Biographies and Eulogies

Biographies and Eulogies of martial artists and martial arts instructors on USAdojo.com. Search by name to find a particular individual.

Deputy Joe Fiorentino

Joe Fiorentino is a 14-year Cook County Sheriff Department veteran, volunteer, Defensive Tactics instructor, and a Shidokan Black Belt. On Sept. 19, 2009, he took...

Dane Harden: Yoshinkan Aikido

Master Dane S. Harden formed his nearly life-long affiliation with the martial arts when he began studying Aikido in 1969 at the age of...

Tayari Casel

Oso Tayari Casel is the founder and director of the Tayari Casel Martial Arts Academy, Inc.; an institution that researches, demonstrates and spreads the...

Butch Togisala: Shorin Ryu

Sensei Lelagi Togisala known as Butch Togisala is a world renown martial artist. His martial arts career began in 1979 when he was eight...
Dian Tanaka

Dian Tanaka American Kenpo

Dian Tanaka was born in Tokyo, Japan, and moved to the San Francisco Bay area with her family at the age of 7. Her...

Rose Namajunas

Rose Namajunas is an American mixed martial artist who is currently competing in the Women's Strawweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship. As of...
BJ Penn

BJ Penn MMA & BJJ

B.J. Penn (Jay Dee Penn or Baby Jay) was born on December 13, 1978 in Kailua, Hawaii. He is an American professional mixed martial...

Stephen Oliver Taekwondo

Stephen Oliver began training in martial arts in 1970 with the Jhoon Rhee Institute in their branch in Tulsa, Oklahoma. His instructors were Bob...

Interview With Pangulong Guro Chuck Cadell

On a cool, Midwest March afternoon, I drove from my home to a place I had been familiar with for many years. I was...
Gamini Soysa

Gamini Soysa Shorin Ryu Karate

Kyoshi Gamini Soysa is widely recognized as a pioneer in introducing Shorin Ryu Shorin Kan Karate in Sri Lanka, India and other South Asian...
Bernardo Fabia Salinas

Bernardo Fabia Salinas

Grandmaster Bernardo Fabia Salinas has been in Martial Arts for 49 years. He was born in a religious town of Manaog, Province of Pangasinan,...
Lucy & John Olivier

Lucy Olivier – Shorinji Kempo

Lucy Olivier is a 5th Degree Master that has been studying the art of Shorinji Kempo for 30 years with her teacher and husband,...
Master Tanabe

A Reunion with Master Tanabe, My Mentor

Shihan Dana Abbott's Reunion with Master Tanabe It was about four in the afternoon and my flight was on its final approach.  As we broke...

Howard Upton: Yoshukai Karate-do

Howard Upton is a seventh degree Black Belt in Yoshukai Karate-do. He also holds a first degree Black Belt in Okinawan Goju Ryu, and...
James Yimm Lee

James Yimm Lee: Wing Chun Kung Fu

James Yimm Lee was born on January 31,1920 in Oakland, California. During high school, he practiced weight training, bodybuilding, hand balancing, and acrobatics. In...
Duke Swain

Duke Swain Healing and Martial Arts

Hanshi Duke Swain began his training in Isshin Ryu Karate in the early 1970’s under the direction of Grandmaster Castanza. Several years later, he...