Dominion Martial Arts, Texas

**sambosteve** · Posted On: 10/02/2012 10:08am

Oh snap! Is this Roy that I met earlier on during my visits to Texas? I have not seen you there during my last few visits. All this aside, I hope all is well. I am not gonna lie that I am a bit shocked that you have this guy's back though.

**ecsgrant** · Posted On: 10/02/2012 10:35am

Hi Roy,

I have no doubt that Rey has substantial training in Martial Arts. This doesn't give him the right to teach Sambo without proper authorization or lienage for that matter. He has never trained with anyone personally who is legit with Sambo. You know my background and that I have a very solid and diverse background in judo, wrestling, BJJ, and Nihon Jujitsu and it still took years of work for me to get the ECS program to be a solid Sambo program. I have spent much time and effort in educating myself through instruction from the best Sambo coaches in the USA as well as being an active part of the Sambo community and promoting Sambo the proper way. They didn’t even show up to watch the Texas Open Sambo Championships much less compete in it. The issue I have with Rey is that he could have so easily made it right and started a program the correct way. What he doing is trying to bypass the growing pains of a legit program and it will back fire on him big time and piss off the Sambo community in the process.

I am not one to give people hassle or try to hamper someone’s dream’s of owning a Sambo school. Just do it the right way Rey. What the hell man?

Roy- You are a great guy and one of my favorite former students. Be careful bud and really think about this. You have more Sambo training then he does. Why would you go train with to him? You want to train his other styles? Maybe an option. But, to me, he is not cool about the Sambo representation of his school.

Regards,
Coach Grant
Eclectic Combat Systems
Sambo and Jiu-Jitsu

**sambosteve** · Posted On: 10/02/2012 1:36pm

Well said Grant

**sambosteve** · Posted On: 10/02/2012 1:54pm

http://www.yelp.com/biz/dominion-martial-arts-helotes
Rodriguez finally removed Cory M as manager from their yelp page. The rest remains the same.

Looking back over the Dominion website, I see that Rodriguez did put in his bio (though it does not explain his credentials at all) "Sambo WG leader." I suppose that is supposed to be Sambo Work Group Leader. But, no where does it clarify what "WG" means or that what they are offering is a work group. Because it is not a work group. Nobody looking at the school would know that WG meant work group. Especially since they offer multiple sambo classes (7) a week. This is not a work group, it is a full class schedule. And even if it were a work group, that is not explained on the website anywhere.

A work group, I think, is pretty universally understood the way BHatley described in his post:
http://www.bullshido.net/forums/show...=1#post2726335

**It is Fake** · Posted On: 10/02/2012 3:53pm

Originally Posted by ecsgrant

I have no doubt that Rey has substantial training in Martial Arts.

Roy- You are a great guy and one of my favorite former students. Be careful bud and really think about this. You have more Sambo training then he does. Why would you go train with to him? You want to train his other styles? Maybe an option. But, to me, he is not cool about the Sambo representation of his school.[/FONT]

Thanks. Your entire post is spot on, but this is exactly what I was talking about earlier.

**LordsSoldier** · Posted On: 10/02/2012 7:51pm

Steve, I had a nice long talk with Coach Grant and he really made things clear for me. I apologize for questioning your motives to out Rey but I understand to teach Sambo or any martial art, it is important to have credentials. My response to the earlier post was just a knee jerk reaction caused by the intensity of your posts towards Rey meaning some of the insults by you and others did not sit well with me but I do understand your frustration because how much time and money and travel it takes to build an accredited school. If Rets teachings are not Sambo, I can tell you it is the closest thing to Sambo san Antonio has to offer. Coach Grant is my first teacher and I would never train anywhere without his blessing because I trust his mentorship only because he is looking out for my best interest. Coach Grant is family to me and I will follow his advice to the T. I will remove myself from dominion martial arts because I do not want to turn my back on the ASA nor do I want to upset anymore of its members. I sincerely apologize to you Steve and others I may have upset. My tendency to stand up for people sometimes get me in trouble and I know I have to pick and choose my battles wisely. I hope we can remain friends after all this.

**sambosteve** · Posted On: 10/02/2012 9:00pm

Roy,

Thanks for all the kind words and apology. But, I was not looking for that. I know you are a good guy with good intentions. I am sure you did not know the depth of the story and may have been hearing some interesting spin from Rodriguez in the short time you have known him. Sadly, Rodriguez may have quite a bit to offer someone HONESTLY were he to promote himself for what he is actually trained in (We do not know because the bios on the website are extremely vague). But, you have a positive experience and that does say something.

My intentions were always good. I did not look for a fight. They came to me; what I found once they did is not my fault.

Of course we are freinds. That was never an issue for me.

**sambosteve** · Posted On: 10/02/2012 9:11pm

Because the bios are so vague on the Dominion website and they are so willing to try as promote themselves as something they are not, I wanted to find out about the credentials that Rodriguez or the others there may truthfully hold (very difficult since none of the instructors first names are list, nor are their martial art backgrounds).

So, I started was their stated "USJA Charter Club" status as listed on the Affiliations and Judo program pages at www.samboacademy.com (screen shot for record)

I checked with the USJA website database, which did not have Dominion listed: http://usjamanagement.com/public/charteredClubs/

But, sometimes databases are not updated regularly and Dominion is only a year or so old, so I contacted Katrina R. Davis, USJA Executive Director. Her reply (personal comments edited out):

I’m afraid that this club, Dominion Martial Arts is NOT registered with the USJA...I will take care of this matter regarding Dominion Martial Arts.

**LordsSoldier** · Posted On: 10/02/2012 11:52pm

Hey Steve, I know someone from over there provoked you by using your name, I saw that email rey sent you inquiring about cory. I am glad that you understand that my initentions were good because I have a strong desire to train. I remember showing up at ECS on my wedding anniversery and Coach Grant pulls me to the side and says, "dang brother, you are hard core!!" lol...Lets just say I was not that hard core when I got home to my wife who was not pleased!! I really like Rey and have fun training with him but the hard truth of it is that you Steve and Coach Grant are right, Sambo needs to be taught by certified instructors because I remember the very hard work Grant put in to get certified. I will continue to look for a school here in san antonio the operates in the mornings or early afternoon and if BJJ is all I can find, then I will train at that until I move back to Austin next year and back home to ECS.

**sambosteve** · Posted On: 10/03/2012 12:19am

To be clear, the ASA does not "certify" schools. We do train, educate, mentor. But it is time, sweat equity, mat time, and experience with sambo coaching and competition is what we look for and support. Active participation in the community. Like Grant said, it is a process. To skip the time, work, and committment is just unethical.