Indomina Releasing has debuted the official US trailer on Apple for kung fu master Yuen Woo-Ping’s newest martial arts epic True Legend, starring Man Cheuk Chiu, Xun Zhou and Michelle Yeoh. 

True Legend will be on limited theaters in the US starting May 13th. Who’s going to see it?

Some state lawmakers think a smackdown might be a good way to raise money for New York.

Senate Republicans in Albany are hoping to legalize mixed martial arts (MMA) in the state for what they believe could be millions of dollars in annual tax revenue. The proposal is likely to meet with heavy opposition from the Democratic-controlled Assembly.

On Wednesday fans of the sport showed up in droves for a rally at Radio City Music Hall aimed to push for the approval of MMA in New York.

via cbs

South Korea is working to promote the Russian martial art of sambo, as Seoul tries to host the world and Asian youth championships next year and plans to keep sending athletes to international competitions.

“We will make various efforts to further promote sambo here,” said Moon Jong-geum, chairman of the Korea Sambo Federation. “With Russia giving active support, sambo is gaining influence in the international sporting scene.”

The Korean federation has entered the bidding for the 2012 World Youth Championship and also the Asian Championships.

Sambo is an acronym for the Russian words Samooborona Bez Oruzhiya, which translates to “self-defense without weapons.” It takes its roots in judo and karate of Japan, and also traditional forms of old Russian wrestling.

Sambo can be competed in two variations: “sport” sambo, which is similar to freestyle wrestling or judo, and “combat” sambo, which is close to modern-day mixed martial arts. The American Sambo Association has also created “freestyle” sambo.

Sambo was introduced in South Korea in 2003, and there are about 100 sambo gyms nationwide today. The Korea Sambo Federation is recognized by the Korean Olympic Committee (KOC).

South Korea won its first sambo world championship medal in 2009, when Kim Kwang-sub took the bronze in the men’s lightweight (68 kilograms) division. Though the country has come up short in ensuing competitions, it has kept sending athletes to major events, such as the Russian Federation President’s Cup.

Starting March 24 in Moscow, South Korea will send three athletes to the Kharlampiev Memorial Cup, a tournament named after Anatoly Kharlampiev, the founder of the sport sambo.

The South Korean federation has scheduled the eighth national sambo championship, which will also double as the national team trials, from April 23-24. And to help develop sambo here, it has recruited a Russian sambo athlete, Pavel Astapov, to coach local athletes.

via yonhapnews

Saya Richard Morris, 75, uses spinning knives and swords in his death-defying tricks as part of the Burmese martial art, Bando Thaing.

via liverpoolecho

Actress Jennifer Morrison posted the first character posters for the upcoming “Warrior” movie, starring Tom Hardy (Inception), Nick Nolte and Joel Edgerton (Animal Kingdom). Check them out below.

Plot: The youngest son (Hardy) of an alcoholic former boxer (Nolte) returns home, where he’s trained by his father for competition in a mixed martial arts tournament - a path that puts the fighter on a collision corner with his older brother (Edgerton).

The new movie is directed by Gavin O’Connor (Pride and Glory, Miracle) and is set to hit theaters on September 9th.

Good Fight Entertainment is proud to welcome Quinton ‘Rampage’ Jackson to its sports division as its first mixed martial arts fighter. The relationship with Good Fight Entertainment and Rampage is in partnership with Anthony McGann and Wolfslair.

After becoming an icon with Japan’s PRIDE Fighting Championships he became an American professional mixed martial arts fighter, and former UFC light-heavyweight champion.

“We are honored to work with Quinton and Anthony in all aspects of Quinton’s business development, said Paul Conroy, Good Fight Entertainment Co-Founder. Quinton is an incredible fighter with massive cross-over media presence. Most importantly, he is a great person. For the better part of the last year, our company has been looking for the right entry point into the business of MMA. There is no better place to begin then with Quinton as our client. We look forward to helping Quinton capture the potentially substantial upside he has in front of him with his business.”

Regarded as one of the most recognized fighters in the world, Quinton is ranked the number three Light Heavyweight in the world, and is the first fighter to unify any of the UFC and Pride FC championship belts. He also holds notable victories over Chuck Liddell (twice), Wanderlei Silva, Murilo Rua, Keith Jardine, Dan Henderson and Lyoto Machida to name a few.

Quinton’s passion for fighting and undeniable talent has also labeled him, “Most Outstanding Fighter and awarded him “Fight of the Year” consistently throughout his fighting career. He has also gained celebrity status with his numerous acting appearances on film and TV to include coaching on two seasons of, “The Ulitmate Fighter” on Spike TV.

via aroundtheoctagon

Donnie Yen new movie ‘Legend of the Fist: The Return of Chen Zhen’ is coming to US on April 2011. Check out this cool trailer!

Are you going to see this movie?

Who said cartwheel kick won’t work in a fight?

VALHALLA – Former New York City cop and martial arts instructor Trent Young, 42, of the Town of Wallkill was sentenced to over 21 years in federal prison for his transportation of three girls across state lines to have sex.  Young had operated a martial arts studio in his Wallkill home as well as one in West Milford, New Jersey, called Iron Tiger Martial Arts.

According to the indictment to which he pled guilty and statements made in court, Young brought a 14-year-old girl from Middletown to his New Jersey business and had sex with her. He brought a second girl, who was 16, to Iron Tiger and had sex with her and in another incident he drove a 14-year-old girl from her home in Brooklyn to his home in the Town of Wallkill and had sex with her.

At the time of his arrest, police said he convinced the girls that having sex was part of their rite of passage as they rose through the martial arts levels. In imposing sentence, US District Court Judge Kenneth Karas said the “extraordinarily high” sentence was appropriate in light of what Young did to the girls he chose as his victims. “The magnitude of the conduct here outweighs the medical issues” faced by Young, said the judge.

via midhudsonnews

A scene in the 1993 film “Tai-Chi Master” (“Taiji Zhang Sanfeng”) starring Jet Li and Michelle Yeoh. [File Photo: Baidu.com] 

Jet Li has been confirmed to focus his new movie on the Chinese martial arts of Tai-Chi, but Feng Xiaogang won’t be the director.

Production company Huayi Brothers announced the film on Monday, February 21, 2011. With the working title, “Tai-Chi”, the film will star Jet Li as a legendary Tai-Chi master.

Li built one of his most successful roles with his portrayal of Tai-Chi master Zhang Sanfeng in Yuen Woo-Ping’s 1993 film “Tai-Chi Master” (“Taiji Zhang Sanfeng”). Huayi Brothers didn’t elaborate on Li’s new character, but said it won’t reprise Zhang Sanfeng.

Jet Li will be the executive producer of the film with Chen Kuo-Fu.

via china

By Ben Stores 

He is no karate kid, but superfit 91-year-old Cristobal Campos is giving youngsters a run for their money.

The pensioner refuses to let age get in the way of what he does as he gears up to launch a series of tae kwon do classes.

Cristobal, who took up the sport at the age of 80 after watching his grandsons, said: “I’ve been practising tae kwon do for 11 years now and I’m a fourth Dan black belt. It helps me keep active and is good for self-defence.

“I am known as Master Campos.”

And a talent for martial arts must run in the family – Cristobal’s son Mike, 57 and grandsons Adam, 21, and David, 26, are also black belts.

The great-grandad, who lives with wife May, 84, in West Boldon, tops up his martial arts training with weekly sessions at the gym. Cristobal, who originally hails from Southern Spain, said: “All the training keeps me strong. I do circuit training, running, press-ups and weights.

“A lot of the young men at the gym say they can’t do what I do.”

Read the entire article via sunderlandecho

The Martial Arts History Museum, the first museum in the world featuring all aspects of Asian martial arts and Asian culture, is pleased to announce its relocation from Santa Clarita, CA to the city of Burbank. The main purpose of the Martial Arts History Museum is to provide educational information to children and visitors about the cultural, historical and artistry of Asian forms of martial arts. Founded in 1999, the Museum is set to open its doors in April, 2011. “We are proud to join the city of Burbank which is synonymous throughout the world for entertainment,” said Museum founder and President Michael Matsuda.

Located in the heart of the city near Magnolia and Buena Vista, the Martial Arts Museum brings with it a huge customer and fan following. The Martial Arts History Museum, a non-profit organization, is filled with over 500 artifacts including iconic outfits, tournament costumes, movie wardrobe and historical photographs. The path through the Museum is set up as a timeline revealing how the martial arts first began, which Asian countries played a role in its development, the traditions behind the art and how it took its first step on Western soil. “Our mission is honor Asian history and its roots in American history,” said Matsuda. “For example, Asian kung fu and karate have had positive influences on movies, television shows and animation.”

“We are also planning a host of ‘meet and greet events’ of MMA stars, martial arts celebrities, ask the action actor series and more,” said Matsuda. “There are many stars that have utilized martial arts in their career in various hit movies and have been very supportive to the Museum.” The Martial Arts Museum events are so unique and informative that they have drawn visitors from San Diego to San Luis Obispo.

“Our first event for our new Burbank location is a seminar sampler in which the public will be provided free entrance into the facility and get a 15-minute taste of the seminars yet to come,” concludes Matsuda.

Entrance into the Museum is $6, however, memberships are encouraged which provide free visitation to all its seminars for a full year. For more information on upcoming events and to join the VIP MA Museum Mobile Club, text mamuseum to 69852.The Museum is located at 2319 West Magnolia Blvd., and their website is MAmuseum.com. Tax deductible donations are always appreciated and welcome.

via ucwe

While the mixed martial arts scene in Japan faces continued uncertainty, the biggest MMA promotion in the world looks intent on making it’s return to the country for the first time in over 11 years.

Former Senior Vice President and Managing Director of NBA Asia and current Asia Executive Vice President and Managing Director for Zuffa, Mark Fischer, has been the man in charge for getting the UFC ready for a return to the market.

According to MMAFighting, Fischer is confident of the UFC’s future success in Japan:

“Zuffa has been working on the Japan market for many years, and the various relationships and resources we have built up here over this time have generated some significant opportunities for us now.”

The main issue, of course, is obtaining television in the first place. The UFC currently has deals with WOWOW TV and NTT Plala, along with mobile-television company TV Bank. But those deals are only “supplemental methods of distribution”.

“The sport of MMA still has a deep base of popularity in Japan. The combination of this fundamental base, the UFC’s global leadership of the sport and our commitment to excellence in everything we do, and the participation in UFC of a number of locally relevant fighters, is a potent formula which will ultimately make UFC an attractive property for network TV in Japan. We are also looking at creating innovative programming most suitable for network TV, which will help us get those relationships started and then we can build from there.”

via mmafrenzy

MUSCATINE, Iowa - This Saturday, 150 martial arts students from around the region will be in Muscatine for the first Tae Kwon Do Black Belt Association Tae Kwon Do Championships.

Steve Truitt Jr., owner and operator of the Tae Kwon Do Black Belt Association in Muscatine, hopes the invitational will be the beginning of more local martial arts events.

Truitt Jr. invites the public to observe the day-long event, free of charge, and learn more about the world of martial arts, including tae kwon do, which is a Korean form of self defense, similar to karate.

Competitors from schools in Wilton, Bettendorf, Clinton and Muscatine will participate in the categories of forms competition, breaking, continuous point sparring, and Olympic sparring.

The final category requires a full set of safety gear, said Truitt Jr., because there is more contact.

Gold, silver and bronze medals will be awarded.

Event Info

via muscatinejournal

Li announced his plan in Beijing where he was named image ambassador for the inaugural SportAccord Combat Games.

He would work specifically on promoting the martial art of Tai-Chi.

“It’s my dream to help Tai Chi push-hands become an official Olympic sport. I’ll spare no efforts to make that happen in 20 years.”

Tai Chi push-hands, or tuishou in Chinese, refer to the two-person training routines involving Tai Chi moves and concepts that improve flexibility and balance.

Li used Korean Taekwondo and Japanese Judo as examples, and said he dreamed about Chinese Tai Chi being practised around the world.

via dailychilli