Johannes Cornelius Bluming (6 February 1933 – 17 December 2018) was a Dutch martial artist, instructor and actor. Known as a pioneer in variety of martial arts, Bluming held 9th dan in
Judo, 10th dan in
Karate
(; ; Okinawan language, Okinawan pronunciation: ) is a martial arts, martial art developed in the Ryukyu Kingdom. It developed from the Okinawan martial arts, indigenous Ryukyuan martial arts (called , "hand"; ''tii'' in Okinawan) under the ...
and 10th dan in
Hapkido.
He was also the coach of two-time Olympic champion
Willem Ruska
Willem () is a Dutch and West FrisianRienk de Haan, ''Fryske Foarnammen'', Leeuwarden, 2002 (Friese Pers Boekerij), , p. 158. masculine given name. The name is Germanic, and can be seen as the Dutch equivalent of the name William in English, Gui ...
.
Career
Early life and training
Born in
Amsterdam, he was 13 when he started to train in
Boxing, but three years later he applied for the Marines to escape poverty and was accepted to the bootcamp in
Doorn in July 1949. During the break out of the
Korean War in 1950, Bluming was sent to Korea as part of the
van Heutz regiment. He received several decorations and was wounded twice, having to be moved to
Tokyo to recover.
[ It was there where he came in contact with Asian martial arts, witnessing a Judo exhibition by ]Kyuzo Mifune
has been categorized as one of the greatest exponents of the art of judo after the founder, Kanō Jigorō. He is considered by many to be the greatest judo technician ever, after Kanō.
Early life
Mifune was born on April 21, 1883, in Kuji Cit ...
at the Kodokan school in March 1953. Deciding to try Judo when he returned to Holland, Bluming meanwhile trained in Tang Soo Do in Korea.[Jon Bluming, Europe’s first Mixed Martial Artist]
, Realfighting.com
Back in the Netherlands in November, Bluming trained in Judo under Eddy Roosterman and the renowned G. F. M. Schutte at the Tung-Yang Club, gaining his black belt in three years. In 1956, Bluming was appointed coach of the Dutch national team, which won the European championships in Bellevue. The following year he received the 3rd Dan from Tokio Hirano by beating 75 Judokas in 26 minutes, one of them being another 3rd Dan, in a tournament in Ermelo, in which Bluming also fought with an injured toe.[ The victory got him invited to teach at a police dojo in Berlin, Germany. After winning some tournaments, he moved to Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada in 1958, teaching Judo at the ]Dalhousie University
Dalhousie University (commonly known as Dal) is a large public research university in Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia ( ; ; ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada. It is one of the three Maritime provinces and one of the fou ...
. However, after finding himself struggling to defeat an American 4th Dan while in United States, he finally moved to Tokyo, Japan in 1959.[J. Dick Schilder, ''Geesink vs Bluming - The dream match that became a nightmare'', Black Belt magazine, January 1969]
Career in Japan
Upon his arrival to Japan, Bluming was accepted in the Kodokan Institute
The , or ''Kōdōkan'' (講道館), is the headquarters of the worldwide judo community. The ''kōdōkan'' was founded in 1882 by Kanō Jigorō, the founder of judo, and is now an eight-story building in Tokyo. Etymology
Literally, ''kō'' ( ...
, where he trained under names like Toshiro Daigo, Yoshimi Osawa and Kazuo Ito. His tenure was successful, winning all of his matches and reaching a record of points only matched by French 5th Dan Maurice Quell.[ Being satisfied with his throws, he moved with the renowned Yaichihyōe Kanemitsu to perfect his groundwork, and around the same time he complemented his Judo training by learning ]Karate
(; ; Okinawan language, Okinawan pronunciation: ) is a martial arts, martial art developed in the Ryukyu Kingdom. It developed from the Okinawan martial arts, indigenous Ryukyuan martial arts (called , "hand"; ''tii'' in Okinawan) under the ...
, Aikido, Iaijutsu, Bojutsu and Kendo
is a modern Japanese martial art, descended from kenjutsu (one of the old Japanese martial arts, swordsmanship), that uses bamboo swords (shinai) as well as protective armor (bōgu). Today, it is widely practiced within Japan and has spread ...
under masters like Takaji Shimizu and Ichitaro Kuroda. in Karate, he first joined the Shotokan school, but soon switched to Kyokushin, which was more to his liking.
During his time in Tokyo, he lived with Donn F. Draeger
Donald Frederick "Donn" Draeger (April 15, 1922 – October 20, 1982) was an internationally known teacher and practitioner of Japanese martial arts. He was the author of several important books on Asian martial arts,Modern Bujutsu & Budo: M ...
and Robert W. Smith, and was in the former's Judo class, where popular opinion placed the 25 best Judo practitioners in Tokyo. Bluming gained his 4º dan after beating Akio Kaminaga by choke and Isao Inokuma by uchi mata makikomi. He and Draeger also trained in Bojutsu, Iaijutsu and Kendo
is a modern Japanese martial art, descended from kenjutsu (one of the old Japanese martial arts, swordsmanship), that uses bamboo swords (shinai) as well as protective armor (bōgu). Today, it is widely practiced within Japan and has spread ...
with Tokyo police instructors Takaji Shimizu and Ichitaro Kuroda. Also under Donn's tutelage, Bluming underwent training to move to a heavier weight class, ascending from his natural . This brought more success, as Bluming replaced Inokuma in a ''gonin gake'' (a Judo challenge against five opponents of 3rd Dan or higher) and accomplished a shocking record of four seconds.[
]
Return to Europe and death
After his training in Japan, Bluming received a letter from the Netherlands in which Schutte asked him to come back and teach at the old dojo and the Amateurs Association for a year on contract. Bluming went back to teach his old friends, make some new ones, and possibly participate in the 1961 World Judo Championships
The 1961 World Judo Championships were the 3rd edition of the Men's World Judo Championships, and were held in Paris, France on 2 December 1961. The 1961 tournament was notable for Anton Geesink for being the first non-Japanese judoka to win go ...
in Paris in December, but his career would halt when the Dutch Jujitsu and Judo Association (NJJB) impeded him from joining the competition. Bluming entered a public enmity with fellow Dutch star Anton Geesink
Antonius Johannes Geesink (6 April 1934 – 27 August 2010) was a Dutch people, Dutch List of judoka#Highest grades, 10th dan judoka. He was the first non-Japanese judoka to win gold at the World Judo Championship, a feat he accomplished in 1961 ...
, a potential rival, whom Bluming accused of working with NJJB chief Jan Van Der Horst to leave him out. Bluming issued a public challenge to the now world champion Geesink, but the NJJB again vetoed it.[ He then made a match against all comers, which was attended by some 80 judoka from 1st dan to 4th dan, and he still threw them all within about four seconds in full view of the press. Even so, Geesink did not step down to fight him. After watching Geesink's victory in Paris, a frustrated Bluming retired from competition and focused only on karate and teaching instead.
]
In 1965, Bluming became the first non-Japanese in being awarded the 6º dan in karate from Masutatsu Oyama. This decision was controversial enough among Asian karatekas to force Oyama to put a challenge in a magazine, challenging any of them to a fight against Bluming in a boxing ring and promising to strip him from his black belt if the Dutchman lost. Oyama was so confident that he also promised a hefty bounty and swore to retire himself from the Kyokushin school. Only the Korean champion Kwan Mo Gun accepted the challenge, and was swiftly knocked out by Bluming via shotei.[ Bluming remained a close coworker of Oyama, but over time he became critical with his policies, and eventually left the school due to disagreements with him,][José Fraguas, ''Kaicho Jon Bluming - Founder of Kyokushin Budo Kai, An In Depth Interview'', Jigoku Dojo] founding his own school, Kyokushin Budokai. However, he remained a respected member of the association, being awarded the 9º dan in 1989.
Four years later, Bluming was contacted by Akira Maeda
(born Go Il-myeong (Hangul: 고일명, Hanja: 高日明), January 24, 1959) is a Japanese mixed martial arts promoter, writer and retired professional wrestler and mixed martial artist of Korean descent. Maeda was also known by the ring name K ...
from Fighting Network Rings, a professional wrestling and mixed martial arts promotion which had a working agreement with both Oyama himself and Bluming's apprentice Chris Dolman. Through Maeda, Masutatsu offered him to return as a trainer and mediator with Rings, which Bluming accepted on the condition to expel another of his enemies, Loek Hollander
Loek Hollander (20 May 1938 – 16 February 2020) was a prominent Dutch karate practitioner.
Biography
He began training Kyokushin Karate in 1962. Hollander earned his 1st ''dan'' ranking in 1965.
Hollander was the fourth person ever to complete ...
, from the school.. In 1994, after Oyama's death, Bluming was awarded the 10º dan by Kenji Kurosaki.
Bluming died on December 17, 2018.
Notable students
* Hideyuki Ashihara - founder of Ashihara Karate
Ashihara kaikan is a modern full contact street karate developed from Kyokushin karate by Hideyuki Ashihara with influences from various martial arts including Muay Thai, Pankration, and Jujutsu with an emphasis on '' Sabaki'', using footwork ...
.
* Azuma Takashi - founder of Daidō Juku Kūdō.
* Chris Dolman - Sambo World Champion (‘69 & ‘85) and European silver medalist (‘74) in Judo.
*Wim Ruska
Willem "Wim" Ruska (29 August 1940 – 14 February 2015) was a judoka from the Netherlands. He is the first athlete to win two gold medals in Judo in one Olympics – in the heavyweight and absolute categories in 1972.
Judo career
He started ...
- World Champion (‘67 & ‘71) and Olympic Champion (2x ‘72) in Judo.
* Otti Roethof -World Champion in Karate.
*Jan Kallenbach
Jan Kallenbach ( – 14 April 2021) was a Dutch martial artist. He was a 7th Dan teacher of Taikiken, a Japanese off-shoot of Yiquan and had a significant history in Full contact Karate ( Kyokushin-Kaikan). Veteran Kyokushin practitioners from ...
- Gold at the 1974 European Karate Championships
The 1974 European Karate Championships, the 7th edition of the European Karate Championships, was held in London, England, from May 2 to 4, 1974.
Competition
Team
References
1974
International sports competitions in London
Europ ...
. Representative of Taikiken in Europe.
* Jan Plas - introduced Kickboxing in the Netherlands, and coach of many World Champions in Kickboxing.
*Johan Vos - coach of many World Champions in Kickboxing.
*Lucien Carbin
Lucien Carbin (born 7 September 1952) is a Surinamese-Netherlands, Dutch former kickboxer, karateka and trainer. He was the first European Kyokushin, Kyokushin karate champion, a world kickboxing champion and a European Savate and Muay Thai champi ...
- Kickboxing World champion and coach of many World Champions in Kickboxing.
*Thom Harinck
Thom Harinck (born 22 December 1943) is a Dutch kickboxer and kickboxing trainer and founder of the Chakuriki Gym in Amsterdam. He is married to Marjan Olfers, former member of the board of Ajax and from 1 May 2012 professor in sports law.
Bio ...
- Kickboxing/Muay Thai pioneer and coach of many champions.
* Semmy Schilt - K-1
K-1 is a professional kickboxing promotion established in 1993, well known worldwide mainly for its heavyweight division fights and Grand Prix tournaments. In January 2012, K-1 Global Holdings Limited, a company registered in Hong Kong, acquired ...
, Daido-Juku Kudo and mixed martial arts champion.
* Gilbert Yvel - mixed martial arts champion
* Juan Carlos I of Spain
Filmography
References
External links
Jon Bluming official website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Bluming, Jon
1933 births
2018 deaths
Dutch male judoka
Dutch male karateka
Dutch expatriates in Canada
Dutch expatriate sportspeople in Germany
Dutch expatriates in Japan
Karate coaches
Kyokushin kaikan practitioners
Sportspeople from Amsterdam
Judoka trainers
Dutch hapkido practitioners