Event Leader, Soke Mark Murdock, 10th Dan Manabi-Masho Ju-Jitsu, Inhieritor of Manabi-Masho Ju-Jitsu, Head of System
About myself and my background (full bio),
I am a retired Paramedic and Firefighter, I was in that career for 33 years. I’ve been active in Martial Arts for nearly 45 years. I started learning martial arts early in 1979 from Professor Casarez unofficially and then officially at his dojo in 1982. I studied Manabi-Masho Ju-Jitsu, Judo, Aikido and Karate under Professor John H. Casarez, Founder of Manabi-Masho Ju-Jitsu for 44 years and the last time I trained with him was in December 2023 at his home. Even though he is in poor health he tries to teach me when I’m in town.
During the mid-1980’s Professor Casarez invited a few guest instructors at his school. Bob Frazier taught Aikido and Okinawan Karate. The late Grandmaster Robert “Bob” Edwards taught some Judo. Lester Cohen and Mike Parsons taught Filipino martial arts and JKD two nights a week. This is where I obtained most of my Filipino and JKD experience. I have acquired more Filipino and JKD experience while at the WHFSC event seminars as well as experience in many other martial art styles while training at the seminars.
In 1996 I started to train with Doshi Richard Van Donk in Bujinkan Budo Taijutsu (Ninjutsu). I have trained under him since then. I also trained under the late Shihan Ed Martin Bujinkan Budo Taijutsu 2005 through 2008. In 2019 I achieved my Shidoshi 5th Dan in the Bujinkan under Masaaki Hatsumi through Doshi Richard Van Donk. I also trained at the Stephen Hayes’s Chapel Hill Quest Center 1996 thorough 2002. I was equivalent to a Shodan in Tai Shin Do but never ranked as I had a Shodan in the Bujinkan. I have also trained with Stephen Hayes, Bud Maelstrom, Jack Hoban, and with Masaaki Hatsumi in 2000 at the Atlanta Tai-Kai.
In 2006 I became a Soke-Dai of Manabi-Masho Ju-Jitsu and a master member of the WHFSC. In 2019 I became a Grandmaster member of the WHFSC. During the 2019 WHFSC event awards banquet Professor Casarez announced his retirement from martial arts after a long 70-year career. This was due in part because of two strokes and declining health. At this time, I became a Soke of Manabi-Masho Ju-Jitsu and head of the Manabi-Masho Ju-Jitsu system. I was awarded a 10th Dan in front of all the attending Masters and Grandmasters at the WHFSC banquet. I received this recognition a few years early due to My Sensei's health issues. He told me he wanted to pass the system to me early in case he would have another stroke and pass. I was made the new head of system at that time. As the new Soke I added Casarez to the name of the system in its founder’s honor. The new name of the system under me is Casarez Manabi-Masho Ju-Jitsu.
My training background: During the last 28 years attending the WHFSC events I have learned a lot from various WHFSC Grandmasters and Masters, I have trained in many martial arts seminars including Dan "The Beast" Severn, Bill "Superfoot" Wallace, the late Remy and Ernesto Preses, Al Dacascos (actor Mark Dacascos) father, Jeff Speakman, Bobby Taboada, the late Professor Wally Jay two seminars, Dennis Hanover Krav-Maga Israel, Frank Dux, Benny "The Jet" Urquidez, Dana Abbott, Don "The Dragon” Wilson, Michael DePasquale, Jr. and Sr., I have trained with many more too numerous to mention.l'm in the American Martial Arts Alliance 2nd Edition of the Who's Who in the Martial Arts Cynthia Rothrock Tribute Book, an Amazon #1 Best-Seller that came out in the Fall 2023 I was also made a member of their Hall of Honors. I met Chuck Norris in 2022 and the cast of Cobra-Kai (Ralph Macchio, William Zabka and Martin Kove) in 2019. I have trained with many high-level martial artists in my career. I also have experience in many other martial art styles. Therefore, I have varied experience in Filipino Martial Arts, Aikido, Karate, Judo, Kung Fu, Ninjutsu, Muay Tai, Krav-Maga, Russian Martial Arts, Small Circle Ju-Jitsu, Wing Chung and many other styles of martial arts in addition to the Casarez Manabi-Masho Ju-Jitsu style, I have a great amount of extra martial arts experience because of the WHFSC seminar events. I’ve also studied some in the art of Daito-Ryu Aikijujutsu under Sensei Tom Cohen and the late Okamoto Sensei from Japan during his May 2006 USA seminar.
My teaching achievements: I lived in Southeast Ohio from the time of my birth until April of 1994 when I moved to the Raleigh North Carolina area. I then started private tutoring a few students. On May 26, 1996 I started my own martial arts school, Southern School of Martial Arts in Willow Springs, NC. Now in the McGee’s Crossroads area of Benson, NC. We are celebrating our 28th anniversary in May of 2024. I brought Manabi-Masho Ju-Jitsu to NC. in April, 1994. SSMA was the first and only school in North Carolina to teach the original Manabi-Masho Ju-Jitsu. We are still the only school in North Carolina teaching Manabi-Masho Ju-Jitsu. In October of 2001 I researched, developed and created a martial arts system just for children called Kobushi-Do (The Little Warrior Way). This is my children’s Jr. Manabi-Masho Ju-Jitsu system. In March of 2003 I created my own Bujinkan Budo Taijutsu Ninjutsu school, Rivers Edge Bujinkan Dojo. I then officially offered classes in Ninjutsu in 2003. I developed a pre-school program for ages 3 to 5 called Little Ninja in 2017. I created a program for instructors to be certified as assistant instructor first and then by Instructor level 1 through 4 and as Master Instructor after level 4.
Recognitions, memberships and awards: I'm a member of the World Martial Arts Hall of Fame (1996), World Head of Family Sokeship Council’s International Martial Arts Hall of Fame (1997), Cosmopolitan Florida Martial Arts Hall of Fame (2007), USA Martial Arts Hall of Fame (2014), the Martial Arts Alliance Hall of Honors (2023) and nominated for the Action Martial Arts Hall of Fame (2024). The latest award awarded from the WHFSC was the Golden Life Achievement over 40 years in the martial arts award on May 27, 2023. I have received many other awards and recognitions from this council in the past as well.
My teaching background: Here are a few of the many groups I have taught: Several military personnel from Fort (Bragg) Liberty and Camp Lejeune. Nash County EMS, Wake County EMS paramedics and administrative staff, Bay Leaf Fire Department firefighters, fire department and rescue squads in Southeast Ohio, Northwestern West Virginia and Central North Carolina. I have also privately tutored Military personnel, West Virginia State Police officers, Raleigh and Durham police officers, North Carolina Highway Patrol Officers, EMTs and Wake Forest firefighters.
I also conducted a self-defense awareness class for students with special needs at West Lake Middle School in Wake County in January of 1997 and a series of classes of Women’s Self Defense and Self Defense for the Elderly and Persons with disabilities.
In 2008 I created the EMS Worker Self Defense program. I did an online version of the program for Davidson College and Robeson College in 2011 and 2013. I’m currently in the early stages of designing a program for police officers with the assistance of the Dean of Public Safety and BLET Instructor Jon Gregory at Wake Technical College in Raleigh, NC. This program is to train officers to use less lethal force and use more martial arts and small joint manipulation to control a situation. I continually try to teach and help the community with programs based on self-defense.
My current belt ranking.
Soke, 10th Degree Black Belt Casarez Manabi-Masho Ju-Jitsu, and Head of the Casarez Manabi-Masho Ju-Jitsu System.
Shidoshi, 5th Degree Black Belt Bujinkan Budo Taijutsu, Ninjutsu,
Yondan, 4th Degree Black Belt, Judo,
Sandan, 3rd Degree Black Belt Aikido,
Shodan, 1st Degree Black Belt Karate,
Shodan equivalent experience in Kali, Eskrima and JKD