Teachers
Biography
I've been studying martial arts for most of my life. When I was 6 years old, I started training in Judo, and since then I've studied a number of different arts.
I first started to learn Muay Thai in Spain when I was 17 years old and fought a number of times. I then moved to the USA some years later, age 24, and continued my Muay Thai training with Ajarn Surachai Sirusute for nearly 6 years. At the same time I began learning Wing Chun, taught by Sifu Francis Fong, again for nearly 6 years.
During my time in the USA, I was also privileged to learn Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and spent a varying amount of time learning from people like the Machado brothers, Royce Gracie, Eddie Camden, Jacare Cavalcante, Ricardo Murgel, along with Shoot Wrestling Champion Eric Paulson. All this happened over a period of nearly 4 years.
During this time I continued to fight professionally in Muay Thai and Mixed Martial Arts. After winning the U.S.A. Professional ISKA Middleweight title, and S.F.O. (Submission Fighting Open) Lightweight title a number of times as an undefeated fighter, I decided to train in Thailand.
Living in Thailand, I trained in Sport Muay Thai, visiting some 45 camps in Thailand over a period of 12 months, experiencing and learning the many and varied styles of the art. I fought several times in stadiums such as Ratchadamnoem in Bangkok and Chaweng in Koh Samui. Following that I spent 6 months learning Krabi-Krabong at the Buddhai Swan Institute of Swordsmanship with the Mesamarn family.
It was at this point that I returned to the USA to open the Thailand Arts Institute in Atlanta, Georgia. At that time I continued to fight professionally whilst teaching some 70 students at the institute.
I finally moved to Thailand permanently in 2002. At this time I decided to became a monk to cleanse the bad karma I accumulated from fighting and damaging people.
Following my period in the monkhood I studied Ancient Muay Thai, specifically the Chaiya-style, with Ajarn Lek (Kridakorn Sodprasert) in Bangkok. Then I fought again, once in Lao against the Lao Muay Thai champion, and another three times in Thailand, winning all of these fights by knockout. After this I decided to move away from the competitive arena and dedicate myself to achieving a greater level of understanding of Ancient Muay Thai.
I moved to Chiang Mai in the north of Thailand and opened the Muay Thai Sangha school. Through continual development, meditation and help from other teachers a new style of Muay Thai began to evolve, I call it Muay Thai Sangha.
Through the years these are some of my more important achievements;
- 1st Degree Black Belt Instructor in Kickboxing (FEKB - Ajarn Eugenio Fraile).
- Muay Thai Instructor (Muay Thai Association of USA - Ajarn Surachai Sirusute).
- Black Belt & Instructor in Wing Chun (Wing Chun Association of USA - Sifu Francis Fong).
- 8th Degree Gold Sash Ajarn in Krabi-Krabong (Buddhai Swan Institute of Swordsmanship - Kruu Sila Mesamarn).
- Instructor in Traditional Reflexology and Pressure Point Thai Massage (Wat Pho Medical School, Bangkok).
- Instructor in Deep Nerve Touch Massage with Herbs (Ajarn Mamma Lek).
- Instructor in Advanced Energy Sen Massage (Ajarn Poo/Ong Dam).
- Joined the Monkhood Order at Wat Phra Dhammakaya in Bangkok, Thailand.
- Authorized Instructor in Ancient Muay Chaiya (Baanchangthai, Bangkok - Ajarn Kridakorn Sodprasert).
- Blue Belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu under Royce Gracie (1998).
- Blue Belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu under Jacare Cavalcante (2001).
- Author of the Muay Thai book "Fighting Strategies of Muay Thai" (Paladin Press - September 2002).
- Author of the Krabi-Krabong book "Krabi-Krabong: Thailand's Art of Weapons Fighting " (Paladin Press - April 2007).
- Author of many articles for Martial Arts magazines such as "Black Belt Magazine", "Inside Kung Fu Magazine", "Revista Cinturon Negro", "Siam Combat Magazine" and others.
- In 1998 - ISKA Super-Middlewight USA Professional Muay Thai Champion.
- In 1998 - SFO (Submission Fighting Open) Lightweight Champion, title successfully defended three times, and still undefeated.
- In 1998, ranked #4 in the world by ISKA (International Sport Kickboxing Association) at Super-Middleweight in the Professional Muay Thai division.
- In 1999 - Battle of Koh Samui (Thailand) Middleweight Champion.
- In 2000 - Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Jacare Cavalcante Open Lightweight Champion.
- In 2000, ranked #2 in the world by IKF (International Kickboxing Federation) at Middleweight in the Professional Muay Thai division.
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