Editing Steven Seagal (section)

== Martial arts and Japan ==
According to Seagal's first wife, Miyako Fujitani: "I met Steven in [[California]] in the fall of 1974. He followed me back to [[Japan]] in October. We got married in December 1974."<ref name="LLC1993"/> Fujitani was a second-degree black belt and daughter of an Osaka aikido master who had come to [[Los Angeles]] to teach aikido. After they married, they had a son, Kentaro, and a daughter, [[Ayako Fujitani|Ayako]]. Seagal taught at the school owned by Miyako's family and earned his [[aikido]] black belt in 1978.<ref name=People/> Interviewed in 1993, Fujitani stated that: "The only reason Steven was awarded the black belt was because the judge, who was famous for his laziness, fell asleep during Steven's presentation. The judge just gave him the black belt."<ref name="LLC1993"/>

Seagal has claimed that he helped train [[CIA]] agents in [[Japan]]: "They saw my abilities, both with martial arts and with the language. You could say that I became an advisor to several CIA agents in the field, and through my friends in the CIA, I met many powerful people and did special works and favors."<ref name=People/> Fujitani has refuted these allegations and has also dismissed Seagal's claims that he had combatted [[yakuza]]. There is no evidence that Seagal has ever worked with the [[Central Intelligence Agency]].<ref name="LLC1993"/> In the early-1980s, Seagal had aspirations to return to [[America]] and become a [[movie star]].<ref name="LLC1993"/> Fujitani then "scrimped and saved for years, even denying herself and her children necessities, to help pay his way home."<ref name="LLC1993"/> According to Fujitani, "he then availed himself of her savings and hied off."<ref name="LLC1993"/>

Seagal returned to [[Taos, New Mexico]], with his student (and later film stuntman) Craig Dunn, where they opened a dojo, although Seagal spent much of his time pursuing other ventures. After another period in Japan, Seagal returned to the United States in 1983 with senior student [[Haruo Matsuoka]]. They opened an aikido dojo, initially in [[North Hollywood, California|North Hollywood]], but later moved it to the city of [[West Hollywood, California|West Hollywood]]. Seagal left Matsuoka in charge of the dojo, which the latter ran until the two parted ways in 1997.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.blackbeltmag.com/daily/martial-arts-entertainment/martial-art-movies/haruo-matsuoka-on-steven-seagal-and-aikido%E2%80%99s-history-in-america/|title=Haruo Matsuoka on Steven Seagal and Aikido's History in America|last1=Cheng|first1=Mark|author-link1=Mark Cheng|date=June 9, 2011|publisher=[[Black Belt (magazine)|Black Belt]]|access-date=August 8, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140809145545/http://www.blackbeltmag.com/daily/martial-arts-entertainment/martial-art-movies/haruo-matsuoka-on-steven-seagal-and-aikido%E2%80%99s-history-in-america/|archive-date=August 9, 2014|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.thebraziltimes.com/story/1659515.html|title=Aikido Institute hosting seminar with renowned martial artist|date=August 25, 2010|publisher=Brazil Times|access-date=August 8, 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal|last1=Cheng|first1=Mark|author-link1=Mark Cheng|date=April 2004|title=Thundering AIKIDO: Former Steven Seagal Protégé Haruo Matsuoka Speaks About the Early Days of Aikido in America|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ktsDAAAAMBAJ&pg=106|journal=[[Black Belt (magazine)|Black Belt]]|publisher=Cheryl Angelheart|page=106|issn=0277-3066|oclc=4949089|access-date=August 8, 2014}}</ref> In the early 1980s, Seagal had his first experiences in the film industry by working as a fight coordinator on ''[[The Challenge (1982 film)|The Challenge]]'' (1982) which was shot in Japan,<ref>{{cite web|url=	https://lastmovieoutpost.com/retro-review-the-challenge-1982/|title=	Retro Review: THE CHALLENGE (1982)|website=lastmovieoutpost.com|date=September 15, 2023|access-date=February 7, 2025}}</ref> and ''[[Never Say Never Again]]'' (1983).<ref>{{cite web|url=	https://faroutmagazine.co.uk/when-steven-seagal-broke-sean-connerys-wrist/|title="I got a little cocky": When Steven Seagal broke Sean Connery's wrist|author=Scott Campbell|website= [[Far Out (website)|Far Out]]|date=March 27, 2024|access-date=February 7, 2025}}</ref>

Later in his career, Seagal helped train Brazilian mixed martial artist [[Lyoto Machida]], who credited Seagal for helping him perfect the [[front kick]] that he used to knock out [[Randy Couture]] at ''[[UFC 129]]'' in May 2011.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://mmajunkie.com/news/23455/machida-credits-training-changes-seagal-for-ufc-129-win-over-couture.mma|title=Machida credits training changes, Seagal for UFC 129 win over Couture|author=John Morgan|publisher=MMAjunkie|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110505080023/http://mmajunkie.com/news/23455/machida-credits-training-changes-seagal-for-ufc-129-win-over-couture.mma|archive-date=May 5, 2011}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://mmajunkie.com/news/23445/ufc-129-main-card-results-st-pierre-outjabs-shieldss-aldo-retains-in-thrilling-finish.mma|title=UFC 129 main card results: St-Pierre outjabs Shields, Aldo retains in thrilling finish|publisher=MMAjunkie|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110504122001/http://mmajunkie.com/news/23445/ufc-129-main-card-results-st-pierre-outjabs-shieldss-aldo-retains-in-thrilling-finish.mma|archive-date=May 4, 2011}}</ref>