The Anthony J. Tesoro Combat Karate Club was unofficially founded in 1995 when a group of friends and I started to train together in what would later become known as MMA (mixed martial arts). We had varying experience in multiple martial arts training styles and would basically come together and fight. The rules were either tap out (verbal submission), or a third party would break it up when it became too aggressive. At that time the only protective gear we used was two pairs of fingerless Muay Thai gloves. We would also search out additional fighting styles and techniques to learn, and would then bring them back to our training club and teach each other what we had learned. We became known as a pretty tough group, and most people feared to train with us. As the years progressed and I became more technical with my system of training; aggressive training gave way to smart training. During training and sparring sessions, by focusing on using speed over strength and technique over aggressiveness; Tesoro Combat Karate has emerged as a means of training for self-defense that everyone can enjoy and safely participate in. Follow me on twitter @TFSCombatKarate to stay updated about Combat Karate Club training seminars.
Martial Arts Training
Anthony is a lifelong martial artist who started training at 5 years old under his father Tony Tesoro Sr., a Karate black belt and instructor; who trained in American Kenpo Karate under Ed Parker, and in Tang Soo Do under Chuck Norris and Tom Bloom. At the age of eight Anthony started training in Tang Soo Do under Karate Master Tom Bloom. He earned a Tang Soo Do Black Belt at age 13 and at age 18 he became a Karate instructor and grappling instructor at the Tom Bloom Karate & Fitness Center. It was during his time as a competitive Karate fighter that he was given the nickname Tony the Tiger. Anthony was first introduced to the “sweet science” by his father as a young child, but he began his formal Boxing training at age 16 under AAU Bantamweight Diamond Belt holder, and bantamweight professional Rick Farris. Also as a teenager Anthony had the opportunity of participating in a boxing training/sparring session with former top professional welterweight contender Randy Shields; who is the only man to ever beat Sugar Ray Leonard as an amateur. A few years later at age 18 Anthony started training in American Kickboxing at a Southern California kickboxing school.
In addition to training in striking martial arts, Anthony also has trained in several grappling arts as well. He began wrestling freestyle in junior high at USA wrestling; and scholastic (folkstyle) wrestling during high school. He also received training under CalPoly SLO Coach Vaughn Hitchcock while attending the Vaughn Hitchcock Advanced Skills wrestling camp. At age eighteen after Anthony’s father gave him a copy of the original UFC on video and he watched Royce Gracie win the tournament using Gracie Jiu-Jitsu he decided to seek out training in Jiu-Jitsu. At that time his father also gave him the original Royce Gracie & Rorion Gracie, Gracie Jiu-Jitsu instructional videos. He began studying them and teaching the moves to his friends. At that time with a small group of friends from wrestling, they started training in MMA together.
Anthony has continued his martial arts training by cross-training in various striking and grappling arts. In grappling he has trained with; Gokor Chivichyan (Submission Grappling), Dartanian Bagby (Judo/ Jiu-Jitsu), Grandmaster Reylson Gracie (Reylson Gracie Jiu-Jitsu), Rener and Ryron Graice (Gracie Jiu-Jitsu), Master Joe Moreira (Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu), Vitor Vianna (Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu), Fabio Leopoldo (Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu), and Jonatas Novaes (Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu). In striking he has trained with Karate Grandmaster Tom Bloom, Boxing legends Rick Farris & Randy Shields, and Muay Thai specialists Jim “Jimbo” Mullen, Michael Costa, and Bas Rutten. He has trained at Tom Bloom Karate Center, Beverly Hills Jiu-Jitsu Club, Hayastan MMA Academy, Danger Zone MMA, Elite MMA, Wand Fight Team, Reylson Gracie Health & Wellness Center, Gracie Morumbi, Vegas Boxing, LA Boxing, and The Pit. He still trains with 9th degree black belt Grandmaster Tom Bloom in Tang Soo Do, and also regularly trains in other Karate and grappling styles.
Karate Lineage: Hwang Kee (10th Dan Grand Master/Founder of Tang Soo Do Moo Duk Kwan)- Chuck Norris (10th Dan Grand Master/Founder of American Tang Soo Do)- Tom Bloom (9th Dan Grand Master/Founder of Tom Bloom Tang Soo Do Karate System)- Anthony Tesoro (6th Dan Master/Founder of Tesoro Fighting Systems: Combat Karate)
Surfing
Anthony learned his love for the ocean the instant his father first put him on a longboard at 5 years old. He grew up surfing and is an avid waterman who enjoys surfing, scuba diving, and swimming. Over the years he has had the opportunity to surf in some incredible destinations such as; Hawaii, Florida, Mexico, and Australia. His favorite place to surf though is California where he learned, and where he still surfs today. He is a true California surfer.
