Featured in the August/September 2021 issue of Black Belt!

• In “2021 U.S. Open: Champions and Contenders,” Black Belt Hall of Famer Jackson Rudolph looks at the champions who are likely to compete at this prestigious sport-karate event and highlights the up-and-comers who could defeat them.
  
  
• In “Rise of the U.S. Open,” a companion piece to the cover story, we revisit the history of this industry-leading competition. Learn how the rise of sport karate coincided with the event’s expansion and maturation.
  
  
• Benny Urquidez was a six-time world champion in five weight classes, which explains why he’s a legend in full-contact karate and kickboxing. Here, “The Jet” talks about Chuck Norris, Bruce Lee, Ed Parker, Elvis Presley and the man who motivated him to become a champion.
  
  
• When violence happens, it’s explosive and often catches you off-guard. However, this article teaches simple tactics — some mental and some physical — that you can use to survive the initial onslaught.
  
  
• Get to know the rare style of white-crane kung fu known as flying crane, a Southern Chinese self-defense system that has been passed down from the founder through five generations of the Lee family to the author of this article.
  
  
• For traditionalists, the boundaries can seem concrete: Hard styles strike, and soft styles grapple. But most hard styles have throws, and most soft styles have strikes and kicks. Learning about them will help you better understand your art.
  
  
• And we continue with our two NEW columns! Lady Sensei is written by Black Belt Hall of Famer Gerry Chisolm, and Battle Plan is penned by retired law-enforcement officer and longtime Black Belt writer Lito Angeles.