The Journey

Sifu Jay’s martial arts journey began at age 15 on the streets of Newark, New Jersey. What started as joining a friend’s Karate class quickly evolved into a lifelong obsession with survival and combat efficiency. At 18, Jay entered the U.S. Army, where he integrated military discipline with his foundational training.

The Lineage

At 24, a pivotal meeting with Vietnam veteran Stephen Butkus introduced Jay to Okinawan Kempo / Jujitsu and master Larry trainer. Jay has dedicated the last 30 years to the system currently holding a 2nd° black belt

His pursuit of mastery led him to two other legendary figures:

Jay is a longtime student of Hung Ga Master Pedro Cepero Yee, who is the adopted son of Grand Master Frank Yee ( Yee Chi Wai) with whom he currently studies the internal arts and Chi gong therapy, and Wing Chun Master Sifu Phu who trained under his grandfather since he was a child.

The Philosophy

Now 60 years old, Sifu Jay has spent over four decades training with the “Best of the Best.” By stripping away the “sport” aspects of traditional arts and combining the lethal efficiency of Kempo, Jujitsu, Hung Ga, Wing Chun, and Military Combatives, he created a system designed for one thing: Street Survival.