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CMMAA Instructors and Fighters Biographies
Senior Instructors
John Renken
- Level 4 MACP Instructor
- Brown Belt in Gracie Jiu-Jitsu
- Combat Submission Wrestling Instructor
- Muay Thai Instructor(Kru)
- USJA Judo Coach
- 2nd Degree Black belt in Judo
- Black Belt in Sombo
- 2nd Degree Jiu Jitsu
- USA Boxing Coach
- State of TN representative for USMTA
- State representative for CSW
- Regional Coordinator for USJA Development, Local Referee Certified.
Professional Accomplishments:
John has led the Ft. Campbell Combatives team to 1st, 2nd, 2nd, 3rd, and 5th Place in the Army Championships. Pride, Pancrase, and Shooto Veteran, Hook n Shoot Absolute Champion, IFC Lightweight Champion, EFC 14 Tournament Champion, SFC Cruiserweight Champion, Hook N Shoot Middleweight Champion, Fight zone Middleweight Champion, Over 60 MMA Bouts. Additionally John has trained Multiple Champions in Judo, Jiu-Jitsu, and Modern Army Combatives. Currently CMMAA is training 15 nationally ranked children, 3 nationally ranked adults, 10 Amateur MMA Champions, 2 All Army Champions, the first Pan-Am Junior Judo qualifier from Tennessee and Silver medal in the Junior Judo Olympic!
Israel Gomes
- 2nd Degree Black Belt in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu
- Level 3 Modern Army Combatives Instructor
- Chute Boxe Muay Thai Black Belt
- 30-2-1 Muay Thai
- 7-2 MMA
Mestre Gomes helped build the famous Chute Boxe Academy with long time friends Pride Champion Wanderlei Silva and UFC Champion Anderson Silva. Israel and Anderson left Chute Boxe together and began their own team and academies; Muay Thai Dream Team.
Rafael Cruz
- 5th Degree Black Belt in Judo
- 4th Degree Black Belt in Ju-Jitsu
- IJF International Referee
- USA Judo National Coach
- Head of Referee’s of Cuba
- Director of Cuban Olympic Judo team
- Cuban Judo Team Strength and Conditioning Coach
- Trained multiple world champions in Judo
- Trained multiple Junior Olympic and National Champions at CMMAA
Professional accomplishments:
- Promoted 14 Cuban athletes to National Centers in which 3 were awarded with Gold Medals in the 2000 Olympics in Sydney, 2004 Olympics in Athens, and in the 2008 Olympics in Beijing.
- Nine of his students were promoted to Province Centers for Athletes in Cuba.
- Father and personal trainer of Isao Cruz Alonzo, world champion and gold medalist of the Cuban Paraolympic Team in the Olympic Games held in Sydney in 2000 and Beijing in 2008.
- Personal trainer for Betty Aguila Martinez, bronze medalist in the world 1998 and Grabiel Arteaga two time Olympics in Atlanta and Sydney.
Coach Tony Dejesus
- Certified Personal Trainer
- Certified ASA Conditioning Trainer
- USA Boxing Coach
- USA Boxing Referee
- Has trained over 20 former boxing champions
- Has trained 3 All Army Boxing Champion
- Refereed over 100 amateur boxing bouts
- Trained multiple pro fighters
- Trained multiple MMA Champions
Jennifer Renken
- Women’s Muay Thai Instructor
- Level 3 Modern Army Combatives Instructor
- 2-0 Amateur Boxer
- 1-1 Amateur KickBoxer
- Ringside World Amateur Boxing Champion
Assistant Instructors
Donnie Bowen
- Assistant Kids Team Havok Coach
- 5’8 155
- 5-0 MMA
- Blue Belt in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu
- Black belt in Judo
- Level 3 Modern Army Combatives Honor Graduate
- 3rd Place in the Pan-AM BJJ Championships
Mike Thompson
- Team Havok Captain
- 6’0 185lbs
- 14-4 MMA
- Blue Belt in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu
Fighters
John Long
- 6’0 205
- 6-2
- 2 Time All Army Champion
- Level 4 Modern Army Combatives
Zack Taylor
- 6’4 185
- 2-1 MMA
- Imad Sultan
- 5’6 155
- 10-4 MMA
- Blue Belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu
Chris Matthews
- 5’8 155
- 5-1 MMA
- Blue Belt Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu
- Stunner 155 Champion
- Week of the Eagles 155 Champion
Barry Braden
- 5’9 170
- 2-1 MMA
- 170lb Hook n Shoot Rising Star Champion
Jarrod Appenzeller
- 5’10 185
- MMA
- Week of the Eagles 185 Champion
Jeff Duncan
- 5’8 170lbs
- Week of the Eagles 170 Champion
Leonard Lane
- 6’0 185lbs
- 1-0 MMA
- Week of the Eagles 205 Champion
Pedro Escavante
- 5’10 205lbs
- 1-0 MMA
Dan Eaton
- 6’0 250lbs
- 3-0 MMA
Jesse Johnson
- 5’8 155 lbs
- 3-0 MMA
Grover Muirheid
- 5’4 125lbs
- 2-1 MMA
- Week of the Eagles 140lb Champion
Michelle LaForest
- 5’0 125lbs
- 1-1 MMA
- Week of the Eagles 125lb Runner up
Gary Tate
- 5’8 185
- MMA
- 2nd Place All Army Combatives Tourney
- Week of the Eagles 185lb Champion
Reuben Arriaga
- 6’2 230lbs
- MMA
- 3rd Place All Army Combatives Tourney
William Newman
- 6’1 250
- MMA
- Week of the Eagles Super Heavy Weight Champion
Boxers
Dwayne Thomas
- 5’7 145
- 3-2 Boxing
Luke Witt
- 6’0 200lbs
- 0-2 Boxing
Brian Berry
- 6’2 240
- 2-4 Boxing
Latoya Anderson
- 5’4 132lbs
- 0-1 Boxing
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