Brian McDougall

My Story

Growing up, I’d always had a fascination with the martial arts. After living in New York City
for a couple of years and seeing how dangerous the world was becoming, I decided that I
needed to learn to defend myself and my future family. While attending college in eastern
Idaho, I began researching the martial arts schools in my area and learned of Kajukenbo.
Case Kajukenbo/The Kickboxing Club
I began training in February 2000 under Grandmaster Lynn Case (at that time a Sifu), in the
Gaylord Method of Kajukenbo. I found the martial art I had been looking for- street
effective, brutal and efficient. I was hooked.
In 2001, I had the privilege of attending a seminar with Great Grandmaster Charles Gaylord
at Senior Grandmaster Tino Paz’s school in Caldwell Idaho. Grandmaster Paz officially
received the title of “Professor” that day.
The Kickboxing Club
Also in February 2000, I began training with Andrew Porter, who shared the same facility
with Grandmaster Case. Under Andrew, I studied Jeet Kune Do, Muay Thai kickboxing,
Escrima stick and knife fighting, and submission grappling/Vale Tudo.
Washington
After two years of training, I was forced to leave college and move home to Washington
due to health and financial problems. It was tough leaving all of this behind, but I always
knew that I’d return to Kajukenbo one day.
Travis Doerge
After dealing with my health problems, I trained for two years at a Muay Thai gym in
Centralia, WA under Travis Doerge, a student of the world-famous kickboxing and MMA
champion, Maurice Smith.
Kajukenbo Tum Pai
In August 2006, I found a Kajukenbo school in Tumwater, WA, where I began training
under Sifus Mark and Elizabeth Casey in their basic program (Premier Martial Arts). After
six months, I had the opportunity to participate in the sparring portion of another student’s
Kajukenbo black belt test. This gave me the chance to prove my Kajukenbo heritage and I
was immediately invited to begin training in their Kajukenbo program. I received my black
belt in the Premier system in September of 2008.
At the same school, I began studying Tai Chi Chuan in December of 2007. This opened my
eyes in many ways to the softer elements of martial arts; center-line application, absorbing
and redirecting an opponent’s force, and proper breathing body alignment as it applies to
Tai Chi and the Tum Pai system. With the instructor, Mel Crist, acting as editor, I literally
wrote the book on the school’s Tai Chi curriculum. I received my black sash in Tai Chi in
2011 and, not long after, took over as instructor when Mr. Crist retired.
Premier also offered a Brazilian Jiu Jitsu program and, for a time, I had the opportunity to
train under 5 th degree black belt and two-time world champion, Daniel Tavares.

All along, I continued training and teaching classes in the Premier system, Tai Chi,
Kajukenbo Tum Pai, and was assistant instructor to Sifu Casey in the school’s MMA
program. My first attempt at earning my student black belt was in February of 2011. Sifu
Casey’s black belt tests are notoriously rigorous and physically demanding. I was not in
good enough shape and had to pull out of the test after 5 ½ hours, spending the remainder
of the time lying on the locker room floor suffering from severe dehydration and muscle
spasms. After preparing myself physically, I re-tested and earned my black belt in
September of that same year.
Hiatus
In the summer of 2012, I finished my technical degree at the local community college and
had to move out of the area, leaving Kajukenbo behind once again. Life took me through
many ups and downs, but didn’t take me near a Kajukenbo school. During this period, I
returned to college at Central Washington University and earned Bachelor of Science and
Master of Science degrees, got married, and moved around a lot for internships and work.
Red Dragon Kajukenbo
Finally, after moving to Idaho for work, my wife and I purchased a house in Nampa. In
2023, I attended Sr. Grandmaster Paz’ seminar, hosted at Red Dragon Kajukenbo. I saw
faces I recognized, realized I remembered how to do everything that was being taught, and
the bug bit me again hard! Finally, life had moved me to a place where I could return to
training in Kajukenbo! I look forward to many more years of training and teaching.