Imagine being so desperate to escape the drug-infested inner-city of Baltimore, that you make up Kung Fu moves, string them together and then climb on a bus and travel around the country to compete in karate tournaments.

That's exactly what Willie "The Bam" Johnson did as a teenager. Eventually, he began to win in both forms and weapons. Finally, he won big at the US Open where he defeated some of the top forms competitors in the world, including your humble host.