Sunday, March 07, 2010

Mass Arrest

Saipan -- Officials in Saipan recently conducted a mass arrest that resulted in the arrest of a known MMA fighter as well as nine other persons for alleged various offenses, according to saipantribune.com.

The 26-year-old MMA fighter was arrested for assault with a dangerous weapon, assault and battery, and disturbing the peace.

Another mixed martial arts fighter, 25, was reportedly arrested for assault and battery, disturbing the peace, and criminal mischief.

Numb Nuts No More?


Finally, it seems someone has come up with some useful outlets for the "numbnuts" (aka nunchaku). How about golf, baseball and opening champagne? :-)

Saturday, March 06, 2010

A Guilty Instructor

Oregon -- A Clackamas County martial arts instructor was charged in August 2009 of abusing two minor male students of his sexually. The man has now been found guilty of attempted sex abuse, according to kptv.com.

The incidents occurred at a martial arts studio in Clackamas, according to authorities.

Monday, March 01, 2010

Sumo Wedgie

The idea of going up to one of these giant Japanese sumo wrestlers and pulling a totally awesome wedgie on his mawashi (loin cloth/"diaper") somehow makes me chuckle... But then again, I guess I'm kind of an odd ball :-)

Anyhow, here's a thought provoking article about the obvious racism in Japanese sports - including sumo.

En Guarde!

It was reported that one in 20 participants among the fighters at the taekwondo world championships held in Denmark, required hospital admission. The injuries were described as concussion, fractures of the cheekbone and jaw, facial contusion and lacerations.

Control anyone...? Or is this what you can expect when you dance around with your "guard" dangling around your waist?

Saturday, February 20, 2010

Kung Foolish in Thailand

Thailand -- A New Zealand expatriate who reportedly owns several businesses and is a noted kung fu master, was arrested in Pattaya, according to stuff.co.nz.

The man was allegedly dressed in full SWAT gear carrying a live automatic weapon in public, according to police.

When being approached by police, the "kung-fool" reportedly claimed he had been contracted by local police to train them on several occasions. He also produced several forms of identification, some of which was conflicting.

Tuesday, February 16, 2010

Molester at Karate School

Myfoxny.com is running an article about a convicted child molester who allegedly runs a karate school in Glendale, Queens (New York). At the school he is reportedly having close contact with young children on a daily basis.

Nine years go, the karate school owner was reportedly convicted of abusing an 11 year old girl sexually.

The man, who is labeled a level 2 sex offender, spent six months in jail and was also sentenced to five years of probation. This probation ended three and a half years ago.

Sunday, February 14, 2010

Grand Master Confirmed Dead

Haiti -- 57-year-old taekwondo grand master Tran Trieu Quan from Quebec City in Canada has been confirmed dead, according to theglobeandmail.com. He went missing in the wake of the earthquake that hit in January.

His remains was identified in the rubble of a Port-au-Prince hotel, his family announced in a statement Saturday morning.

After General Choi died in 2002, Mr. Quan succeeded him as president of the International Taekwondo Federation, one of the sports' two main ruling bodies.

Tuesday, February 09, 2010

Competitor Assaulted Police

Bermuda -- An international taekwondo fighter representing Bermuda has been given a suspended prison sentence following an assault on police, according to royalgazette.com.

Police reportedly attempted to stop the 21-year-old man, seeing him disobeying a traffic sign at a street junction in Warwick.

After following him for some time, police forced him to stop. When officers attempted to talk to the man, he refused to turn off his motorcycle.

The martial arts competitor then accelerated his bike hitting and knocking one of the officers to the ground before making a u-turn. He then reportedly elbowed the other officer in the face causing him to lose balance.

Monday, February 08, 2010

MA Expert Abused Children

UK -- More than twenty years after he was convicted of another sexual crime, a martial arts expert has been told he's facing jail for a series of sex abuse towards children, according to lep.co.uk.

The 43-year-old man -- who taught jitsu (sic.) and iaido in Preston -- was allegedly allowed to work with children, despite his conviction for indecency in 1989.

In court, he admitted to 13 serious sexual offences against three boys aged between 10 and 15. The offences reportedly happened between 1996 and 2007.

TKD Brothel for Sale

New Zealand -- A taekwondo Olympian who sparked quite a bit of controversy when he set up a brothel in an attempt to fund his Olympics campaign is now reportedly selling the business as a peace offering, according to tvnz.co.nz.

Logan Campbell set-up the "gentleman's club" in Auckland in 2009 to help fund his bid for the 2012 Olympics, a move which brought stern reactions from both the New Zealand Olympic Committee and the national taekwondo federation and jeopardised his place in future squads.

Fighting Like Jesus?

Newser.com asked in a recent article if Jesus might be getting too wimpy for us. And they go on telling us all not to fear.

There's allegedly a new breed of churches where religion is combined with MMA and it's being asked if this perhaps might solve all your spiritual problems.

"Compassion and love - we agree with all that stuff, too," one pastor reportedly said, "but what led me to find Christ was that Jesus was a fighter." Proponents are claiming this method is getting young men back into pews, while skeptics worry they're missing Christianity's whole point.

Kung Fu Saving Soccer?

China -- He has a passion for soccer and now, Kong Debao, a former businessman hopes the principles of kung fu can save Chinese soccer. For some time, Chinese soccer games game has been dented by gambling scandals involving officials, managers and players alike, according to chinadaily.com.cn.

Two Chinese Soccer Association vice-chairmen were arrested January 21 for their alleged roles in soccer gambling. Prior to that, a former Chinese national team coach, several club managers and players had been arrested. Chinese soccer fans have reportedly been disappointed by the many scandals and hefty salaries paid to players, while the international ranking of China has kept declining.

Kong Debao, who is the executive director of the SMK Kungfu Soccer Club, said that by bringing the merits of kung fu onto the soccer pitch, "he hoped players would become more agile and develop stronger minds, improving weaknesses among players".

Wednesday, January 27, 2010

Fighter Arrested

South Carolina -- A 27-year-old Myrtle Beach MMA fighter was recently arrested and charged with first-offense criminal domestic violence, according to thesunnews.com.

Conway Police said officers went to a home on January 10. A woman told the officers that the man, her ex-boyfriend, had called her numerous times that day threatening to kill her and to burn down her house.

Tuesday, January 26, 2010

Intructor Loses Job

Pennsylvania -- A 48-year-old Penn Hills man has recently been removed from his volunteer teaching position.

The man was allegedly teaching martial arts to children as part of a program funded by a $10,000 Pittsburgh city grant: A free taekwondo program, called "Martial Artists Against Street Violence".

It has been revealed the man has a criminal past. He reportedly spent 18 months in jail after pleading guilty to drug charges in 2006, according to post-gazette.com.

Saturday, January 09, 2010

Domestic Violence

Florida -- A 51-year-old Orlando City Council candidate has been ordered by a judge to stay away from a former girlfriend. The woman has accused him of domestic violence, according to orlandosentinel.com.

The man claimed he was the one being assaulted and that he had not defended himself. The judge seemed skeptical of the man's statement, given his 20+ years of martial arts training.

It is not the first time the man has been facing allegations of domestic violence. So far, he has not been convicted of any crimes. The man has previously been arrested at least three times after incidents involving two former wives. The man has said both former wives fabricated the allegations.

Arnis, Now National Sport

Philippines -- President Arroyo recently signed a law declaring arnis as the national martial art and sport in the Philippines. The law reportedly also mandates that an arnis competitions is to be played first at the annual national games.

Up until now, arnis (also called kali or escrima) has often plays second fiddle to other non-Filipino martial arts such as judo, taekwondo and karate in terms of prominence, according to sports.inquirer.net.

Hong Kong Fu

China -- A kung fu grandmaster and a lawyer engaged in what was classified as "childish squabbling" that allegedly threatened to end in violence on May 28, 2009.

The kung fu master was arrested after allegedly threatening to beat up a lawyer on a crowded Hong Kong bus.

The argument between the two was said to have started after the lawyer's young daughter allegedly kicked the kung fu master a third time, according to thestandard.com.hk.

Karate Trouble in India

India -- The All India Karate Do Federation dismissed its former president (Karate Thiagarajan) on December 28 2009, for allegedly misappropriating funds.

The annual general body reportedly authorised the secretary general to take what was referred to as "appropriate legal action" against the former president as well as the former treasurer.

Thursday, January 07, 2010

Nunchaku Painting

China -- Way cool (and finally a worthwhile usage for the usually daft "numb-nuts")!

Anyhow, here's a young street painter in Beijing, who reportedly is creating a sketch of legendary Bruce Lee. He's seen in this picture using nunchaku dipped in paint.

Paint fu for sure! And what better way to combine two arts...