By Phil Doherty, pic by North News
phil.doherty@martialnews.co.uk

THE Cage Fight Night at RAF Boulmer has turned into a Battle Royale with two British Army lads joining the fray to raise cash for Help For Heroes.
The two army fighters will join six Raf MMA battlers who train out of the DFM Reivers MMA and the Tap out Academy clubs in Alnwick, Northumberland, to fight for the charity that raises cash for those service personnel injured in the line of duty.
Darren Currah, of DFM Martial Arts who presenting the Battle At Boulmer Cage Fight Night, said: "The night is promising to be a bigger clash with every passing day
...CLICK ABOVE

THE date for this year's 10th anniversary International Marfest has been announced by organisers.
Held to raise cash for Cancer Research UK, the event is being run at Seaburn Leisure Centre, Seaburn, on Saturday, May 8th from 10am to 4pm.
Organiser Peter Seth said: "This is the tenth year the Marfest has been up and running and raising cash for Cancer Research UK and we are planning to make this year a special event and memorable year.
"For the first time we are planning to run mini-seminars where a guest intructor can teach his art to members of the audience as a taster session...CLICK ABOVE

The DFM Martial Arts promoted event will feature both MMA and K – 1 bouts and will range from amateur to professional fights.
DFM Co-chief Instructor and fight promoter Darren Currah said: "All the VIP tables have now been sold and we only have standard tickets left
"Tickets are available from Atmosphere and Cameleon shops in Fenkle and Market Streets, Alnwick...CLICK ABOVE

NEWBURN JUDO'S ACTION PACKED MONTH
By Phil Doherty
phil.doherty@martialnews.co.uk

IT’S been an action-packed month for Newburn judo Club with competitions and coaching awards won and achieved.
The club were last in action on Sunday, February 21st when they won five golds, three silvers and two bronze medals at the North West Aged Banded competition held at St Helens, Lancashire.
Sensei Joe Laws, the club Chief Instructor, said: "Congratulations go to Courtney, Molly, Holly T, James and Megan on taking gold. 
"Also congrats to Connor, Daniel and Jordan on their silvers while Nico...CLICK ABOVE

KICKBOXER SENTENCED FOR ASSAULT
By Martial News Reporter

A CHAMPION Kickboxer has been sentenced after being caught on CCTV brawling in a town centre.
Jo Barry Edwards,  20, was caught on film punching and kicking when a confrontation between two groups of young men spilled into violence.
The fight took place in Weymouth town centre after Edwards and his two pals Mark Nicholas Simpson and Daniel Adam Bentley Davis, both 21, left a cinema wearing 3D glasses.
All three pleaded guilty at Weymouth Magistrates' Court to using threatening, abusive or insulting words or behaviour to cause fear of unlawful violence...CLICK ABOVE

By Phil Doherty
phil.doherty@martialnews.co.uk

CHRIS Ridley has been awarded his black sash after an intensive grading under Kong Sai Martial Arts Sifu Steve Youngman.
The grading was held at Kong Sai's kwoon at Primrose CA,  Jarrow, on behalf of Ley Kuin Do instructor Peter Leydon.
Sifu Youngman said: "I had the pleasure of grading Chris Ridley for his 1st Degree Black Sash on behalf of his instructor Peter Leydon as recommended by Andy Morrell, Founder and Chief Instructor of Cobra Martial Arts Association in Manchester of which myself, Kong Sai Martial Arts, and Peter’s clubs, Ley Kuin Do, are members...CLICK ABOVE

KENPO COACH TEACHES COBRA KIDS
By Phil Doherty
phil.doherty@martialnews.co.uk

COBRA Kids Karate Club hosted a seminar with a top Kenpo instructor to learn more about the art.
Sensei Mike Ilderton, of East West Kenpo Karate, was guest of honour at Cobra Kids Karate Club's dojo at Saint Paul’s Community Hall in Barrow, Cumbria, on Sunday, January 31st.
The seminar was organised by the club's chief instructor Sensei Helen Wiggin, 3rd Dan Ju-jitsu, 2nd Dan Karate and community safety expert.
Helen, who works for Cumbria Fire Service, has recently been nominated in the Teacher of the Year category of the Love Barrow awards for her

TEEN COMPLETES 100 THROWS FOR SCHOOL
By Martial News Reporter

A 15-YEAR-OLD teenager has completed 100 throws to help boost a foreign trip fund for school.
Esme Harte, a brown and white belt at Newton Aycliffe Ju-jitsu Club, Newton Aycliffe, County Durham, did the marathon session as part of fundraising efforts at Sedgefield Community College.
The school's group year 11 pupils are raisng cash to fund a trip to Morocco as part of One World Challenge, a cultural exchange programme that teaches leadership skills, team building and cultural understanding...CLICK ABOVE

By Phil Doherty
phil.doherty@martialnews.co.uk

LEGEND Frank Brennan has taught a course at Leeds Karate Academy.
More than 40 faithful students braved terrible snow conditions to make it to the training course in Shotokan Karate under Brennan, 7th Dan, one of the world's experts in competition fighting.
The course was held at the LKA's hombu dojo in the Springfield Commercial Centre, Bagley Lane, Farsley, Leeds, on Wednesday, February 3rd.
LKA Chief Instructor Nick Heald said: "Despite the poor weather conditions with lots of snow, there was a 40 strong class for Sensei to teach...CLICK ABOVE 

RHIANNA'S DOMINATRIX FILM ROLE
By Martial News Reporter

HOLLYWOOD rumours have that Rhianna is to play a dominatrix alongside Samuel L Jackson in the remake of the classic martial arts movie The Last Dragon.
The singer has long since said she would love to go into films and has taken acting lessons to realise her ambition.
Now according to unconfirmed reports Rhianna, 21, has won the role in the remake of the 1985 movie of one boy's quest to become the ultimate warrior...CLICK ABOVE

TWO YEARS JAIL FOR SEX KARATE TEACHER
By Martial News Reporter

JESUS STEPS INTO CAGE TO FIGHT THE GOOD FIGHT
By Martial News Reporter

JESUS is making his way into the MMA cage as more and more churches in the United States embrace the sport.
Now its not uncommon to see "Jesus didn't Tap" legends emblazoned across T-shirts and hoodies at MMA events across the US.
Churches see the sport as a way of reaching young people that normally they couldn't reach.
Now they are holding fight night television viewing parties or use MMA as an analogy for what Christ fought for....CLICK ABOVE

FAMILY OF "KUNG FU" JUDGE SUE NURSING HOME

THE family of a black belt judge - who used to do martial art moves in court - are suing his nursing home for neglect.
The allegation is that Prospect Park Residence regularly forgot to give judge John Phillips his insulin shot for his diabetes and refused to give him a diabetic menu.
He died eight months after moving into Prospect Park.
Family lawyer and friend of Phillips John O'Hara said: "He had diabetes that was supposed to be controlled. 
"They kept screwing up. ... They killed him."...CLICK ABOVE

By Martial News Reporter

THE Taekwondoist who opened a brothel to fund his Olmlypic dreams has put the cat house up for sale.
Logan Campbell, 23, of New Zealand, stunned the Taekwondo world and scandalised New Zealand's Olympic committee when he first opened the brothel last year.
He said at the time that it was the only way he could raise the £200,000 funds he needed to take part in the next Olympics.
With prostitution and brothels legal in New Zealand, Logan wasn't breaking the law. But he offended the Olympic Organisation which condemned his actions...CLICK ABOVE

SUMO CHAMP "BAD BOY" ASASHORYU TO JOIN MMA?
By Martial News Reporter

THE "Bad Boy" of Sumo is rumoured to be looking to step into the cage to take on the best MMA fighters.
Sumo champion Asashoryu recently retired from Sumo where he is at the top of his carreer following allegations he attacked a man outside Nishiazabu, an expensive Tokyo nightclub last month.
The 29-year-old Mongolian Sumo champ - whose real name is Dolgorsuren Dagvadorj, is only one of three non-Japanese people to achieve the top rank of Yokozuna, or grand champion.
In his Sumo career Asashoryu won 25 tournaments at the highest level and is the only man to sweep every top-division tourney in a single year...CLICK ABOVE

The body of Tran Trieu Quan, 57, of Quebec, Canada, was discovered in the rubble of a hotel in Port-au-Prince which had collapsed in last month's quake that devastated the country.
Vietnamese-born Tran's disappearance in the wake of the tragedy that hit the island brought messsages of support from across the world's martial arts community.
An engineer by profession, ironically Tran was in Haiti under contract to the World Bank to improve building standards...CLICK ABOVE

MARTIAL ARTS PASTOR ACCUSED OF ABUSE
By Martial News Reporter

A MARTIAL arts instructor and pastor has been charged with sexually abusing a 10-year-old girl.
Stewart Newman - who is also a band leader and choir director - is alleged to have abused the girl from the age of six, a county court heard.
He has been charged with a first-degree sexual assault of a child charge - the most serious category under Omaha state law.

The case will now move up to the District Court after waived a first hearing...CLICK ABOVE

By Laura Caroe, Evening Chronicle
laura.caroe@ncjmedia.co.uk
www.chroniclelive.co.uk

THIS little fighter has battled against crippling shyness to secure a black belt in kickboxing at the tender age of nine.
Carl Hogarth may be small, but the lad has built up a tower of strength while bagging belt after belt since he was four.
His proud parents Steve and Kerry, 43, from Newcastle, are over the moon that their son has discovered his extraordinary talent as it has helped him overcome his extreme shyness...CLICK ABOVE

By Donald Robinson
don.robinson@martialnews.co.uk

A TAIJi seminar is being held in County Durham at the end of the month.
The open course is being held Heighington Village Hall, East Green, Heighington, Newton Aycliffe, Co Durham, on Saturday, March 27^th March.
It is being run by Sifu Joe Harte, a student of Patrick Kelly, and starts at 9.45am to 5pm. 
Attendance is by prior booking.
Joe said: "Within Taiji there lies a genuine depth of practise that seeks to look behind the veil of what is often sadly just slow outer movement...CLICK ABOVE

UFC BACK MOVES TO MAKE MMA AN OLYMPIC EVENT
By Martial News Reporter

UFC head Dana White has said they'd support moves to make mixed martial arts an Olympic sport.
The UFC president said their company would actively lobby for its inclusion in the world's biggest sporting event, but they support others if they push for it joining the games.

Dana told Associated Press: "It would be a huge benefit to us if mixed martial arts became an Olympic sport.
"It would create instant awareness around the world, and it would be huge.
"I would support it 100 percent. I personally am not out there trying to get mixed martial arts as an Olympic sport...CLICK ABOVE

KUNG FU SCHOOL GETS CHINESE APPROVAL
By Phil Doherty
phil.doherty@martialnews.co.uk

A BRITISH Kung Fu school has become the first in the world to be given official Chinese Government recognition.
The Kung Fu school in Croydon, London, has been given the official seal of approval by the Confucius Institute, a government organisation that promotes Chinese culture.
Business and groups that help the unbderstanding of Chinese culture are officialy recognised by the institute.
Sifu Alan Paterson said: "It feels slightly surreal that we are the only school in the whole world outside of China to be given this recognition...CLICK NEWS

BRAVE GIRL RETURNS TO JUJITSU AFTER LOSING LEGS
By Martial News Reporter

A YOUNG girl who lost both legs to meningitis has returned to her Ju-jitsu club just days after leaving hospital.
Victoria Watson, six-years-old, lost her legs when she was struck down with the killer disease while on holiday in Yarmouth in October. She was rushed to the nearest hospital in Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, where she slipped into a coma.
Victoria was diagnosed with B-type meningitis and developed lesions on her legs with the lower parts turning gangreous. She had to have them amputated in November and was left with scars all over her body and unable to straighten her right hand fingers....CLICK ABOVE

British Judo Association President George Kerr has been awarded the 10th Dan – making him only the seventh 10th Dan in the World and the fifth non-Japanese judoka ever to receive the honour.
Kerr, 72, was presented with the honour on Saturday by the International Judo Federation in front of 14,000 judo fans at the Bercy Stadium in Paris, which is this weekend staging the prestigious Paris Grand Slam.
Shortly after receiving the honour George said: "I am completely humbled to receive my 10th Dan and slightly over whelmed by the whole thing...CLICK ABOVE

KENDAL Judo Club's five-strong squad returned five medals at the North West Area Championships.
The Cumbrian team's David Groom led the way defeating David Upton of the Saltuburn Judo Club before meeting Kidderminister's Tom Walker in the final.
Groom gained a full point over Walker and took the gold.
Then Michael Horley stepped up onto the mat to fight Bobby Rich, London, in the opening pool.
Michael threw Bobby in the early round but when they met again in the final it was Bobby's turn and Michael had to take the silver...CLICK ABOVE