World Pugilist Hall of Fame 

#5 Grand Master Alii Don Nahoolewa

Senior Grandmaster Alii Don Nahoolewa is a native of Hawaii and grew up on the rugged back-streets of Honolulu. Although he trained with Sijo Adriano Emperado his principal instructor was the legendary great grandmaster Aleju Reyes beginning in 1959 while stationed at Travis Air Force Base in California. SGM Nahoolewa was the first Black Belt promoted by Mr. Reyes and he is the originator of the American Kempo Association, an umbrella organization for all Kenpo karate schools. He is the founder and chairman of the board for the American Kajukembo Association (AKA), which boasts thousands of members who are striving to standardize and unify the Art.

SGM Nahoolewa is known to be about as tough as a man can be but with a heart of gold. During his days in the Military he was also stationed for several years in Albuquerque's Kirtland Air Force Base. There he began teaching Kajukenbo to military personnel, except for one notable civilian in grandmaster Sam Allred. The AKA closely follows the original Kempo Karate as taught by Sijo Emperado to Great grandmaster Aleju Reyes and finally Senior Grandmaster Alii Don Nahoolewa.

#6 Master Richard "Huk" Planas

 Mr. Planas began his Kenpo training in Fresno, California in the late sixties under Steve Labounty and Tom Kelly.  He moved to Texas to help Tom Kelly open a school in El Paso in 1969 and then moved to Pasadena, California to go to work for Grandmaster Ed Parker. 

He received his Black Belt and all subsequent rank personally from Grandmaster Ed Parker up to Seventh Degree; the highest non-honorary, non-political rank given by Parker in 1985.  He became the Manager of the Pasadena school for several years, as well as the Executive Vice President of the International Kenpo Karate Association for the last ten years Grandmaster Ed Parker lived.  Throughout this time, Mr. Planas was also instrumental in the development of the original manuals

Known as the "Instructor`s Instructor," Mr. Planas teaches the "whys" of Kenpo, not just the "hows" based on the rules and principals of motion. After Parker's passing other associations were formed, one of which promoted Mr. Planas to Eighth Degree in 1991.  Then in 1995 several associations joined together to promote him to Ninth Degree Black.

Though his expertise is mainly in Kenpo he has studied many other arts, including; Judo, Tai Chi, Kung Fu, Shotokan, and Silat.

Today, Mr. Planas has students throughout the United States and also in the following countries: Argentina, Canada, Cayman Isles, Chile, England, Denmark, Greece, Guatemala, Ireland, Italy, Jersey Channel Islands, Patagonia, Spain, and Sweden. 

#7 Professeur Richard Sylla

Professeur Richard Sylla is one of Savate: Boxe Francaise greatest Boxers. He was 10 time French Champion as well as kick boxing world Champion. He started training with Professeur Richard Genaudeau in Savate after his Professeur stopped teaching; he continued training with Professeur Robert Paturel.

Richard Sylla is one of the pioneers of the Savate: Boxe Francaise when the two parents arts ( Boxe Francasie & Savate)  merge of the two Federations occurred. From 1990 to 2004 he was the National Trainer of the French Team of Savate: Boxe Francaise.

He produced countless French Champions and World Champions. He produced the following Professeurs of Savate: Boxe Francaise Richard Thomas, Stephen Gaugne, Jean-loius Lancene, Paul-Raymond Buitron III, Sebastian Farina, Francois Pennacio, Jean Baptiste Agua, Eddy Bague. 

#7 Mestre Acordeon

Ubirajara (Bira) Guimarães Almeida (born 1943 - ), better known as Mestre Acordeon, is a native of Salvador, Bahia, Brazil, and a master of the Brazilian Martial art known as capoeira. His international reputation as a respected teacher, performer, musician, organizer, and author is built upon fifty years of active practice, as well as research into the origins, traditions, political connotations, and contemporary trends of capoeira.

Acordeon was a student of the legendary Mestre Bimba in the late 1950s and began teaching capoeira in the early 1960s. He won three titles in capoeira national championships in the 1970s before coming to the United States towards the end of 1978. Acordeon introduced capoeira on the West Coast in early 1979 and currently he maintains the United Capoeira Association (UCA) with several associated schools. He also has created the Capoeira Arts Foundation in Berkeley, California .
 

#8 Mestre Jelon

Jelon Vieira is a Brazilian choreographer and Master who, in 2000, achieved recognition by New York City's Brazilian Cultural Center as a pioneer in presenting to American audiences the Brazilian Martial art Capoeira.

In 1975, Jelon Vieira and fellow choreographer/performer Loremil Machado became the first artists to bring traditional Afro-Brazilian artistic endeavors to the United States. For over a quarter century, as the founder and artistic director of The Capoeira Foundation.

He has taught Capoeira to legendary footballer Pelé and American movie stars Wesley Snipes and Eddie Murphy. Snipes, himself a top martial arts practitioner, has described Vieira as one of "the masters of the martial arts of the 20th century".
Upon returning to Brazil, in his home community of Boca do Rio, a bairro of the nation's third-largest city, Salvador, Vieira continues to teach children and young adults the art of Capoeira to build self-esteem, instill self-discipline and raise social consciousness while at the same time becoming a vital part of their own community. In 2007, after having devoted many years to Grupo Capoeira Brasil, he founded his own Capoeira Grupo, Capoeira Luanda.
 

 #9 Guru Stevan Plinck

Guru Stevan Plinck has practiced Silat his entire life, including Soeti Hati taught to him by his grandmother and Sumatran styles taught to him by his uncle Guru John de Jong.

He studied Serak under Guru Besar Arthur Remrev for eight years and then under Pendakar Paul de Thouars for over twenty years, and has continued to study various silat styles and systems such as: Pukulan Pentjak Silat Bukti Negara.

Maha Guru Stevan Plinck is safeguarding the Silat Art by maintaining its content and progressive development which he has developed ever a child.

 Maha Guru Stevan served his country with honor in the US Special Forces, a former Green Beret and is recognized as one of the nation’s foremost practitioners of Serak Silat.

#10 Guro Carlito Bonjoc

Guro Bonjoc was born in the Philippines where he began his martial arts studies at an early age. Under the tutorage of his father Grandmaster Carlito Bonjoc Sr., he was taught his first Filipino martial arts system known as the Cadiz-Lapu Lapu Escrima.  As the 4th generation master in the Bonjoc family line.

One of these masters was Roy Ornor. Master Ornor taught Carlito the Talawan Largo Mano system. This system is a long-range blade art that focuses on fighting multiple attackers.

In 1979 Carlito Jr. was introduced to the distinguished Grandmaster Angel Cabales. With his father's approval, Carlito learned the Cabales Serrada system. In June of 1983 Carlito Jr. obtained and advanced degree in the Cabales Serrada system. After this achievement, Grandmaster Cabales continued to instruct Carlito privately in the finer points of the Serrada system. Due to this training, Carlito became a knowledgeable and respected Guro in the Angel Cabales Academy.