The Toughest Era of Martial Arts? From the Blood-and-Guts Pioneers of the 1960s to the Rise of the UFC—and the Fall of Karate Point Fighting

There was a time in America when winning a karate tournament could make you a worldwide star. Mike Stone, Joe Lewis, and Chuck Norris in early karate tournament training Long before mixed martial arts, pay-per-view, and social media, the road to fame ran through packed gymnasiums and sold-out arenas, where the world's greatest martial artists battled for championships, prestige, and respect. The…