We've got a Diamond's Corner short coming at you this week with the man, the myth, the legend: Master Ken. Craig sits down with the Master to discuss all of his accomplishments, and you really can't miss this one. 


Check out the video of their interview or read the transcript of their conversation below! We will be releasing new Diamond's Corner videos every Friday at noon, so check back for more awesome conversations with interesting people.  



READ CRAIG AND master ken's CONVERSATION BELOW



CRAIG: Welcome everybody again to another fantastic edition of Diamond's Corner. Today we have I mean, ABQ Albuquerque street fighter, eleventh degree black belt, an Ameri-do-te, Master Ken joining us. Say hello Master.

MASTER KEN: Hello Master

CRAIG: Well, so, how are you keeping yourself busy in these crazy quarantine times?

MASTER KEN: Well uh, I've done a variety of things, by the way, happy Earth Day.

CRAIG: Happy Earth Day to you too sir. You have some nice, an Earthy moustache I see.

MASTER KEN: Yeah, thank you. I've got some dirt in it. I was outside, um, I wanted a better view of the horizon today, uh to celebrate Earth Day so that I could see the Earth, so I was out back of the dojo and I cut back about half a dozen trees and I can see the earth so much better now.

CRAIG: Well, it's about the view of Earth Day, and you have to do what you have to do.

MASTER KEN: I'm trying to appreciate it.

CRAIG: Master Ken, you've inspired so many, you've influenced so many, um, walk us through the rest of your day today, what are you going to be doing today?

MASTER KEN: Well I'm going to be working on uh, I'm always working on new techniques, uh, I'm going to be doing some videos. I have some special request videos. I do videos on an app called Cameo, where people can ask for uh, they can send a request for a specific video about a specific question. I'm working on a video about an art that deals with bayonet fighting. Um, I actually created this uh, bayonet here. Um, so I made a bayonet weapon here.

CRAIG: I like that.

MASTER KEN: Yeah. But what I notice that a lot of these guys don't do properly is they don't put the blade curving up in the way of the barrel, which you want to do. Because then every bullet becomes two bullets. Because it flies out and it gets cut in half right about here. So you can shoot two bullets out of one bullet.

CRAIG: I heard a story that you were uh, prototyping with that bayonet there, and you shot a man right between the eyes, except you got both eyes with that new innovation.

MASTER KEN: Exactly. Now you don't... you used to have to shoot them between the eyes unless you had two guns, but now you can just shoot them in the eyes.

CRAIG: You're so wise, you're so creative when it comes to, you know, weaponry technique, you know, close hand fighting, combat and fighting. You've done a hundred ways to attack the groin; you've done a hundred and one ways to attack the groin.

MASTER KEN: So really that’s two hundred and one ways if you think about it.

CRAIG: Hm... that's two hundred and one ways to attack the groin. I mean, you've accomplished so much in your career. Sometimes do you think maybe you've done it all? In Martial Arts? All that there needs too be done completely? More than anyone? More than Bruce Lee? More than John Jones? More than Mr. Miyagi? Has master, excuse me, Master Ken done it all?

MASTER KEN: Well I've done more than all of those people uh, but for different reasons. Uh, I've done more than Bruce Lee because I've lived longer. Uh, I've done more work for uh, I've done more than John Jones because I haven't been arrested, um, nearly as often. Um, I've done more than, who else did you mention?

CRAIG: Ah well of course, Mr. Miyagi, one of the greats.

MASTER KEN: Oh Mr. Miyagi, yeah. I've done more than him because I do my own stunts. Because he was just an actor that had another martial artist come in and do his stuff whereas when you see me doing it, it's all the real deal. So I just have a uh, I am uh, prolific. Uh, which is similar to being a diabetic, except that my illness is that I have too much knowledge. I have more knowledge than I can ever communicate to people. So really I have to create new techniques every single day or I'll literally explode.

CRAIG: Let me ask you. You know there's a rumor going around that Dana White was talking to you about using... I shouldn't say this, because I don't know if it's public, Fight Island is actually your island. One of your many islands. Is what the rumor is. And that you're possibly making this happen.

MASTER KEN: Yeah, for legal reasons I can't necessarily confirm it- all I'm saying is that uh, when you're out on an island you're not usually technically part of a country. Therefore you're usually outside of their laws and rules. So that might be the appeal of fighting on an island. Uh, for instance, anyone who's lived on an island knows that there are also no speed limits. Uh, because it's unenforceable. You can't get a speeding ticket if you are driving on an island.

CRAIG: Do you, speeding and speed. I mean, some of your techniques and punches and kicks have been clocked, you know, in record numbers. Is that why you prefer to train on the Fight Island at times, so that there's no rules and nobody can kind of curb your speed, and intensity, and power?

MASTER KEN: Yeah, nobody can give me a ticket for punching to fast.

CRAIG: Thank you, that is what I was trying to say.

MASTER KEN: So also, you know, that is a big way of how I've developed Ameri-do-te, is that all of the techniques should really be as fast as possible. You don't want fights to go on as long, even as they do in the UFC, that's a big problem with me. Three, five minute rounds, I mean, who wants to fight with fifteen minutes. So uh, that's why when I train my students, I tell them, no cardio. No cardio whatsoever. Cardio is bad, don't focus on cardio. I don't want my students to stand here and punch bob, you know, for thirty minutes.

CRAIG: Mhm, of course.

MASTER KEN: I want them to take all their punches and just [punches dummy] and that's the whole fight.

CRAIG: Quickness, finish him, efficiency. I like that.

MASTER KEN: Most things in life should be done hard and fast and should be over as soon as possible.

CRAIG: Of course. Uh, Master Ken, I don't want to take up any more of your time because, I know you're a busy man. We can find you on Cameo, we can find you uh, where can the people find the Master?

MASTER KEN: Yeah, you can order, if you want a personalized video message, want me to tell you why your martial art is no good, or uh, or slap your Sensei around or whatever you can just go to cameo- just Google Master Ken Cameo, or uh, look at me on YouTube, Facebook, Instagram. I'm not hard to find because I am the only, the only one of me out there.

CRAIG: Master Ken, if there's any advice, you know, and parting words that you could give our audience, uh, you know, to stay positive, to stay healthy, to stay tough during this time, now is the time. Go on and give us a word of wisdom.

MASTER KEN: Sure, um, I would uh, make sure to stay, not just stay isolated within your domicile, but always be working on being isolated within your room, protected. Okay? Don't turn your back on anybody. Like I have my back turned on Bob right now because I know that he's inanimate. Okay. But you should be entering every room protecting your back. So just, I only want to see from now on, people moving like this. [Moves with back against the wall]. Every room you're in, just keep your back to the wall. You'll always be protected.

CRAIG: Master Ken, I love it, back to the wall and stay protected. Everybody look up Master Ken, thank you for coming on, see he's going. And we're going to have you again soon, you've been a big support to our brand, and we love the one and only Master Ken. We'll talk to you soon guys. Thanks Master.

MASTER KEN: Huss