I was born in the Chicagoland area and raised in the south suburbs. In 1984, I formally began martial arts training in Shuri-Ryu Karate under John Nanay. Throughout the 1980’s I also became exposed to other martial arts such as Judo, Kickboxing, & Jeet Kune Do. After military service in the mid-1990’s, I began formally training in Muay Thai, JKD/Kali, Submission Grappling and Gracie Jiu-Jitsu at the Aiki Training Hall in Skokie, IL and later at Goytia’s Martial Arts in Chicago. This continued through 1999.

After a new career, a family move and some life changes, I finally settled back into formal martial arts training in 2006. This is where I again took up Judo and Jiu-Jitsu training at Atlas Xtreme Team under Chuck Clark. Over the next 8 years I became very competitive in Judo, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and Submission Grappling. I also assisted in running the kid's program, was instrumental in helping to develop the judo and jujitsu curriculum, and helped instruct the law enforcement group classes. In 2012, I affiliated with JKD Unlimited’s Burton Richardson, and began training in his MMA For the Street™ program. It was also during this year I began a side business to begin formally teaching JKD & MMA. In 2013, I was asked to take over AXT, plus I had the opportunity to train with Sifu Roy Harris at his JKD Level 1 Instructor Camp in Bartlett, IL. In 2014, I reached out to Professor Roy Dean and requested to affiliate with him in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. In 2019, I rebranded the club to AXT Jiu-Jitsu.

My martial arts instructor ranks and certifications (chronologically):

· 2010 - Judo Black Belt & USA Judo National Coach

· 2012 - Shingitai Jujitsu Black Belt

· 2013 - Jeet Kune Do Apprentice Instructor

· 2019 - MMA For the Street (FTS) Instructor

· 2021 - Muay Thai Kru

· 2022 - Knife Defense FTS Instructor

· 2022 - Jun Fan JKD Instructor

· 2022 – Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Black Belt

· 2023 – BJJ FTS Instructor