Colorful Character
Regardless of what's true or false about Frank Dux, the guy is definitely
a colorful character. Some of his claims do sound far-fetched: contributions
to the Navy SEAL SpecWar manual, world records for breaking bulletproof
glass, his exploits as a spy depicted in his book "The Secret Man".
Yet a lot of what's true speaks volumes: a comeback from brain surgery
and coma, and legions of loyal students.
The controversy surrounding
Dux reminds me of that surrounding Dr. Maung Gyi,
grandmaster of bando, the martial art of Burma (now Myanmar). Gyi
is under fire for falsifying his military record, similar to the allegations
brought against Dux. Another famous martial artist and movie star, aikidoist
Steven Seagal, has been known to claim affiliation with the CIA and a
history of secret missions in shadowy lands.
Perhaps the best way to evaluate these martial artists is on their merits
as martial artists. All three are responsible for endowing multitudes
of students with martial knowledge. The instructors and students of Dux
Ryu that I've met, both in person and online, share a zeal for their support
of Dux and his style of ninjitsu.
Dux ryu itself is/isn't considered a legitimate branch of ninjitsu/ninjutsu,
depending upon who you talk to. From what I've seen, the unarmed techniques
are reminiscent of jujitsu--Frank Dux's first style. Yet like many martial
artists who start their own styles, Dux includes elements of other arts.
What's next for Frank Dux? Besides private training and seminars, Dux
is trying to bring the Kumite to pay-per-view television. In a time where
the Ultimate Fighting Championship exploded into viewer's homes and then
was kicked off cable TV, this might be a tough sell. But what a story
it would be--a tournament had to be secreted underground 25 years ago
now broadcast to millions of people. And what if Dux fought again? I'm
sure there would be plenty of fans rooting for him.
