Will the Real Black Dragons Please stand up...

Listening to BDFS climates is quite fun... Right now there are three Black Dragon Fighting Societies all claiming to be descended from John Keehan A.K.A. Count Dante's Martial Arts Fraternity that encouraged cross training in the martial arts & pioneered full-contact karate. So who is the Real deal? Will the Real Black Dragon Fighting Society please stand up?

Lets start with the three organizations... There are is the International Fighting Arts Association Black Dragon Fighting Society, the South African Black Dragon Fighting Society and the Fall River Black Dragon Fighting Society... First off, lets get all this straightened out right now... The South African IFAA/BDFS is part of the American IFAA/BDFS. In fact it's head, Grandmaster Stoffel Van Vuuren, who is am amazing martial artist, along side Grandmaster Ashida Kim and Grandmaster Lawrence Day began the IFAA/BDFS and had it registered in South Africa as a direct insult to William "Bill" Aguilar the Third. Who tried to sue Ashida Kim and Floyd Web in 2008 over a documentary film Floyd Web was making about John Keehan/Count Dante. Quite frankly, Bill saw his law suit suit terminated on May 3rd 2010. And reading about the judge's ruling in an earlier motion in favor of Floyd Webb we can see why...

Grandmaster Stoffel's Black Dragon Fighting Society was created to razz Bill Aguiar as he'd have to take any copyright or trademark infringement claims to a court in South Africa. Even looking a Grandmaster Stoffel Van Vuuren's website, http://www.blackdragon.co.za/Black_Dragon_Fighting_Society.html we see the International Fighting Arts Association Black Dragon Fighting Society displayed.

 So the South African Black Dragons are also associated with the American Black Dragons and we are, while legally two separate organizations, functionally one family of martial artists. The International Fighting Arts Association Black Dragon Fighting Society. Then we face the issue of lineage... Lineage is generally not important, Hatsumi can trace his "ninjutsu" to Takamatsu but Takamatsu was openly accused of making up his ninjutsu in the Bugei Ryuha Daijiten. So issues of who was your teacher don't really matter unless you are trying to trace everything back to a specific source... in this case Count Dante or John Timothy Keehan.

So lets discuss Grandmaster Stoffel's lineage to Count Dante, as a member of Ashida Kim's Black Dragon Fighting Society Grandmaster Van Vuuren traces his teaching to Ashida Kim & Lawrence Day who were both students of John Keehan. The present head of the IFAA/BDFS is Grandmaster Donald Miskel who help Count Dante found the Black Dragon Fighting Society and was another direct student of Keehan's. Remember Keehan was a "Karate-Guy" but encouraged and believed in cross training in all available martial arts at the time; Judo, Karate, Kung-fu, Boxing & Wrestling. This was a matter of training philosophy and self-defense methodology for Keehan. I will let his own words from World's Deadliest Fighting Secrets convince you...

This is only half the list, you have to buy the book to get the rest of the information but clearly you can see where Count Dante did not limit himself to one style of martial arts or one means of training as per the tradition of martial arts. Keehan was also heavily against Racism in and out of Martial Arts.

So who is William Aguiar the third? Bill 3, is the son of William Aguiar Jr. a martial artist who gained his rank outside of the Chicago era in the 60s and wanted to join Count Dante's Black Dragon Fighting Society. Bill Jr., was made head of the BDFS after convincing John Keehan to create the Dante system, then Bill Jr. Dropped the BDFS name and association in 1970. In 1975 Ashida Kim was first recorded using the Black Dragon Fighting Society name. So when Bill 3, filed for trademark in 1998 and brought suit against Ashida Kim and Floyd Webb in 2008, his trademark was cancelled on December 16th, 2006. More so, under US trademark law, the name Black Dragon Fighting Society had been associated with Ashida Kim since 1975, with Grandmaster's Miskel and Day since it was created in 1960. So how do you claim, to own something or patient something someone else has been using since before you were born, much less registered the trademark after the fact? There s the secondary issue, that while Bill 3 claim his father, Bill Jr. taught him martial arts, he can provide my proof of this. So while possible without proof, no one will recognize him as a 10th Dan at 28 years old. Muchless having fought professional sumo wrestlers at 15 and having ties to the mafia.

Remember lineage is only important when tracing yourself to someone or something. Someone claiming to have learned "ninjutsu" doesn't mean anything unless they are claiming to have learned it from someone or somewhere specific. So lineage is a much more important issue to those in the Takamatsuden who are claiming that Togakure Ryu is the root of all ninjutsu in Japan and using the modern research and translations create a modern system then myself, Ashida Kim, Frank Dux, Stoffel Van Vuuren, Christa Jacobson or anyone claiming to have learned "ninjutsu" but not trying to claim a link to the past. I have openly admitted and so have other named, to mixing arts and using what i felt was superior from other systems and arts, to include my own US Army Infantry training. However, to claim a link to John Keehan I must refer to my membership in the IFAA/BDFS and Grandmaster's Donald Miskel and Ashida Kim. Bill 3 is trying to rely on fraudulant claims and fraudulent legal filings...

From the US Patient & Trademark Office:

 Above is the original filing by William Aguiar the 3rd, with his trademark filling filed on October 2nd 1998. Please note that Ashida Kim's claim goes back to 1975, via his first use of the BDFS name and logo in his book, Book of the Ninja, thus making it an unregistered trademark. Bill 3's trademark was filed over 20 years later...

Bill 3 had decided to register the name Black Dragon Fighting Society. April 7th 2007, months before his lawsuit against Ashida Kim and Floyd Webb but again. How can you file legal suit against some for an unregistered trademark, you register over 20 years after the fact. Of course, Bill 3 isn't filing suit again he is instead trying to cause people problems over the net. His trademark is an empty and hollow, paper temple for a service mark without a service. As far as the South African brothers go, well here Grandmaster Stoffel, with Grandmasters Ashida Kim, and Lawrence Day. Oh and I was there, even got the T-Shirt and pictures to prove it (Hell I'm wearing the shirt in the picture), with Frank Dux, Sky Benson, Paul Dyer and others...

So don't let liars and frauds confuse you, lineage to Dante/Keehan is as simple as who signed the rank certificates and who has pictures with "the Master" Count Dante. It takes more then a title and belt to be a martial artist and it takes more then some sketchy legal claim to call yourself Black Dragon Fighting Society.

Note: I am writing this in response to someone claiming there is division and trying to insight online trolls. I won't name this person just yet but felt to preemptively stop any controversy ASAP. I do so without the expressed permission or instruction to do so from the IFAA/BDFS leadership.

Interview with Grandmaster Jay "Flying Tiger" Blanton

Note to Reader: This is an interview conducted over e-mail I wish I could have gotten more involved but do to time constraints for all this stuff  have going on I had to cut this short.


Ok today we are going to interview grandmaster Jay Blanton. Right off the bat I'd like to congratulate you on you life story becoming a movie. So to start of with I would like to begin there. 

Can you tell me about what got you into martial arts?
Hey Ron I am honored to be interviewed and thanks for your kind words. I got into the martial arts because of being bullied because of my speech problem and as a child I watch all the Bruce Lee and kung fu movies and being bullied I thought if I can do what Bruce Lee does these people will leave me along. Going through grade school I met a friend in Tae Kwon Do and he took up for me against the bullies and basically protected me against their physical abuse. He told me I need to take a martial arts class. I told my parents but we did not have the money to afford the classes at that time. So when I got into Jr. high school again a friend who was taking Tae Kwon Do and teaching it at our local community center told me i needed to get into the martial arts and it would help me against all the physical abuse I was going through. He said I only charge you $ 5.00 a month I signed up along with my other friends and the rest is history.

Having been bullied yourself, you started the BDFS Anti-Bully program what can you tell us about the program?
I started the BDFS Anti-Bullying Program to be more than just a bunch of martial arts techniques like most martial arts schools have. I wanted a unique training program not only show how to defend yourself against bullies but to educate the student and everybody what bullying is. We have a Instructor's Manual to help anybody not just martial artist to understand what bullying and how to avoid it at all possible and how to teach this to others. We also have a Student's Manuel so the students or anybody can understand and get educated on bullying it is like a school or college course it has everything in it the Instructor is teaching you. And we test the Instructor's of the BDFS Anti-Bullying Program as well so they are Certified to teach our unique program.                                          
Now in October in Chicago you are going to demonstrate an "anti-bully" kata, can you shed a bit of light on that?
We have came up with a Level 2 Instructor's BDFS Anti-Bullying Program Certification with the help from Gm Ashida Kim and Gm David Harris we are working on a "new" book and a manual for this program and Gm Harris will be helping me on a phone app and dvd and Instructor Certification in the future for the program. We will introduce this new Level 2 program in Chicago and the Kung Fu technique is called "Shen" which will address the psychological part of bullying and the technique will help everybody who is or has been bullied as well clear their minds from all the mental trauma they have suffered a unique and easy technique to learn and anybody can do it.  

You've met some very influential people in the martial arts too haven't you, so martial arts has really changed your life for the better?
Yes I have meet so many wonderful martial artist and had the pleasure of training with them not enough room here to name them all so I will mention a few Gm Richard Hedrick he guided me so much in my martial arts career with all his different styles and varies Instructors at his school, Gm Kang Rhee the Instructor of Elvis Presley, Bill "Superfoot" Wallace and he even trained with Bruce Lee and Chuck Norris, Gm Rhee name my system of martial arts "Mang Ho" which is Tiger in Korean which is the animal nickname he gave me. Since I had combined all my other styles into my system he told me that you have done like Bruce Lee you have created you own unique style. I call it a system because I continue to add to Mang Ho Ryu which I call it now.                          
Gm Donald Miskel my dear friend and brother I call him my family we talk on a regular base and Gm Ashida Kim again part of my family who has helped me so much not only re-doing my book but helping me with the BDFS Anti-Bullying Program Manuals. Gm David Harris again family who is helping me and teaching me "Shen" and other private things going on. And then Hanshi Frank Dux what can I say not enough room for what he has done for me again family. He has trained me in Dux Ryu, got my book and the BDFS Anti-Bullying Program in Mexico, presented me with the Dux Ryu Fellowship Award and allowed me in the Dux Ryu Circle Of Iron and named me Flying Tiger because of all the things in my life I overcame. And all the Dux Ryu patches on my uniform and my most honored one my Flying Tiger patch my personal patch in Dux Ryu I could go on. I now go by Gm Flying Tiger                        

Any advice for parents looking to enroll their kids in a martial arts program?
My advise to parents is to Please sign your kids up in a good martial arts program it will help them the rest of their life, check out the school and Instructor(s) before you jump into a martial arts school. Ask questions, take the free class, talk with other parents etc check out other martial arts schools in the area and ask your child how he likes the Instructor(s) and the class etc. It's the best thing you can ever do.                                  

Does religion or spirituality play a big part of your outlook?
Yes. Religion is a big part of my life being a born again Christian has helped me forgive all those people that have bullied me all my life from physical abuse, mental abuse and even into adulthood on the job. I could easily have beaten the snot out of those people and the people on the job but through all my martial arts training and my spirituality I didn't. Martial arts teaches us not to use what we have learned to hurt others or bully them but to only use it if we have to defend ourselves. I have walked away from many attacks and let it go rather than to hurt some one, which I knew I could easily do and being a Christian I have to to this as well.                                                                                                                    
So how is the Film project coming along &, thank you for taking the time out your busy schedule for this interview?
The movie is coming along Gene Michaels of Show Biz Productions is writing the screen play along with my help I will keep everybody updated on the progress I know this movie will help all understand bullying and when you bully some one it last a life time.                                                           
Thank you Ron for interviewing me it was my honor to share my thoughts with everyone God bless Gm Flying Tiger

Interview with Grandmaster Donald Miskel Patriarch of the IFAA/BDFS

This an interview with Grandmaster Donald Miskel Patriarch of the International Fighting Arts Association/Black Dragon Fighting Society. I want to address the coming seminars & Open Karate Tournament in Chicago, this coming October 23 to 25th. So I'd like to begin by thanking both you for doing this interview.

I'd like to start be asking about asking about the event and what all it will entail?
Grandmaster Donald Miskel (GM Miskel): This event will be a homecoming reunion bringing the BDFS back to the place of its inception. We are offering seminars by three of our kumite warriors and several other of our masters and grandmasters. The Kata Dante will be taught and participants will receive certification. We are also offering certification in our Ant bullying program and our Referee/judges clinic. We will be presenting the first BDFS Hall of Fame and the first BDFS kumite commemoration tournament.

You must both be happy to get BDFS back in Chicago, could I get some background on both your martial arts training & experience?
GM Miskel: My martial art training began in 1957 when I began studying judo and Kano Jiu Jitsu. I studied shotokan karate with Sensei Sujiro Sugiama and shorei goju karate with Douglas Dwyer, Joun Keehan and Douglas Hayle. I studied Okinawan kempo under Sensei Dupre’ and Chinese kuntao and Chaun Fa (Chinese kempo) under Benji Appalado. I studied hakko ryu jujitsu, daito ryu aikijitsu and aikido under Sensei Robert Hackett, Master Gilbert James, Sensei Grazanski and Master Freeman Fox. I studied northern Shaolin praying mantis under Master James Hu and Tibetan Lama kung fu (white crane and lohan bafa) under Master Choi. I am the cofounder of the Black Lotus Martial Art Association and I’m the senior grandmaster of its fighting systems. I am one of the Patriarchs and the Head of Family of the Black Dragon Fighting Society and have had opportunity to train with some of its various masters.

Will the IFAA/BDFS be hosting other competitions such Judo, Sport Jujitsu or MMA?
GM Miskel: To date we have hosted two karate tournaments and we have cohosted one jujitsu tournament. We will be venturing into other areas of competition in the near future.

So what your opinions of our current social & political climate?
GM Miskel: I am in despair with some of the things I am seeing in our society today. It seems that we have taken two steps forward and three steps back. I am a minister and pastor as well as a martial artist and retired Psych professional. I look at what I see in our world today with total disbelief and incomprehension. It seems that the vocal minority has superseded the silent majority and what ever people scream the loudest for is subsequently granted however crazy it might be. There seems to be no moral fiber in our society and little respect for the church or Christian believers.

I know that some of orgional members lived through/survived the Civil Rights Riots and Battles of the 1950s and 1960s. I'm sure you have some insights that could benefit our younger generation at this time?
GM Miskel: I am old enough to have seen much of these transitions. The fifties, sixties and seventies were a time of change, some for the better some not so much so. I was in the military during part of the sixties and into the early seventies. That kept me out of the middle of much of that but I was aware of what was happening. I was active in some aspects of the struggle. I leaned more to the philosophy of Malcolm X than that of Dr. King. I was a Black Panther for a short while but my passion with the martial arts and my education began to consume most of my time. Plus I got married after boot camp and had a family to support.

I had mentioned this Shihan Lassiter when we talked on the Phone but, I had the pleasure of meeting Eric Larkin he was a Houstin Oilers player back in the 1987, origionally from Chicago. His cousin was at the infamous 1968 Democratic National Convention were Keehan/Dante was teaching the Black Stone Rangers and others to act as security. It was interesting hearing the him relay his cousin's account of the event after hearing Grandmaster Ashida Kim's account. Those must have been some interesting times to live through?
GM Miskel: Indeed. I was on leave at the time and saw much of the turmoil that resulted from the confrontation between the protesters and the police. It was insane. I didn’t know Ashida at that time but I had heard of his involvement in the security of the event. As much as I respected John Keehan I had little use for the Stones. I grew up affiliated with a rival faction in the streets of Chicago.

We had discussed the climate of conflict between martial arts styles and martial artists today, how does this compare to the infamous Dojo Wars of John Keehan/Count Dante's BDFS? Personally, I think most of the trash talker on the net wouldn't run there mouths the way they do in person but, thats my personal experience.
GM Miskel: One of my primary concerns is trying to promote unity in the martial arts. I knew Jim Konservic as well as Lawrence day, and Michael Felkof all of whom were involved in the incident at the Black Cobra Hall of the Green Dragon Society. That was a terrible time. I was caught up in much of the conflict between various schools and organizations as were many of John’s students. I saw the transition of John Keehan into the Count Dante persona and was there as the old World Karate Federation was scrapped and the Black Dragon Fighting Society was created. I was a member of both organizations though during my involvement with the WKF I was Kyu ranked and was a teenager. The last thing I want to see is a reenactment of the dojo wars of the sixties and seventies. I have labored hard to rid the BDFS of the stigma of those turbulent days. Talk is cheap. People run their mouths and indulge in what I like to call keyboard kumite. Social media and the world wide web has made much of this possible. Most of those same people would be silent if they had to meet the people they malign face to face

I'm going to ask Grandmaster Blanton about his own experiences and get his input but, I'd like both your opinions on the BDFS Anti-Bullying Program?
GM Miskel: A many of you know G.M. Blanton has stepped down from the head of the BDFS Antibullying program. I feel that his decision to do so is unfortunate but it falls into very capable hands in the person of Master Larry McFadden. Larry was a professor at Morano Valley University and is a natural teacher and a martial art Grandmaster. He has taught the program on the high school and college level in the United States and in Mexico. Master Blanton did a good job as the former head of the program but it must go on in his absence. It addresses an important issue that plagues our society and gives us a means of dealing effectively with the problem. It is one of our flagship programs.