28).īloodsport t-shirts, including the bestselling Kumite t-shirt, have helped fans celebrate the movie and the legendary tournament. The event is sponsored by the International Fighting Arts Association (I.F.A.A.) which, although not a publicity seeking organization, is far from secret." ( Black Belt Magazine, 1980, p. In our own correspondence with Frank, he named numerous organizations as acknowledging the existence of The Kumite, including the USA Martial Arts Hall of Fame, The Alliance, Black Dragon Fighting Society, Shinjimatsu (Yokohama, Japan), Golden Globe International Martial Arts Hall of Fame, and Imperial, among others.īlack Belt magazine's November 1980 issue states the following, "The truth is that a full-contact kumite event is indeed held at a private location once every five years. Controversy has arisen around Dux's own past and his stories of The Kumite. However, according to Frank's accounts, "The Kumite" was held in Nassau, Bahamas in 1975, not in Hong Kong like we see in the film. His experience became the inspiration for the onscreen events in the 1988 movie Bloodsport. In the 1988 film, we see Jean-Claude Van Damme, playing Frank Dux, triumphing over a ruthless fighter named Chong Li, portrayed by a then 50-year-old Bolo Yeung.Īs stated in the November 1980 Black Belt magazine interview, titled "Kumite: A Learning Experience," the real Frank Dux did in fact attend and win the 1975 Kumite, weighing in as a heavyweight. According to the movie, the Kumite tournament is a no-holds-barred mixed martial arts competition held in secret every five years. Frank Dux (right, circa 1975) shared a similar resemblance with his onscreen counterpart Jean-Claude Van Damme (left).
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