They become household names among viewers. Known for being extremely professional, fair, and official with the rules; he reads the fight incredibly well, is quick to react, and takes great care of fighter safety. Keith Peterson. To make sure you never miss out on your favourite NEW stories, we're happy to send you some reminders, Click 'OK' then 'Allow' to enable notifications, .css-1diosym{color:black;}@media (prefers-color-scheme:dark){.css-1diosym{color:#fff;}}Published12:25,11 May 2020 BST@media (prefers-color-scheme:dark){.css-jirzs7{color:#72B97D;}}| Last updated13:28,11 May 2020 BST. A referee is an important part of a UFC/MMA bout. He has been a life long fan and competitor of collegiate wrestling, his first love. He wrestled through High School and College. May 15, 2020 John Pollock NEWS MMA NEWS **The UFC returns Saturday night with their latest Fight Night card from the VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena in Jacksonville, Florida. He developed his passion for MMA by working in a video store and watching UFC tournaments on VHS, and was attracted to the violence of the no holds barred nature. tati black ink crew ethnicity By Mar 3, 2023 By Mar 3, 2023 A post shared by herbdeanmma (@herbdeanmma). x. x. BJPENN.COM MMA NEWS and UFC NEWS. He is known for the love heart hand gesture he uses when introduced in the cage. Marc Goddard is the most famous British referee in the UFC, and one of the most recognizable faces in the MMA world. If not the best, then the most famous, for sure. Discover short videos related to Keith Peterson on TikTok. Rosenthal was arrested and got 3+ years of jail after he pleaded guilty to marijuana possession. Joined: He let the carnage go for far too long. Pat Barry. After a long career, John stopped refereeing in 2018 after officiating for 20 years for the biggest MMA promotions globally. I wondered about other famous UFC refs through its history and developed a list of the 15 most famous UFC referees of all time. (Benefits Examined), What Is the UFC Glove Weight? MMA news, interviews, pictures, videos and more since 1997. Anthony Giordano. Watch Rose Namajunas Get Her Belt Back On UFC Fight. Many fans put him up there with the best in the business in terms of refereeing quality. As noted above, the Athletic Commission picks the referees for UFC. Chris Tognoni was called out by Dana White for a series of calls made by Tognoni during the Ed Hermann vs. Mike Rodriguez fight. During the fight, Usman was dominating Woodley on the ground and Marc eventually stood them up, and said to Usman, its a fight, believing there to not be enough action. Td Td % Sub. Mike is a huge referee, standing at 180 cm, and although his official weight is unknown, hes likely at least 220 lbs or more due to his size which has allowed him to effectively stop fights many times. "Definitely (he did). He would have got a PPV bonus also on top of this amount ranging around $10,000. Jon Jones knows a thing or two about MMA wrestling, so likely is qualified to speak with a little authority on other wrestlers. Roberts hasnt officiated a single bout after that up to this day. The list of (in)famous UFC referees continues with Kevin MacDonald. MMA News. Hes famous for being a great ref, but for being the biggest ref in all MMA, too even bigger than Big John. Owing to Dean's work as a referee Dana White was quoted saying "is one of the best referees in this business. A post shared by mike_beltrn (@referee_mike_beltran). He knows the rules by heart, but most importantly, he knows how to implement them: when to give out warnings, deduct points, stop fights, break clinches. At present, the UFC has seven active referees. The most notable name on his record is Joe Riggs, who Dean fought 19 months prior to Riggs UFC debut. He called Mazzagatti continuously dangerous, making unending bad decisions, and asked for his license to be removed. The American never had any major lapses inside the octagon, but what made him famous is what happened outside the octagon. I wonder that. UFC. He slightly stumbled and was furious when MacDonald decided to end the fight. Mario Yamasaki officiated hundreds of MMA fights but became famous for his biggest mistakes, not his biggest accomplishments. He competed seven times in the UFC and challenged for the promotion's welterweight championship twice. That's the brand of booze he drinks. He is also known as an amazing referee and has worked extensively for the biggest MMA promotions, such as the UFC, Bellator, and Cage Warriors. Despite not coming from an MMA/refereeing background Smith is one of the few UFC referees to have attained great success as a referee in a relatively small amount of time. As an affiliate, we earn from qualifying purchases through various sellers. Both match fees and PPV fees for referees depend on their experience and expertise level. TripAtTheBrain Mentally Incompetent. He was the UFC referee that officiated the clash between Dominick Cruz and Henry Cejudo at UFC 249. . He became a referee only later and did a great job for a while until controversies began to follow. Keith Peterson is a dedicated and respected referee of MMA. Keith Peterson is a referee that was fairly unknown up until recently. Before UFC was popular fighters would spit in their opponets face etc grabbbing testiccles, playing with buttholes etc that is why he got the nickname ''no nonsense'' because he would take a point if you ever did it why he was reffing. Having been in the business for over two decades he is considered among some of the most recognizable MMA referees. When you click on our links and make purchases, we may receive commissions. This put Keith in the spotlight and is one of the reasons hes so well known today. The biggest fight he ever refereed was the Stipe Miocic vs. Daniel Cormier 3 fight on UFC 252. MMA Junkie analyst Dan Tom breaks down the main card for UFC 285, featuring a heavyweight title fight between Jon Jones and Ciryl Gane. Because of his background, Macdonald is known for staying calm under pressure, allowing him to officiate very well as he can remain focused on the fight at hand. The ex-champion has been. I know Herb Dean is good. They shake hands and the fight is on. Top female referees get $1000 onwards per fight in non-PPV events and $3500 onwards for PPV events. The only reason why theres even a debate between him and McCarthy is that Dean had several questionable mistakes or decisions over the years. Everybody knows who Herb Dean is, and every fighter wants him to officiate their fights. Unlike Big John, he is still active; the most active UFC referee in 2020, officiating 75 fights that year. His career ended after a trilogy with a fighter named Jose Villanueva, who won the series 2-1. See who we are picking to be the next UFC heavyweight champion. And the UFC 249 referee has hit back at the fighter's accusation by aiming a savage dig on Twitter. However, he did famously have an altercation with Jason High (not his doing), who pushed Mulhall after the fight was stopped in the second round against Rafael dos Anjos (UFC FN:42). Sometimes, he stopped fights too quickly, while sometimes, he let them go on for too long, but its clear that he has all the support in the world from the UFC. He has been a life long fan and competitor of collegiate wrestling, his first love. He determines when to start or stop the match, tells both fighters about the rules of the bout, determines fouls- both accidental and intentional, and whether a fighter could continue in the match anymore. One of the most famous UFC referees of all time is the great Mike Beltran. Mostly known as the UFC ref with the long beard because of his lengthy Viking style beard which is braided, 2 feet long, and reaches his hips. [deleted] 1 yr. ago. VIDEOS. Dan first refereed in the 1990s, when he ran his own MMA events and would sometimes officiate if he couldnt get a referee. 183. Many praised Marc for his professionalism, and the event made him more famous than he already was. Overall, its Herzogs communication with both fighters and coaches that make him great, as it helps the fights go as smoothly as possible. Refereeing now for 18 years (2004-present), Herb is a former fighter with a black belt in jiu-jitsu, who retired in 2007 with a 2-3 MMA record. BJ Penn Tutorials. Justified or not, Steve Mazzagatti is labeled as the worst MMA referee of all time, with some wondering how he made it as a referee in a sport where fighters lives are on the line. For example, Herb Dean was in charge of around 130 bouts in 2021, while Jason Herzog was part of only around 100 fights in 2021. There's certainly some debate to be had on that point, but instead of keeping his argument simple, "The Dominator" decided to drag. s one of the best referees in this business. Since retiring, he has become a color commentator for Bellator and continued the success of the Weighing In podcast, which he launched in 2017 with former champion Josh Thomson. Every illegal blow shifts the momentum of a fight, so even if it happens accidentally, it should be penalized, and Herzog does that better than any other ref. "If you put yourself in the position for the ref to mess something up in a stoppage, then you do so.". Leon Roberts was extremely focused when refereeing, and had a reputation as one of the best UFC referees; he officiated fairly, decisively, and knew exactly how to implement the rules because of his vast experience. He also teaches upcoming MMA referees for the Association of Boxing Commission and has worked as an MMA judge. Roberts also trained in MMA from 2002 and went on to become a black belt instructor. According to UFC Stats, Jourdain out-landed Burgos in total strikes 169 to 78 but nevertheless took the loss. The legendary Canadian UFC referee officiated dozens of fights and became famous for his decisiveness, even in controversial situations. Originally from the UK, Roberts is an extremely experienced referee, first starting as a referee around 2002, and first officiating for the UFC in 2008 (UFC 89), in England. She never showed her face at shows again. He was the UFC referee that officiated the clash between Dominick Cruz and Henry Cejudo at UFC 249. I wish they drug tested them. Petersons colleagues, including Herb Dean, defended him publicly, but some fans still believe he came to do such a dangerous job under the influence, making him one of the most infamous UFC refs. He is mostly known for his nickname no nonsense, which John Anik (commentator) loves to include every time he speaks about him. Phone: +385 95 913 0078. Cruz has yet to reply, but expect a rebuttal in the coming days. Let us know. The ex UFC champ claimed Peterson smelled of alcohol and cigarettes, which sparked a fire on social media, slandering Peterson. The most controversial two were the disqualification of Erick Silva for illegal punches to the back of the head (UFC 142), and the failed stoppage between Valentina Schevchenko and Priscilla Cachoeira (UFC FN:125); which saw 230 strikes to 3 and fighter safety ignored. In fact, he is, perhaps . Even during the match, MMA personalities Tweeted, stop the fight, but the ref let it keep going and going. Buried in the bowels of YouTube are some of the most popular referees in MMA today throwing punches, kicks, and elbows. It may have even benefitted him as he could learn the referee profession without any biases or former beliefs, and learn as a complete beginner. Guys like Big John McCarthy, Herb Dean, and others are just as well-known as some UFC champions. He has since resumed refereeing in 2021 but is yet to work for a top MMA promotion. MMA referee Keith Peterson, standing next to Dominic Cruz and Henry Cejudo. Age: 31 | Date of Birth: 1992.02.17 Last Fight: January 21, 2023 in UFC Weight Class: Middleweight | Last Weigh-In: 186.0 lbs Affiliation: N/A Height: 6'3" (191cm) | Reach: 75.0" (191cm) Career Disclosed Earnings: $150,000 USD Born: Manaus, Amazonas, Brazil Fighting out of: Deerfield Beach, Florida Fighter Links: Personal Links: John McCarthy defended referee Keith Peterson from recent allegations, UFC Fight Night preview, Urijah Faber weighs in, UFC's 2019 revenue & lots more. Luckily, he woke up and survived, but it left a stain on Lavignes career that will never go away. Dan has officiated multiple title fights but his most known involvement was in the infamous fight between Josh Koscheck and Paul Daley (UFC 113). Mark Smith has been a referee with the UFC since 2015, before which he was a Lt.Col in the US Airforce, where he served as an F-16 pilot for several years. Dean competed all over the map including bouts in the United States, United Kingdom, and South Korea. What are your thoughts on Peterson's call during Cejudo vs. Cruz? Perhaps the most integral part of any UFC event is the referees. monitoring_string = "5eb5a0f65cbe346d74f978e14db1b00d", UFC on ESPN 40 Santos vs. Hill Play-by-Play, Results & Round Scoring, Jason Jackson Dominates Douglas Lima for Five Rounds in Bellator 283 Main Event, Bellator 283 Lima vs. Jackson Play-by-Play, Results & Round Scoring, Herbert Burns: My Knee Gave Out During Loss to Bill Algeo at UFC on ABC 3, UFC 285 Jones vs. Gane Play-by-Play, Results & Round Scoring, Resurgent Wilson Reis Chokes Johnny Campbell in Cage Warriors 149 Headliner, UFC 285 Weigh-in Results: Jones Outweighs Gane; 2 Fighters Heavy, Featherweight Brahyan Zurcher Secures Contract on PFL Challenger Series 6, PFL Challenger Series 6 Play-by-Play, Results & Round Scoring, Coach Eric Albarracin Expects Patricio Freire to Earn Title in Third Division, Thiago Santos Believes Jon Jones Will Prevail at UFC 285, Jessica Andrade Drops Back to 115 Pounds to Face Xiaonan Yan at UFC 288, Dana White Says He Fought Hard to Get Lone Loss Removed from Jon Jones Record, Bellator MMA Signs Two-Time NCAA Wrestling Champ Jordan Oliver, Yaroslav Amosov Says Hes Best Welterweight in World After Bellator 291 Win, Yarsolav Amosov Dominates Logan Storley, Unifies Welterweight Title at Bellator 291, Bellator 291 Amosov vs. Storley 2 Play-by-Play, Results & Round Scoring, Bellator 291 Weigh-in Results: Title Unification Set; 1 Fighter Heavy, PFL Challenger Series 2023 Week 6 Weigh-in Results: Featherweights Make Weight, Ante Delija vs. Yorgan De Castro Headlines PFL 2 on April 7, Desiree Yanez Wins Contract at PFL Challenger Series 5, Alex Davis Defends Decision to Halt Andrade-Lineker Bout, Expects Eventual Trilogy, Roberto Soldic, Zebaztian Kadestam to Clash at One on Prime Video 10 on May 5, Fabricio Andrade Breaks John Lineker, Seizes One Championship Bantamweight Title, Sage Northcutt Returns from 4-Year Layoff at One on Prime Video 10, Chingiz Allazov Claims Kickboxing Gold at One on Prime Video 6 With Nasty KO, Arjan Bhullar-Anatoliy Malykhin Title Unification Bout Set for One on Prime Video 8. Its fair to question the stoppage, but I do not like to see his character getting assassinated, Anik posted on Monday evening. (In Fights, Training, Sparring), How Do UFC (MMA) Fighters Recover After a Fight? While he never competed professionally, Grice compiled a 3-1 record as an amateur prior to his officiating days. McCarthy was born in 1962 and started officiating in 1994. Following Dominick Cruz controversial stoppage loss to Henry Cejudo at UFC 249, The Dominator accused referee Keith Peterson of smelling like alcohol and cigarettes, insinuating that Peterson was drunk, or at least drinking, on the job. Yet again, it seems that only the mistakes make you famous, and those few he made were big, putting him through scrutiny among fans, and MMA experts. Nevertheless, he has a clean track record and is considered to be an amazing MMA referee, capable of making smart and fast decisions. That said, I have so much respect for MMA referee Keith Peterson and his track record as one of the best in the business. He was there as a manager that helped organize the event. In the past, hes been criticized for communicating in a condescending tone, which likely comes unintentionally due to his former career as a teacher. Dana White heavily criticized him after the event, and Yamasaki never refereed in the UFC again. Being one of the smaller and lighter referees, Herzog has lightning reactions in stopping fights and is always focused on the fight, rarely missing anything. The nickname stands for his demeanor and approach to every fight he officiates. 4,070. -. Hes known as an incredible MMA referee, but he is famous for his awesome facial hair. By. He was shortly a professional MMA fighter before transferring to officiating. He won the Referee of the Year award a staggering eight times, making him by far the best in that regard. And, well, he had arguments to base the request on. In what has been branded as the worst UFC stoppage of all time, MacDonald stepped in between Ion Cutelaba and Magomed Ankalaev after Cutelaba appeared to be shaken by a few shots. Name Suicide Year Causes and Explanations ; Phillip Adams: 2021 : American football player, shot himself during standoff with police a day after fatally shooting 6 people : Stepha All the tiny things that we as fans dont see but can alter the fight dramatically, Herb does a hell of a job correcting them. Scroll below to watch six referees frequently used by the UFC, Bellator, and PFL compete in MMA bouts. Cruz pulled no punches as he blasted. "That was an early stoppage, 100 percent - I'm positive of it," Cruz told ESPN on the UFC 249 post-fight show via MMA Junkie. After referee Keith Peterson halted the UFC 249 Bantamweight title fight between Henry Cejudo and Dominick Cruz with two seconds remaining in the second because of a "Triple C" onslaught,. Mark only started refereeing in 2014, and despite this, hes quickly become one of the most recognized and respected referees in MMA. At least it made MacDonald famous for making the worst stoppage ever, right? Many believe its Anik who gave him the name no nonsense Keith Peterson, referring to Keiths demeanor. These include the UFC, Strikeforce, King of the Cage, Bellator, and Affliction. Please check your email for a confirmation. He comes from a fighting background and is mostly known for winning the karate full-contact championship with the Canadian National Team. Rinya Nakamura . However, commentators and fans have accused Marc Goddard of being arrogant and condescending towards fighters and others involved in the sport. Most people didnt see Tims arm break, but Herb immediately saw it and quickly stopped the fight, preventing any further damage and potentially saving Tims career. 18. We strive to keep things fair and balanced, in order to help you make the best choice for you. Randy Brown. UFC 249 Referee Keith Peterson Brutally Responds To Dominick Cruz's 'Alcohol And Cigarette' Claim Dominick Cruz Makes Bold 'Alcohol And Cigarette' Accusation After UFC 249 Defeat Retweets. I know Herb Dean is good. Johns nickname is Big, given to him by the original co-owner Art Davie after John lifted him in the air. Instead, Nevada State Athletic Commission(NSAC) provides the referees for these promotions. Mario has officiated in some of the biggest UFC fights, such as Brock Lesnar vs Couture (UFC 91), where Lesnar became champion, and Liddell vs Ortiz 2 (UFC 66), which was the first UFC event to 1 million PPV buys. Hes a great, younger referee that still has a lot of experience in the octagon. Unfortunately, hes mostly remembered for his infamous decisions, rather than the many years of selfless work he provided to the sport through refereeing and instructing. Let us know. att Rev. Use tab to navigate through the menu items. Herzog has avoided any major controversy over his refereeing decisions but was criticized in his early refereeing days for being unable to read fights, leading to indecision in stopping fights. monitoring_string = "5eb5a0f65cbe346d74f978e14db1b00d", UFC Fight Night 216 - Cannonier vs. Strickland, Professional Fighters League - 2022 Season PFL Championships, UFC Fight Night 215 - Nzechukwu vs. Cutelaba, CFFC 112 - Cage Fury Fighting Championships 112, UFC on ESPN 40 Santos vs. Hill Play-by-Play, Results & Round Scoring, Jason Jackson Dominates Douglas Lima for Five Rounds in Bellator 283 Main Event, Bellator 283 Lima vs. Jackson Play-by-Play, Results & Round Scoring, Herbert Burns: My Knee Gave Out During Loss to Bill Algeo at UFC on ABC 3, UFC 285 Jones vs. Gane Play-by-Play, Results & Round Scoring, Resurgent Wilson Reis Chokes Johnny Campbell in Cage Warriors 149 Headliner, UFC 285 Weigh-in Results: Jones Outweighs Gane; 2 Fighters Heavy, Featherweight Brahyan Zurcher Secures Contract on PFL Challenger Series 6, PFL Challenger Series 6 Play-by-Play, Results & Round Scoring, Coach Eric Albarracin Expects Patricio Freire to Earn Title in Third Division, Thiago Santos Believes Jon Jones Will Prevail at UFC 285, Jessica Andrade Drops Back to 115 Pounds to Face Xiaonan Yan at UFC 288, Dana White Says He Fought Hard to Get Lone Loss Removed from Jon Jones Record, Bellator MMA Signs Two-Time NCAA Wrestling Champ Jordan Oliver, Yaroslav Amosov Says Hes Best Welterweight in World After Bellator 291 Win, Yarsolav Amosov Dominates Logan Storley, Unifies Welterweight Title at Bellator 291, Bellator 291 Amosov vs. Storley 2 Play-by-Play, Results & Round Scoring, Bellator 291 Weigh-in Results: Title Unification Set; 1 Fighter Heavy, PFL Challenger Series 2023 Week 6 Weigh-in Results: Featherweights Make Weight, Ante Delija vs. Yorgan De Castro Headlines PFL 2 on April 7, Desiree Yanez Wins Contract at PFL Challenger Series 5, Alex Davis Defends Decision to Halt Andrade-Lineker Bout, Expects Eventual Trilogy, Roberto Soldic, Zebaztian Kadestam to Clash at One on Prime Video 10 on May 5, Fabricio Andrade Breaks John Lineker, Seizes One Championship Bantamweight Title, Sage Northcutt Returns from 4-Year Layoff at One on Prime Video 10, Chingiz Allazov Claims Kickboxing Gold at One on Prime Video 6 With Nasty KO, Arjan Bhullar-Anatoliy Malykhin Title Unification Bout Set for One on Prime Video 8. I wish they drug tested them. % Total str. Menu. Marc Goddard is a British UFC referee that is quickly rising on the best-of-all-time list and still has many years of refereeing in him. UFC 274: Oliveira vs. Gaethje (2022) | Reparto completo. He has been refereeing since 1997 (25 years), making him one of the most experienced referees who are still extremely active at the highest level. He is an incredible referee, though, so its a shame to see him throw it away like that. Beltran rocks a shaved beard but has a mustache almost reaching his hips. Please logout and login again. Thomas James "T.J." Ballester (born September 5, 1987), better known by his ring name AR Fox, is an American professional wrestler currently signed to All Elite Wrestling.He is also known for his work in promotions like Combat Zone Wrestling (CZW), Dragon Gate USA, and Evolve.Fox has also worked for Dragon Gate in Japan, Full Impact Pro (FIP), where he won the 2011 Jeff Peterson Memorial Cup . Well. Throughout his career, Steve was very indecisive and unsure about when to stop fights, often letting fighters take unnecessary damage. Highest Paid UFC Referees Keith is listed as 5-5, 135 pounds. It seems like UFC refs become famous for all the wrong reasons, even if they have great qualities as well. 17. But, what Roberts did in that fight was the absolute opposite. He carried this MMA expertise and law enforcement professionalism into his refereeing. He famously took a right hook when intervening in order to prevent Mark Striegl from any unnecessary damage against Chas Skelly (UFC FN:201). Sign up for the MMA Junkie newsletter to get our top stories in your inbox every morning. He started officiating in 2001 and his first UFC appearance was in 2008 (UFC FN:12). He officiated some of the biggest fights in UFC history and is a face that even casual fans recognize in the octagon. With that, a sense of familiarity is built. "I wish there was a way to keep these refs a little more responsible sometimes. Promotions generally do not have a say in getting particular referees, but only some highly reputed referees get to officiate in UFC. However, he didnt seem that hurt that the fight shouldve been stopped he never fell to the ground, lost his footing, or fell onto the fence. Aaron Derrow is a MMA fighter with a professional fight record of 5 wins, 1 losses and 0 draws. We appreciate your support and thank you for your purchases, as they sustain our magazine and allow us to bring you the best content.Our testing and reviewing method, Copyright 2023 Way of Martial Arts Arguably the most famous UFC referee ever, Herb Dean has been called the gold standard for referees in MMA by Dana White, Joe Rogan, and countless articles. This can be a distraction and annoyance for fighters if theyre unnecessarily receiving constant warnings for fouls they havent yet committed. str. The UFC refs get criticized a lot for stopping fights too early, not giving fighters the opportunity to recover. MMA Decisions provides a summary of MMA judging decisions, focusing on UFC results As well as refereeing, he was a police officer for 22 years in total and was the head self-defense practitioner of the LAPD (1993) after learning jiu-jitsu at the Gracie Academy. Ironically, hes a former firefighter so youd think he would have fighter safety on his mind. RIZIN FF News. That said, I have so much respect for MMA referee Keith Peterson and his track record as one of the best in the business. Professional Career Statistics . The match fee for them is about $500. "I'm not a guy to make excuses," he added. The most familiar face in European MMA refereeing is now one of the most universally used officials in the game today. Keep in mind when a lot of these people were first introduced to Cruz, the smartest fighters at that point were people like Frank Mir lol. Marc Goddard Pro. It is here he won two titles in MMA. Promotions like UFC do not directly hire referees. Although he has been at the helm of several high-profile fights as a referee, his career is chequered with a series of controversial calls. He gives out one warning, and the next warning gets a one-point penalty, regardless of if the foul was intentional or not. Steve is not active on any social media. However, there are a few referees who have been regular in UFC in the last few years. He has been a part of the UFC since 2008. Canada-based official Jerin Valel has partaken in many UFC events as both a referee and an official but he also competed three times as a professional MMA fighter. He officiates tons of fights a year for the UFC and other promotions, such as KSW, Cage Warriors, etc. MMA referee Keith Peterson has brutally fired back at Dominick Cruz's alcohol and cigarette claim following his controversial defeat at UFC 249. He started refereeing MMA fights in 2009 and has worked for the California State Athletic Commission since 2007. Following the stoppage of Saturday's bantamweight title fight against Henry Cejudo with just two seconds left in the second round, Cruz accused referee Keith Peterson of drinking on the job. It quickly made headlines and made the UFC referee drug lord instantly famous. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); We and our partners share information on your use of this website to help improve your experience. Dan became a black belt in shito-ryu karate aged 18 and a 5th-degree black belt in kenpo karate and later became a senior muay thai instructor.