Who Knew? Texas Legend Willie Nelson is a 5th-Degree Black Belt

Here in Texas, we all know Willie Nelson as the 'Red Headed Stranger', an outlaw country icon, and a living legend who’s been making music for more than six decades. But here’s something you might not know — when Willie’s not strumming his guitar or rolling out another hit, he’s capable of kicking your butt!

Willie's a Black Belt!

Willie holds a 5th-degree black belt in a Korean martial art called GongKwon Yusul, a discipline that blends striking, grappling, and throwing techniques. On top of that, he’s also a 2nd-degree black belt in Taekwondo. Yep, between the road, the stage, and the studio, Willie’s been busy in the dojo.

He reminded fans of his martial arts chops the other day by posting a photo of himself with the caption:

“Black belt by day, Red Headed Stranger by night.”

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A post shared by Willie Nelson (@willienelsonofficial)

Luke Combs’ First “Willie Moment”

Even country superstar Luke Combs has been caught off guard by Willie’s ninja skills. Luke recently shared a story about the first time he met Willie at his compound in Maui.

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The two were hanging out with a group of friends, playing poker. At one point, Willie slipped around the corner to a spot where only Luke could see him.

“And he stands there, arms out, full Karate Kid, and starts just kicking this punching bag,” Luke said. “Tossing crane kicks, dude. He’s 84 at this point… just hammering this punching bag. And I’m looking at the poker table like, ‘What is happening?’ Nobody else sees it.

“Then he walks back in, doesn’t say a word about it, sits down like nothing happened. And I’m like, that’s my Willie Nelson moment.”

One-of-a-Kind Texan

At 92 years old today, Willie is proof that you can be a music legend and a martial arts master!. Whether he’s on stage in front of thousands, relaxing in Maui, or quietly working a punching bag in the corner, Willie’s still doing things his own way.

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Here in Lubbock and across Texas, we’ve always known Willie is one-of-a-kind. Now we can add another line to the legend’s resume: outlaw country king…and certified black belt bad boy.