The Sun
Sunnyvale's Newspaper

Martial arts superstars come to Flint Center

By Steve Enders

Basketball has Shaquille O'Neal and Michael Jordan; football has Jerry Rice and Steve Young; and golf has Tiger Woods and Jack Nicklaus.

If these athletes were skilled in the martial arts, they'd be at the Flint Center in Cupertino this weekend for the show dubbed "The Main Event, Night of Champions."

Names like Bill "Superfoot" Wallace, Francis Farley, Ernie Reyes Sr. and Frank Shamrock evoke fear in the hearts of their opponents and excitement in the crowds who watch them fight.

They'll be in Cupertino, as will many others who are the best in the world at what they do, according to the event's organizer. Consider it a Super Bowl of martial arts, and it's for a good cause. Proceeds are going to Eastfield Ming Quong, Northern California's top provider of mental health services for children and their families.

Ming Quong's senior development officer, Julie Scales, said that the 131-year-old organization is appreciative of the community's generosity.

"Many times, local organizations do things for us. They chose us--it's wonderful," she said.

Bringing the show to town is Larry Lam, a star in his own right. Lam has been featured in movies including Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and Fox's television show of the same name. He's also won top honors in many of the nation's most highly regarded martial arts competitions.

Lam said he's bringing the show to town to give something back to the community. Born and raised in Hong Kong, Lam now lives in Los Gatos and has run a martial arts studio there for nine years.

"These guys really want to fight each other," he said, pointing to the card, or schedule of competitors.

"I just wanted to bring business back to town. I want to put martial arts in a positive light," he said.

Lam describes the event as "upscale" and as a show purely for entertainment with minimal violence, which makes it suitable for families. Only one of the matches is an exhibition, though. The others are the real deal, and although there's no prize money to be won, the competitors will be fighting for honor and respect, Lam said.

The main event of the night should be a thriller for anyone regardless of whether they're a fan or not. Bill "Superfoot" Wallace, who Lam said is comparable to Bruce Lee in skill and reknown, will fight in an exhibition match against Santa Cruz's Francis Farley, the current world champion kickboxer. Wallace, Lam said, has the fastest kick in the world.

The events will all be on one stage in the center of the arena. Most will be set to music and be accompanied by special lighting, Lam said. Besides the one-on-one matches, world-class, professional demonstration teams will also provide some entertainment. Team Paul Mitchell, whom Lam also calls "the best in the world," will go toe to toe with Team Karl Kani. The two fashion designers are the top two sponsors in professional martial arts today, according to Lam.

Other demonstrations and events will feature U.S. national team members in tae kwon do. The sport will be in the Olympic Games for the first time in the year 2000.

Lam said he got the inspiration to hold the event from a similar show in which he participated in Germany. He said 30,000 people come to watch the annual event and the show sells out six months in advance. It also brought the best in the world together, and he's trying to achieve the same success here, he said. So far, many of the best seats are gone, but there are still plenty of others, he said.

"There are so many talented martial artists that deserve to be put on a stage where they should be," Lam said.

"The Main Event, Night of Champions" hits the Flint Center this Saturday, May 9 at 7:00 p.m. Ticket prices range from $20 to $80 and can be bought at Bass ticket outlets.

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This article appeared in the Sunnyvale Sun, May 6, 1998.
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