International Combat Martial Arts
Encyclopedia
Who is Who in the International Combat Martial Arts
- D -
Andrew Davies
I first encountered martial arts back in the late 1960’s
when I had a very quick couple of Judo classes at a local community hall, but
never progressed on at that time. I only took them up seriously during the
early 1970’s during the big ‘Bruce Lee’ Kung Fu boom period when I started
learning the Pak Mei (White Eyebrow) system under Sifu George Taylor who would
travel down from Birmingham to teach every week in Bristol. At first the
classes were very big with hundreds of students joining but as time went on and
training became progressively harder and more intense, the numbers declined
until there were a hard-core of about twenty or so left. From the beginning I
found classes enjoyable and although not a sporty type, I relished the
challenges of progressing through the ranks and acquiring new skills even though
it meant tough physical demands. Sadly after a couple of years Sifu Taylor
handed the school over to a senior student who was not skilled enough back then
to run a club, so about ten of us started visiting other martial arts schools
to see if there was something else available. We tried several Karate and
Kung-Fu Schools which although good, did not seem to appeal to us so we drifted
for a few months from one school to another in search of more suitable
instruction. During a visit to one particular Karate Club we noticed that
several of the Brown and Black Belts were sporting a number of Black eyes and
heavy bruising and we inquired as to how this had come about. We were told that
a couple of Chinese Black Belts from a Taekwondo club had trained there a
couple of days previously and had basically ripped them apart.
We eventually found a Chinese Taekwondo instructor
running classes in Bristol who was connected to those who had visited the
Karate club. We were quickly asked to demonstrate our skills and proceeded to
demonstrate the first part of our form which if memory serves me right was from
the ‘Nine Step Push’. The Taekwondo instructor quickly stopped us and proceeded
to demonstrate the form in it’s entirety – it turned out that he was also
skilled in Pak Mei Kung-Fu. Mr. Thomas
(Kin Man) Yau Needless to say we enrolled
in Taekwondo under Mr. Thomas (Kin Man) Yau (pictured above) where I went on to
test for my 1st Dan Black belt in November 1978. Other instructors at the club
were Mr. Fred Loh, Mr. Tan and Mr. Alfred Toh under the guidance of Master Fred
Lee 6th Dan, head instructor of the British Taekwondo Association. Prior to Mr.
Yau returning to Hong Kong I joined the ‘Premier Taekwondo Academy’ under
Master Murray Walker 4th Dan where I successfully gained my 2nd Dan Black belt
and was elected as one of the first Executive Committee members of the newly
formed British Taekwondo Control Board, the official body for WTF Taekwondo in
Great Britain, as was appointed as regional Olympic Coach for Taekwondo in the
South West region. It was during my time on this Executive that I first
experienced the ugly face of martial arts politics and did not seek reelection
after my first term. The Davies Brothers with
Master Han, You Guen. I later
went on to become a student of two-time WTF World Taekwondo Champion, Master
Han, You Guen and ran schools for him in the West of England area. Today, I run
my own full-time academy in Bristol with 22 Black belts and almost 300 students
plus nine satellite schools in Bath, Swindon, South Gloucestershire,
Weston-Super-Mare and North East Somerset.
Master Davies continues succeed at the highest level.
Over the years I have entered many competitions and
have won several national titles in both sparring and patterns culminating in a
European Silver Medal in 1999. More recently I have been focusing on weapons
forms and am continuing to study and now compete in this area of martial arts.
At present I am in the process of writing my first
book on basic patterns which I hope to see published in autumn 2002, followed
by instructional Poomse and weapons video's. (WIF).
Pablo Delgado
Hanshi
Pablo Delgado began his martial arts training in 1965 in Bronx, New York. At
the age of nine he began studying Goju Ryu under the late Grandmaster Joaquin
Casado. In 1973 he moved to Puerto Rico where he continued training in the
martial arts on the Island. During this time he attended high school. In 1973
he
continued
his studies with Meijin Casado and earn his Black Belt in Casado new System of
Sanseido Goju Ryu. They use to travel to different dojos to challenge them in a
friendly competition but the majority of them decline the challenge.
In
1977 he went to Jersey City, New Jersey and attended Jersey City State College
and taught the art of Sanseido Goju Ryu in his parents basement. He competed in
many National and local tournaments, and was victorious in many of the them. He
also studied under Grandmaster Aarron Banks at Bank's New York Karate Academy.
He retired from competition in 1988 and began teaching in a community center in
the Bronx, New York. He later worked with master Hawk Frazier and also with
Grand master GJ Torres then he opened the Black Dragons Dojo In the Bronx with
his two sons Carlos and Luis Delgado as assistant instructors. He had the Bad Boys National Karate Team which competed
on a national level and as a team in Puerto Rico.
Throughout
the years, Hanshi Delgado, with the help of his two sons, developed a system
that was a mixture of many diciplines. This system was named Senshi-Do Kai.
Hanshi Delgado was recognized as Hanshi 10th Dan by the International Combat
Martial Arts Union Association. This system is dedicated to the late
Grandmaster Joaquin Casado. On June 12, 2009 Hanshi Pablo E. Delgado was inducted into the World Budo Awards Hall of
fame and received the “Platinum Pioneer Award” in Guayama city, Puerto Rico. On
June 27th, 2009 Hanshi Pablo E. Delgado was inducted into the Who’s who in the
Martial Arts International Hall of Fame as the “Founder of the Year Award” in Tinton
Falls, New Jersey.
Vladimir Djordjevic
Vladimir Djordjevic was born
on January 23, 1973 in Belgrade, Serbia. Ever since the age of seven he has
been training in various forms of martial arts including Karate, Taekwondo,
Full Contact, Kickboxing, Real Aikido and Jujitsu. He holds a 6.DAN in Real Aikido, 6.DAN in
Jujitsu and 7.DAN in AikiJujitsu. Vladimir has also served in the Serbian
military police, Anti-terrorist special unit. During this time together with
his superiors he trains other soldiers in martial arts. After the military, he
opens his own school for Kickboxing and together with the Kickboxing Federation
of Yugoslavia he organizes State Junior Championships in Kickboxing. Shortly
after he gets introduced to Soke Ljubomir Vracarevic, Major-General in the
Russian Army responsible for training Russian military and police special units
"Alpha" "Cobra" and Spetsnaz. Soke Ljubomir Vracarevic is
the founder of the style called Real Aikido in Belgrade were Vladimir becomes
more aware of the importance of self defense presented in Aikido and
Jujitsu. He eventually opens his own
school of Real Aikido called CRA Djordjevic", streamlining it to focus on
highly flexible and wildly incorporated set of self-defense techniques.
During this whole time Vladimir
still trains in the World Center of Real Aikido under sensei Ljubomir
Vracarevic. He attained his master Real Aikido instructor title in 1997. In
1998 he comes to West Palm Beach, Florida and immediately joins the MMA academy
of Mat Birov, where he takes the position as instructor. At the end of 1999 Vladimir moves to Chicago
where he continues his training in several clubs throughout the area. He focuses mainly on his own advancements and
in January of 2000, under the guidance of his sensei Ljubomir Vracarevic, he
opens his own school called U.S. Center of Real Aikido, today known as
"Odbrana".
Creator of ODBRANA is Chief
Instructor Vladimir Djordjevic, head instructor of Real Aikido and Jujitsu for
more than a decade in USA, Canada and South America. Vladimir Djordjevic was
inducted into the martial arts hall of fame 5 times and holds a 6.DAN in Real
Aikido, 6.DAN in Jujitsu and a 7. Dan in AikiJujitsu. With 29 years of martial
arts dedication, Vladimir Djordjevic has gone on to win numerous championships
in many associations and federations worldwide. (USNTF, Arnold martial arts
world games, etc.) Vladimir Djordjevic has served in the Serbian Military
police and Anti-Terrorist Unit. As combat and tactical instructor he has
singled out hundreds of the original techniques and purified them to
effectively take complete control of a hostile situation. He has been featured
on CBS2 TV as the most recognized rape prevention instructor to date. He is
Ambassador of martial arts, an internationally recognized referee and very well
respected as one of the main instructors for numerous units and law enforcement
agencies worldwide.
Credentials:
CBS 2 Chicago, The Best Rape -
Prevention Instructor.
Real Aikido Seminars in USA,
Canada, South America 2000-2009
US Martial Arts Hall Of Fame
2006 - Training Camp Instructor - Self Defense
US Martial Arts Hall Of Fame
2005 - Training Camp Instructor - Rape Prevention
US Martial Art Hall Of Fame
2004 - Most Distinguished Law
Enforcement Instructor Of The Year
AKA GRAND Nationals & WSKF
2004 - BB Divisions-1st.Place (Self-Defense)
Arnold Martial Arts World
Games 2004 - Gold Medalist (Self Defense)
Action Martial Arts Magazine's
Hall Of Fame 2003 - “Excellence in Teaching of the Martial Arts “
11th USNTF International Championship
2003 - Adult Champion
US Martial Arts Hall of Fame
2003 - “Distinguished Master Instructor of the Year “
Inducted into “2002 Hall Of
Fame”
IMACOF - Certified Defensive
Tactics Instructor
Martial Arts Association -
International - “Ambassador of the MAA”
Lifetime member of United
States Martial Arts Association, World Center of Real Aikido, Combat Martial Arts Practitioners Association,
NAPMA, International Narcotic Enforcement Officers Association.
Head Referee for Self-Defense,
Jujitsu and Kick Boxing Styles in numerous associations & federations,
nation & worldwide. (WAKO, USNTF, AKA, WSKF, Arnold MAWG, CMAPA, WKA, AJA)
US and Illinois Head
representative of KIAI, JJFS, ISCA, SBC, EJJU
Vladimir is currently
finishing his book “Odbrana” that should be coming out at the beginning of 2010
Brendan
Donnelly
Brendan Donnelly began his Martial
Arts career in 1979 training in traditional Karate and Kung-Fu. In 1982 he
established the first "Full Contact"/ Kick-Boxing club in the Holy
Family Boxing Club in Drogheda. Taking part in several full contact bouts he
discovered that a lot of the traditional techniques needed to be adapted if
they were to be effective in the "full Contact" arena.
At that time in Ireland the idea that
you could be other than one of the established styles such as Wado-Ryu,
Shotokan or Kenpo was unthinkable.
In 1982 Brendan began training with
Sensei John Mc Grane in Dublin, Sensei Mc Grane having an open minded approach
to Martial Arts, allowed Brendan to contrinue with the developement of what he
termed as "free-Style" Karate.
Brendan , having being awarded his 1st
Dan from Sensei John Mc Grane , established the Red Dragon Free Style
Karate Club in Drogheda in 1984. The Club produced many champions in both
full-contact and semi-contact competitions, indeed some of Brendan's students
have gone on to further develop his concepts of independent thinking within the
Martial Arts and have established "systems" based on many of his
orginal concepts.
In 1986 one of Brendan's appointed
Blackbelts John Campbel opened a second club in Drogheda, to avoid confusion
and wanting to explore new avenues Brendan renamed his club the Laconian Karate
Club. Both clubs remained under the auspices of the Red Dragon Karate
Association.
Laconian Karate
Laconian, meaning direct and straight
to the point was the concept of Karate teaching Brendan wanted impart to his
students.
The club concentrated mostly on
full-contact training and took part and were successful in many
"kick-boxing" competitions, however Brendan was still striving to
achieve more reality in combat training and found "kick-Boxing" to be
limited in its range of techniques in the ring.
Brendan and his fellow Black belts
started experimenting with "all out" full-contact which included leg
kicks ,knee strikes and elbows, using techniques from Muay Thai. It was at this
point having read an article in the English martial arts magazine
"Combat" about Laconian Karate (1995 ) that Master Woody the European
representative for Muay Thai, contacted Brendan with the hope that he could
enter an Irish team in to the World Muay Thai Championships in Thailand.
Muay Thai
Always up for a challenge and wanting
to find out more about Muay Thai, Brendan travelled to Germany and the U.K for
intensive training in Muay Thai.
He set up a new full time Muay Thai
training hall in Drogheda, Ireland the "Contact Corner" which
contained all the equipment needed to practice the art of Muay Thai including a
full sized boxing ring.
In 1996 Brendan was appointed as
National Representative for the International Amatuer Muay Thai Federation and
was responsible for taking the first Irish team ever to take part in the
Amateur World Championships.
Thai-Karate
Brendan continued to travel back and forth to Thailand
learning more about this fantastic art of Muay Thai and Thai culture.On A visit
in 2002 Brendan met up with and studied under the tutelage Sensei Srisai 9th
Dan Tomari-te, Free-style karate(4th Dan Seishinryu) and now visits at
least once per year to update on his karate skills and techniques.
On 23rd December 2008 Brendan was awarded his 7th Dan
(IMATF).
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