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Oakdale MMA started off as Oakdale Kajukenbo Self-Defense Club back in 1988. The first location was the two car garage owned by Tom Theofanopoulos and soon the garage became too crowded for the dozen or so people so the school moved to a larger facility in town. In 1993 the UFC opened the eyes of Martial Artists all over the world and it became obvious of the importance of ground fighting. Tom had spent many years wrestling and practicing Judo, however Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu was dominating the competition from Grappling events to MMA.
Professor Tom realized early on that there was a revolution about to happen in the world of Martial Arts. Wanting to evolve and to become a better martial artist, he started traveling and searching for a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu teacher. In 1998 Tom met Silvio Behring and a few years later met Master Flavio Behring, Silvio’s Father. Master Flavio promoted Tom to Black Belt in 2008. In 2006, still active with the Kajukenbo Association of America, Great Grand Master Charles Gaylord promoted Tom to 8th Degree Red/Back Belt and to the title of “Professor”. Oakdale MMA is the result of 35 years of hard work and study in the Martial Arts.
As the martial arts continue to evolve, you can bet that Oakdale MMA will evolve also. But never at the expense of changing the values of Honor, Respect, Loyalty and all the other virtues that made the Martial Arts great. Since 1988, Oakdale MMA has grown into one of the leading academies in the valley, establishing two additional schools, one in Merced, and the other in Sonora.
Thank you for checking out our web site, and feel free to come by and visit our facilities.
In 2007, Professor Tom created the “Last Stand Fight Team“. He did this to distinguish the professional fighters who trained out of all 3 of the academies. Last Stand fighters proudly display a Corinthian helmet (also known as a Spartan helmet) on the front of their shirts. This symbol is a bold testament to the devotion Professor Tom Theofanopoulos has to his homeland and the birth place of ancient martial arts. In 9 short years, Last Stand fighters have accumulated over 40 championship titles. We look forward to a continuing successful future and to serving the MMA Community.