It was the early 1980s. I was good friends with Steve Fotenote (R.I.P.), one of Ernie’s black belts. Steve had a brother, Cocky, who trained with us as well. Whenever Ernie got word of a Korean-style tournament in the Houston area, he’d gather Steve, Cocky, and me, pay our entry fees, and take us to fight. We’d spend the day together—fighting, coaching, and competing in places we normally wouldn’t go. These were all-Korean events: Tae Kwon Do tournaments with Korean judges. Ernie saw them as a challenge, always saying, “Hey guys, if you can win here against these odds, you can win anywhere!” Ernie only entered us in fighting divisions,
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