Ron Van Clief on the August 1999 Cover
Known worldwide as "The Black Dragon," Ron Van Clief retired as a 5-time world karate/kungfu champion and 15-time all American champion. His skills transitioned from sport to the silver screen in both Hollywood and Hong Kong action films including the Bamboo Trap, The Black Dragon's Revenge, Way of the Black Dragon, The Squeeze opposite Lee Van Cleef and Karen Black, and was also the fight choreographer for the 1985 film The Last Dragon. The 1999 cover featured a story about Van Clief’s signature style of Chinese Goju, three years later he would be inducted into Black Belt Hall of Fame as "2002 Instructor of the Year."
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