Sifu Michael Dana

Primary Instructor

Michael is a full time professional mixed martial artist. He has been training at TKFMMA since 2009 and is a 6th Degree Black Belt (Lakan Anim/ Rokudan) in the Independent Escrima-Kenpo-Arnis Associates under Dr. Jerome Barber and a 2nd Degree Black Belt in Kajukenbo - Wun Hop Kuen Do under Professor Larry Carter Phd. He is also a Black Sash in Xiao Zhang Kung Fu and a Shodan in Kempo - Jutsu. Michael studied martial arts for almost two decades and learned many techniques from many instructors in many arts. He was diagnosed with a rare brain cancer (medulloblastoma) on March 28, 2008 and more info about that story can be found at his GoFundMe page where you can also give him money, www.gofundme.com/a-year-of-life. The school also has a separate GoFundMe page if you wish to donate to that. At TKFMMA, he primarily focuses on giving people the best service possible as the principal instructor, business manager, and sole owner. He has been teaching martial arts since 2010, has taught over 10,800 hours, and is currently teaching 35 - 40 hours each week. He also has a degree in Economics from UNC, which was earned while fighting his 1 in a 1,000,000 cancer which basically occurs once every 40 years.

Dr. Jerome Barber

Filipino Sticks Instructor

Dr. Jerome Barber is the most decorated and accomplished martial artist to instruct at tkfmma. He earned a Doctorate of Education from the State University of New York at Buffalo in 1985. He is responsible for creating the first college accredited martial arts course. His martial arts resume is very extensive and includes a 10th Degree Black Belt in Tracy Kenpo and a Pinakamataas na Guro 10th Degree Black Belt (Datu & Grand Master) in Kali Arnis. Click here for a more detailed list of ranks, recognitions, and publications. Click here to read his contribution to the 2006 Special Issue of FMA Digest.

Professor Larry Lee Carter, PhD

(Not teaching here because he moved but you can learn about him. I think he's cool. - Sifu Mike)

Dr. Carter started his martial arts journey in 1978, initially training in Muay Thai and eventually gravitating towards Kempo Karate and Kajukenbo. He is committed to a life-long study of the martial arts and currently holds an 9th Degree Black Belt in Kajukenbo – Wun Hop Kuen Do, 4th Degree Black Belt in Tang Soo Do, 2nd Degree Black Belt in Tae Kwon Do, and an instructor certification in Kali Silat. With regards to his Kajukenbo roots, they can be traced back to three black belt students from the original Palama Settlement school in Hawaii - Walter Godin, James Roberts, and Sid Asuncion.

Since the early 1990s, Dr. Carter has taught martial arts to thousands of students ranging from toddlers to senior citizens. He owned and operated his first martial arts studio in Roanoke, Virginia after graduating from Virginia Tech with a Marketing Management degree. While pursuing his Ph.D. at Old Dominion University, he served as the senior instructor at the Norfolk Karate Academy/Gracie Jiu-Jitsu Norfolk from 2003 to 2009. His second commercial martial arts studio was established in Draper, Utah where he employed several instructors to teach a variety of martial arts and yoga styles under one roof. As an academic, Dr. Carter has developed collegiate martial arts programs for Tidewater Community College, Idaho State University, Utah Valley University, and High Point University. He currently teaches as a professor at Clemson University. In 2013, he was inducted into the Martial Arts Masters Hall of Fame in recognition of his lifelong contributions within the martial arts. In 2014, he founded Kajukenbo United, an organization whose primary goal is to help spread martial arts knowledge among like-minded practitioners. Dr. Carter is currently serving as the President of KOA (Kajukenbo Ohana Association), a martial arts organization comprised of thousands of martial arts instructors and students from all over the world.

You can check out his Kajukenbo United organization on Facebook and YouTube. Be sure to Like and Subscribe. Below is a video of him being interviewed on Dragon Yawn.

Contact Information:

Tactical Kung Fu and Mixed Martial Arts 4228C Garrett Road Durham, NC 27707 phone: 919-213-1705