20 Amazingly True Facts About Martial Arts You Didn’t Know

Sumo wrestlers of the lowest ranks must always wear wooden sandals in public. The clacking sound of their footsteps is a reminder to improve their skills.

Karate belts go from lighter to darker colors as you rank up since Japan was poor during World War 2, and dyeing the belts were cheaper than getting new ones.

A fire fighter named John Giuffrida who was receiving $75,000 a year disability pension was caught competing in brutal kickboxing competitions.

Bob Barker is a black belt in karate and was trained by Chuck Norris and his brother Aaron. He volunteered to fight Adam Sandler in their scene together in Happy Gilmore.

Jason David Frank (green power ranger) is actually a 7th degree black belt, a pro MMA fighter, developed his own style of karate, & held the world record for most pine boards broken in free fall.

Rope-a-dope is a boxing technique where you allow your opponent to punch you heavily against the ropes, tiring them out. The ropes absorb most of the impact of the punches.

Kublai Khan's niece Khutulun insisted that any man who wished to marry her must defeat her in wrestling and forfeit horses to her if they lost. She gained 10,000 horses defeating prospective suitors.

As a child, Muhammad Ali was refused an autograph by his boxing idol, Sugar Ray Robinson. When Ali became a prizefighter, he vowed never to deny an autograph request, which he honored throughout his career.

On April 6, 1893, Andy Bowen and Jack Burke were involved in the longest boxing fight in history. The fight lasted 111 rounds (3-minute rounds each), it took 7 hours and 19 minutes until referee John Duffy called "no contest" after both men were too dazed and tired to come out of their corners.

Liam Neeson was an Irish amateur boxing champion, a forklift driver for Guinness and dropped out of a degree in computer Science all before the age of 25.