Yuen Biao
May I Introduce To You One Of The Greatest Kickboxers Ever: Peter “Sugarfoot” Cunningham
Like I said in my last post, I would be writing about a couple of martial arts greats these days.
May I introduce today the first one of a group of four outstanding martial arts practitioners and instructors who will be teaching at an upcoming seminar near L.A. this month.
What I just picked up was that he even played the role of Mike ‘Machine Gun’ Mungin in “The Fighter”, starring Mark Wahlberg, Christian Bale, Amy Adams and Melissa Leo.
So, who is Peter Cunningham and what’s with the nickname “Sugarfoot”?
Let’s start with the nickname.
Sensei Pete has been nicknamed “Sugarfoot” due to his sweet kicking techniques. If you have ever watched him kick, you will agree that his kicks are sweet…. if you’re not on the receiving end. In that case, you would be dealing more with some sort of sour after-taste.
Like many of us reading this post, as a youngster, Sensei Pete got hooked on martial arts watching Bruce Lee films. Why am I not surprised?!
Originally from Canada, legendary Peter “Sugarfoot” Cunningham is still considered by many one of the greatest full contact fighters of all time and by some even the greatest technician in kickboxing history. He was an seven-time undefeated, undisputed World Champion Kickboxer.
Already back in 1998, in San Jose, California, “Sugarfoot” was inducted as the very first martial artist into the I.S.K.A. Hall of Fame. We have to know that the I.S.K.A. is the most prestigious sanctioning body in the world.
During his active fighting caeer, Sensei Pete traveled to numerous countries such as England, France, Mexico, and Australia to defend his world titles against the Japanese, Thai, English, French, Mexican, and other North American champions.
Sensei Pete had an amazing record of fifty victories, twenty one of which were knockouts, no draw and only according to my research only one loss. Does anybody know who handed him his only career loss?
Peter “Sugarfoot” Cunningham has shifted his career to teaching and to acting on the the Big Screen. He has already appeared in a number of productions. Besides “The Fighter”, as mentioned above, he is credited for his work in the 1985 martial arts movie “No Retreat, No Surrender” as lightweight champion fighter Frank Peters, as well as in the 1986 Yuen Biao/Corey Yuen film “Righting Wrongs”.
And because we all enjoy some really good visuals, you’re in for a treat starring Peter “Sugarfoot” Cummingham.
Stop by again in the next few days for more martial arts greats …….
Cynthia Rothrock, “The Queen Of Martial Arts Films”
In a recent post just several days ago I referred to Gina Carano as “The Face Of Women’s MMA”.
Today I would like to introduce Cynthia Rockroth, “The Queen Of Martial Arts Films”.
She was once quoted, “throughout my life, I’ve been opening the door for other women to get involved with martial arts films. I was the first woman to be on the cover of a karate magazine and the first woman to win a men’s championship.”
Quite an accomplishment!
I myself became aware of Cynthia Rothrock while flipping through a martial arts publication, I guess it was Black Belt Magazine, probably in the very early 80s when she was on the West coast demo team.
Between 1981 and 1985 Cynthia Rothrock was a five-time (and undefeated) World Karate Champion in forms and weapons.
Remarkably, these categories were open to both male and females at the time.
She currently holds an astonishing five Black belts in numerous Far Eastern martial art styles such as Tang Soo Do, Tae Kwon Do and Wu Shu.
She most probably was the first Caucasian actress that ever had a lead role in a Chinese film as a heroine.
Rothrock became one of the few Caucasian performers to achieve big-time stardom in the local Hong Kong film industry having starred with Michelle Yeoh, Sammo Hung and Yuen Biao, even before achieving success in the U.S.
Reportedly, she set a record of becoming the very first non-Chinese westerner to carry an action movie single-handedly in Hong Kong. Cynthia departed from Hong Kong as one of the most celebrated action stars in Hong Kong’s movie history!
She has starred in countless movies here in the U.S. since returning from Hong Kong in the late 80s.
Probably best known for starring in “China O’Brien” and “Guardian Angel”, Cynthis Rothrock has added the fact that she is an inductee to the Black Belt Hall of Fame and Inside Kung-Fu Hall of Fame to her long list of outstanding accomplishments.
Even after all her major achievements off and on the Big Screen, Cynthia has also become certified as an instructor of Fighting Chance Combat Systems, a reality based, self defense system against armed assaults.
Cynthia Rothrock – Queen Of Martial Arts Films
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