Katy, TX: Jade Mountain Martial Arts - Sifu with BJJ Kiddie Belt

[golsa]

"Sensei Paul takes down Whit"

So what we have here is a Carlos Machado purple belt - your good buddy Paul Thomas, wearing a black belt in a grappling class taking down another grappling instructor wearing a green belt. All this is on a public web site where both are listed as grappling instructors.

After investigation, it seems that we have turned up that the black belt is not a black belt, but a purple belt. Also that the green belt is a Leo Dalla intermediate rank before blue belt. So in other words a white belt. And he has gay shoes.

Hence, Bullshido.

How do you know he was teaching a class with a black belt on? The caption doesn't even say anything about bjj so that could easily be JJJ, Judo, or even Shodokan Aikido (at least in the second pic) in which case he is guilty of wearing the "wrong" gi.... Or it wouldn't be far fetched if they were messing around and his old lady took a pic and put it on the website. There is no BJJ belt ranking listed for the Whit guy anywhere that I can see, so no lying going on there, and the website seems honest enough about Paul having a purple belt.

What ever the case, I'm sure the last thing on the mind of their webmaster was answering to some sleuthing e-detectives about the exact details of a random photo. In any case, this is a good example of non sequitur logic. A picture of a guy wearing a gi while on a mat doesn't a false bjj blackbelt claim make.

[Yrkoon9]

He left brazil with a blue belt. The pic was taken after. He was in brazil in 98'.
He started taking in 84 do the math. I dont care if it was 10 years ago. Your wrong.

I'm still having some trouble with this.

Now the original poster led us to believe that the green belt was your buddy. That was his mistake. Now we see that the guy wearing the BJJ Gi and black belt is actually the person in question. Gotcha.

You do realize that wearing a BJJ gi, and wearing a black belt leads to some....confusion. Possibly confusion that he and others are intentionally creating. We've seen it here quite a bit. Misleading marketing.

BTW he started taking "it" in 1984? With who? And where? Then spent 3 years in Brazil and came back with a blue belt? Just an FYI it takes about 6 mo in Brazil to get a blue belt. They hand those out like candy. And did so even back then. I know that because I was in Brazil in '99.

This shitpot needs to be stirred. It simmered for 2 whole years. And although there really isn't much substance to the thread I know we can keep it going a bit longer.

[It is Fake]

This is a TWO YEAR OLD THREAD.

Okay example #1:

There is no BJJ belt ranking listed for the Whit guy anywhere that I can see

http://web.archive.org/web/200502080...structors.html

Sifu Whit McClendon -Chief Instructor Sifu Whit McClendon
6th Degree Black Belt Instructor of Shaolin Kenpo
Green Belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu

This was on Whit's website when the thread was started back in 2005. The last update the Internet Archive shows is May of 2007. I don't know when the current changes went up but, it was there.

Shang Wu Association Grappling Coach

Yes, I do find the missing "BJJ" distinction interesting. This is from his current web page.

Example #2 Paul Thomas: He is a Brown Belt. Anyway, here is something interesting on the jitsugear thread,

DoD,

The affiliate relationship between Paul Thomas and my school is a new one. He has been my student for years, so I am puzzled as well as to why I am not mentioned on his bio.To be honest, I have seen only part of that web site and did not notice the bio part. I will have Paul correct that bio soon. I have not had any of Paul's students train with me as of yet, but that is going to change as well. My students are aware that the "unconventional" belts are in house only. In every other school, they would wear a white belt just like they do at tournaments. Its certainly not anything they would put on a web site.

hfam95, thanks for noticing!

I do find it interesting that Paul Thomas and the BJJ pages are now missing from Whit's website.

Oh that's because Paul has his own school.

http://www.katyjiujitsu.com/instructors.html

Top students:

* Brandon Mullins
* Alex Cisne
* David Bonner
* Seth Bregman
* Daniel Gomez
* Jeremy Loflin dalist
* Chris Mango

Just putting it out there where is Whit?

Example #3: jpatburke

If taking up for your friends is being a douche, then im guilty. Where I come from you dont talk out of your ass about people you dont know.

I respect people for sticking up for their friends. Defend him from a position of authority.

http://www.katyjiujitsu.com/instructors.html

awarded Brown belt under Alvis Solis (Machado Black belt).

Hmmm full of rage yet, you didn''t even know his rank, didn't state he had his own school, and that the affiliation may have ended. That's fine but, the argument would've stopped pretty quick if you said:

Hey guys I don't like what you said. Paul is a Brown Belt, with his own school, under a Machado BB, and is no longer affiliated with Whit(assumption on my part).

As a friend, you could of ended much of the current discussion that easy. No life story, no mention of Brazil, no hard feelings.

I gotta say Im disappointed with some of you guys.]I gotta say I'm disappointed with some of you guys.

Hell, I'm disappointed you trained with a guy for six years, lived with him for two, and I had to show he is a Brown Belt.

So when did a JUDO blackbelt not count for grappling? Further more Who cares?

BJJ BB=/=Judo BB. Why you said the above I don't know since, this was about a questionable rank in BJJ.

[EternalRage]

Thanks, It is Fake, that clears up some confusion.

Nice to see the Paul Thomas dude moved on to bigger and better things.

At any rate the "green belt in BJJ" was removed so that's ok.

The only thing left is that picture, which is damn misleading with the machado gi and black belt, but hey what can you do.

[DuckofDeath]

Jeezus.

Listen up, everyone. Carlos Machado has an affiliate school in Humble, TX, just north of Houston, headed by black belt Alvis Solis. Paul Thomas, from Katy, TX, just west of Houston, is a brown belt under Solis. For a while, Thomas taught BJJ out of Whit McClendon's Kung Fu school in Katy and taught McClendon some BJJ. Thomas later opened his own BJJ/MMA school in Katy.

Now here's the deal: Unbeknownst to me at the time, Solis had begun the practice of awarding yellow, orange, and green belts--ordinarily awarded as children's ranks--to his adult students as a motivator to keep them working toward blue. Thomas apparently followed this precedent in awarding the rank of green belt to McClendon. Unaware of the practice at the time, when I saw McClendon touting himself as a "green belt in BJJ," I was like WTF??? and started this thread. Alvis himself later cleared things up on another forum.

By the way, jpatburke, if you ever visit your old buddy at his new school, be sure to check out the sprung floor he's got in there--beats the hell out of a regular mat, if you ask me...

[jpatburke]

DOD
Actually thats an old Judo trick. its pretty cool they use old car springs to float the floor.
Thanks for the post DOD. My point all along was that the guy IS legit and that someone should look into this and not just fly off the handle with accusations.

Hmmm full of rage yet, you didn''t even know his rank, didn't state he had his own school, and that the affiliation may have ended. That's fine but, the argument would've stopped pretty quick if you said:

Hey guys I don't like what you said. Paul is a Brown Belt, with his own school, under a Machado BB, and is no longer affiliated with Whit(assumption on my part).

As a friend, you could of ended much of the current discussion that easy. No life story, no mention of Brazil, no hard feelings."

Didnt I say I hadnt seen him in a while! That would account for not telling you what he is currently up to. Me not correcting you dosent make you any less full of ****.

I like that this site calls out fake instructors but when someone corrects the record they should get the benefit of the doubt. Im glad someone went by his school! Thanks DOD! I bet you were impressed with the guy and his school.

I didnt slam you guys for your comments at first, I just corrected the record! You could have found all the info you needed on a fukin google search. So lets not start with the "why didnt you tell us he was......" I did tell you! I said you had this guy wrong. After I corrected you, you guys still came back with post after post defending your earlier bull ****. All you had to say is "Our bad" Tell us about this guy and why you think we are wrong. Oh really, well, we didnt know. Sorry bro. Sounds like PT is a legit guy.


Hey “It is Fake”
cutting and pasting the quotes of a witty person doesn’t make you a witty person!
But let me give it a shot!

A witty saying proves nothing.
-Voltaire

“Gossip is a sort of smoke that comes from the dirty tobacco-pipes of those who diffuse it: it proves nothing but the bad taste of the smoker.”
-George Eliot

The thermometer of success is merely the gossip of simple minded malcontents.
-Salvador Dali

Hey “Chingy”

“So no slack. Unless he dons his purple and gets up to Carlos's regularly to roll with higher ranked BJJ belts consistently.”

Carlos Muchado? Who do you think Paul trained with? Ill give you a guess.
Why don’t you tell Carlos you think PT is a fake. Why dont you post his comments after. That will be hilarious.

Here is probably what happened to paul thomas. He started taking martial arts under some made up bullshit kwanzenbudojitsu, figured out it was bullshit and started taking Judo. Put 2 years in Judo and went coocoo for coconuts when the Gracies hit the scene. Bought some tapes and studied, then saved his pennies for a week long training session in Brazil. Then came back to train a few times with Pedro Alberto, who if I recall correctly taught near san antonio Texas briefly in the 90's. I know this because he choked me unconscious :) Then he enters some sombo competitions, national and pan american meaning at some 100 competitor tourney in some backwater town in Virginia, as anyone can name anything and become world champion. In all he probably has total about 5 years grappling experience, most of it self taught.

Paul has a first rate school and a great team. When I trained with him you had to compete. His guys fight! You can make fun of his obscure Sambo tournament but this guy is a fighter. He won fuckin STATE in Judo!!! I don’t care if you hate Judo that’s not easy.

Why don’t you tough guys go see PT and ask him to roll around? Tell him you think hes full of **** and bring a video camera. Then post the video on Youtube so we can all see how its really done.

Here is why I keep posting.
PT has spent his whole adult life in MA. Started from like 15. He owns a school and I bet its his whole life. There are people who read this board from Houston where Paul teaches. You guys are jackin with his livelihood. People reading this post early may not go see Paul cuz they think hes a fake. I have my own company and I know how hard it is to start a small biz. Im also an old friend. Im not gonna stop being a "douchenozzel" till the record is set straight. I think we are getting closer.


-JB

[It is Fake]

DOD
My point all along was that the guy IS legit and that someone should look into this and not just fly off the handle with accusations.

Then say that.

Didnt I say I hadnt seen him in a while! That would account for not telling you what he is currently up to. Me not correcting you dosent make you any less full of ****.

You didn't correct me. That was my first post on this thread dumbass.

I like that this site calls out fake instructors but when someone corrects the record they should get the benefit of the doubt.

Then provide the correct information. We have no idea who you are so, we don't give anyone the benefit of the doubt. Ask DOD what happened on another thread. He wasn't given instant status because he said something was fact.

I didnt slam you guys for your comments at first, I just corrected the record!

Really?

I gotta say Im disappointed with some of you guys. You guys are raggin on a guy you don’t even know.
If any of you had any class you’d call him and ask what the deal is.

You guys need to get a grip.

Yes, actually you did.

You could have found all the info you needed on a fukin google search. So lets not start with the "why didnt you tell us he was......" I did tell you! I said you had this guy wrong. After I corrected you, you guys still came back with post after post defending your earlier bull ****. All you had to say is "Our bad" Tell us about this guy and why you think we are wrong. Oh really, well, we didnt know. Sorry bro. Sounds like PT is a legit guy.

Wow, that is exactly what I did. Like I said this is a two year old thread. At the time he wasn't a Brown belt (possibly a purple), he was teaching at a Kung Fu school, and his instructor said the Green belt should be internal not on a website.


No, "fukin google" didn't work two fucking years ago. Has that sunk into your head yet? You flew off the handle over a two year old thread.

Hey “It is Fake”
cutting and pasting the quotes of a witty person doesn’t make you a witty person!

You aren't witty. If you were, you would have noticed it was a two year old thread. If you would have done a "fukin(your spelling)" google search you would know your "friend" was a Brown Belt under a Machado.


YOU ARE ATTACKING POSTS MADE TWO YEARS AGO.

[It is Fake]

Now I realize your dumb comment. See that blue line where my posts ends?

That is called the signature. Those are a couple of quotes I found amusing. That, is why they are under the blue line to separate it from the post. Has nothing to do with the tone of my post.

I do find it funny that a quote about women and from Matt Thorton somehow relates to your "friend."


Now that we know you are really new to forums lurk more and post less.
Look at dates so, you really know what is going on.

[jpatburke]

Let me say that my intention was not to piss you guys off just to shed light on the subject. I just wanted the record set straight on Paul. I didn't realize the post was 2 years old when I first posted. I probably wouldn't have bothered if i realized it. That being said I think that the record is straight and Im over it.

I promise you that your effort to keep your sport legit is a valiant one. There are a bunch of tards out there. Paul would be the first to agree with you about the importance of legitimate belts and ranks.

I probably should have treaded lighter but thats not my nature. Im aggressive, loyal and hard headed. My bad.

I could have opened better but I think we've arrived where I wanted us to. I was just lookin out for an old friend.

Now I realize your dumb comment. See that blue line where my posts ends?

That is called the signature. Those are a couple of quotes I found amusing. That, is why they are under the blue line to separate it from the post. Has nothing to do with the tone of my post.

Sorry "It is Fake" I missed that one! I was wondering why you got all personal on me.


My original quote!

I gotta say Im disappointed with some of you guys. You guys are raggin on a guy you don’t even know. I will admit, Paul is an old friend of mine. I haven’t seen him in some time but I trained with him for 6 years. Hell the guy lived in my house for 2 years.
Lets start with the pic. Paul is the one on the bottom not the one wearing the gay shoes.
For the years I trained with Paul he was one of the most knowledgeable, patient teachers I had.

Just giving you background on PT Trying to gain credibility so you would listen.

Im not gonna throw rocks but I bet you guys aren’t half the teacher he is.

I should have left this part out!

He has legitimate belts in several disciplines and studied for 3 years IN BRAZIL where he won BJJ tournaments. He was already had a black belt in Judo and Karate by then but DAMB! That’s not easy. He has opened kid schools at non profits for no money. He won a fukin Pan Am metal sambo for god sakes. This is great guy who has been contributing the the MMA community for over 20 years. He is the epitome of what MMA is all about. This guy is the original journeyman.

More background on Paul. Just trying to establish some context.

You guys need to get a grip.

Should have left this out also

There is no BS with this guy. If any of you had any class you’d call him and ask what the deal is. The owner may have asked him to wear the BB all the time, Who knows, non of you guys seem to.

I was trying to get you guys to call the guy so you could get his side of the story.

Usually this forum is great at weeding out the tards in the sport. Sorry to say but you guys missed on this one.

-James Burke
Houston Tx

Just letting you know that the site was cool but you needed to take a better look at PT



-JB

[It is Fake]

Like I said in my first post I respect people for standing up for friends current or former included.


I understand why you were upset. What you need to try an understand is poor grappling leads to MCdojo/Bullshido BJJ. That is what had everyone up in arms initially.

That's exactly what happened to kung fu. IMO it was a good striking art comparable to boxing. Boxing changed rules added gloves but, they never stopped fighting, sparring, or forgetting what it was about.

Kung fu did the exact opposite more forms, less fighting, and a **** load of talking.

That's what I feel that was the perception of the original website. I enjoy kung fu. I'd go to a kung fu scholl teaching BJJ in a heartbeat if, the guy was legit.

Thing is, it looks like all affiliation between the two has been lost. Now, Whit may be a blue belt level student after 2 years. I don't know it does look bad.