Taikidojutsu/Shinobi MMA/American Academy of Martial Arts

**It is Fake** · Posted On: 9/14/2010 10:35pm

Recently, this school came to my attention:
http://shinobimma.webs.com/

Beware, the embedded music freezes my browser and occasional it will crash using firefox.

It is a Taijiutsu school under Hatsumi. Actually, as we all know how the ranking is carried out that is irrelevant to me.

The issue is their website and what they claim. Also what they seem to be promoting while possibly covering themselves with semantics.

Home - SHINOBI MMA
SHINOBI MMA. American Academy of Martial Arts Maryland's #1 MMA Fight Team

This is the blurb that appears when you google Shinobi MMA.

When you enter the website, they discuss their qualifications with this caveat:

Master Instructors Julie and Ron Elrod have been teaching Mixed Martial Arts since 1984. In addition to developing the Taikido-Jitsu Fighting System, the Elrods hold multi-degree black belts in four
martial art styles, including 9th and 8th degree black belts in Taijutsu and Ninjutsu. They are direct students of Masaaki Hatsumi, the Grandmaster of Budo Taijutsu. In 2008, the Elrods were inducted
into the U.S. Martial Arts Hall of Fame.

Now, this has come up before. As many old school martial artists have noted, there was a playing around with the term mixing, mixed, multiple and other variations for MMA. Personally, I saw the word "Mixed" but, never associated with the MMA acronym. It was always mixed striking arts and obviously not MMA as we know it.

The problem I see is that I can find no fight team records. Even if they are new to MMA, to be the #1 MMA team in an area, you must have competed and have records available. If you are using old fight records than you shouldn't be using MMA because, it has a very specific meaning now.

The other problem I have is that they have the Brazilian Flag flying on their website. Yes, it is nitpicking, but MMA and the implication of grappling is inferred. This also leads me to question the comment of teaching MMA since 1984 and in my opinion implies the more modern definition of MMA. None of the instructors have any BJJ or grappling credentials listed. There is nothing in their Bio that shows any type of Brazilian Martial art experience.

Strange.

Any information to prove the MMA legit would be helpful.

The gym is nice.

Edit:
Here is the one fighter I have found.
http://www.wikinfo.org/index.php/Wyatt_Elrod

Here is his profile:
http://www.mixedmartialarts.com/mma....2#fight_134879
0-1-0 with a KO.

All of his videos have been removed from youtube as well as any associated with ShinobiMMA.

This is all I could find.

http://www.yorkblog.com/mma/spencer-richard/

Respect for stepping into the ring and please do not hassle the guy. In his wiki it states he has trained Brazilian Jiujitsu. He is also an instructor at the school. I can find nothing on his rank in BJJ.

I am also going to assume this is the Elrod's son.

**Stick** · Posted On: 9/14/2010 11:17pm

I've never heard of them before this, and I've been fairly active in the MMA scene around the DMV since I got here- as a school hopping, amateur fight photographing, trainer monkey, mind you.

You'd think the #1 MMA team in MD would've had a fighter at or two in any of the events I've attended. Apart from that, I have connections to a number of schools through friends and them and theirs have spread the web out further so as I've heard little snippets and rumors and whatnot from many more schools than that around MD..... nothing about these guys though.

Sooooooo, yeah, I'm curious how they'd explain passing themselves off as the #1 MMA Team around, and the Brazilian flag too, while we're at it- that's just kinda rude.

**hungryjoe** · Posted On: 9/15/2010 12:08am

AAMA

http://karateblackbelt.net/adults.php

American Academy of Martial Arts
TRIAL PROGRAM
Our three lesson trial program is the best way for you to find out about our program. It includes three lessons plus a uniform for $19.95. The first lesson is a private lesson and is scheduled by appointment. The second two lessons are in the White Belt beginner’s class. Call to set up your first lesson today and you’ll be on your way to a better you!

Doesn't list where the Hapkido background is from. Same ranks in TKD/HKD, so it's a very good chance they're from the same place.

Kudos for the book:

Anyone going to contact them on the Brazilian flag issue?

Looks like a McDojo being run by a couple who are probably good people IRL. Sad though that they're listing ninjer training if you're at least 15.

**It is Fake** · Posted On: 9/15/2010 12:14am

They very well may be great people. I have really no issue with what they do other than the MMA claims.

Summed up they are claiming to be the #1 MMA team, with a Brazilian Flag, while trying to say they might mean the Old school meaning of MMA, with a one man MMA team and the first fight this year are things that we look at.

***DerAuslander*** · Posted On: 9/15/2010 9:59am

Maryland has some great fight teams, gyms, and coaches so to make the claim of being Maryland's #1 MMA fight team is a pretty bold one. We've got Lloyd Irving, we've got Ground Control. There would be no MMA competition in Maryland without John Rallo. The guys on the bar security A-team I work on train with Lloyd Irving, one of whom competes internationally, and none of them have heard of a "Team Shinobi" or the Elrods. Shinobi MMA may have a valid mixed martial arts program, but I would like to see how the claim to being Maryland's #1 MMA team holds up compared Maryland's other MMA teams which have numerous competitors, many with well-documented records that are much more extensive than a single fighter with a 0-1-0 record & no recorded BJJ rank.

The Shinobi MMA website states:

The Taikido-Jitsu Fighting System taught at the American Academy of Martial Arts blends together the striking, throws, pins, chokes, and joint locks from Taijutsu, Hapkido, Tae Kwon Do, and Jiu-Jitsu, and utilizes techniques from Judo, Wrestling, and Muay Thai.

The spelling of "Jiu-jitsu" would seem to indicate BJJ, but not necessarily. If their MMA is based off of Booj, then they have a valid-claim to Jujutsu (regardless of the criticisms of the way jujutsu is taught within the Bujinkan). However, this, combined with the Brazilian flag could seem to be misleading. The instructors' bios do not indicate any training in Judo or Muay Thai. Julie Elrod is a "Certified Kickboxing Fitness Instructor". This sounds more like Taebo than actual Muay Thai.

There is another certification that interests me. Both Julie & Ron Elrod are listed as being

Certified Instructor and Travel Marshal for American Airlines

I'm not exactly sure what a "Travel Marshal" is. I contacted a friend in the Air Marshals & he said he didn't know what it was. He said it might be private security but he doubted it, or that the Elrods may have taught a flight crew (read as: stewardesses) a self-defense & anti-hijacking course. My friend in the TSA had no clue what a "Travel Marshal" was.

Good on Wyatt Elrod for stepping in to the ring. I don't think any in-depth analysis on his fight is needed. The video is up for everyone to watch. His bio states that he trains in BJJ & Muay Thai. It'd be interesting to find out with whom he trained.

The Elrods claim that Shinobi MMA is Maryland's #1 fight team. Anyone interested in training with Shinobi MMA can look at their fight video, and can then look at Team Lloyd Irving or Ground Control or any other local school, review their fight videos, and make that decision for themselves.

**Raging Monkey** · Posted On: 9/15/2010 1:28pm

I know this school, and the instructors... Well I did when they opened the school 15 years ago or so.

At the time they were strictly a McDojo-ized Bujinkan school. Julie had some legitimate rank in some form of Korean martial art (Either TKD or TSD, I can't remember) which she studied prior to studying under Stephen Hayes but did not train in it at all during the time I knew her (aprox 1988 - 1998ish).

***DerAuslander*** · Posted On: 9/28/2010 9:33pm

Originally Posted by Raging Monkey

I know this school, and the instructors... Well I did when they opened the school 15 years ago or so.

At the time they were strictly a McDojo-ized Bujinkan school. Julie had some legitimate rank in some form of Korean martial art (Either TKD or TSD, I can't remember) which she studied prior to studying under Stephen Hayes but did not train in it at all during the time I knew her (aprox 1988 - 1998ish).

From what I understand, they were under Bud Malstrom. I don't know if they still are. I don't think they're Toshindo. As far as I know, they were completely McDojo Bujinkan up until about 4-5 years ago when they became an MMA school.

***DerAuslander*** · Posted On: 9/28/2010 9:35pm

Update on the "Travel Marshal" thing. We've gotten no response from American Airlines regarding any such program. That's not to say it doesn't exist, only that they aren't responding. If anyone else can track down some verified information on that, it'd be appreciated.

**DuckofDeath** · Posted On: 9/29/2010 12:39am

From the looks of this, it would appear that a "Travel Marshal" is one who has completed a course offered by an outfit called "America in Defense":

http://www.totaldefenseinc.com/aboutus_ourstaff.htm

Google "'America in Defense" travel marshal" and you'll come up with similar hits.