Featured in the June/July 2021 issue of Black Belt!

In “Observations on Transitioning From TKD to MMA With Anthony ‘Showtime’ Pettis,” the PFL athlete talks about his roots in the American Taekwondo Association, as well as his early boxing and wrestling education.

Get the lowdown on CQC sambo courtesy of Phillip Duncan Jr., a fourth-degree black belt in an art that maxes out at six degrees. Pay careful attention to the similarities between this Russian fighting art and Bruce Lee’s jeet kune do.

Black Belt Hall of Famer George Kirby conducts a class on blocking as taught in budoshin jujitsu. He opens with a message his sensei used to deliver: A block is just a part of a technique that’s designed to deal with an attack long enough to counter.

Edged-weapon defense exists in every martial art — for good reason! It’s an essential skill. Trouble is, some forms of knife defense propagate myths regarding what works and what doesn’t. This article will put you on the right path.

“The Chinese Connection” is a critical look at Chojun Miyagi’s landmark 1936 lecture on the origins of karate — did it, in fact, come from China? — and it will cause you to rethink your understanding of the early history of the art.

You know Sean Kanan from his portrayal of Mike Barnes, the “bad boy” in The Karate Kid Part III. But did you know he’s a lifelong martial artist who recently set out to prove his karate is legit? Along the way, he reignited his warrior spirit.