WMAC Masters is an American

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

 live-action television

Television

Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...

 show produced by Norman Grossfeld featuring choreographed

Choreography

Choreography is the art of designing sequences of movements in which motion, form, or both are specified. Choreography may also refer to the design itself, which is sometimes expressed by means of dance notation. The word choreography literally means "dance-writing" from the Greek words "χορεία" ...

 martial arts

Martial arts

Martial arts are extensive systems of codified practices and traditions of combat, practiced for a variety of reasons, including self-defense, competition, physical health and fitness, as well as mental and spiritual development....

 fights. It was created and licensed by 4Kids Entertainment

4Kids Entertainment

4Kids Entertainment is an American film and television production company in bankruptcy since April 2011. It is known for English-dubbing Japanese anime and specializing in the acquisition, production and licensing of children's entertainment around the United States...

.

The show, while featuring real martial arts by trained martial artists, depicted a fantasy

Fantasy

Fantasy is a genre of fiction that commonly uses magic and other supernatural phenomena as a primary element of plot, theme, or setting. Many works within the genre take place in imaginary worlds where magic is common...

 setting using fictional episodic

Episode

An episode is a part of a dramatic work such as a serial television or radio program. An episode is a part of a sequence of a body of work, akin to a chapter of a book. The term sometimes applies to works based on other forms of mass media as well, as in Star Wars...

 stories, with each episode relating a life lesson

Edutainment

Edutainment is a form of entertainment designed to educate as well as to amuse.-Overview:...

. Battles were fought on elaborate closed sets, with an omniscient narrator

Narrator

A narrator is, within any story , the fictional or non-fictional, personal or impersonal entity who tells the story to the audience. When the narrator is also a character within the story, he or she is sometimes known as the viewpoint character. The narrator is one of three entities responsible for...

, on-screen scoring and health gauge

Health (game mechanic)

Health is a game mechanic used in role-playing, computer and video games to give value to characters, enemies, NPCs, and related objects. This value can either be numerical, semi-numerical as in hit/health points, or arbitrary as in a life bar....

s, giving the show a feel of a cinematic live-action video game.

WMAC stands for the fictional World Martial Arts Council, where the best martial artists compete for the ultimate prize, the Dragon Star. The Dragon Star is a gold trophy

Trophy

A trophy is a reward for a specific achievement, and serves as recognition or evidence of merit. Trophies are most often awarded for sporting events, from youth sports to professional level athletics...

 that looks like a shuriken

Shuriken

A shuriken is a traditional Japanese concealed weapon that was generally used for throwing, and sometimes stabbing or slashing...

 surrounded by a dragon

Dragon

A dragon is a legendary creature, typically with serpentine or reptilian traits, that feature in the myths of many cultures. There are two distinct cultural traditions of dragons: the European dragon, derived from European folk traditions and ultimately related to Greek and Middle Eastern...

; it was proof that its holder was the best martial artist in the world.

The show lasted for two seasons, from 1995 to 1997. The first season was hosted by Shannon Lee

Shannon Lee

Shannon Emery Lee is an American actress. She is the daughter of martial artist and actor Bruce Lee and Linda Lee Cadwell, and the younger sister of Brandon Lee.-Personal life:...

, the daughter of the late martial artist Bruce Lee

Bruce Lee

Bruce Lee was a Chinese American, Hong Kong actor, martial arts instructor, philosopher, film director, film producer, screenwriter, and founder of the Jeet Kune Do martial arts movement...

 and the sister of the late actor Brandon Lee

Brandon Lee

Brandon Bruce Lee was an American actor and martial artist. He was the son of martial arts film star Bruce Lee...

. In season 2, Shannon Lee was no longer the host, and the show focused more on fantasy and less on real-life issues.

Form Demonstrations

Many episodes featured masters doing demonstrations, with some demonstrations being known as "Master Blaster" competitions. Some were done to inaugurate a new Master (such as Hien "Tsunami" Nguyen, Tracy "Tracer" Swedom, and Carmichael "Kid Carmichael" Simon). Jamie "Great Wolf" Webster did one to break a WMAC record held by Chris "Red Dragon" Casamassa

Chris Casamassa

Chris Casamassa is an American martial artist of Italian origin , actor and stuntman who is best known for his role as Scorpion in the movie Mortal Kombat, which was based on the popular fighting-game series...

, which was successfully breaking 2 large ice blocks (weighing in at a total of 600 pounds) stacked on top of each other. Willie "Bam" Johnson did his form with his son, Lil Bam, as a rite of passage ritual. Herb "Olympus" Perez did one to test out his new weapon, the Disk Launcher. Richard "Yin Yang Man" Branden did his to demonstrate the weapons of Wushu. Finally, "Turbo" Michael Bernardo

Michael Bernardo

Michael Bernardo is a Canadian actor, athlete, and coach, as well as a former champion martial artist and stuntman.Although he found some fame through his roles in Shootfighter and its sequel, and as Turbo on WMAC Masters, he retired from acting to focus more on his chain of martial arts schools...

 and Ho Young "Star Warrior" Pak demonstrated a speed breaking contest to settle a few weeks-long dispute (which in the end was won by Star Warrior).

Preliminary Matches & Battledome Finals

In most episodes, it begins with 4 combatants, 2 of them fight in 2 separate matches. They fight in the Battlezones against ninjas. After a short melee with the ninjas, depending on your health gauge, the fighters will fight each other until one of them is the victor. (In rare instances, if the fighters fight each other long enough that there is no winner yet, the ninjas will re-emerge).

There have been four instances where the match ended abruptly. The first incident took place in the Doom City battlezone, when Jamie Webster (Great Wolf) won by accidentally knocking out Johnny Lee Smith (Tiger Claw) with a double inside crescent kick to both sides of Smith's head; this kick was a move Smith taught Webster, who promised Webster he wouldn't use that move against him if Webster promised to not use it against Smith. The second incident occurred at the Danger Dock battlezone, when then-rookie Kid Carmichael had knocked Yin Ying Man into the water - because Yin Yang Man was all wet, Kid Carmichael immediately won the match. Then, in the Stone Valley battlezone, Red Dragon got disqualified after inadvertently hitting Super Star with a live bare hand after he had removed the glove from that hand due to a nagging, itching burn (this was due to itching powder being placed in his gloves by Great Wolf and Baby Doll, who were trying to get back at Warlock, but ended up mistakenly booby-trapping Red Dragon's gloves minutes before his bout, thinking those were Warlock's gloves). The final incident was another where Red Dragon lost by getting knocked into the water by the Machine in the Mayan Mystery battlezone and ending up all wet.

There was also one instance where the match ended in someone surrendering, and this occurred in the second episode of WMAC Masters. The Pak brothers, Ho Young and Ho Sung (Star Warrior and Superstar, respectively) were pitted in a preliminary match against one another, and just as Superstar's gauge was almost at the bottom when Star Warrior had him beaten, Superstar bowed to his brother, signifying that he was giving up, thus awarding Star Warrior the win. The storyline was that Star Warrior had saved his brother's life using Drunken Fist many years ago. When Superstar saw his brother switch forms to Drunken Fist in the match, he bowed out.

The two combatants who win their respective preliminary matches will face off in the "Battledome". The match lasts 2 minutes. The fighters each try to force the opponent into the cage wall. If successful, the fighter will get points, and the opponent will receive a mild electric shock. The higher the points, the better chance of winning. Ninjas will invade the cage during the match, and if a ninja forces one of the fighters into the cage, the opponent gets the point. Also, if a fighter chooses to hold on to the cage after being knocked into it, no scoring can take place until he lets go. In case of a tie, the fighters will compete in sudden death. The winner will receive the opponent's "Ki-Symbol" and have it placed on their "Dragon Belt".

Ninja Challenges & 4-Man Battledome Finals

In other episodes, 6 combatants took part in what was called a "Ninja Challenge." One at a time, the combatants would compete in separate battlezones against a group of ninjas in 45 seconds of time, and would be scored at the end of the time period. The 4 top-scoring combatants move onto the Battledome in a 2-minute free-for-all match with the same rules as the regular matches (score points by knocking the opponent onto the cage wall), with the winner receiving 3 Ki-Symbols, one from each of the defeated opponents. No ninjas would participate in this sort of Battledome match, but Sudden Death rules still applied in case of a tie at the end of the match.

Only three of these were ever held, one in the first season and two in the second season. Before the start of the first Ninja Challenge, Olympus, the Dragon Star champion at the time, was asked to demonstrate a Ninja Challenge. He would be surrounded by ninjas in the WMAC Arena, where he would then proceed to battle them for the 45 seconds. Once the demonstration was finished, the real challenge began.

Challenge 1 results, including the Battlezones fought in and the final ranking going into the 4-Man Battledome Finals, were as follows (in order of appearance. Those that moved on to the 4-Man Battledome Finals are in bold print):

• Red Dragon (Mayan Mystery): 92 points. Final rank: 5th place
• Tsunami (WMAC Arena): 101 points. Final rank: 3rd place
• Great Wolf (WMAC Arena): 126 points. Final rank: 1st place
• Warlock (WMAC Arena): 102 points. Final rank: 2nd place
• Tiger Claw (Mayan Mystery): 90 points. Final rank: Last place
• Panther (WMAC Arena): 97 points. Final rank: 4th place

Battledome Finals Winner: Tsunami. Final score: Great Wolf 1, Warlock 1, Tsunami 4, Panther 1.

Challenge 2 results:

• Yin Yang Man (Mayan Mystery): 79 points. Final rank: 3rd place
• Turbo (Mayan Mystery): 77 points. Final rank: 4th place
• Great Wolf (Ghost Town): 73 points. Final rank: 5th place
• Star Warrior (Mayan Mystery): 91 points. Final rank: 1st place
• Bam (Ghost Town): 72 points. Final rank: Last place
• Olympus (Pressure Pit): 80 points. Final rank: 2nd place

Battledome Finals Winner: Turbo, by Sudden Death. Final score: Olympus 2, Yin Yang Man 3, Star Warrior 0, Turbo 3. (Note: With Turbo and Yin Yang Man tied at the end of regulation, Olympus and Star Warrior were told to leave the dome, so the other two could conclude the match under Sudden Death rules. Turbo came out the victor.)

Challenge 3 results:

• Great Wolf (Ghost Town): 75 points. Final rank: 5th place
• Kid Carmichael (Doom City): 74 points. Final rank: Last place
• The Machine (Ghost Town): 92 points. Final rank: 1st place
• Tsunami (Ghost Town): 88 points. Final rank: 2nd place
• Warlock (Doom City): 86 points. Final rank: 3rd place
• Tiger Claw (Dark Alley): 86 points. Final rank: 3rd place

Battledome Finals Winner: Warlock. Final score: The Machine 2, Tsunami 0, Tiger Claw 2, Warlock 3.

NOTE: Great Wolf is the only Master to have taken part in all 3 Ninja Challenges.

Dragon Star Matches

Once a master received Full Dragon Belt status (acquiring 10 opponents' Ki-Symbols), he would compete for the Dragon Star. In the Dragon Star championship, the champion and challenger fight on a rotating pedestal. A "Violation" was called every time a competitor moved off the pedestal, a ninja will join in the fray for each violation. The master left standing is declared the Dragon Star Champion and will have proven to be the greatest Martial Artist in the world.

NOTE: In Season 2, following the controversy which involved a ninja knocking off both The Machine and Superstar in their Dragon Star match, a Dragon Star rematch between the two was called with different rules, since ninjas were ineligible to be Dragon Star Champion (the masked ninja apparently was not aware of this before; he was actually shown searching the ground for where the Dragon Star was supposed to rise for the victor and then pounding the ground in frustration when it did not). It took place in a top secret location - the Arena Rapid Transit System - where the fighters were each given a power module (which were modeled after their Ki Symbols) and had to fend off large numbers of assorted ninjas (aside from taking each other on). The main object was to try to be the first to place their power module into the compartment of a Dragon Star replica. This match was not without its obstacles, however; earthquakes and floods shook the terrain. This is the only time in which a Dragon Star match would follow this type of format. The Machine emerged victorious in this battle, and thus was crowned as Dragon Star champion.

Battlezones

There were many different Battlezones for the fighters to compete in, whether they were for preliminaries or for ninja challenges. However, in Season 2, only 5 of these would be used. These battlezones included:

• Ghost Town - a traditional ghost town-like setting (presumably in a long-abandoned wild west town), with abandoned buildings and saloons. Tumbleweeds, wagon wheels, and haystacks littered the landscape. Thunder and lightning were a constant presence.
• Doom City - a city scene with wreckage everywhere (cars, buildings, etc.), and even some burning buildings. Searchlights would roam around the area randomly.
• Mayan Mystery - a Mayan courtyard scene with waterfalls and climbable boulders, including some with Mayan face carvings.
• Dark Alley - a city slum scene set in an alleyway, in front of brick buildings which featured many balconies and dumpsters.
• Pressure Pit - a construction zone with buildings under construction.
• Arena Rapid Transit System (used only for the Dragon Star Rematch) - an underground subway station setting; it featured subway cars entering the station, which transported the ninjas to the battle. It took place in the Earthquake ride at Universal Studios Florida.
• Stone Valley - a forest-like setting with many trees and huge boulders, as well as waterfalls and ponds.
• Nuclear Nightmare - a scene with power plants and buildings under construction, presumably the predecessor to the later-introduced Pressure Pit.
• Danger Dock - a typical harbor setting right by the river, which has boardwalks, shacks, and a more open courtyard area fit for battle.

NOTE: In Battlezones settings with water hazards, like Mayan Mystery and Danger Dock, if a combatant was knocked into the water during the match, he or she would automatically lose the match.

NOTE 2: Stone Valley, Nuclear Nightmare and Danger Dock were not used in Season 2.

NOTE 3: The Dark Alley battlezone was the only Battlezone that had been rained on during the show's run, despite the constant thundering in Ghost Town. A thunderstorm was appearing in one episode, and Great Wolf and Turbo were battling it out in the Dark Alley. According to the officials, if the rain was too great for combat, the match had to be cancelled or suspended. This never came to pass, because soon after the rain started, Great Wolf defeated Turbo, ending the match.

Ninjas

There were many different types of ninjas that appeared in the show, most of them specific to a battlezone, although they would appear in other places, including the Dragon Star matches. According to Shannon Lee, they were all WMAC Academy Cadets who would eventually become Masters; Tsunami and Kid Carmichael were known to be former ninjas. The different kinds of ninjas included the following:

• Ghost Town - Ninjas dressed in black garb with a skull-like mask on their faces. They always appear in the Ghost Town Battlezone. It was this type of ninja that defeated both Superstar and The Machine during the Dragon Star match at the end of Season 1.
• Kabuki - Ninjas in black garb with a white-faced, red-cheeked mask on both the front and back of their heads. They mostly appear in the Doom City Battlezone, although they have also been seen in the Stone Valley Battlezone.
• Black - Ninjas covered in traditional black garb. They appeared in various battlezones throughout the two seasons, such as Danger Dock and Dark Alley. They are more frequently used for the 2-man Battledome finals.
• Blood - Ninjas covered in red garb. They seldom appeared in battlezones, but they did appear once in Dark Alley, and also in the Rapid Transit during the Dragon Star rematch. In some earlier episodes, they were seen in the women's Battledome finals.
• Camo - Ninjas covered in camouflage-colored garb. They usually appear in the Mayan Mystery Battlezone.
• Hazard - Ninjas dressed in black garb with 2 green stripes and red stripes, and on their face they wear gas masks. They were introduced in Season 2 and appeared in the Pressure Pit battlezone.
• Jukido (Hooded Ninjas) - they were friends of Warlock (who is a member of that group) who haven't appeared in any battlezones. They once ambushed Warlock's brother, Wizard, and gave him a beating until he was saved by Tiger Claw. Jukido also "took out" Panther, hence the latter's absence during season 2 (this part of the storyline was decided when Erik Betts, the actor playing Panther, broke his hip and thus could not appear in further episodes). It is known they are members of Jukido when Tiger Claw pulled one's mask off and found the symbol of Jukido printed on his head. Only one of these ninjas officially appeared in a WMAC Masters competition, that being the Dragon Star match between Red Dragon and Warlock. These ninjas are covered in black garb with a hood on it; the hood is placed over a red-masked face that also seemed to have a black bandanna over the eyes.

Special Match: Mixed Doubles

On one occasion in Season 2, a male combatant would team up with a female combatant to take on another male/female team in what was called a Mixed Doubles match. In the lone case, Superstar had teamed up with Lady Lightning in order to take on the team of Tracer and Chameleon. Superstar and Lady Lightning were Team Yellow, while Tracer and Chameleon were Team Red. The match took place in the Doom City battlezone, where they also had to fend off a group of Kabuki Warriors. It was just like a regular preliminary match, but there would be only one health gauge for each team, meaning that the two members of each team were competing as one. Team Yellow emerged victorious, and for their victory, they received the Ki-Symbols of their defeated opponents (Superstar getting Tracer's Ki-Symbol and Lady Lightning getting Chameleon's).

Past Dragon Star Champions

(In order in which they have held the title until someone beat them for it)

Male

• Turbo
• Olympus
• Superstar
• The Machine
• Red Dragon

NOTE: Yin Yang Man was also a contender and he challenged Turbo for the title (hence the reason that Yin Yang Man was starting on his second Dragon Belt when the series started), but Turbo defeated him. Similarly, Warlock was a contender who challenged champion Red Dragon, but Red Dragon won the match.
Female

• Tarantula
• Lady Lightning
• Black Widow
• Chameleon (if that is, the Dragon Star were to ever be found after being stolen)

NOTE: Baby Doll was the only female master in the series to lose the Dragon Star match as a contender. Lady Lightning, who was practically a dominant force in season 1 in the women's division, had successfully defended her title against Baby Doll. But it was revealed in season 2 that Lady Lightning was defeated by Black Widow. Black Widow is the only ever champion, male or female, to have willingly relinquished her Dragon Star, which then caused 3 competitors - namely, Lady Lightning, Princess, and Chameleon - to be automatically eligible to compete in a Dragon Star match.

Ki-Symbols

Each WMAC Master has a Ki-Symbol. A Ki-Symbol is the reflection of the soul of the combatant. For example, Herb Perez's Ki-Symbol is Olympus because he won the gold medal in Tae Kwon Do at the 1992 Summer Olympics

1992 Summer Olympics

The 1992 Summer Olympic Games, officially known as the Games of the XXV Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event celebrated in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain, in 1992. The International Olympic Committee voted in 1986 to separate the Summer and Winter Games, which had been held in the same...

. The Ki-Symbol reminds many of the mask of a Luchador because of the heart and soul of a person. Other examples include:

Red Dragon: Chris Casamassa's Father is the founder of Red Dragon Karate.

Mouse: As a child, Michele Krasnoo was known for her high-pitched kiais.

Great Wolf: Jamie Webster's real-life Native American

Indigenous peoples of the Americas

The indigenous peoples of the Americas are the pre-Columbian inhabitants of North and South America, their descendants and other ethnic groups who are identified with those peoples. Indigenous peoples are known in Canada as Aboriginal peoples, and in the United States as Native Americans...

 name translates to "Great Wolf."

Bam: Willie Johnson's actual nickname is "Bam."

Superstar: Ho Sung Pak

Ho Sung Pak

Ho-Sung Pak is an American film actor, martial artist, action choreographer, writer, and producer.-Early life and career:Pak, a Korean American, was born in Seoul, South Korea...

's name, in his native Korean

Korean language

Korean is the official language of the country Korea, in both South and North. It is also one of the two official languages in the Yanbian Korean Autonomous Prefecture in People's Republic of China. There are about 78 million Korean speakers worldwide. In the 15th century, a national writing...

, means "Superstar."

Baby Doll: Bridgett Riley

Bridgett Riley

Bridgett Riley is a female boxer and motion picture stuntwoman from Oakville, Missouri. While working as a stewardess for an airline she decided to learn martial arts. The interest in the sport came from her brother Patrick's strong interest in mixed martial arts. She trained with her brother and...

's father, a movie stuntman, gave her this nickname when she was a child.

Yin Yang Man: Richard Branden's hobby is sketching variations on the ancient Chinese "yin-yang" symbol.

Striking Eagle: Taimak

Taimak

Taimak Guarriello is a martial arts actor and stuntman, best known as Leroy Green in the 1985 martial arts film The Last Dragon...

's name, in Aztec, means "Striking Eagle."

Cast of Characters

Many of the WMAC Masters, including Richard Branden, Erik Betts, Hien Nguyen, Sophia Crawford

Sophia Crawford

Sophia Crawford is an actress, stuntwoman and martial artist. She was Sarah Michelle Gellar's stunt double on Buffy the Vampire Slayer for several seasons. She is also known for her role as "Chameleon", one of the fighters on WMAC Masters and performing on the TV series Mighty Morphin' Power Rangers...

, Yuji Noguchi, Mer-Mer Chen and Bridgett Riley

Bridgett Riley

Bridgett Riley is a female boxer and motion picture stuntwoman from Oakville, Missouri. While working as a stewardess for an airline she decided to learn martial arts. The interest in the sport came from her brother Patrick's strong interest in mixed martial arts. She trained with her brother and...

, are former and current stunt people for Power Rangers

Power Rangers

Power Rangers is a long-running American entertainment and merchandising franchise built around a live action children's television series featuring teams of costumed heroes...

. In fact, one, Mike Chaturantabut, also known as Mike Chat, would actually later become a Power Ranger, in Power Rangers Lightspeed Rescue. Noguchi was one of the main stunt coordinators for Power Rangers until the franchise was bought by Disney

The Walt Disney Company

The Walt Disney Company is the largest media conglomerate in the world in terms of revenue. Founded on October 16, 1923, by Walt and Roy Disney as the Disney Brothers Cartoon Studio, Walt Disney Productions established itself as a leader in the American animation industry before diversifying into...

. Other Masters are tied to Mortal Kombat

Mortal Kombat (series)

Mortal Kombat, commonly abbreviated MK, is a science fantasy series of fighting games created by Ed Boon and John Tobias. The first four renditions and their updates were developed by Midway Games and initially released on arcade machines. The arcade titles were later picked up by Acclaim...

, Batman

Batman

Batman is a fictional character created by the artist Bob Kane and writer Bill Finger. A comic book superhero, Batman first appeared in Detective Comics #27 , and since then has appeared primarily in publications by DC Comics...

 & Robin

Robin (comics)

Robin is the name of several fictional characters appearing in comic books published by DC Comics, originally created by Bob Kane, Bill Finger and Jerry Robinson, as a junior counterpart to DC Comics superhero Batman...

, Shootfighter

Shootfighting

Shootfighting is a combat sport and martial art, with competitions governed by the International Shootfighting Association . Shootfighting incorporates techniques from a multitude of traditional martial arts, the most principle of these being Muay Thai and Catch Wrestling.Shootfighting was...

 and the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles are a fictional team of four teenage anthropomorphic turtles, who were trained by their anthropomorphic rat sensei in the art of ninjutsu and named after four Renaissance artists...

 movies. Hakim Alston (The Machine) made a few appearances in The New Adventures of Robin Hood

The New Adventures of Robin Hood

The New Adventures of Robin Hood is a 1997-1998 live action TV series on Turner Network Television. It was filmed in Vilnius, Lithuania and produced and distributed by Dune Productions, M6, and Warner Bros. International. The tone of the series resembled its contemporaries Hercules: The Legendary...

, playing the role of Kemal, Nomad Warrior. Sophia Crawford (Chameleon) also made an appearance. Clayton Barber, Bridgett Riley, Erik Betts, Mike Chat and Chris Casamassa also appeared in the series Martial Law.

(Note: With the exception of Michael M. Foley, who portrayed "Tracy Swedom" (ki-symbol: "Tracer"), all actors on this list played themselves, with their ki-symbols being an element created for the show.)

• Hakim Alston - The Machine
• Clayton Barber - Hollywood (character never used)
• Michael Bernardo
  Michael Bernardo
  Michael Bernardo is a Canadian actor, athlete, and coach, as well as a former champion martial artist and stuntman.Although he found some fame through his roles in Shootfighter and its sequel, and as Turbo on WMAC Masters, he retired from acting to focus more on his chain of martial arts schools...
  
   - Turbo
• Erik Betts - Panther (Season 1)
• Richard Branden - Yin Yang Man
• Chris Casamassa
  Chris Casamassa
  Chris Casamassa is an American martial artist of Italian origin , actor and stuntman who is best known for his role as Scorpion in the movie Mortal Kombat, which was based on the popular fighting-game series...
  
   - Red Dragon
• Mike Chaturantabut - Wizard (Season 2)
• Mer-Mer Chen - Princess
• Sophia Crawford
  Sophia Crawford
  Sophia Crawford is an actress, stuntwoman and martial artist. She was Sarah Michelle Gellar's stunt double on Buffy the Vampire Slayer for several seasons. She is also known for her role as "Chameleon", one of the fighters on WMAC Masters and performing on the TV series Mighty Morphin' Power Rangers...
  
   - Chameleon (Season 2)
• Marco Johnson - Little Bam
• Willie Johnson - Bam (sometimes referred to as "The Bam")
• Michele Krasnoo - Mouse (Episode 2.6)
• Larry Lam - Warlock
• Lynnette Love - Tarantula (Season 1)
• Hien Nguyen - Tsunami
• Akihiro 'Yuji' Noguchi - Cyclone (Season 2)
• Tiana Noguchi - Black Widow
• Ho Sung Pak
  Ho Sung Pak
  Ho-Sung Pak is an American film actor, martial artist, action choreographer, writer, and producer.-Early life and career:Pak, a Korean American, was born in Seoul, South Korea...
  
   - Superstar
• Ho Young Pak - Star Warrior
• Herb Perez - Olympus
• Bridgett Riley
  Bridgett Riley
  Bridgett Riley is a female boxer and motion picture stuntwoman from Oakville, Missouri. While working as a stewardess for an airline she decided to learn martial arts. The interest in the sport came from her brother Patrick's strong interest in mixed martial arts. She trained with her brother and...
  
   - Baby Doll (Season 1, with only one appearance in Season 2)
• Rey-Phillip Santos
  Rey-Phillip Santos
  Rey-Phillip Vivas Santos born June 18, 1975 is a mixed martial artist, turned actor, and a IFC and ProFC featherweight title holder. He is from a military family, the son of a U.S. naval officer. He is best known for his small roles and stunt work on James Cameron's Dark Angel and the Power...
  
   - Reign (character never used)
• Christine Bannon Rodrigues - Lady Lightning
• Carmichael Simon - Kid Carmichael/The Kid
• Johnny Lee Smith - Tiger Claw
• Michael M. Foley (Tracy Swedom) - Tracer (Season 2)
• Taimak
  Taimak
  Taimak Guarriello is a martial arts actor and stuntman, best known as Leroy Green in the 1985 martial arts film The Last Dragon...
  
   - Striking Eagle (episode 2.6)
• Jamie Webster - Great Wolf
• Pedro Xavier
  Pedro Xavier
  Pedro Alexandre Marques Caldas Xavier is a retired Portuguese footballer who played as a forward.-Football career:...
  
   - Axeman (character never used)

• Stuntperformers / Ninjas / Kabuki warriors / Shadow warriors / etc.

Shah Alston, Clayton Barber, Mike Bernardo, Richard Branden, Percy Brown, Sho Brown, Willie Johnson, Dave Kramer, James Sang Lee, Christopher Leps, John Medlen, David Morizot, Phi-Long Nguyen, Herb Perez, Rich Purnell, Christine Rodrigues, Christophe B. Tortora, Ryan Watson, Alex Wen, Lee Whittaker, Tyrone Wiggins.

Martial Arts Disciplines

• The Machine - Kickboxing
  Kickboxing
  Kickboxing refers to a group of martial arts and stand-up combat sports based on kicking and punching, historically developed from karate, Muay Thai and western boxing....
  
  /Tae Kwon Do
• Turbo - Shorin-Ryu
  Shorin-Ryu
  is one of the major modern Okinawan martial arts. It was founded by Choshin Chibana in 1933. Shōrin-ryū combines elements of the traditional Okinawan fighting styles of Shuri-te.-History:Chosin Chibana was a top student of the great master of shuri-te, Anko Itosu...
  
  
• Panther - Wushu
• Yin Yang Man - Wushu
• Red Dragon - Karate
  Karate
  is a martial art developed in the Ryukyu Islands in what is now Okinawa, Japan. It was developed from indigenous fighting methods called and Chinese kenpō. Karate is a striking art using punching, kicking, knee and elbow strikes, and open-handed techniques such as knife-hands. Grappling, locks,...
  
  
• Wizard - Kung Fu
• Princess - Wushu
• Chameleon - Kung Fu
• Bam - Wushu
• Mouse - Tang Soo Do
  Tang Soo Do
  Tang Soo Do is a Korean martial art promoted by Hwang Kee that has roots in various martial arts, including taekkyeon and Subak.-Etymology:...
  
  
• Warlock - Kung Fu
• Tsunami - Kung Fu
• Cyclone - Karate
  Karate
  is a martial art developed in the Ryukyu Islands in what is now Okinawa, Japan. It was developed from indigenous fighting methods called and Chinese kenpō. Karate is a striking art using punching, kicking, knee and elbow strikes, and open-handed techniques such as knife-hands. Grappling, locks,...
  
  
• Black Widow - Hapkido
  Hapkido
  Hapkido is a dynamic and also eclectic Korean martial art. It is a form of self-defense that employs joint locks, techniques of other martial arts, as well as kicks, punches, and other striking attacks...
  
  
• Superstar - Kung Fu
• Star Warrior - Kung Fu/Wushu
• Olympus - Tae Kwon Do
• Baby Doll - Kickboxing
  Kickboxing
  Kickboxing refers to a group of martial arts and stand-up combat sports based on kicking and punching, historically developed from karate, Muay Thai and western boxing....
  
  
• Lady Lightning - Kenpo
  Kenpo
  is the name of several Japanese martial arts. The word kenpō is a Japanese translation of the Chinese word "quánfǎ. This term is often informally transliterated as "kempo", as a result of applying Traditional Hepburn romanization, but failing to use a macron to indicate the long vowel...
  
  
• Kid Carmichael/The Kid - Wushu
• Tiger Claw - Shorin-Ryu
  Shorin-Ryu
  is one of the major modern Okinawan martial arts. It was founded by Choshin Chibana in 1933. Shōrin-ryū combines elements of the traditional Okinawan fighting styles of Shuri-te.-History:Chosin Chibana was a top student of the great master of shuri-te, Anko Itosu...
  
  
• Tracer - Classified; a master of all martial arts (though Michael Foley, the actor who portrayed him, is from a Koden Kan discipline)
• Great Wolf - Karate
  Karate
  is a martial art developed in the Ryukyu Islands in what is now Okinawa, Japan. It was developed from indigenous fighting methods called and Chinese kenpō. Karate is a striking art using punching, kicking, knee and elbow strikes, and open-handed techniques such as knife-hands. Grappling, locks,...
  
  
• Tarantula - Tae Kwon Do
• Striking Eagle - Chinese Goju
• The Rat - Judo
  Judo
  is a modern martial art and combat sport created in Japan in 1882 by Jigoro Kano. Its most prominent feature is its competitive element, where the object is to either throw or takedown one's opponent to the ground, immobilize or otherwise subdue one's opponent with a grappling maneuver, or force an...
  
  
• Reign - Tae Kwon Do
• Hollywood - Tae Kwon Do
• Axeman - Tae Kwon Do

Signature Moves

• Hakim "the Machine" Alston...Switching Axe-Kick
• Mike "Turbo" Bernardo...Double-Spin-and-Strike
• Erik "Panther" Betts...Double Side-Kick
• Richard "Yin Yang Man" Branden...Butterfly Kick
• Chris "Red Dragon" Casamassa...Spinning Hook Front-Kick
• Mike "Wizard" Chaturantabut...Shaolin Fury
• Mer-Mer "Princess" Chen...Jumping Outside-Kick
• Willie "Bam" Johnson...Bam-Slam
• Michele "Mouse" Krasnoo...Hawkeye Kick
• Larry "Warlock" Lam...Spinning Side-Kick
• Hien "Tsunami" Nguyen...Rainbow Kick
• Yuji "Cyclone" Noguchi...Cyclone Kick
• Ho Sung "Superstar" Pak...Pumping Side-Kick
• Ho Young "Star Warrior" Pak...Double Tornado
• Herb "Olympus" Perez...Spinning Back Hook Kick
• Bridgett "Baby Doll" Riley...Slingshot Kick
• Christine "Lady Lightning" Rodrigues...Classic Axe-Kick
• Carmichael "Kid" Simon...540-Degree Kick
• Johnny Lee "Tiger Claw" Smith...Roundhouse-Hook Kick
• Jamie "Great Wolf" Webster...Windmill

Season 1 synopsis

Season 1 involved personal storylines of the WMAC Masters. In the first episode, we were introduced to the masters themselves, and Hakim Alston talked about how he earned his namesake, "The Machine". Throughout the first season, they talked about the highs and lows of the masters, from the feud between Johnny Lee Smith (Tiger Claw) and Jamie Webster (Great Wolf) due to a broken promise, Ho Sung Pak (Super Star) surrendering to his brother Ho Young Pak (Star Warrior) to Richard Branden's blindness in one eye thus began wearing an eyepatch, to Hien Nguyen (Tsunami) overcoming the odds and winning 3 Ki-Symbols for his once-empty Dragon Belt winning a bet he had with Superstar. Superstar then got a chance to challenge Olympus in a special double Dragon Star match where he won and became the new Dragon Star Champion. However, the biggest shocker was at the end of season 1 when Hakim Alston and then-Dragon Star Champion Ho Sung Pak (Superstar) got knocked off the rotating pedestal at the same time by a ninja during their Dragon Star match. The conclusion of the match would come at the start of the next season.

Episodes

• 1.1: Meet the Masters
• 1.2: Brothers in Arms
• 1.3: Going for Gold
• 1.4: Broken Promise
• 1.5: A Man Can Dream
• 1.6: Ninja Challenge
• 1.7: Quest for the Dragon Star
• 1.8: The Joke's on You
• 1.9: Double Dragon Star Match
• 1.10: Blindsided
• 1.11: Icebreaker
• 1.12: Reaching the Top
• 1.13: Showdown: Part 1

Season 2 synopsis

Season 2 began where season 1 left off. Because both the Machine and Superstar had been knocked off the pedestal by a ninja during the Dragon Star match, neither won the Dragon Star. This became a problem throughout the World Martial Arts Council. To make matters worse, Larry Lam (Warlock) made a pact with the newest master, Tracy Swedom (Tracer) and joined a cult called "Jukido". Jukido was a secret group of martial-arts masters who did not want to follow the code of the Dragon Star; for this, they were banned from the WMAC, so they decided to steal the Dragon Star out of revenge. During the investigation, some of the Masters were accused of being the masked ninja, including Ho Sung Pak's brother, Ho Young Pak (Star Warrior), and former Dragon Star Champion Mike Bernardo (Turbo), but they were all cleared. Another Master, Mike Chaturantabut (Wizard), was found to have the red dragon mark of Jukido, but he had since cut his Jukido ties. Warlock, who turned out to be Wizard's half-brother, was still part of the group, despite all appearances to the contrary.

Dragon Star champion Chris Casamassa (Red Dragon) faced Warlock for the Dragon Star championship. During the match, a hooded Jukido ninja entered the match during a violation and came to Warlock's aid to against Red Dragon. Despite the interference, Red Dragon won the match and retained his title. Later, Jamie Webster (Great Wolf) began to have premonitions about the Dragon Star either disappearing or otherwise being a fake and the role Jukido would play in this.

On the women's side, Sophia Crawford (Chameleon) defeated both Mer-Mer Chen (Princess) and Christine Rodrigues (Lady Lightning) to win the Dragon Star. When she went to claim her prize, she found the Dragon Star replaced with red dragon crest of Jukido and screamed in horror, validating Great Wolf's visions. Wizard, along with Olympus, The Machine, Tiger Claw and Superstar, figured out that Tracer and Warlock were behind the theft, but were convinced there was a third member of the group. They originally suspected Chameleon of being that third member, but realized that she was innocent; not only was her terror at seeing the Jukido crest instead of the Dragon Star genuine, but Superstar had also previously overheard her reject Tracer's offer to be part of "the team." Jukido members Tracer and Warlock were definitely part of the plot to steal the Dragon Star, but, unbeknownst to all until the very end (and only to the viewers), so was Hien Nguyen (Tsunami); he brought the Dragon Star to a helicopter, where Tracer and Warlock awaited him. Great Wolf's visions, however, portrayed Tsunami as a hero who recovers the Dragon Star for the WMAC, so Tsunami's true role in the plot remains a mystery and a topic for debate amongst the fandom.

Episodes

• 2.1: Showdown: Part 2
• 2.2: Dragon Star Rematch
• 2.3: Ladies' Night
• 2.4: Fired Up
• 2.5: Wizard and Warlock
• 2.6: Battle of the Brothers
• 2.7: Bad Blood
• 2.8: Super Challenge III
• 2.9: Mixed Doubles
• 2.10: Name of the Game
• 2.11: Vision of Evil: Part 1
• 2.12: Vision of Evil: Part 2
• 2.13: The Turning Points of the Masters

Cancellation

Due to low ratings and low sales of the action figures, WMAC Masters was cancelled after 2 seasons. The fate of the Dragon Star remains in the air. However, One last episode did air in 1997 after the end of the show, which was known as "The Turning Points of the Masters"; in this episode, four masters (The Machine, Yin Yang Man, Superstar and Olympus) told their stories that were their personal "Turning Points" (these stories were actually all previously shown during episodes of Season 1).

Syndication

The show was out of major syndication for several years following its cancellation, although episodes were run occasionally on UPN

UPN

United Paramount Network was a television network that was broadcast in over 200 markets in the United States from 1995 to 2006. UPN was originally owned by Viacom/Paramount and Chris-Craft Industries, the former of which, through the Paramount Television Group, produced most of the network's...

 and its subsidiaries. It was shown on the 4Kids TV

4Kids TV

4Kids TV was a Saturday morning television programming block on the Fox Broadcasting Company. The block was part of the Fox Network schedule...

 Saturday morning television programming block from 2002 until 2003. The CW, who now operates the Toonzai video-on-demand website (the successor to the TV-based 4Kids TV

4Kids TV

4Kids TV was a Saturday morning television programming block on the Fox Broadcasting Company. The block was part of the Fox Network schedule...

), now hosts all 26 episodes of the series for free streaming on their website.

The Dragon Star

The Dragon Star represents the greatest martial artist in the world. The 8 Points of the Dragon Star represented the 8 points on how a true martial artist would live. The 8 Points are: Discipline, Courage, Forgiveness, Compassion, Honor, Wisdom, Loyalty and Respect.

In Season 2, members of Jukido were banned by the WMAC for not following the Code of the Dragon Star, but some members managed to infiltrate the competition. At end of the Season 2 finale, Hien Nguyen (Tsunami) stole the Dragon Star and brought it to a rooftop building where Michael Foley (Tracy "Tracer" Swedom) and Larry Lam (Warlock) were awaiting a helicopter. The WMAC discontinued all competition until the Dragon Star could be recovered.

External links

• WMAC Masters on 4KidsTV
• WMAC Masters at the Internet Movie Database
• The unofficial WMAC Masters website