This is the man behind all that is Red Dragon.

Without his vision and drive, the organization we know today wouldn’t exist.

His creativity and passion have impacted hundreds of thousands of lives.

It all began in the late 1950s when, as a young Marine stationed in Japan, he started training in martial arts under Sensei Nagano and later in Judo under Sensei Toshiko Yagome. He was among the first Americans to earn a Black Belt in Judo at the Kodokan, promoted by Resei Kano. At a time when cross-training in multiple martial arts was rare, he saw how different styles complemented each other. Earning black belts in multiple disciplines, he pioneered blending styles into what became American Karate later known as Red Dragon Karate.

Red Dragon is truly an American original and is widely considered one of the first modern mixed martial arts styles ever created. It is a unique blend of styles and influences from around the world including Japan, Okinawa, China, Korea, the Philippines, Indonesia, and Tibet. For over 50 years, Red Dragon has stood the test of time and we continue to adapt and evolve our system so it gets even better with each passing year.

Today, his journey has led to one of the most diverse and practical martial arts systems in the world.