Black Belt Magazine August - September 2017

Aviral video recently posted on YouTube documents an MMA fighter and a tai chi instructor as they face off in Chengdu, China. The mixed martial artist, a well-built man wearing shorts and a T-shirt, gives his opponent, a man of similar size sporting a tai chi uniform, a quick beatdown. To say the traditionalist doesn’t appear to have any experience in ring combat is putting it mildly. As the MMA guy advances and starts striking, the tai chi man retreats a little, then goes down and gets punched repeatedly until the ref intervenes. To be honest, it’s not a horrible outcome for a bare-knuckle bout. Afterward, the tai chi stylist is shown standing, wiping blood from his face. Nevertheless, plenty of people in China were incensed. The New York Times…

Caitlin Dechelle in 2012's “Champions of the Deep.” When Caitlin Dechelle and her dad strolled into the Black Belt office in 2004, we were duly impressed with the skills displayed by the spunky young karateka. They’d come out from Florida so Caitlin could appear in a Black Belt photo shoot and perhaps get noticed. While we often run across talented martial artists who move to California in an attempt to slide into showbiz, we found ourselves thinking she had that spark, that drive one needs to succeed. Over the years, we watched Caitlin grow — as a person, as a martial artist, as a competitor and as a performer. She won a ton of tournaments, including the Battle of Atlanta, the Ocean State Grand Nationals, the Capitol Classic and the…

The Special Forces Association and its board of directors recently acknowledged the unique service of Michael D. Echanis to the Special Forces community by awarding the hwa rang do practitioner a posthumous Associate Membership. This act acknowledges Echanis’ contributions, which included not only teaching martial arts to the Special Forces but also serving in a heretofore-unknown role as an intelligence asset working in Nicaragua at the time of his death. Echanis reported personally to Col. Charlie Beckwith (retired) at Fort Bragg. Beckwith is best known as the founder and first commander of the Army’s elite counterterrorist unit Delta Force. These initiatives involving Echanis, formally documented and reviewed by the board, were likewise attested to by Special Forces legend and Ranger Hall of Fame inductee Vladimir “Jake” Jakovenko. It was Jakovenko’s…

The Ultimate Fighting Championship announced that former heavyweight champ Maurice Smith has been added to the 2017 UFC Hall of Fame class as a Pioneer. The induction will take place July 6 in Las Vegas and will be streamed live on UFC Fight Pass. “It will be an honor to be inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame and be forever connected to this sport,” Smith said. “I was the first world-class striker to win a UFC title because I worked with great training partners to evolve into a well-rounded fighter. I’m proud of the titles I won in MMA, but helping advance the game toward the mixed martial arts of today is my greatest accomplishment in the sport.” Smith made his debut in 1997 at the UFC 14. He…

Zebra Athletics, an outfitter of martial arts and MMA training facilities, has reached a sponsorship agreement with Mackenzie Dern, two-time Brazilian jiu-jitsu world champion and rising MMA star. “We’re excited to partner with Mackenzie,” Zebra CEO Chuck Blanski said. “Not only is she a great athlete, but she values the same things we do at Zebra Athletics. Hard work, dedication and a mission to be the best are core to everything we do at Zebra and are clearly a very important part of Mackenzie’s personal and professional life.” “A partnership with Zebra was a natural and perfect fit for me,” Dern said. “I started training on their mats when I was a kid and still train on them today for both MMA at The MMA Lab and BJJ at Team…

• Improve Your Muay Thai Now: How Master Toddy Trains Champions, Parts 1 and 2 There’s more to muay Thai than kicks, punches, elbows and knees! In this Black Belt exclusive, a renowned trainer reveals the secrets of his success. • In Honor of David Carradine, Kwai Chang Caine From the TV Series Kung Fu Join us as we pay tribute to David Carradine on the eighth anniversary of his death. He inspired the masses with two Kung Fu TV series and multiple movies, including Lone Wolf McQuade and Kill Bill. • Self-Defense for Minimalists: The Only Kick You Will Ever Need Want to learn a powerful and versatile selfdefense move but pressed for time? We have a solution, and a veteran black belt is here to teach it to…