I'm a second generation martial artist; my father opened our family dojo in 1978. I grew up with karate as the family profession, started kickboxing in the 1990s, and added "grappling" in the early 2000s when I opened my own martial arts academy. I started with Japanese Jujitsu as my first grappling style, then some Judo and wrestling, all in an attempt to emulate Royce Gracie. In 2005 I gained access to true Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and I haven't looked back. I'm thankful for all the teachers I've had the chance to learn from over the years, and I owe a special debt of gratitude to Pedro Sauer, Luis Heredia, Shane Rice, John Carlquist, Rolles Gracie, Marcio Nunes, and Rickson Gracie. They have all inspired me and helped shape my game.