To all Kombat community members and site visitors: we’ve moved the blog! In order to streamline things and give you guys the best online Kombat Arts experience possible, you can now find us attached to the main site at:

kombatarts.com/blog

From here on out that’s the only blog we’ll be using, so please remember to update your bookmarks. We’re still in the process of updating the site, so thanks for your patience regarding any glitches.

See you there!

On Saturday evening, myself and a few of the senior students, athletes and instructors received the terrible news that Kearn Nedd was fatally shot. We still don’t have all of the details about the situation and frankly we do not wish to speculate or initiate any rumors, as this is a sensitive topic for a lot of people, and we should all remain respectful of Kearn’s family and closest friends.

It was both fun and quite interesting training Kearn at the Kombat Arts. His antics will be remembered by all his trainers, fellow athletes and members. His loss will be felt by the martial arts community, and more significantly by the community. It is disheartening to hear that his life is cut short by circumstances beyond any of our control.

I am sure that there will be a lot of speculation as to what happened that night. I’m sure that some may even engage into conversations of “why did this happen…” or “what would I do” or even “he should have…”. All quite academic and theoretical.

I think that we should look at a slightly greater message. Everything is finite. Train like it’s your last day. Carry that mentality into your personal life. Enjoy your life to the fullest. Those that knew Kearn, can attest that he definitely tried to achieve this. Let us learn from those that have gone before us.

Kearn, your friends and family from the Kombat Arts already miss you.

Later Kearn…we will ring the bell one more time for you,

Joey de Los Reyes

Just under two weeks left until UFC 129 in Toronto. Here’s your link dump for the week ending Sun. April 17, 2011.

• Baseball players are turning to MMA coaches to learn more about qualities like balance, quickness, and explosive power, and to pick up game-changing new training methods. Here’s what America’s favourite pastime is learning from its fastest growing sport. [The New York Times]

• Our friend Jay D shares this video of Alex Ariza, Manny Pacquiao’s strength and conditioning coach, answering viewer questions about fitness and diet. Nice too see such a candid, informative video from one of the best trainers out there. [JD Training]

• Obviously we know sugar isn’t the healthiest thing to be eating all the time, but in this massive piece for the Times, Gary Taubes goes one further: is sugar toxic? He lays out a compelling argument for “yes” and also asks tough questions about why we think about health the way we do. [The New York Times]

• “Gone are the days when a fight might involve a gun, a makeshift weapon, or a hit that actually hurts. Now every movie hero is Jet Li, and every woman is Buffy the Vampire Slayer.” New York mag is wondering: are martial arts ruining action movies? [Vulture]

• You’ve probably heard all of these before but, just in case you need reminding, here’s 16 harsh truths about life that will make you stronger in the end. [Marc and Angel Hack Life]

Thanks to Kombat’s Twitterstream for swapping resources. Follow us @KombatArts!

For information on registration, cost, divisions, deadlines and more, visit the Kombat Classic 2011 event page and stay tuned for any updates.

Thanks to Daniel Benoit for these photos from Kru Mehdi Pouroskoui’s visit a couple of weeks ago. It’s always an honour to have Kru Mehdi over at Kombat Arts.

Stay tuned for more!

Kung-fu superstar Jackie Chan turned 63 last Thursday. Up above is his battle against Benny “the Jet” Urquidez from Wheels on Meals (1984), one of the best fight scenes ever.

Your dump for the week ending Sun. April 10, 2011:

• Las Vegas-based MMA trainer Shawn Tompkins used to live in a tiny town just outside of London, Ontario. The London Free Press talks to the renowned coach and ex-Xtreme Couture member to see how he made it in the big leagues. [The London Free Press]

• As a nerd in high school, this anonymous writer was tormented by bullies. Then his tough-guy father told him to fight back. Here’s how he took that bit of advice in the right direction and used it to change his approach to life. [Men's Health Dads]

• National Geographic turns its amazing eye towards the famous Shaolin Temple for a look at how the ancient tradition is finding its way in the changed and changing world of martial arts. Give it a click, if even just for the great photos. [National Geographic]

• The title of “How to Be a D—” isn’t very family friendly, but this tongue-in-cheek list of things to NOT do when you’re rolling with your Jiu-Jitsu class is nonetheless funny and true. How many of these BJJ faux pas are you guilty of? [The Gentle Art]

• Kombat’s Michelle Sturino was on the scene covering Ontario’s first couple of MMA events, MMA: The Reckoning and MFC 29, for Ontario MMA Alliance. Check out all her interview clips. [OntarioMMAalliance]

Thanks to Kombat’s Twitterstream for swapping resources. Be sure to follow us @KombatArts!

Shinya Aoki def. Lyle Beerbohm via submission (neck crank), round one
Gegard Mousasi draws Keith Jardine (majority draw), point deducted off Mousasi in first round for illegal upkick
Gilbert Melendez def. Tatsuya Kawajiri via TKO (elbows), round one, retains Strikeforce lightweight championship
Nick Diaz def. Paul Daley via TKO (punches), round one, retains Strikeforce welterweight championship

Check MMA Junkie for the undercard results.

• Gutsy performance by Keith Jardine, who took the fight on two week’s notice. Should earn him another (easier) bout with Strikeforce, which effectively puts him back with Zuffa for the time being.
• Good night for Cesar Gracie’s boys. It wasn’t a surprise that Gilbert Melendez in his prime was able to once again take out Tatsuya Kawajiri, but man did he look good doing it. Nice head movement and great sense of distance.
• Nick Diaz vs. Paul Daley was everything Strikeforce sold it as and was hoping it would be. It only lasted a round, but it was an awesome mixed martial arts war.
• But yeah, that was kind of an early stoppage.
• Diaz just tooth-and-nailed his way into the rankings, didn’t he?
• Most of the fighters seemed to grasp that, with the Zuffa purchase of Strikeforce, these needed to be “statement” fights. Who do you think made the strongest case for their future prospects in the UFC?

Photo Source: SB NATION

Although the seminar starts promptly at 9:30 a.m. please show up at least half an hour early to fill out forms and do a proper warm up. As a reminder, no video or audio recording will be allowed. Kali sticks, training blades and other equipment will be available for sale.

For this last Countdown installment, I thought it would be fun to take a look at Guro Dan’s appearances in popular culture. Guro Dan never dove into Hollywood with the same earnest as his friend Bruce Lee had, which makes it even more of a pleasant surprise whenever he does pop up on screen or in a film’s credits. Here’s the best of Guro Dan at the movies.

(**Warning: Some of these clips are rated R for language and violence)

Game of Death (1978)
This scene is actually from the Special Edition of Bruce Lee’s final film, which includes more fight footage and better editing than the clumsy original release. Guro Dan’s character represents a type of martial artist that relies too strictly on fixed forms and patterns. Bruce Lee uses the broken rhythm of Jeet Kune Do to bring him down.

Bruce Li The Chinese Stuntman (1981)
One of the many interchangeable “Brucesploitation” films that came out after Bruce Lee’s death, The Chinese Stuntman was notable for actually featuring Guro Dan in the cast.

Out for Justice (1991)
Guro Dan vs. Steven Seagal! In a pool hall! With pool sticks!

Big Stan (2007)
Rob Schneider exercises the 1/4 of his genes that are Filipino by busting out some serviceable Kali skills for slapstick purposes. Guro Dan has a random and hilarious cameo at the end.

Redbelt (2008)
Written and directed by David Mamet (one of Hollywood’s most acclaimed screenwriters and also a BJJ practitioner), Redbelt featured Guro Dan as a respected master who all the other characters look up to. He also choreographed the knife fight scene.

The Book of Eli (2010)
Guro Dan served as martial arts trainer to star Denzel Washington months before filming began. In this behind-the-scenes feature Guro Dan says he was “very impressed” with Washington’s skill. The film’s fight sequences were choreographed by one of Guro Dan’s most prominent students, Jeff Imada.

A couple of miscellaneous items:

StarHub (commercial)
Guro Dan talks about Bruce Lee and delivers a subtle anti-bullying message.

The Bourne Identity (2002)
Although Guro Dan didn’t work directly on the Bourne films, I thought I should include them anyway; Jeff Imada was the fight choreographer for these films, and I think they are the best cinematic representation of what Guro Dan’s fighting style looks like — lots of street-effective Jun Fan and empty hand Kali techniques, with an emphasis on efficiency over flashiness. Nobody had seen Filipino martial arts on the big screen like this before.

The Sensei (2008)
Guro Dan’s daughter Diana Lee Inosanto wrote, directed and starred The Sensei, a different kind of martial arts film that tackled a number of progressive topics with a story featuring a female instructor, a gay male student, and a plot about the effects of bullying.

The Kombat Arts Training Academy is proud to host Sifu/Guro Dan Inosanto for a two-day seminar this weekend!

Click to view large

When:
Saturday/Sunday April 9-10, 2011
9:30 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. (with one hour break)

Where:
Kombat Arts Training Academy1110 Kamato Road, Units 7-11Mississauga, ON.

Cost:
$250 for entire weekend$125 for one day

Previously in the Countdown:
“Way of the Warrior” on Jeet Kune Do
“Way of the Warrior” on Eskrima
Black Belt interview, 1995
Always a student
Interview with the Michigan Project
Smithsonian Institute demonstrations

Thanks again to GAMMA and the Toronto DBMA Group!