Brian Williams, Rori Goetze, Kelly Abella, Neda Iranpour - Ultimate Black Belt Test Hero Activists - Make a Film

As some of you may know, I am always (and I mean ALWAYS) cracking the whip, or pleading, or begging martial arts teachers to use their talents and powers to do things that are more meaningful –for themselves, their students, and yes, even for the world –things that better represent our implied awareness, our ability to see that “self-defense” is so much more than the block, punch, kick, or throw.

The martial arts world, well…not everyone, but way, way too many martial arts teachers have been either brought up in –and/or seduced by the profit and loss statement. Student become “units” and numbers rule the roost. The chant is, “How can we monetize this?”

Click to read more ...

Ultimate Black Belt Test Vet, Kelly Abella, Working Behind the Scenes

Kelly in Kenya

I met Kelly a couple of decades ago. He'd moved to Nevada from LA, where he'd fought in World Champion Benny "The Jet" Urquidez camp --which made me pay attention to him, as anyone who trained under and/or fought under The Jet was sure to be one tough and skilled martial artist.

The school Kelly joined in Nevada was run by one of my first students, George Fujii; it was a part of our Ernie Reyes West Coast Martial Arts Association, which was a very tight knit

Click to read more ...