Black Belt Magazine

Black Belt tells you everything you need to know about every style of self-defense in the world! It offers the broadest, most informative coverage of all aspects of the traditional fighting disciplines that were developed in Asia, as well as the modern eclectic systems that were devised in the West.

WARRIORS AND GARDENERS

Martial Artists Pay Tribute to A TAEKWONDO ICON

JUSTIN WREN FIGHTS FOR THE FORGOTTEN

Oklahoma Loses a 10th-Degree Grandmaster

World Bare Knuckle Fighting Federation Formed

Professional Fighters League Gets $28 Million Investment

NEWS BITES

DOJO LISTINGS

COMMUNITY

Zen and the Art of Combat • Westerners seem fascinated with Zen — or, at least, with what they think Zen is.

2018 MMA Fighter of the Year: Justin Wren • At first glance, it might seem odd for Black Belt to give its MMA Fighter of the Year award to someone who hasn’t fought in a cage all year. But in a bigger fight — outside the cage — Justin Wren has proved himself a consistent winner.

Kushti Wrestling in India, Part 3 • After I faced the mighty Jeetu in the kushti tournament in India, I was matched with some wrestlers whose strength and skill were of more human proportions. That allowed me to actually apply the techniques I’d learned and have a chance of winning.

Hand Scalping: A Digression on Combat Hair Pulling • There’s a surprisingly long history of hair pulling in the annals of combat, both sportive and on the battlefield. In this column, we’ll confine ourselves to sportive instances of what we now perceive to be unsportsmanlike behavior.

Do the Right Thing in an Active-Shooter Scenario • Unfortunately, active-shooter incidents have become not only a frequent story on the nightly news but also a threat to people of all ages in virtually all locations. These horrible events can and do occur at any time, so it’s important to have an overarching plan to protect yourself and your loved ones should you ever wind up in the presence of an active shooter.

A Deadpool Upgrade in the Badlands

KALI • APOLO LADRA Teaches the Filipino Fighting Art to Give Modern Warriors a Tactical Advantage in Any Environment

Weapons Instructor of the Year

FORGED IN FIRE! • LEO T. GAJE JR. Explains How the Filipino Martial Art of PEKITI TIRSIA Was Shaped by Combat With Spain, America and Japan!

Introducing Black Belt’s 2018 Man of the Year

Kim Soo

Malia Bernal

Eyal Yanilov

Iconic Martial Arts Event Was a Family Affair — and One for the Record Books!

The Fighting Writer

BEHIND THE SCENES AT ENTER THE DOJO • MASTER KEN AND TODD TALK ABOUT WHAT IT TAKES TO MAKE THEIR HIT WEB SERIES — AND WHAT’S IN STORE!

Tale of Tim Tackett PART 1 • JKD Senior Statesman Didn’t Start in Bruce Lee’s Art, But That Didn’t Stop Him From Becoming One of Its Most Respected Teachers!

ESSENTIAL GEAR

BOB Drills You Probably Never Thought Of, Part 1

2018 Competitor of the Year: Jackson Rudolph • Most Black Belt Hall of Fame inductions can be considered recognition for a lifetime of achievement in the martial arts.

From the Archives • The 188th issue of Black Belt was dated August 1979. It was 76 pages long and featured shotokan karate’s Tsutomu Ohshima on the cover.