Fight Stories

 

I'm not trying to glamorize fighting. But I've been involved in hundreds of dangerous street fights. In a one week period alone, I was involved in 8 nasty street fights.

 

Even though I had my nose broken, patella (knee cap) dislocated, was knocked unconscious, and incurred other injuries, for the most part, I was unscathed. What's more astounding is that I only lost a couple of fights out of hundreds.

 

I didn't win because I was a big, bad tough guy. The reasons I won are not a secret. In fact, they are quite simple. I was prepared and capable - I was strong and fast - plus I had boxing and martial art skills. Essentially, I had natural ability, I was well trained, and I practiced diligently. But I also had a powerful mind. Even in the worst of fights, I simply would not quit. On top of all those attributes, I had no fear, I was tenacious, I believed I would win! Even when events proved otherwise, I believed that I was undefeatable. In a sense, without realizing it, I had trained my conscious and subconscious mind to defeat the enemy and win.

 

Through my extensive street fighting experiences, I can tell you what works on the street and what doesn't. I can also give you insight into the thought processes of a criminal and what motivates them to strike. Street fights can be extremely violent. I can teach you how to prepare for an extremely violent encounter. And come out on top.

 

My Story - Violent Beginnings

 

As stated, I have been in been in countless fights. Growing up, I lived in a tough neighborhood and had to literally fight my way to school, starting in kindergarten. Once at school, I continued to fight on the playground and after school. Somehow as a small kid, I managed to wind up in a fight practically everyday.  When I got to high school the fights only got more intense and more dangerous.

 

As an adult, I have been in over 200 serious street fights. They include everything from bare hands and knives, to other weapons, including firearms. As an ex-member of a 1% outlaw motorcycle gang, I was often involved in several fights a week. In one week, I was in 8 street fights.

 

I was born and grew up in the tough neighborhood of Melrose Park, Illinois.  This suburb is right outside of Chicago. At that time it was an all Italian neighborhood and the home of many Mafia members. Like I said, it was a tough neighborhood.

 

My dad was a semi-pro boxer and when I was 5 years old, he taught me how to box and how to defend myself in the street. Later, he also enrolled me in several martial arts classes. One of the things my dad told me about fighting is that when you get punched, it doesn't hurt. I believed him. So even when I got punched in the snoot and blood poured from my face, I smiled and fought on. The truth is, while your fighting you usually don't feel much pain. It's after the fight ends and the adrenaline has subsided that everything starts hurting.

 

When I was about 6 years old, I saw my dad fight a monster sized redneck on the street corner. The man was twice the size of my dad and heavily muscled. My dad viciously tore him apart.

 

My dad was also a Navy firearm instructor and an officer. When he was in the Navy, he taught practically every weapon they had - from the .45 pistol and M1 Garand, to the anti-aircraft and the big guns.

 

Although my dad was a semipro boxer, most times when my dad encountered a potential threat, he always grabbed his .45 and confronted the situation. My dad was totally without fear. From him, I learned to be aggressive and live without fear. Learning to overcome fear, along with confidence and action is the result of training both your body and mind.

 

Fight Club

 

At age 12, I decided I wanted to be a professional boxer. My dad was a firearm instructor and a semipro boxer before I was born. When I was a small boy my dad set up a small boxing area, a gun range, and a weightlifting section in our basement. We had heavy bags, speed bags, gloves, barbells, and other gear.

 

On my 15th birthday, my dad bought me two sets of Everlast boxing gloves. I started inviting my friends to box in our basement. Then it just kept growing. Before long there were people from all over the area coming over to fight down in our basement.

 

I was a strong and fast kid, and was always a hard puncher. At age 12, I got in a fight with one of the biggest and toughest kids in our school. He was also a couple years older than me. I hit him so hard, we both flew in opposite directions. I was lying on the ground wondering what had happened. But I was Ok. I wasn't hit.The tough kid was lying on his back unconscious. I thought I killed him.

 

The impact of my punch against his face, knocked both of us backwards. Then I looked about 6 feet away where the tough kid was lying quietly on his back. I knocked him out. He was unconscious. Later he told me it was the hardest he had ever been punched in his life.

 

In the fight club, I further developed my signature knockout punch. Even though I was fighting and training down in our basement, I still fought out on the street. But now I had a new weapon - a hard and fast knock out punch. I loved fighting. It did not matter if it was in the basement with gloves or out on the street. I loved it. Period.

 

Outlaw Biker

 

At age of 16, I got my drivers license. One of my friends was selling his motorcycle. I fell in love with it and bought it. Then my cousins Sonny and Bob, and our friend Jim bought bikes. Before long we started an outlaw bike club. The four of us were the core of our bike club. Over time our small 1% club had about 12 members.

 

My cousin Sonny was the oldest and he was our president. Sonny also became a successful drug dealer in the Chicago area. He was flying around country buying LSD for as little as 5 cents a tab and selling it for $5 a tab. Skippy, a chemist and his model girlfriend, were among Sonny's main suppliers. Sonny's influence and drug supply made him new friends. On numerous occasions, our bike club rode and partied with the Devils Disciples, and the Chicago Outlaws. They were very bad guys.

 

I separated from my cousins and the gang when I turned 22 and started a new life. Even though I was not living the criminal life, I still got into street fights. Jim was killed in 1986. Sonny died next. About 6 years ago, Bob died. I am the lone survivor of our initial bike club. I talked with Bob about 7 years ago on the telephone before he died. We both agreed that Sonny was one of the most evil persons in the world.

 

Some would say that Sonny was evil to the core, but he was extremely charismatic and a natural leader. His personality, lack of conscious, a drive for money and power, and his expertise in criminal activities, got him into the good graces of the Chicago mob. Through his contacts, Sonny got me a position under one of the outfit's head bodyguards assisting him to protect the bosses - see bodyguard.

 

Motorcycle Accident - one of the reasons I never became a professional boxer was because of a broken ankle. When I was 17 years old, I slid on gravel. My food hit the pavement, and the ankle bone broke through the skin and dragged on the gravel covered street. When I got to the emergency room, the doctor told me they had to amputate my foot. When I heard the news, a deep peace came over me. It was a way for me to get out of the life I was living.

 

When my dad heard what happened, he said "No way are you going to amputate. He is only 17 years old!" My family doctor located one of the best surgeons in the country. The surgeon said he would try to save my foot. He picked out pieces of gravel, scrubbed the bone, and scewed everything together. I was in the hospital for weeks. Finally they released me. The surgeon saved my foot.

 

A few weeks at home in a cast, I got bored. I didn't have the strength to mount a big Harley, so I took my dirt bike off the road for some fun. There was a small creek out in a field not too far from my home. I decided to jump the creek.

 

When I jumped the creek, the front wheel hit the other bank and the bike flipped over. There I was lying on the ground my leg in a cast and my bike on its side; stuck in the water.

 

One of my neighbors was driving through the field in his 4x4 pickup truck and saw me lying there. He got the bike out of the water, put it in the bed of his truck, and drove me home. I was a lucky dog.

 

Unfortunately, that incident had no impact on my behavior or lifestyle. I kept riding my bike in a cast, helped form a 1% outlaw bike club, and lived a bad life for another 5 years. I was addicted to speed, fast action, excitement, girls, street fighting, and the criminal life.

 

I was a highly aggressive person and it seemed like nothing could deter me or change me. But the direction I was heading towards was death. These were the dark and what seemed to be wasted years. But in retrospect, it was a learning experience and gave me the courage and knowledge to reach out to kids that are heading in the wrong direction. I gained street credibility and experience, and can pass on to others what I learned. It helped in the creation of Extreme Combat.

 

Street Fighter - I am highly trained in boxing, kick boxing, martial arts, combatives, edged weapons, and firearms. But ultimately, I am a street fighter at the core.

 

As stated, I was involved in 8 street fights in one week. I fought so much, at one point, I carried a pair of leather gloves to protect my knuckles.

 

There were also numerous occasions when I fought 2 and 3 guys at a time.

 

I have been in gang fights, knife fights, and a few gun fights as a mob bodyguard and professional bodyguard.

 

Most of the times, I can easily identify martial arts instructors who have little to no street fighting experience. Without real life experience it is often difficult for them to evaluate what works in the street. It is even harder for them to mentally prepare you for a violent street encounter.

 

Yes, there were times when I would wake up in the back of ambulance covered in blood, asking "where am I?" The truth is, you can't win them all.

 

A New Leaf - Fortunately, at the age of 22, I started changing my life. With the help of Susan, Jay, and my Hapkido Master, I turned a new leaf and became a law abiding productive member of society. I tell you about my background because I believe there are things I learned while fighting in the street that you cannot learn in most martial arts or combative schools. What I teach in Extreme Combat is for defending your life in extremely violent circumstances.

 

Interesting Fight Stories - I am hoping to add some interesting fight stories to motivate you to start training and be prepared for the bad guys who attempt to harm you or your family.