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Prominent Martial Artists Celebrate 60 Years of Black Belt

Black Belt 60th Anniversary

In recognition of Black Belt's 60th Anniversary in 2021, influential martial artists from all over the world have reached out to celebrate the incredible milestone. Black Belt thanks all of our readers for making this journey possible, and we look forward to sharing and spreading the martial arts for many years to come. Special thanks to all of those below who took the time to film a video for the 60th Anniversary. Keep scrolling to view all of the kind messages we have received from some of the most notable martial artists in the world today.


Aleksandra Knepper

3rd Degree Black Belt with 20 years of marital arts experience and founder of PalmStrike, a self-defense instruction company.

Annika Kahn

3rd Degree Black Belt in Kuk Sool Won, Four-time World Grand Champion, and founder/creator of Jungshin Fitness.

Aung La Nsang

Mixed Martial Artist signed with ONE Championship who has won the middleweight and light heavyweight titles in the organization.

Brandon Vera

Mixed Martial Artist who was the first ONE Championship heavyweight champion and is the 2005 WEC World Heavyweight Grand Prix Champion.

Christine Bannon-Rodrigues

9x WAKO World Champion, Team Paul Mitchell, Black Belt Magazine Hall of Famer, and accomplished stunt performer who has played "Lady Lightning" on WMAC Masters and doubled for "Batgirl" in Batman & Robin (1997).

Colbey Northcutt

Mixed Martial Artist for ONE Championship, numerous sport karate world championships, and a Black Belt Magazine Hall of Famer.

Cynthia Rothrock

Five-time forms and weapons world champion, international martial arts movie star, known as "The Lady Dragon", and Black Belt Magazine Hall of Famer.

Damon Gilbert

Numerous point fighting world championships, fighting coach of Team Paul Mitchell Karate, Black Belt Magazine Hall of Famer, and Silver Star police officer for the Oakland Police Department.

Dana Abbott

7th Degree Black Belt, Kenjutsu Japanese Swordsmanship expert, creator of ActionFlex weapons, and Black Belt Magazine Hall of Famer.

Darryn Melerine

5th Degree Black Belt in Minami Ryu Jujitsu, social media influencer, and owner of Zanshin Dojo.

Don Rodrigues

Grandmaster, legendary coach and co-founder of Team Paul Mitchell Karate, and Black Belt Magazine Hall of Famer.

Eddie Alvarez

Mixed Martial Artist for ONE Championship, former UFC Lightweight Champion, and Former Bellator MMA Lightweight Champion.

Eyal Yanilov

Chief Instructor of Krav Maga Global, Co-Founder and former Chief Instructor of the International Krav Maga Federation, and Black Belt Magazine Hall of Famer.

Floyd Burk

Senior Black Belt Instructor of Traditional American Karate with over 45 years of martial arts experience, Contributing Editor for Black Belt Magazine.

Frank Sanchez

10th Degree Black Belt, Grandmaster, and Founder of San-Jitsu, Guam's first internationally-recognized martial arts style.

Fumio Demura

Master of traditional karate and kobudo, stunt double for Mr. Miyagi in "The Karate Kid", Martial Arts Super Show Lifetime Achievement Award Winner, and Black Belt Magazine Hall of Famer.

Gary Goltz

8th Degree Black Belt in Judo, Black Belt Magazine Contributor, Former President of the United States Judo Association, and Former President of Nanka, the SoCal Black Belt Consortium.

George Kirby

10th Degree Black Belt in Budoshin Ju-Jitsu, Founder of the Budoshin Ju-Jitsu Yudanshakai, and Black Belt Magazine Hall of Famer.

Greg Robbins

2nd Degree Black Belt in Tae Kwon Do, Stunt Performer, Actor, Writer, and Director.

Harinder Singh

Master of Jeet Kune Do, 23rd generation master of Tai Chi, and world-renowned high performance coach who has trained over 100 law enforcement agencies around the globe.

Hayward Nishioka

9th Degree Black Belt in Judo, five consecutive national championships from 1965-1970, 1967 Pan American Games Gold Medalist, and Black Belt Magazine Hall of Famer.

Herb Perez

8th Degree Black Belt in Tae Kwon Do, 1992 Olympic Gold Medalist, Black Belt Magazine Hall of Famer, and starred as "Olympus" on WMAC Masters.

James Arvanitis

Professional Mixed Martial Arts Trainer, considered Pankration's renaissance man, author of multiple Pankration books, and Black Belt Magazine Hall of Famer.

Jason Kelly

Black Belt Magazine Fitness and Nutrition Contributor, Bachelor of Science in Exercise Physiology.

Jean Jacques Machado

7th Degree Coral Belt in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, 1999 ADCC Submission Wrestling World Champion, and nephew of BJJ Co-Founder Grandmaster Carlos Gracie.

Jim Wagner

Black Belt Magazine Self-Defense Contributor, Founder and Chief Instructor of Jim Wagner's Reality-Based Personal Protection, internationally-known self-defense expert, and Black Belt Magazine Hall of Famer.

Joe Corley

10th Degree Black Belt, former promoter of the Battle of Atlanta World Karate Championships, Black Belt Magazine Hall of Famer, and American kickboxing pioneer who helped the PKA have success.

John Hackleman

Master of Hawaiian Kenpo, famously known as "The Pit Master", and world-renowed mixed martial arts trainer for the likes of Chuck Liddell, Glover Teixeira, and more.

Justin Lee Ford

Freelance writer, passionate martial artist, and Black Belt Magazine Contributor.

Alvin Matthews

Founder of Kick-Box-Move Fitness.

Lady Sensei

Founding President of the Women's Martial Arts Network, United States Representative of the International Circle of Masters, and Black Belt Magazine Hall of Famer.

Master Ken

The highest-ranking black belt to ever exist, founder of Ameri-Do-Te, innovator of re-stomping the groin, star of the Enter the Dojo Show, and has over 800,000 YouTube subscribers.

Mike Chat

Founder of the extreme martial arts brand XMA, decorated sport karate world champion, member of Team Paul Mitchell Karate, Blue Power Ranger from "Lightspeed Rescue", and Black Belt Magazine Hall of Famer.

Mike Dillard

Founder and CEO of Century Martial Arts, Founder of the Martial Arts Industry Association, former Karate national champion, and Black Belt Magazine Hall of Famer.

Joko Ninomiya

Founder and Director of Enshin Karate, inspired The Sabaki Fighting Method online course taught by his son Mike for Black Belt Magazine, and Black Belt Magazine Hall of Famer.

Mahaliel Bethea

Master of the art of 52 Blocks (formerly known as "Jailhouse Rock"), famously known as "Professor Mo", and has appeared in several martial arts movies.

Reinier De Ridder

Simultaneous Middleweight and Light Heavyweight MMA Champion in ONE Championship, former HIT Middleweight Champion, and former 360 fighting promotion Middleweight Champion.

Shannon Lee

Daughter of the legendary Bruce Lee, multiple martial arts film and television appearances, Black Belt Magazine Hall of Famer, and author of "Be Water, My Friend".

Damien Chauremootoo

Wing Chun master, head instructor of Empower Tactical in Melbourne, and instructor for a series of Black Belt Magazine online courses.

Stephen K. Hayes

Founder of To-Shin Do, 10th Degree Black Belt in Togakure-Ryu Ninjutsu, and Black Belt Magazine Hall of Famer who was described as "one of the ten most influential living martial artists in the world" in 1985.

Tim Tackett

Jeet Kune Do expert trained by Dan Inosanto, taught Jeet Kune Do principles to the Dallas Cowboys and San Francisco 49ers, and Black Belt Magazine Hall of Famer.

Jeremy Lynch

Tae Kwon Do student under Grandmaster Jhoon Rhee and member of Tim Tackett's legendary Jeet Kune Do Wednesday Night Group.

Vladimir Vasiliev

Founder of Systema Headquarters who has certified over 600 instructors, founder of the first Russian martial arts school outside of Russia, and Black Belt Magazine Hall of Famer.

William Ford

Star of the 52 Masters television series and played "Dennis" in Karate Kid Part III.

Willie Johnson

7th Degree Black Belt in Karate, 5th Degree Black Belt in Shaolin Wu Shu Kung Fu, Famously known as "The BAM", 7x world champion, and Black Belt Magazine Hall of Famer.

Ricardo Liborio

6th Degree Black Belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Co-Founder of American Top Team and Brazilian Top Team, Founder of Martial Arts Nation, and Founder/CEO of the International Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Institute.

Patrick Vuong

Founder of Tiga Tactics, Former Senior Editor or Recoil Magazine, and Columnist for Black Belt Magazine.

Raffi Derderian

Owner and Head Instructor of Derderian Academy of Martial Arts, Black Belt Magazine Content Creator.

Jackson Rudolph

Founder of The Flow Weapons Training System, Co-Founder of Sport Karate University, most ISKA U.S. Open weapons titles of any male in history, and Black Belt Magazine Hall of Famer.

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