Bio-Vlog

My opponent in round three is Kimko, He is five inches taller than I am and, while he has more reach than I have, he is in my weight category. Kimko swipes at my head with a high roundhouse kick that doesn’t land. Any time someone lifts their leg for a head shot I know…

I now face Terry Crook, a very resolute fighter whom is known for his wicked combination of a step-up heel hook instantly followed up by a roundhouse kick with the same leg, ending with a front hand jab. I’m fairly adept at slipping the heel hook, but I keep getting tagged by Crook’s follow-up roundhouse…

Dressed in all white is my first opponent, the formidable John Douglas. I have my chin down, elbows in and gloves pinned to my cheeks so I don’t have to worry about Douglas’ attacks from the sides. I’m determined to be the aggressor and take the fight to him. I keep my feet moving and…

“What do you think about when you’re in the ring with that many fighters?” The ABC reporter asks.   I shoot back, “I’m hoping my wind holds up. I have to survive ten rounds, not like a boxer. I’m the same guy fighting different guys. A boxer fights the same person for a set number of…

I’m mentally pumped-up, although my biggest concern centers on my hands. Napoleon double-wraps and gloves my hands. Once gloved, he lathers my face with Vaseline to minimize facial cuts. As the ten fighters are gearing up, Sensei Murphy tries to calm my fears with a mild piece of humor, “Rick, relax. All you have to…

Along with fighting men from my own school, I will be pitting my skills against fighters from other dojos with different fighting styles. Only four of my ten opponents are considered friends. This is a real risky proposition! There is no predicting if they understand I have ten fighters to hold up against, or if…

My black belt test itself is Sensei Murphy’s first test permitted stateside.  My regimen is excruciatingly intense. I fight three or four times weekly, initially for two or three rounds and then I gradually add more rounds. For many fights, Douglas simultaneously pits me against two opponents, which expands my lung capacity, as there is…

I want this shark-he’ll feed a thousand! “Randy, don’t shoot him again!” I yell firmly. “We might lose him like the last one. Gaffer, hang on tight while I loop a noose around his tail!” I am determined not to lose this beautiful babe. I yell out, “If I can successfully loop its tail, we’ll…

“Before Richard starts his black belt test I’m getting fighting observations from John Douglas, Sean Murphy, Diego Gonzalez and Sensei John Murphy.  Men, as a fighter, do you think Richard is more intuitive than analytical, or vice-versa?” “Well Mr. Racherbaumer,” Douglas observes, “Although Mr. Turner possesses excellent analytical skills, his poor vision has compelled him…

We are off on another shark hunting expedition. I’m racing Randy Dick’s 17-foot Boston Whaler into Mexican waters about fifteen miles southwest of the San Diego coast.  I am manning the poles when my real starts spinning like a whizzing top. I yell excitedly, “Got one!”  Because of their tough skin, one of the hardest…

I’m zipping through the water at full throttle. Russell is wondering, “Is Rick going to steer away from the yacht before we smash into it?”  Not knowing what I am headed straight into, I keep plowing forward.  The yacht sharply veers away at the last moment to avoid a sure-fire bow to bow collision. As…