Overview of JRE MMA Show #173 with Benny "The Jet" Urquidez & William "Blinky" Rodriguez
Joe Rogan hosts a wide-ranging conversation with two true pioneers of American kickboxing: Benny “The Jet” Urquidez and William “Blinky” Rodriguez. The episode covers the early, no‑rules era of full‑contact karate and kickboxing (1970s), cross-cultural fights with Muay Thai and Japanese fighters, technical evolution (especially leg/calf kicks), the founding and impact of the Jet Center gym, differences in training cultures, safety/gear ideas for modern MMA, and deep personal work—most memorably Blinky’s story of forgiving his son’s killer and his ongoing community violence intervention work.
Key topics discussed
- Early history of full‑contact karate/kickboxing in the U.S. (early 1970s) and the Jet Center’s role as a mecca for fighters.
- No‑rules fights of the 1970s: bare shins, no weight classes in some tournaments, and first encounters with Muay Thai techniques.
- Technical evolution: shin protection (Benny’s homemade shin guards), leg/calf kicks, checks, and how those techniques reshaped stand‑up fighting.
- Rules, promotions, and commercial influence: PKA rules (no low kicks) vs. WKA/K‑1/Japan and how rules shaped popularity in the U.S.
- Training cultures: Thai “touch” sparring vs. hard sparring; conditioning and frequency of fights in Thailand.
- Safety, injuries, and modern concerns: concussions, detached retinas, eye‑poke problem in MMA gloves and a proposal to cover finger tips.
- Community outreach and rehabilitation: Blinky’s nonprofit work, tattoo removal, and CVI (community violence intervention) programs.
- Personal legacy: fighter anecdotes (Ali vs Inoki, Gene LaBelle, Stan Longinidis), women pioneers (Lily Rodriguez), and the planned documentary and gym/equipment designs.
Notable stories & anecdotes
- Benny’s first Muay Thai fights: entered fights without knowing Muay Thai rules; learned from film and improvised protection—helped lead to the first shin guards with Velcro.
- Benny knocked out Jean‑Yves Thériault with a right leg + left hook combo; fought across weight classes (Benny at ~145 lbs vs opponents up to 245 lbs in open brackets).
- Bill “Superfoot” Wallace and how PKA’s waist‑up rules in the U.S. limited exposure to low kicks.
- Don “The Dragon” Wilson’s strategic calf kicks vs. Dennis Alexio and the infamous leg‑kick injury to Alexio (Stan Longinidis).
- Muhammad Ali vs. Antonio Inoki: Ali’s legs were badly damaged by repeated low kicks; Joe and guests talk about the consequences of mismatched rules and risk.
- Gene LaBelle’s eccentric teaching methods (big‑toe manipulations, choke demonstrations), and his role in early mixed‑rules experiments.
- Blinky’s personal, powerful forgiveness story: he met the man who killed his son in prison, forgave him, led him to Christ, and describes this as more powerful than his left hook.
- Jet Center culture: intense but formative sparring, and how it served at‑risk youth (including gang outreach), producing champions and offering life pathways.
Notable quotes
- “The power of forgiveness is more powerful than my left hook.” — William “Blinky” Rodriguez
- “Martial arts competition is high‑level problem‑solving with dire physical consequences.” — (paraphrase attributed in discussion)
- “Condition is king.” — recurring theme: conditioning and frequency of real‑fight experience matters more than fancy moves without conditioning.
- “Truth speaks for itself.” — on pioneers and authenticity in fighting.
Main takeaways
- Pioneers like Benny and Blinky were instrumental in exposing American fighters to Muay Thai, Kyokushin, and international striking arts; their era helped spark the evolution that ultimately fed into modern MMA and kickboxing.
- Rules and promotion shape the development and popularity of combat sports; PKA’s restrictions on low kicks limited U.S. kickboxing’s growth and American fans’ exposure to full stand‑up arts.
- Technical evolutions such as calf kicks became game‑changing only after fighters and coaches recognized and adapted to them—now a staple of modern striking and MMA strategy.
- Training culture matters: Thai fighters’ weekly fighting schedule explains their touch‑sparring approach and conditioning; Western gyms historically favored different sparring intensities, with safety and long‑term health implications.
- Safety and equipment matter for longevity and the quality of the sport: suggestions included covering fingertips on MMA gloves to reduce eye pokes and revisiting glove/padding designs.
- Martial arts can be a powerful vehicle for personal transformation, community intervention, and rehabilitation—illustrated by Jet Center outreach programs and Blinky’s forgiveness/reconciliation work.
Practical recommendations & action items (from the conversation)
- For coaches/promoters: consider rule sets and presentation that preserve technical realism while maximizing spectator appeal (e.g., stand‑up rulesets with MMA gloves or specialized promotions).
- For the sport: experiment with glove designs that reduce eye pokes (cover fingertips) to reduce stoppages and injuries without hurting grappling.
- For gyms/coaches: balance hard sparring with technical touch sparring depending on fight frequency—learn from Thai approach when frequent fights are part of the gym’s ecosystem.
- For community leaders: consider martial‑arts‑based programs (training + services like tattoo removal, job pathways, counseling) as effective CVI strategies.
- For historians/fans: watch for the upcoming documentary(s) by Benny and archival footage of early no‑rules/kickboxing events to better understand the sport’s roots.
People & roles mentioned
- Benny “The Jet” Urquidez — legendary U.S. kickboxer, multi‑weight competitor, inventor of early shin guards, teacher and seminar leader, working on a documentary and gym/equipment designs.
- William “Blinky” Rodriguez — co‑founder of the Jet Center, community outreach leader (36+ years), runs nonprofit CVI work, story of forgiveness and reconciliation.
- Joe Rogan — host, former martial artist and UFC commentator, contextualizes history and asks technical/ethical questions.
- Other names referenced: Jean‑Yves Thériault, Bill “Superfoot” Wallace, Don “The Dragon” Wilson, Dennis Alexio, Stan Longinidis, Muhammad Ali, Antonio Inoki, Gene LaBelle, Lily Rodriguez (Blinky’s sister and pioneering female fighter), Carl Gotch (conditioning/catch wrestling influence), and several modern names (Yuki Yosa, Masaaki Nori) as examples.
Legacy & cultural impact
- Benny and Blinky’s era bridged traditional martial arts, Muay Thai, Japanese kickboxing, and the eventual globalized stand‑up striking seen in modern MMA and K‑1. Their contributions include technique diffusion, equipment innovation (shin guards, three‑finger glove prototype), gym culture, and community programming.
- The Jet Center served as both a competitive incubator and a community hub—developing champions and providing alternatives for at‑risk youth.
- The conversation highlights how administrative and promotional decisions (rules, TV packaging, sponsorships) can accelerate or stunt an entire discipline’s growth in a country.
Final notes
- Blinky is being inducted into the Martial Arts Museum (announced in the episode).
- Benny continues teaching seminars, designing equipment, and working on a documentary and a conceptual gym emphasizing mental, physical and spiritual endurance.
- The episode mixes technical history, practical coaching ideas, cultural context, and a powerful human story about leadership, forgiveness, and social reintegration—making it valuable for fighters, coaches, combat‑sports fans, and community workers.