Great Masters of Today

        In today’s martial arts world there are many great masters that have had great influence in those who study under them. They are not just teachers but mentors all with years of experience as instructors of the martial arts. Their love and commitment to the martial arts show through their teachings, achievements, contributions, and friendships.

        The Southeastern Martial Arts Association is proud to recognize these Great Masters of Today and is honored to have them as inductee’s of the Southeastern Martial Arts Hall of Fame.

        Names by last name in alphabetical order:

• John Crudup, Founder of the Universal Song Do Kwan Alliance
• Fred LaSala, Head Instructor of Karate for Christ Ministries
• "Rico" Arnaldo Lugo, Founder of the SMAA & Master of American Combat Martial Arts
• Frank R. Perez, Master Instructor of Shinja Institute of Martial Arts
• H.G. Robby Robinson, Founder of the Armed Forces Judo & Jujitsu Academy
• John Rivera, Northern Style Shaolin Kung Fu / American Top Team Fighter
• Quoc L. Tran, Master of Vietnamese Combat Martial Arts
• Bill "Superfoot" Wallace, Retired Undefeated PKA Champion and Martial Arts Legend

Currently being updated. Check back soon!

John Crudup

Founder of the Universal Song Do Kwan Alliance

John Crudup began his formal training in 1971 at the age of 11 in Shotokan Karate at the American Youth Academy Karate Club in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania under the direction of Sensei Ernest Paramore and earned his Black Belt at the age of 14. He was also promoted to Black Belt in Moo Duk Kwan Korean Karate by Master Oscar Young Sul in 1975. Additionally, he earned his Black Belt in Chang Moo Kwan Tae Kwon Do under Grand Master Ozzie Wright, Jr. and Grand Master James Mitchell in 1979. He was a top-rated tournament fighter from the mid-70s to early-80s in the Tri-State Area (Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Delaware) well-known for his tremendous kicking ability. He won numerous championships during this period to include the World Bi-Centennial Karate Games in 1976 and the Peter Urban American Cup Championships in 1977 and 1979. He also enjoyed a brief kickboxing career fighting in the Professional Karate Association (PKA) before entering the United States Air Force in March 1983. He spent over 15 years in assignments throughout the Pacific theater to include tours in Guam, Korea, Japan and Okinawa before returning to the U.S. in 2001. He returned to tournament competition in 2005 to win the Black Belt Sparring Grand Championship at the Kombat Klassic in Waldorf, Maryland.

Grandmaster Crudup earned a 7th degree Black Belt in Kyo-Jutsu Karate under Professor Sayfullaah Al-Amriykiy and Soke Nat Abdullaah McBride, direct disciples of the legendary Great Grandmaster Dr. Moses Powell. He is a certified 8th degree Black Belt in Tae Kwon Do and member of the Mighty Simba Dojang under the leadership of Grandmaster Furman Marshall; 8th degree Black Belt, Flying Eagle Hapkido Association in Singapore, and 9th degree Black Belt, National Tang Soo Do Federation. He founded the Universal Song Do Kwan Alliance in 2004 and was awarded the title of Doju-nim and 10th degree Black Belt by the World Korean Martial Arts Union, Grandmaster Chang Hwa Park; the United States Head of Family Martial Arts Association, International Supreme Elite Warriors Council; and the World Martial Arts Hall of Fame Sokeship Council. Additionally, Grandmaster Crudup was awarded 8th Baysa by the World Kostrov’s Universal Fisticuffs Organization in the Ukraine.

Grandmaster Crudup was presented the “Men Making a Difference Award for 2007” by Congressman Chaka Fattah. He holds two associate degrees from the Community College of the Air Force, a Bachelors Degree in Business and Management from the University of Maryland and a Masters Degree in Human Resources Management from Chapman University. He retired from the United States Air Force in 2009 as a Chief Master Sergeant and now works as a investigator with the U.S. Department of Labor.

These are just some of John Crudup’s achievements. For more information on John Crudup and the Universal Song Do Kwan Alliance please click on his photo.

Fred LaSala

Master in the art of Tai Chuan Do Karate and Head Instructor of Karate for Christ Ministries.

Holds Black Belt ranks in Hapkido Nam Moo Kwan; Nicei Goju Ryu; and American Goju Ryu.

Fred LaSala began his martial arts training grappling in 1973. While in high school he put his grappling skills to the test in the wrestling team winning many championships. Fred LaSala moved from karate school to karate school until he found Tai Chuan Do, a discipline founded by Grand Master Ken Champ.

Today Fred LaSala has been teaching martial arts for over 20 years. He has won many titles to include 5 World Championship Titles, 13 State Championship Titles in fighting, breaking, kata, weapons kata, self defense and an induction into numerous Martial Arts Hall of Fames. Many of these championships being televised on ESPN2, ESPN, FX, CBS and The Sunshine Network.

In 1995 he fought with the U.S. Karate team in Venezuela. Has fought to the finals of the Tough Man Contest in Saint Lucie County in 1999, and in was once again honored to travel as a Coach for the U.S. Karate Team to Trinidad.

These are just some of Fred LaSalas achievements. For more information on Fred LaSala, Tai Chuan Do, and Karate for Christ Ministries please click on his photo.

"Rico" Arnaldo Lugo

Arnaldo Lugo was born and raised in the beautiful island of Puerto Rico. He began his martial arts training in 1977 in Ji Do Kwan & Hapkido and after 9 years of hard training earned his Black belt in 1986. Today Arnaldo Lugo has earned black belt ranks in Ji Do Kwan, Hap Ki Do, American Combat Karate, Shotokan Karate, American Ju Jitsu, and Aikido and is the founder of the American Combat Karate System called American Black Widow Karate. He is a retired Sergeant for the Florida Department of Corrections where during his career he was a member of the Confrontation Control Force Team (Riot Squad), Chemical Agents Team, and the Corrections Emergency Response Team better known as a SWAT team. During his tour has received numerous awards for outstanding service to include being nominated to receive the Law Enforcement Medal of Valor.

       
Arnaldo Lugo holds active instructor certifications by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and the Criminal Justice Standards & Training Commission in defensive tactics, firearms, chemical agents, and less than lethal munitions to name a few. Various Law Enforcement agencies were impressed by Arnaldo Lugo’s skill and knowledge in defensive tactics but what they were mostly impressed with was his teaching ability. This led to contracts with the Criminal Justice Institute at Valencia
Community College and Brevard Community College to teach defensive tactics and other topics as well as being contracted by Carloz Albizu University as a subject matter expert to develop instructor training programs, train and certify instructors for the Puerto Rico Department of Corrections & Rehabilitation in the topics of defensive tactics, firearms, chemical agents, use of force, and field training officers. Today he continues to provide training for Law Enforcement Officers, Correctional Officers, and SWAT Teams.

For his service he has received numerous “Top Instructor” awards and other special recognition from the colleges and universities to include recognition from former Florida Governor Jeb Bush for outstanding service to the community.

Arnaldo Lugo has won State, National, and World titles in point karate, continuous sparring, kick-boxing, grappling, mixed martial arts, empty hand forms, and weapons forms. He has been inducted into the Florida Cosmopolitan Martial Arts Hall of Fame, Southeastern Martial Arts Hall of Fame, and the Central Florida Martial Arts Hall of Fame to name a few. Inductions include: Mixed Martial Arts Fighter of the Year, Master of the Year, Instructor of the Year / School of the Year, and as Ambassador of the Martial Arts.

Arnaldo Lugo is the Founder and President of the Southeastern Martial Arts Association, the Southeastern Martial Arts Hall of Fame, and the SMAA’s US Martial Arts Games. He is the Tactical Training Director for TD Weaponry, and volunteers as a mentor for kids for the City of Orlando government.

Frank R. Perez

Master Instructor of Shinja Institute of Martial Arts

Frank R. Perez started his Martial Arts journey in 1983 in Shotokan, under the guidance of Sensei Ramon Cordero in Levittown P.R. During the late 80's he continued his training with his father Prof. Jesus R. Perez who was at the time one of the few practioner in Chinese Boxing and Muay Thai. Frank Perez took a turn to Goju Ryu in 1990 under the instruction of Ruben Rossy-Hanshi and Carlos Paris-Hanshi.  During his years in active duty Air Force he studied several arts like Aikijutsu, Shinja Jujitsu, and Shinja Combat System under the instruction of Prof. Jason Hunt founder of the Shinja Martial Arts Federation and Minister of Frank Perez.  Since 2003 Frank Perez had the honor of being a direct student of Dr. Juan Otero Jr. 9th Dan-Hanshi Founder of Okinawan Goshin Ryu Karate-Do Association and in 2007 Sensei began to trained with Carlos Montalvo 9th Dan-Hanshi Ronin Police Defensive Tactics and Goju Ryu-Kai.

During the course of 26 years, he has been blessed to have the pleasure and the humility to train under many Grand Masters in Martial Arts, Ruben Rossy 10th Dan-Hanshi Tanren Goju Ryu, Tony Pabon 10th Dan-Hanshi Taifu-Shoi, Carlos Paris 10th Dan-Hanshi Yosei Goju Ryu, Oscar Alicea 10th Dan Hanshi Iaido, Mike Mc Gann 10th Dan Soke Wa No Michi Ryu, GM Bill (Super foot) Wallace, John Gabriel 9th Dan Soke Red Dragon, Daniel Torres 9th Dan-Hanshi Danto-Ryu Jujitsu, Maestro Eddie Perez 8th Dan-Hanshi Gazabara Esgrima, Dr. Tang 10th Dan Goju Ryu Singapore, Carlos H. Montalvo 9th Dan-Hanshi Ronin Goju Ryu, his friend and mentor Dr. Juan Otero Jr. 10th Dan-Hanshi, and several of Ronin Brotherhood top students, and has kept credit to all those who helped him achieve the position he holds today.     

These are just some of Frank Perez’s achievements. For more information on Frank Perez please click on his photo.

H. G. Robby Robinson

Master in Judo and Founder of the Armed Forces Judo & Jujitsu Academy

Robby Robinson was introduced to Judo in 1949 through the teachings of Charles Yerkow and was strongly influenced by neighborhood Chinese Tai Chi Chuan practitioners and continued to train through his military career.

Robby Robinson trained under the tutor ledge of the late Sensei Emilio “Mel” Bruno, GS-15, Superintendent for USAF Aircrew and Air Police Combative Training and Physical Conditioning, Headquarters, SAC, Omaha, Nebraska, and a former student of Jigoro Kano; founder of the Kodokan International Judo Institute, Japan.

During 1953 at Fairchild AFB, Spokane, WA, Robby Robinson trained with a team of the highest ranked Japanese martial arts masters ever to visit the United States. This prestigious grouping of Judo, Karate, Aikijutsu, Taiho Jitsu and Goshinjitsu ambassadors included Takahiko Ishikawa, Kenji Tomiki, Tadao Otaki, Hidetaka Nishiyama, Isao Obata, Toshio Kamada and Sumiyuki Kotani; up until recently, the last of the great Kodokan 10 th Degree Black Belts (Judan).

It was here that he began his formal Kodokan training with his Sensei and mentor Yasumasa Kanemoto, Kudan, a direct student of Jigoro Kano and a superb mat technician. In 1956, Robby Robinson was awarded Kodokan Shodan in Judo while training alternately with Japanese Military Self-Defense Forces in Kendo and Shorinji Kenpo. Relocating to Tokyo in 1957, he studied Shotokan Karate under Hidetaka Nishiyama at Fuchu Air Station and Kodokan Judo at Minami Koen (Green Park Annex) with Kodokan's Sensei the late Sadaki Nakabayashi, Hachidan.

Retiring from military active duty on December 31, 1976, Robby Robinson returned home to Hawaii to complete his formal academic education. In 1981 after completing his Associate, Bachelors and 1 and ½ Masters Degree programs, Robby Robinson was selected out of a field of 128 candidates for civilian employment as the Director, Morale, Welfare and Recreation, Barbers Point Naval Air Station, Hawaii.  

Robby Robinson is the Founder Armed Services Judo & Jujitsu Academy which has recently been recognized as one of the Top 20 USJA Clubs in the United States.  With a distinguished active duty and reserve military career spanning some 35 years, with numerous military decorations, both foreign and domestic, and passionately dedicated to the Kanonian principle of Jita Kyoei; Mutual Aid and Reciprocity, Robby Robinson continues to concentrate and dedicate his time and energy towards improving the Quality of Life for military personnel and their families through the positive elements of martial arts training.

These are just some of Robby Robinson’s achievements. For more information on Robby Robinson and the Armed Services Judo & Jujitsu Academy please click on his photo.

John "the Musclebot" Rivera

Northern Style Shaolin Kung Fu / American Top Team Fighter

John Rivera is originally from Trenton, NJ. He’s been training in martial arts for more than 30 years in Northern Shaolin Kung Fu (Bao Shu Fang Lian Kung Fu Taji Silat of Princeton), Tang Soo Do (Lee’s Tang Soo Do Academy) and Tae Kwon Do (Kyum Karate). He relocated to Coconut Creek, Florida 3 years ago and began training in Choy Lah Fut (Lee Koon Hung Choy Lah Fut), Muy Thai Kickboxing and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (Main HQ’s American Top Team).

John Rivera represented the USA at the World Championship Games in Cancun, Mexico. The competition was between Mexico and the USA. The competition took place March 14, 2009 at the Crown Resort Hotel (Cancun, Mexico). He performed in traditional kata, musical kata, open kata, traditional weapons and the Main Event Full Contact Muy Thai Kickboxing. He won Gold Medals in ev ery event.

John Rivera was given the high honor of having been named the US Martial Arts Team’s Kung Fu Coach and continuous fighting athletes and represents the best martial artists from the USA. The athletes on the US Martial Arts Team compromise every art, including karate, taekwondo, kung fu, wushu, kenpo, kobudo, and jiu-jitsu.

John Rivera is an active Muy Thai Fighter for American Top Team, Coconut Creek, FL. American Top Team (ATT) is one of the leading teams in mixed martial arts (MMA). It was founded by former members of Brazilian Top Team, Ricardo Liborio and Marcus Silveira, but there is no formal affiliation between the two teams. ATT's main academy is in Coconut Creek, Florida but has 20 franchises throughout the United States. ATT features professional fighters who have competed in many major promotions such as the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), PRIDE Fighting Championships, DREAM, K-1, Strikeforce,and Bellator.

Quoc L. Tran

Master of Vietnamese Combat Martial Arts

Quoc L. Tran was born and raised in a Christian family in Can Tho, Vietnam. Quoc Tran is the founder of his own fighting styles Vietnamese Combat Martial Arts / Wushu (Tinh Vo Dao/Vietnamese Combat Natural Boxing, Tranjitsu, Street Rapid Defense System and Lu Tran Kung Fu); recognized worldwide, nationally and internationally, over 40 countries. He is one of the most respected martial arts Master in the world today for his contribution, dedication and devotion to the martial arts.

Quoc Tran is the 35th Generation Shaolin Temple Warrior Secular Disciple from the original Shaolin Temple in Henan Province, China with the official Shaolin Monk name "Shi Heng Peng". Quoc Tran is also received an honorary Shaolin Monk name "Shi Yan Fu" and was officially accepted as 34th Generation Shaolin Disciple in the art of "Shaolin Lohan Kung Fu".

Quoc Tran has been inducted in various Martial Arts Hall of Fame and recipient of numerous awards throughout the world. He has been featured on many martial arts magazine covers such as International Martial Arts Times magazine, International Wushu KungFu Times magazine, Martial Arts Masters magazine, TAO magazine, Dragon News magazine, Combat Warrior magazine, Chuan magazine, etc. Master Tran is also a film actor, feature in the movie "The Kill Factor - Thunderkick 2".

These are just some of Quoc Tran’s achievements. For more information on Quoc Tran please click on his photo.

Bill "Superfoot" Wallace

Retired Undefeated PKA Champion and Martial Arts Legend

Bill “Superfoot”  Wallace retired as the undefeated Professional Karate Association (PKA) Middleweight Champion after defeating Bill Biggs in a 12-round bout in June 1980. The victory, 23rd straight, signaled the end to an illustrious 15-year career in tournament and full contact fighting. Known to the karate world simply as “Superfoot,” symbolic of his awesome left leg, which was once clocked in excess of 60 mph, Superfoot left a string of battered and bruised bodies along the martial arts fighting trail. He used his foot as others would use their hands, faking opponents with two or three rapid fake kicks and following with one solid knockout technique. His power was amazing, his precision astounding. Superfoot, a 5-foot, 10 1/2 inch native of Portland, Ind., began studying karate in February 1967 after suffering a right leg injury in a judo accident. The injury left him without the use of the leg in karate competition. Some observers said Superfoot was committing martial arts suicide. He, however, had other ideas. In the next seven years, Superfoot, named after his manager saw an advertisement for a “super foot long hot dog” at a sporting event, dominated the point-tournament circuit.

As a national champion point fighter three years in a row, Superfoot captured virtually every major event on the tournament circuit. The more prestigious victories included: the U.S. Championships (3 times), the USKA Grand Nationals (3 times), and the Top Ten Nationals (2 times). He was such as dominant figure in martial arts that Black Belt magazine, the bible of industry publications, named him to its Hall of Fame three times in seven years — twice as “Competitor of the Year” and once as “Man of the Year.”

Despite his retirement, Superfoot continues to be one of the martial arts most popular figures. He is the author of three books: Karate: Basic Concepts & Skills, Dynamic Kicking & Stretching, and The Ultimate Kick.

As well as a former member of the President’s Council on Physical Fitness, Wallace also has been active in the film industry.

These are just some of Bill Wallace’s achievements. For more information on Bill Wallace please click on his photo.