It's May 22nd, and on this day in 1968, Elvis, Priscilla, and Lisa Marie were vacationing in Hawaii at the Ilikai Hotel in Honolulu. During their stay, Elvis took his entourage to the Karate Tournament of Champions at the Honolulu International Center. The event, promoted by Ed Parker, who would later become Elvis's bodyguard and personal karate instructor, featured future movie star Chuck Norris as one of the competitors. The tournament winner, Mike Stone, was karate's international grand champion since 1966.
After the competition, Elvis and Priscilla met with Parker, Norris, and Stone. In an interesting twist, Mike Stone would go on to become not only Priscilla's karate instructor but also a close friend, lover, and live-in boyfriend. It's said that Elvis disliked Stone so much that he refused to watch the ABC TV series *The Streets of San Francisco* because of Karl Malden's portrayal of a character named “Detective Mike Stone.”
This fascinating moment in Elvis's personal life highlights his deep connection to karate, his complicated relationships, and the ever-evolving circle of people around him.
