Club Instructors
There are two regular instructors to the club:
Zoltán Dienes, 4th Dan Ao Denkou Jutsu, has held a black belt since 1982. He was
captain to the Cambridge
and Oxford karate blues teams in the 1980s. In 1994, after meeting Terry Wingrove, Zoltán
became interested in martial arts as self
defence rather than sport. In 1995 Zoltán also started
training with Rick Clark on each of his biannual visits to the UK. Rick helped Zoltán disregard
the boundaries of styles
and to train in all areas of self defence. Some training with Steve Morris in 2003 and 2004
profoundly influenced all aspects of Zoltán's training, to make it more functional,
be it on the ground, grappling, or striking. Zoltán
continues to draw from
the evolving methodologies of Mixed Martial Arts to create fun and functional self defence training.
Zoltán is a member of Rick
Clark's Ao Denkou Kai, an organisation constantly exploring and developing concepts for self defence training. Some
of Zoltán's own research (with Mike Flanagan) on the use of pressure points is reported in Rick Clark's 2000 book Pressure
Point Fighting and Vince
Morris's 1999 book Kyusho Secrets 2. Zoltán started teaching martial arts at Sussex University in 1990 and
was awarded Coach of the Year 2003 by the University of Sussex Sports Federation.
Danny Zahran
Danny Zahran, born in Jordan, started boxing when studying in Romania in the early 1980's, competing in the Romanian national team and continuing to box when in the Lebanese army and navy. Danny began kickboxing when studying in England in 1988 and competed for many years in the UK and abroad for the national team and fought for the English kickboxing title. Danny began Thai boxing in 2000. In Thailand, he won both his fights at Lum Mai Stadium, and went the distance in Chaweng stadium with a convincing performance against Chingchai, Suritania Thai champion!
Danny teaches Muay Thai at Sol Gilbert's Zero Tolerance Fight Skool in Brighton, where he helps to prepare Cage Rage fighters for their fights. He is also Sol Gilbert's stand-up corner man.
Danny has worked as a professional doorman for many years in Brighton casinos and nightclubs.
Danny returned to the ring after a two year break for Extreme Brawl X, held on 30 October 2005.
Danny knocked out his opponent stone cold
unconscious after one minute and 40 seconds! A fine display of clinical precision and technical mastery
over unrestrained animal aggression!
