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

In an incident that Picasso recalled fondly, two of his mistresses once encountered each other at the artist’s studio. They demanded that he choose between them, but the artist refused, stating that they should fight it out, which led to their wrestling on the floor.

John Cusack has trained in kickboxing for over 20 years and is a sixth-degree black belt.

Cary Elwes and Mandy Patinkin learned to fence both left-and right-handed and performed all of the fencings in the sword fight scene for The Princess Bride.

George Foreman has made more money selling his grills than for his boxing career in which he was a 2-time heavyweight champion.

Filipino Martial Arts are considered the most advanced practical modern blade system in the world and are used by the U.S. Army, the Spetsnaz, and various branches of India's military.

Julie D’Aubigny was a 17th-century bisexual French opera singer and fencing master who fought and won at least ten life-or-death duels, performed nightly shows on the biggest opera stage in the world and once took the Holy Orders just so she could sneak into a convent and shag a nun.

Steven Seagal was given Serbian citizenship after starting a martial arts school in Belgrade and giving Aikido lessons to Serbian Special Forces.

The saying "He can run but he can't hide." comes from the great boxing champion Joe Louis who once said it to taunt one of his opponents, who was known for his speed.

Jack Johnson (the first ever African American heavyweight boxing champion) was pulled over for a $50 speeding ticket, but he gave the officer $100 telling him to keep the change as he was going to make the return trip at the same speed.

John L. Sullivan, the fighter from the overly manly man meme, fought in a bare-knuckle boxing match that lasted 75 rounds before he won.