NEXUS Martial Arts - Whittier Bio

Whittier Bio

After some informal instruction in karate and the Korean martial art Hapkido, Stephen began formal training in martial arts while attending Wheaton College in Massachusetts. While at Wheaton, he went on to earn his black belt in Shotokan Karate as well as top academic honors, graduating Summa cum Laude as a Wheaton Scholar and member of Phi Beta Kappa.

After graduating, Stephen also studied Aikido, and later Chinese Chin Na while working in Rhode Island as both a certified fitness trainer and advertising executive. During this time, he first experienced Western boxing and kickboxing, and realized firsthand that some of the traditional training methods to which he was accustomed put him at a disadvantage against these more combative forms of martial arts.

These experiences led him to begin cross-training in basic kickboxing and grappling self-defense with former pro kickboxing champion, James Anonouevo. Then, after being accepted with a full ride to the Tufts University Graduate School in Massachusetts, he began learning Jeet Kune Do (JKD), the martial art developed by the late Bruce Lee, as well as Muay Thai kickboxing and Filipino weapons. During this time, Stephen dedicated himself to both his academic life and his martial arts study, often training 7 days per week. The hard work clearly paid off: Stephen was awarded his black belt from local instructor, Sifu Bobby Giordano, in less than two years, and soon after earned international instructor certifications in JKD, Muay Thai, and Filipino Eskrima.

It was not until the summer of 1999, however, that Stephen formally discovered the beautiful and highly effective grappling martial art, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ), which had single-handedly changed the face of martial arts in the ‘90s. Before long, his training at Boston Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (under black belt Robert Maia) had become a passion unto itself.

In early 2003, Stephen founded Nexus Martial Arts. It was also at this time that he first met leading martial arts and performance coach, Matt Thornton, president of the world-renown Straight Blast Gym International. With SBG International, Stephen found the perfect complement to the high-quality training resources he enjoyed in Massachusetts: an organization of world-class coaches and instructors dedicated to helping people of all ages and ability levels to experience and enjoy the most functional, practical martial arts training available.

Stephen is currently one of only a select number of Coaches with SBG International, and recently became the organization’s East Coast Regional Director. Along with teaching full-time, he also continues to train regularly with high-level coaches such as professional mixed martial artist, Kenny Florian; longtime BJJ instructor, Roberto Maia, and Sityodtong Muay Thai USA instructor, Mark Dellagrotte.