away on June 15, 1986. He was the founder of the martial art, hapkido....
Champion Parker Shelton Won’t Quit in the Fight For His Life
If you've lived in Fort Wayne for a while, you've probably heard the name Parker Shelton. Since the 1960s, the Pineville, Kentucky, native has...
Ed McGrath: Isshin-ryu Karate
Ed McGrath began his martial arts studies under Sensei Don Nagle in 1958 training in the first Isshin-ryu dojo established in America. The dojo...
Don Nagle: Isshinryu Karate
Don Nagle was born in Jersey City, New Jersey on April 5, 1938. As a teenager in high school he began studying Goju-Ryu Karate. He enlisted with...
Eisuke Akamine: Ryukyu Kobudo Hozon Shinkokai
Eisuke Akamine was born in Aza-mura (village), Tomishiro, Okinawa in 1925.
In 1942, at the age of 17, he began the study of Yamani-ryu Bo-jutsu...
Aloha Spirit Master – A Tribute Poem to Ed Parker Senior
Michael S. Fuchs wrote a poem about Senior Grandmaster Ed Parker Sr and asked Senior Ed Parker Jr. to give him a picture to...
Inwan Kim: Sin Moo Hapkido
Inwan Kim was born in in 1962 in Buyeo, Choongnam providence in the Republic of Korea. In 1974 his father placed him in a...
Ramon Dekkers Muai Thai
If there were a world championship as far as courage and heart are concerned, Ramon Dekkers would be a true champion.
Even if you can...
Bong Soo Han Passed Away
Dear Martial Arts Community, It is with a heavy heart that we tell you that Grand Master Bong Soo Han passed away on Monday, Jan...
Solving the James Mitose Mystery
As many of you know, I have been doing a pretty comprehensive background check on the history of James Mitose and his contributions to...
“Judo” Gene Lebell
Called “the toughest man alive” by his peers, Judo Gene LeBell has been a martial arts icon for decades. At age 12 he began training...
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...
Gokor Chivichyan Judo Great
Gokor Chivichyan was born in Yerevan, Armenia in 1963. He is an Armenian Judo, submission grappling, and mixed martial arts instructor who currently trains...
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...
