I have been busy, forgive me for once again wandering from this blog. I recently moved back to the US and although I have found that being away from China has definitely impacted my ability to write about certain aspects of martial arts – personalities and real time events and trends for example – being away allows me to explore other parts.

I am still writing for Fightland, and I recently “completed” a series on kung fu history and culture. BY completed I mean to say I have reached a climax and can now move on to other elements within the same thread, with perhaps a bit more nuance. That’s how it feels with writing sometimes, you put together a string of essays and suddenly a long form opus pops out and it suddenly gives you a chance to breathe and re-group. Here are those essays, from most recent to the first one:

To Topple a Dynasty: Kung Fu Rebels and the Cycle of History

Razing the Temple: Shaolin Versus the State

Shuai Jiao: China’s Indigenous Wrestling Style

Shaolin Warrior Monks and the Japanese “Wokou” Pirates

“The Practical Isn’t Pretty”: General Qi Jiguang on Martial Arts for Soldiers

Flying Kicks: The Roots of Taekwondo and the Future of Martial Arts

Meridians, Death Strikes, and Secrets of the Shaolin Fist

Karate’s Sacred Tome: The Bubishi and the Evolution of Martial Arts

The New Masters Documentary is trucking along as well. I am in the US, so I am a bit removed from the day to day operations. But the crew is digging deeper into the MMA scene and establishing a strong relationship to the fighters and the community. It’s a long road, and 2015 is a grinding year.

I am very interested in the UFC’s upcoming Aldo vs. McGregor fight … I have been watching the embedded series they have going on, and it is really hard to maintain respect for Conor’s skill set as a martial artist when he so routinely disrespects both his opponent and the sport on a constant basis. I truly hope Also destroys him. In my experience the team I root for usually goes down, but I did have the satisfaction of watching the Mavs beat the Heat back in 2010 … so perhaps the Lord will smile down upon me and grant the better man (in my opinion) the victory. It’s worth a look if you are into the showmanship and the brash personalities behind some of the fights.

I for one dislike Conor more and more with each episode. And I think that’s the point right?