unsung heroes

hey guys!
just throwing something out here
On tuesday nights myself,al and my good friend mark cooper go down to train with the legendary Guro Terry Barnett

Whilst training i started to think about just how good some of the guys we all train with on a daily basis who are real undiscovered gems

i was watching in awe at my friend Savash Mustafa's muay thai(but to be fair it could have been his JKD,Kali,Boxing or BJJ) it just happened that we were doing muay thai that night!

i turned to Terry and remarked how well Sav was moving and then thought about how this well respected instuctor could be passed in the street by 95% of martial artists in the UK

This observation could be applicable to many others at Terry's group and i'm sure you all could straight away think of a dozen or so others in your own classes groups

anyway i just thought some of you could use this forum to give props(i'm sooo on the pulse) to some of the guys and gals who train for all the right reasons

hope you guys don't think this is a vanity project here......just watching on tuesday got me thinking!
mick x

well, i'd like to give props to my JKD teacher, Sifu Carl Lewis.
i dont really hear much about him outside of the people that know him in my area, but he really is a great teacher and always push's me to do better.

props!

I'll second that

Good call for Sav "The Machine" - seconded!!

and you are only slightly trailing in his wake paul!
i wish i had half of your game sir...yet another inspirational individual from the tuesday night group!!!
mick x
any chance of putting up a few words on the intro's page so some of the guys can get an idea of the talent we are lucky to train with every week?

Good one Mick.

As you started with JKD folk i would like to include Guro Ralph Jones and Paul Finn in the list. First class martial artists.

Thanks Mick, you're too kind.

Will do on the intro page, although I don't have much to write about!!

Hey guys
sorry its taken so long to respond
stuart i have to agree on both counts,Ralph and Paul are top class martial artists/guys....google karasac kali and see just how good!
also time to coax you out of your shell Paul.....get posting dude! X

Guys I train with or have trained with who get a mention are....
Mick Tully, Martin Perry, Nick Shepherd (Tigers Gym Muay Thai) and Mat Goulden.
I finally would like to add in my good friends and training/road trip partners Sebastien Bustos, Dave Shaw, Hwa Kent Cheung (Wak) and Michael Lam, who to me, are all awesome friends, martial artists and people.

i have to agree with stevie g all the road crew are top guys ....but what about the legend that is fon fon.....
give the props where due dude! x

Indeed, indeed, but better for you to mention it because I'm biased x
Fon says hi x

Great thread Mick. Could not agree more about Sav and Paul.

I would like to give a shout to three individuals in the JKD family who are, in my opinion, up there with the very best but who are also in my opinion very much unsung.

Fraser Kyne from Cambridge. More years in the art at his age than most, and has an all round game with no holes that I have ever seen. Awesome on the ground, great hands, superb Muay Thai...it goes on. Fraser has also acheived this whilst balancing a very demanding corporate role, in addition to his lovely wife and newborn son. He is also the nicest guy you could hope to meet.

Brendan Westwood from Poole. Decades of unswerving loyalty and study under Sifu Rick Faye, in addition to all of his other training under Guro Inosanto, Terry Barnett, Phil Norman etc. Again, an all round game with no holes, a superb teacher and an excellent training partner. Brendan is one of the best in his generation, better than many I have seen who hold more certification than he does. Definitely unsung.

Finally Dave Birkett, from Dartford. Whilst many others in Dave's generation are swanning around at the seminars, he maintains a very low profile. The reason for that is because he trains and teaches tirelessly at his MMA Academy, which is producing some young fighters of repute. Dave is a genuine athlete with excellent stand up and ground, I have been on the end of his speed and power, he is amongst the best I have seen.

I just wanted to give these three guys a big shout, and again I think this is a great idea for a thread.

MW

Hi mike
could not agree with you more! Nowadays you hear about all these "top level" guys pressure testing their art.....i was speaking to fraser recently re;his vale tudo fights in the early '90s!Ask Matty,Justin or Tony Somers what those days were like!Thank god i was in germany .....no way you would catch me at that caper hahaha.Brendan's not only one of the best in the country but truly one of the nicest guys you could ever wish to meet in any sphere of life.Dave i have only met once at Guru Bob's but Terry speaks so highly of him he's on the top of my list to train with.I would like to add an affectionally abusive mike wright who's kali,jkd,boxing,pfs,savate,muay thai and all round skills leave me embarassed!
Criminally Unsung x

Word to that!

What?? I didn't realise I was unsung! I'm going to fire my agent.

Now where's that kid with my latte...