Dominion Martial Arts, Texas

**blackmonk** · Posted On: 9/29/2012 7:48am

L-O-L. They're having a sambo seminar there with Nina on the 13th, but I'll be competing in the state brown belt championships that morning, and then cornering some of Grant's guys in Dallas that night.

Bummer. I want to see them face-to-face.

**It is Fake** · Posted On: 9/29/2012 10:25am

That's very interesting. So, it wasn't his fault, but you found a pay for play rank. The story is somewhere in the middle and IMO it involves money.

**sambosteve** · Posted On: 9/29/2012 11:01am

Originally Posted by It is Fake

That's very interesting. So, it wasn't his fault, but you found a pay for play rank. The story is somewhere in the middle and IMO it involves money.

Yeah. He is clearly not so innocent in all this. Inasmuch, I doubt he will come comment for himself. Nor will Rodriguez I suspect.

**sambosteve** · Posted On: 9/29/2012 11:02am

Originally Posted by blackmonk

L-O-L. They're having a judo-for-sambo seminar there with Nina on the 13th, but I'll be competing in the state brown belt championships that morning, and then cornering some of Grant's guys in Dallas that night.

Bummer. I want to see them face-to-face.

Figures. Does she know about these guys? I will make sure she does.

**Raving&Drooling** · Posted On: 9/30/2012 2:27am

I live pretty close to Helotes. Anything a noob can do here?

**sambosteve** · Posted On: 9/30/2012 8:54am

Originally Posted by Raving&Drooling

I live pretty close to Helotes. Anything a noob can do here?

You could take a class and report back. Inquire about their sambo credentials and see what they say.

**sambosteve** · Posted On: 10/02/2012 12:04am

OK, I got an e-mail reply from Rey Rodriguez, the owner of Dominion. I am posting it because he said he was replying to this thread. I will also post my reply to him.

From: "Rey Rodriguez"
Date: Mon, Oct 1, 2012 11:52 pm
Subject: Discussion about you on Bullshido
To: "Stephen Koepfer"

Wow! Calling me a douche bag, piece of **** liar and taking a private email andphone conversation and posting it on the internet does show a lot about your character. If I cared enough about what you thought, I might take offense, but I don’t. I didn’t care enough to respond when I first saw this post, but now I feel you’ve almost forced me to.

Here’s my response to make you happy. Cory calls me to find out why you are trashing his name on the internet. The things he said in that conversation about you, your credibility and your association don’t match what he wrote in response to your post. He’s just trying to tell you what you want to hear to stop any further negative comments. The only truth to his email is that he taught for free because he just wanted somewhere to train and teach – everything else is bull$h!t. Who kisses that much a$$ in one email?

You were the one that suggested that I put Sambo Workgroup Leader on my bio when Cory left and continue to teach and train, which is how you said you started out. For you to act like you’re shocked to see that on my bio is ridiculous. Show me where I’ve lied about my credentials. I’d like to see where I’ve misrepresented
myself. Any of your minions are welcome to visit or take a class. I’m not hiding and have nothing to hide. I’m not the douche bag you are trying to make me out to be. You were only 90 miles away from my school; you should have paid me a visit, personally.

In closing, I will make sure I tell all who ask about my credentials that I learn everything from Sambo Steve videos. I’m hoping that will make me legit. If not, I’ll let my 30 years of martial arts training speak for itself. I do think maybe I’ll hang a picture of you next to my Russian flag, though.

I’d also appreciate it if you would stop making dummy YELP accounts to post negative comments about my school and link it back to this post.

Keep it
classy, Mr. President.

My reply:

From: Stephen Koepfer
To: Rey Rodriguez
Sent: Tuesday, October 2, 2012 12:48 AM
Subject: Re: Discussion about you on Bullshido

A few last comments.

Re Cory: His intentions are pretty obvious.

Re Our prior conversation and email:
Yes, I posted your initial inquiry (no more than that) and discussed our conversation. I did suggest you start a work group and state clearly on your website that that is what it was because there was no qualified coach at dominion. I did not suggest you add six more sambo classes on your schedule and not explain anywhere on the website that nobody at Dominion is qualified to teach them. That is not a work group. That is blantant misrepresentation. And no, that is not how I started.

Why would I come to visit your club when I was expecting you at the tournament? That is rediculous.

If you think saying you learned sambo from my videos gives you more cred than your own 30 years of of non-sambo martial arts experience, so be it. The fact that you want to promote sambo over your own actual experience says quite a bit. And, I never said you misrepresented anything but sambo...which you know you have.

In truth, and you can believe this or not, I did not create that account on yelp that linked the bullshido thread. I have no idea who did.

Lastly, since you are stating this is your response (which I asked for on the thread), I will post it there.

There is no need for you or Cory (who you apparently are still in touch with) to respond via email. I am done discussing this with you. If you do though, know that I will post it, as I am posting this reply to you.

Funny thing is that Rodriguez claims in his e-mail that I said to put "Sambo Workgroup Leader" on his bio...which I did not. But, even if I did suggest that, he still did not put it in his bio...LOL.

**LordsSoldier** · Posted On: 10/02/2012 2:20am

Originally Posted by sambosteve

I just sent thios e-mail to Rodriguez:

I cant sit here and read this not step in for Mr Rodriguez defense. I met Rey about a week ago and as I walked through his doors, he welcomed me with open arms as any Martial Arts Teacher should. I never asked him about his affiliations or what his credentials were because I wanted his instructions to do the talking. I only trained in Sambo and Judo for about 2 years which is not a long time and I still am a lower level student but I think my time spent training in these arts is long enough to reconize what a good teacher is. I have been around many solid judokas and Reys technique and style of judo training are solid!! What he showed me in Sambo was very impressive as well. His passion for the art is solid and I can tell you that in no shape, way or form is he embarrasing the art. those videos that you posted of him doing hand to hand combat is probaly one of his korean style arts lesson and not Sambo. His character is sound and he has my loyalty as a student and friend.