CREDITS: Master Kang Rhee’s “EP Connection” is at www.elviskarate.com, a site that offers a number of rare color photos for sale. Most of the 8x10's are $8.00 each and when my set arrived, I was very happy with the quality and rich, beautiful color of the photographs (three of which can be seen above). The Sam Thompson quote is courtesy of “Elvis’s Karate Legacy”.
With the dishonesty (or to be kind, disingenuousness) of so many in the inner circle and total incompetence of biographers on the subject of Elvis and his expertise in the martial arts, how can they be trusted to be forthcoming or accurate on anything that casts him in a positive light? Elvis was a dedicated martial artist proficient in a wide variety of disciplines, having studied the PaSaRyu system under Master Kang Rhee, Shotokan under both Masters Juergen Seydel and Tetsugio Murakami, Chito-Ryu under Grand Master Hank Slomanski, and Kenpo under Senior Grand Master Ed Parker. Training partners included 2nd degree black belt Red West, PKA Middle-weight Champion Bill “Superfoot” Wallace, Senior Grand Master Dave Hebler, and Professor Wayne Carman – a 5th degree black belt in PaSaRyu, 10th degree black belt in the TCB Karate System and 1973 Light/Heavyweight U.S. National Champion.
Professor Carman: “Today I occasionally hear modern day martial artists and writers make derogatory remarks about the legitimacy of Elvis’ Karate experience. It makes me see red with anger. Only those people who were around Elvis knew how hard he worked to become the martial artist he truly was. To me, he was a very knowledgeable expert in Karate.”
After ordering Professor Carman’s book, “Elvis’s Karate Legacy – The Untold Story of Elvis Presley’s Faith, Sprit and Discipline”, and filled with anticipation, I located his phone number and gave him a call.
Darrin Lee: “Is it true Elvis Presley could kill an opponent in less than 10 seconds?”
Prof. Carman: “Yes. It’s true.”
Darrin Lee: “Elvis’ hands were that lethal?”
Prof. Carman [in a matter of fact tone of voice]: “Yes they were.”
Mr. Tiger’s encyclopedic knowledge, spiritual leadership (cited by Master Rhee), and contribution to the martial arts qualified him for rank of Master of the Art. The suggestion this inductee into the Martial Arts Hall of Fame benefited by a sensei selling rank is an insult. Chapter 3 of “Desert Storm” is entitled “Everybody Was Kung Fu Fighting” and packs a punch. Mr. Sam Thompson: “Although very good physically in Karate, Elvis excelled in the spiritual area of the arts. He studied all aspects of martial arts and, over the years, gained a vast amount of knowledge. The authenticity of his ranking in Karate has been disputed from time to time, but never by the people who knew him and worked out with him. I can personally attest to his experience in the martial arts and the legitimacy of his rank as a master. Elvis was truly a dedicated martial artist.”
During the 1970’s, Elvis Presley (given the name Mr. Tiger by Master Kang Rhee) possessed light-ing fast hands and contrary to popular belief, was a legitimate eighth degree Black Belt.
