Martial Arts News Roundup
Martial Arts News RoundupBy Jon Sattler |
Cuba, we’ve got some good news and some bad news. First, the good news: Cuban judo champion Yurisel Laborde won a gold medal at the Pan-American Judo Championships in Miami. Now, the bad news: No one from her team has seen her since she packed her bags and left them a note on Sunday, May 11, forcing the Cuban team to return home without the two-time world champion and 2004 Olympic bronze medalist. This isn’t the first time Florida has swallowed up one of Cuba’s Olympic hopefuls. Back in March, seven other Cuban athletes disappeared, this time at the Olympic soccer qualifier in Tampa. The Miami Herald reports that Laborde will seek political asylum. Even if she is successful, Laborde will not be able to finish the long immigration process in time to compete for the American team in the 2008 Summer Olympics, Team USA President Jose Rodriguez says.
Writer/director David Mamet told the Los Angeles Times he penned the recently released Redbelt as a “love letter to the world and philosophy of jiu-jitsu.” So who brought these two lovebirds together? Al Bundy. Or more specifically, Ed O’Neill, who played Bundy in the hit sitcom Married With Children. O’Neill—who recently earned his black belt under Hall of Fame member Rorion Gracie—introduced Mamet to jiu-jitsu while working on one of the director’s films. “David wanted me to do The Spanish Prisoner in New York, and when I was there, I demonstrated a choke, an arm block," O'Neill says. “When he moved out [to Los Angeles], it was in the back of his mind.” Mamet began training at Street Sports Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, where he eventually earned his purple belt under Renato Magno. “He's a tough guy,” Magno says. “I think he uses jiu-jitsu very well. You're using your leverage, your balance—you use your intellect. It's like a chess game. That's why he's enthusiastic. He's no young guy. But he has a lot of dedication to the sport.” So much dedication, in fact, that Mamet brought Magno on as the jiu-jitsu coordinator in Redbelt to ensure that the fight scenes were authentic and cast jiu-jitsu master John Machado as one of the villains. O’Neill agrees with Magno’s assessment of Mamet’s skills and dedication. “Dave is a very game, pugnacious guy. You would be hard-pressed if he got ahold of you,” O'Neill says. “Good tendon strength. He's been rumored to be smart, so he can apply the techniques of jiu-jitsu properly. He immerses himself in it. He's passionate about it. He goes 100 percent. And I know from talking to some of the guys he's rolled with, it's no day at the beach.” Seeing as O’Neil was introduced to jiu-jitsu by one of his film connections, writer/producer/director John Milius, it’s only fitting that he shared the love with Mamet. When it comes to jiu-jitsu, Hollywood truly is a small town. (For more on how O’Neill became a black belt, check out the May 2008 issue of Black Belt.) Around the World With Jackie Chan
Jackie Chan's a busy man these days. When he's not saving bears or defending his homeland, the Hong Kong superstar and Olympic torchbearer has been promoting his latest kung fu epic, The Forbidden Kingdom, which premieres Friday, April 18. During his press tour, Chan revealed his innermost thoughts on laundry, attending a martial-opera school, and his collaboration with Jet Li. On mastering the martial arts at a young age: "I was sent to martial-opera school [at age 6]. You have to learn singing, dancing, music, acrobatics, kicking, punching, stick fighting. ... If one person does something wrong, [the teacher] hit the whole class. Not like this day. They can sue you." On his collaboration with Jet Li: "I've wanted this to happen for 20 years. We'd have dinner and say, 'Let's do something.' We'd agree. Then we'd go our separate ways and another two years would go by and nothing happened. Finally, we found a middleman—a producer—who put something together. Thank goodness!" On Hong Kong and American filmmaking: "In American film, they care about the actors. In Hong Kong film, we don’t. When I’m making my own films, there are so many injuries. We save time, save money, risk life for the movie." On doing his own laundry: "I never take the underwear or socks to the laundry; they charge you $20. You can buy another one [for that price]. … It's not about money; it's about discipline."
Chuck Takes on Bruce When martial arts legend and political juggernaut Chuck Norris shares his thoughts on Bruce Lee, you listen.In his latest WorldNetDaily column, Norris discusses Lee’s charm, adaptability, and whether the jeet kune do master would have stood a chance against the karate champ. On Lee’s strengths: "The truth is Lee was a formidable opponent with a chiseled physique and technique. I totally enjoyed sparring and just spending time with him. He was as charismatic and friendly in the ring and at home as he was on film. His confidence and wit were dazzling, and sometimes even debilitating to others. […] Lee was lightning fast, very agile and incredibly strong for his size." On Lee’s adaptability: "Bruce Lee learned from everybody. He had a very open mind. He never believed in only one martial arts style or that one was superior. He believed that everything had strengths and weaknesses and that we should find the strengths in each method." On Lee’s chances against Norris: "Would I have beaten Bruce Lee in a real competition, or not? You'll forgive me for answering with another Bruceism: ‘Showing off is the fool's idea of glory.' " While their dream fight never became a reality in the ring, the epic battle can be seen in Lee’s unfinished masterpiece, Game of Death.
Jim Wagner Pepper-Sprays Morgan Spurlock
"I was expecting him to have the typical celebrity mentality," Wagner says, "but he was really down-to-earth. He placed himself in my hands and was a dedicated student." Wagner and his assistants ran Spurlock through a series of training scenarios that recreate the harsh realities of the Middle East. Over the course of the eight-hour session, Wagner taught him how to survive explosions, kidnapping attempts, sniper attacks and hostage situations. Wagner says, "He quickly learned the truth of what I’ve taught for years: Any valid self-defense technique can be mastered in five minutes." Spurlock’s crew was there to capture the action at Wagner’s Los Angeles training facility, and the two appeared in a CNN segment about Spurlock’s documentary on the War on Terrorism, Where in the World Is Osama Bin Laden? In the final training scenario, Spurlock agreed to let Wagner pepper spray him so he could experience firsthand what a chemical attack felt like. After he recovered, Wagner awarded him with a certificate for completing his Terrorism Survival course. "He thanked me for the lessons, and I wished him a safe mission," Wagner says. "I look forward to seeing the movie that documents his journey into the lion’s den." For more on Spurlock’s training, check out Wagner’s column in the May 2008 issue of Black Belt.
Chiwetel Ejiofor—who plays a jiu-jitsu black belt in the upcoming martial arts action-flick Redbelt—won the Laurence Olivier Award for best actor as the title character in Othello, beating out fellow Shakespearean actors Patrick Stewart and Ian McKellen. In Redbelt, which is written and directed by Pulitzer Prize winner David Mamet, Ejiofor stars as a Desert Storm veteran who is dragged into the world of underground fighting. The movie also features a who's who of martial artists, including Black Belt Hall of Fame members Randy Couture and Dan Inosanto, jiu-jitsu masters John Machado and Renato Magno, and boxing champ Ray “Boom Boom” Mancini. When it comes to writing scripts, William Shakespeare might be a master of the stage, but Mamet is the king of the streets.
Kapap instructors and former Israeli Defense Force soldiers Avi Nardia and Albert Timen will put their skills to the test in the jungles of South America. Nardia and Timen are traveling to Guyana to do field research for a survival course they’re launching in April 2009. The authors of Kapap Combat Concepts: Martial Arts of the Israeli Special Forces plan to offer martial artists the chance to try their combat skills against the forces of nature. “We do basic survival in the States for our students like first aid, an introduction to the outdoors, how to find north without a compass,” Nardia says. “[But the jungle is completely different] because you don’t have the sun, and this makes it much harder.” The jungle survival course is for martial artists who really want to challenge their abilities in an unpredictable environment, Nardia says. Of course, safety is a concern for their preliminary program, and that’s why Nardia and Timen plan to spend 2008 researching and preparing the logistics for such a trip. Nardia says, “[Kapap instructors] always try to study new things [and jungle survival] is a new skill. It’s not a joke.”—Sarah Dzida David Carradine’s Favorite Roles David Carradine’s career spans decades, and in that time, he’s played everything from a Shaolin monk to a singing cowboy. Here’s what Carradine had to say about his favorite roles. Kung Fu, as Kwai Chang Caine, a Shaolin priest in the 1800s American West: “Before Kung Fu, I had no martial arts training. I didn’t know what the stuff was and I didn’t know it was important that I did know. I got by at first because of my background in dance and gymnastics. But once the series started and I started learning with my big toe, so to speak, eventually I decided to formally study it and I never gave it up.” Bound for Glory, as folk singer Woody Guthrie: “For me, as far as preparation goes, this was like the opposite of Kung Fu. Because when I did Bound for Glory, I think I knew everything there was to know about Woody Guthrie. I mean, I ate, drank and slept Woody Guthrie—literally. Even in my sleep, I would listen to his recordings just so I could get the vocals right.”
Son of a Dragon, as Bird, mentor to a young thief who woos a Chinese princess: “My character changes so much throughout the story. You’ve got this fierce warrior who resolves never to draw his sword again and then leads this sweet, peaceful life, taking in all these homeless kids. It’s almost like I had a Clark Kent/Superman thing going: a mild-mannered guy with a secret life that nobody knows about. When I read the script, I said, ‘Man, it’s like this role was written especially for me.’ Then I found out later that it really was.” Kung Fu Killer, as the title character: “The character I play is a martial arts monk, but he’s much darker than that sweet guy on Kung Fu. This guy doesn’t mess around. He’s bent on revenge, and he knows he really shouldn’t be because of his teachings, but he can’t help it. It’s very, very film noir and it’s remarkable stuff. He’s the most ruthless character I’ve ever played who is still a good guy—and if they let me, I can see myself doing this character for the rest of my life.”
Legendary fight choreographer Yuen Woo-ping—the guy responsible for the action sequences in dozens of Hong Kong classics, including Ang Lee’s Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, Jet Li's Fearless and Jackie Chan's Drunken Master—is searching for the next generation of martial arts stars. Don’t worry if you don’t fit the action-hero mold—Woo-ping wants martial artists of all shapes, sizes and styles. In other words, it doesn’t matter whether you’re an up-and-coming cage fighter, a disciple of Sgt. Jim Wagner or an old-school kung fu master, Woo-ping wants to see what you're made of. So if you think you got what it takes, send your head shot, full-body shot, resume and demo reel to Black Belt contributor Mike Leeder. Bas Rutten Explores MMA's Cerebral Side Bas Rutten’s new MMA documentary, Potent, sets out to answer the question, What makes a champion? Eschewing the trash talking and over-the-top hype of today’s fight promotions, Potent emphasizes the “art” in the mixed martial arts by exploring the cerebral side of the sport with many of MMA’s greatest innovators and pioneers, including Dan Henderson, Frank Shamrock, Mario Sperry, Vitor Belfort and Dean Lister. The film weaves together interviews and behind-the-scenes training footage that captures the mental toughness and creativity fighters need to succeed in the ever-evolving sport. Bruce Lee: The Musical
At Black Belt, we like to consider ourselves Bruce Lee experts—after all, we’re working on three Bruce Lee books—but we never imagined that Lee’s life would be getting the Broadway treatment. Tony-award nominee David Yazbek, co-creator of The Full Monty and Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, is writing the tunes for the production. Early speculation suggests that the show could hit theaters as early as 2009. Kickboxing Mystery Novel Goes Pulp Dorchester Publishing recently released kickboxer Ron Shade’s first adventure, A Killing Frost, the debut novel of the popular private-detective series, as a mass-market paperback. Written by taekwondo expert and police officer Michael A. Black, A Killing Frost might be fiction, but it contains action that’s based on real-life experiences and authentic martial arts training. In it, Shade is hired to locate a missing illegal alien whom cops aren’t too concerned about, but when the man is found floating facedown in a canal, Shade seeks justice in an underworld of death, conspiracy and cover-ups. Black, who’s collaborating with Julie Hyzy on a new novel called Dead Ringer, started learning judo, jujutsu and karate as a kid in Chicago. He became a military-police officer after graduating from college and was stationed in Korea, where he earned a black belt in taekwondo. After the military, he shifted to law enforcement. As an ode to the times when his martial arts knowledge saved his skin on duty, Black created Shade as a private investigator who can deploy his kickboxing skills as deftly as he can use his crime-scene talents.—Patrick Vuong Chuck’s Combat League Goes Global
Now that the "Chuckabee" political juggernaut has come to an end, Chuck Norris will have more time to focus on his World Combat League, which will be airing in more than 100 countries next season. The reason for the WCL’s success: knockouts. "It's the most exciting three minutes of mixed martial arts anywhere," Norris says. "The WCL had a 34-percent knockout rate, which is tops in any sport. If a fighter tries to slow the pace of the fight down, they will be penalized for passivity." To ensure that all those potential viewers tune in, we recommend a Black Belt Hall Fame match between Norris and Bill Wallace. |
