Moni Azik, Commando Krav Maga

**Telum** · Posted On: 7/29/2008 1:44pm

CKM, formerly known as Combat Survival (see: http://www.bullshido.net/forums/showthread.php?t=21352 )

makes several claims about its founder, Moni Azik. His webpage and biography is here: http://www.commandokravmaga.com/html/biography.html

Among these claims are:
1) He was an Israeli Judo Champion
-This one is true - he was a junior judo champion in Israel
2) He was a member of an elite Israeli commando unit.
-This one is true, but extremely misleading. Moni, as a promising judoka, was not assigned to combat. He was trained as a physical fitness trainer, and was assigned to an elite unit as their physical fitness leader. He never served in combat. In photos of him and his unit, he is wearing a white shirt underneath his uniform. Combat soldiers always wear green shirts, while noncombat soldiers wear white.
3) The IDF asked Moni to improve their combat curriculum.
-The IDF denies this claim. IDF Krav Maga is formulated by the Wingate Institute, which Moni is not a member of.
4) He trained under World Judo and Sambo Champions Isao Okano and Katsuhiko Kashiwazaki
-This one I have no idea if it is true or not.
5) Moni trained "Ultimate Fighting Champion Carlos Newton, Japanese Shooto star Joel Gerson"
-Again, no idea if this is true.
6) Moni co-created Krav Maga with Imi Litchenfeld
-This one is so absurd (Moni is only about 50) that he has stopped saying so. He did say this in several interviews however.

This is not to say however, that Moni is not an excellent fighter. He is excellent at judo and jujutsu, and if he had just called his fighting system Israeli Jiujutsu, instead of making these unfounded claims, nobody would care.

Also, some technique demonstrations: http://www.commandokravmaga.com/html/techniques.html

Gotta love that groin stab at the bottom.

http://www.commandokravmaga.com/html/testimonials.html

Some other claims (which I dont see on his website, so I am not listing them up above):
He and his 74 man unit were ambused by 1000 syrians and only a handful survived.

http://www.krav-maga-bristol.org.uk/commando.html
http://commandokravmaga.com.au/forum...php?topic=77.0
http://kmforum.kravmaga.com/showthre...?t=2838&page=3

Anyway, could you kind people help me check the UFC and shooto claims?

[url]

**nysanda** · Posted On: 7/29/2008 10:11pm

This is my understanding, though some research could clarify.... Carlos Newton is a gifted athlete who would have excelled in anything pretty much. Newton started off in a small school which does some sort of Jujitsu (?). He had a falling out with the instructor and looked for a new place to train and ended up in Moni's place. So, in one sense Moni did train him, but he had training (and pro MMA fights) before...

Sorry I don't have more details on this

**AeroChica** · Posted On: 7/29/2008 10:17pm

Originally Posted by lkfmdc

This is my understanding, though some research could clarify.... Carlos Newton is a gifted athlete who would have excelled in anything pretty much. Newton started off in a small school which does some sort of Jujitsu (?). He had a falling out with the instructor and looked for a new place to train and ended up in Moni's place. So, in one sense Moni did train him, but he had training (and pro MMA fights) before...

Sorry I don't have more details on this

Carlos originally trained at Ranger Jiu-Jitsu under Sensei Tom Sharkey. I am not aware of any 'falling out' that lead to him leaving Ranger - I believe he was there until Ranger moved locations and was too far for him to commute. Carlos has trained with a lot of really great guys and credits many of them with helping develop his skills, hence his fight name "Ronin - the masterless samurai".

**nysanda** · Posted On: 7/29/2008 10:48pm

So it wasn't a falling out, more clarification, great! I was not 100% sure

**It is Fake** · Posted On: 7/29/2008 10:50pm

Thank you Aero that was quite helpful.

So, basically, he had some good training before. Very interesting.

**AeroChica** · Posted On: 7/30/2008 6:18am

Originally Posted by It is Fake

So, basically, he had some good training before. Very interesting.

Understatement of the year.

Carlos I think got to blue or brown belt under Tom Sharkey. I worked out with him a few times (during my brief foray into jiu-jitsu about 12 years ago, before I discovered I am far to delicate an orchid for that kind of shennanigans) and at that time he was already an extremely talented martial artist. Just some skinny kid with a big 'fro, with barely enough money for bus fare, but an exceptional athlete and a very helpful training partner. I also know he went on to train at several other gyms, although I'd have to dig for school or instructor names. So basically, I don't think any one person or school can claim to have trained Carlos.

Incidently, Mark Bocek trained at Ranger for a while too. The last time I saw him, though, he was a teenage stick with shocking red hair, cleaning up on the mats at tournaments.

EDIT: CdnPaddy filled in a few details for me - Carlos earned a brown belt under Tom Sharkey, and was instructing the grappling portion of the classes by the time he was in his mid-teens, together with Mark Bocek. They were both 'phenomenal' (in CdnPaddy's words) from a very early age.

**ar549** · Posted On: 7/30/2008 9:13am

http://commandokravmaga.com.au/forum...topic=15.msg21

Author Topic: Better Business Bureau of Ontario complaint letter (Read 1665 times) Will Administrator
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Posts: 241

http://commandokravmaga.com.au/forum...66;type=avatar

Level 2 'Unstructor'

Better Business Bureau of Ontario complaint letter
« on: February 25, 2008, 01:16:27 PM »

Dear Sir or Madam,

My name is William Colin McLay and I am a Canadian citizen, resident in Brisbane Australia. I wish to file a formal complaint with the Better Business Bureau in hopes of resolving a dispute with the business Edge Combat Fitness doing business as Combat Survival Inc. of Richmond Hill, Ontario, phone number 416-485-3584.

I have copious e-mail records detailing the dispute and am prepared to provide them to you, however I have summarized here in the interest of brevity.

In November 2006 I entered into a personal development service agreement with the above named business and paid the sum of $2,000.00 in US dollars in order to participate in the self-defence club offered by the business. I attended a five-day training program in Ontario in March of 2007. I completed the training program, passed rigorous requirements and received a certificate indicating my status as a licensed instructor of the system, valid for one year until the date March 22, 2008, (attached as Combat_Survival_Certificate.pdf ).

As part of the agreement (attached as Combat_Survial_Agreement.pdf), amongst other benefits, I am to receive the following: (letters assignment for reference)

a. "Assigned territory which will be exclusively yours."
b. "As a CKM Instructors my profile will be posted on the official Commando Krav Maga website."
c. "Ongoing operational and marketing support."

My complaints are as follows:

1. I specified "Australia Pacific" as my requested teaching territory in my application and had previously indicated verbally and by e-mail to Mr. Moni Aizik (the principal owner of Combat Survival Inc.) my desire to teach the system throughout Australia and the Pacific region. He accepted my money on this basis and I went forward with the training with this objective. During a telephone conversation on 27 July 2007 (which I have recorded for reference), Mr. Moni Aizik informed me that I was not permitted to teach instructors in the region, and that I would not receive "exclusive territory" for the city of Brisbane, Australia (for which I was listed on the website). After writing him an e-mail to discuss the instructor training, I received subsequent confirmation of this from him by e-mail on 31 August 2007 (attached as e-mail_31AUG2007.pdf). I believe this to be a clear contradiction of item a. listed above.

2. After lengthy discussion pertaining to the above item number 1., Mr. Moni Aizik removed my profile from the website (per item b. above), without warning or justification on 18 November 2007. A copy of the website profile from 10 July 2007 (attached as Website_Australia_Profile.pdf), shows my territory (shared with my co-instructor Robert Didriksen) as Brisbane Australia.

3. Also on 18 November 2007 Mr. Moni Aizik revoked my access to the online forum whereby instructors have access to the "ongoing operational and marketing support", described in item c. above.

In an effort to seek a compromise, I agreed in writing (attached as e-mail_29DEC2007.pdf), to the change of terms per item number 1. on 29 December 2007 as required by Mr. Moni Aizik.

After literally dozens of exchanges via e-mail, Mr. Aizik has failed to make good on his commitment to rectify items 2. and 3. above. I have sent 5 unanswered requests since 26 January 2007 and believe that Mr. Moni Aizik has not been negotiating in good faith. After a final unanswered appeal to him via e-mail on 13 February I have decided to enlist your aid in resolving this matter.

Due to the time sensitive nature of the agreement, I have lost considerable opportunity from his actions and suffered irreparable damage to my reputation amongst my peer instructors and my students. However, I am not seeking financial remuneration or refund from Mr. Moni Aizik, I merely want what was promised to me in the original agreement and wish to have my profile listed and my access to the instructor forum reinstated for a period equal to the time it has been denied me.

Sincerely yours,

William McLay

**It is Fake** · Posted On: 7/30/2008 10:10am

Originally Posted by AeroChick

Understatement of the year.

This is MABS I will not troll here. You know how I am.

Carlos I think got to blue or brown belt under Tom Sharkey. I worked out with him a few times (during my brief foray into jiu-jitsu about 12 years ago, before I discovered I am far to delicate an orchid for that kind of shennanigans) and at that time he was already an extremely talented martial artist. Just some skinny kid with a big 'fro, with barely enough money for bus fare, but an exceptional athlete and a very helpful training partner. I also know he went on to train at several other gyms, although I'd have to dig for school or instructor names. So basically, I don't think any one person or school can claim to have trained Carlos.

Incidently, Mark Bocek trained at Ranger for a while too. The last time I saw him, though, he was a teenage stick with shocking red hair, cleaning up on the mats at tournaments.

EDIT: CdnPaddy filled in a few details for me - Carlos earned a brown belt under Tom Sharkey, and was instructing the grappling portion of the classes by the time he was in his mid-teens, together with Mark Bocek. They were both 'phenomenal' (in CdnPaddy's words) from a very early age.

Thanks again.

If you could get CdnPaddy to post, as this is MABS, that would be much appreciated. Even if it's a single sentence, backing you, it would be greatly appreciated.

**HANKtheTANK** · Posted On: 7/30/2008 1:44pm

I know my brother was training with Carlos and crew back in the day called the Samurai Club. I believe Moni was a part of that whole school. There wasn't that many options for solid grappling back then, so I imagine it was easy for like-minded people to end up in the same school together.

I don't know exactly how it all unfolded, but then Rebellion JJ spawned out of that group somehow with a lot of the BJJ'ers following this new crew

**HANKtheTANK** · Posted On: 7/30/2008 2:01pm

And, I visited Joel Gerson's school (revolution mma) not long ago and had a quick chat about MMA in general. Then i asked him about Moni, cuz i was interested to hear his thoughts.

He definitely acknowledges Moni as his instructor back in the day. I think he said he was with Moni for 17 years.....(i could be wrong on the number, but its pretty high up there, at least double digits)

But they have had a falling out, and Joel hasn't talked to Moni in over 2 years. I showed Joel the latest thread from bullshido on Moni. He glanced through the thread, and said the thread starter actually e-mailed him about the topic also. But he was too busy to respond.

From what i gathered, he was willing to discuss Moni/CKM, however, I didn't want to take up too much of his time then. He had a few students waiting on him and his phone was ringing off the hook.