Michael Baldwin started
his Martial Arts training in 1993. Starting in Tae Kwon Do under T.J. Kwon. After a short time Michael transitioned to
Shorin-Ryu Karate under Kyoshi Doug Perry, who he still respects as one of the greatest martial artists and teachers he has ever studied under. Michael trained for
four years when he was promoted to Black Belt in Shorin-Ryu Karate and Kobudo. He trained with many respected Karate
teachers both at Doug Perry’s school and at the annual Karate camps, including many Masters from Okinawa at the Olympics
in Atlanta
in 1996. Approximately about the same time that he reached the level of Green Belt in Karate Michael became interested in
Jujutsu and began studying in Hakko-Ryo Jujutsu under Naoki Kubota. This soon led an in interest in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.
Michael began his Brazilian
Jiu-Jitsu training under Master Romero "JacareŽ" Cavalcanti and transitioned to Master Relson Gracie soon after. While training with Relson he meet and became friends with Joe Hurst. Over the next few years he has had the opportunity to train with many BJJ and MMA artists such as Carlos Machado, Daniel
Moraes, Saulo Ribeiro, Royce Gracie, Marcello Clemente and Joa Jr., Marcos and David Avellan, Bas Rutten, Joe Hurst.
Michael has competed and
won many awards in Karate, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, and Submission Grappling competitions from 1993-2003. In February of 2004
Michael was involved in an accident where he received 2nd degree burns over 1/3 of his body, mostly on his back
and shoulders. The transition back to training was slow because of the amount of ground work, but he has made a full recovery.
Bryan and Michael were
the first to open a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu school in Western North Carolina, in August of 1998, which they still run today. They
are part of Gracie Barra through Joe Hurst. Since meeting Joe while training under Relson he has provided support for the Cross Training Academy by
providing seminars, tournaments and friendship over the years.
Michael is also active
in teaching Self Defense seminars for Church groups, Women’s groups, Businesses and others.
