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PANEL OF masters

Master Chris de Wet Specialty: Okinawa Goju Ryu Karate (4th dan), Kobudo (3rd dan), MMA

Born in Johannesburg, Republic of South Africa, Master Chris was introduced to physical culture and combat sports by his father in 1975. Menno de Wet is a former boxer and part-time coach who decided that his son needed some informal instruction in the sweet science of boxing, culminating in Chris boxing for his military unit in 1990.

At the tail-end of 1976 an impromptu fight with a karateka friend led Master Chris to the start of a journey that has taken him to four continents and more than 20 countries thus far.

Karate: Despite being graded in other systems, Master Chris has focused on Okinawan Goju Ryu and Kyokushinkai. In November 2002, Chris got his Yondan (4th dan) in Okinawan Goju Ryu from Grandmaster Miyagi AnIchi and Grandmaster Higaonna Morio while training on Okinawa. He has also represented South Africa, the U.S. and Singapore at the World Championship level in open Karate competition, and has trained with many of the world’s greatest Masters of Karate. He is a personal student of Grandmaster Higaonna Morio -- the “Lion of Okinawa” -- and is mentored by Shihan Bakkies Laubscher and Shihan Danie Steenkamp.

Kobudo: Master Chris holds a Sandan (3rd dan) in Kobudo. 2005 marks the 20th anniversary of Chris’ training in Kobudo, and although he moved over to the Matayoshi Ryu system in 1995, the years of study prior to that were of great benefit to his current training. Chris trained with Grandmaster Matayoshi Shinpo in the years prior to his passing and considers this to have been a great opportunity.

Master Chris continues to go to mainland Japan and the island of Okinawa every year for advanced training.

Mixed Martial Arts: Master Chris began Judo training in 1978, one year after starting Karate. Unfortunately, being of a very small size, Judo was not an art ideally suited to his build. While he trained off and on, it wasn’t until moving to Cheyenne, Wyoming, in 1994 that he found instructors who were able to present some of the advantages of Judo. It was also then that he started his study of Brazilian Jujitsu, AJJ, Sambo and Submission Grappling, which continues to this day.

Combining the grappling, striking and competitive base from years of fighting in and out of the ring, the evolution to MMA was amplified by Chris’ earlier profession as a bouncer and his year-and-a-half with the Los Angeles Guardian Angels. Dealing with many resistant persons showed the necessity of resistance training in martial arts.

Vale Tudo, UFC and Pride have shown the advantages of MMA training, with many people become interested in the new sport of MMA, both as spectators and participants; and Master Chris’ own brand of coaching has many people coming to his classes and seminars.

Master Chris' competitive history includes:

• First Kumite medal in 1980; first international Kumite medal 1986
• Provincial selection in 1984; national Kumite gold medal and selection in 1990
• Winner of 14 medals at the Miyagi Chojun Festival and World Championships from 1993-1999
• Multiple medallist at a variety of Judo tournaments
• Winner of the heavyweight division of the inaugural Singapore Open Submission Grappling Tournament
• Champion of the Singapore Oyama Kyokushinkaikan Karate Knockdown tournament
• Twice champion of the heavyweight division of the Singapore Martial Arts Instructors Association All-styles Mixed Martial Arts tournament

His ability to bring out the best in individuals has led him to coach athletes to victory in a variety of combat sports at the local, national and international level. Firmly convinced that people should learn how to learn as opposed to rote repetition, Master Chris focuses on concepts and principles, allowing martial artists the room to expand and interpret using their own techniques.

Never satisfied with his own progress, Master Chris continues to seek out new knowledge and information from qualified sources.