RETURN OF THE DRAGONS
Spoiler alert! Kickboxing superstars Jean-Yves Theriault, Wally Slocki and Bill Wallace recently returned to the ring in Ottawa, Canada. Motivated not by money or belts, the former champs did it for charity — and for the benefit of fans everywhere. While raising money for a good cause, these legends proved that the martial arts can be a pursuit for practitioners of any age.
There’s an old joke that goes something like this: “Three guys walk into a bar. …” In this story, however, it’s three legendary kickboxing champs — men nicknamed “Iceman,” “Viking” and “Superfoot” — who walked into a ring. And in an instant, fans of the combat sports were transported back to the glory days when everyone was talking about “the kick of the ’80s.”
The return of this iconic trio to the squared circle was part of a spectacular evening of fights promoted by Canada’s Jean-Yves “Iceman” Theriault, who ascended to Bill Wallace’s middleweight throne in 1980. In addition to a slew of amateur kickboxing bouts showcasing Team Canada versus Team USA, the evening featured three of the most celebrated warriors of the past half century. The goal was to raise money for the Make-a-Wish Foundation.
The bouts were part of Capital Conquest, a three-day martial arts festival that takes place annually in Gatineau,
