Event Instructors
We’ve invited some of the top performers and fighters from around the world to give you best-in-class training opportunities for the widest possible range of disciplines.
PREMIER ACCESS TO WORLD-CLASS TRAINING
Instructors
We’re always working to bring the biggest and brightest stars in the martial arts and stage/screen combat world to you through CombatCon Events. These instructors have achieved special renown in their field and are known the world over for their ability to extract the highest level of achievement from their students.
Maestro Jared Kirby
Fencing Master, Fight Director
Jared's Full Bio
Jared Kirby has been involved in Historical/Classical Fencing and Combat for Screen & Stage for over 30 years. He teaches in New York City (and the metro area) and has worked on Broadway, Off-Broadway, Nationally, in London and Sydney.
Maestro Kirby released “The Gentleman’s Guide to Duelling” in February 2014. This is an modern British English version of Vincentio Saviolo’s Code Duello which is the foundation of the training for this Experience.
Jared currently teaches fencing at SUNY Purchase, and is a Master of Arms (Maestro d’Armi) through the Martinez Academy of Arms. He teaches a variety of workshops across the US and around the world including Canada, England, Scotland, Finland, Italy, Spain, France and Australia. He has taught at the Paddy Crean International Art of the Sword Workshop, the International Swordfighting and Martial Arts Convention (ISMAC), Rapier Camp and the Western Washington WMA Workshop just to name a few.
Jared is the editor and one of the translators of “Italian Rapier Combat”, the first complete, professional translation of Capo Ferro. He is also the editor and wrote the introduction for “The School of Fencing” by Domenico Angelo and annotated by Maestro Jeannette Acosta-Martínez. Most recently “The Gentleman’s Guide to Duelling” was released in February 2014 and a reprint of Donald McBane’s The Expert Swordsman’s Companion was released in January 2017. For more information, see Amazon.com.
As a Fight Coordinator, Jared has worked with stars such as Peter Sarsgaard, Steve Guttenberg, Cameron Douglas and has trained performers who are working on hit shows. He is a member of Actor’s Equity and SAG/AFTRA. As a Stunt Performer he has worked on films like IF (with Ryan Reynolds) and Confess Fletch (with Jon Hamm) shows like Law & Order: Organized Crime, The Gilded Age, Bull, The Equalizer, Dickinson, Lisey’s Story, Prodigal Son, Blue Bloods, City on a Hill, and Gotham.
He is the past president of Combat Con in Las Vegas, past president of Art of Combat, and served for six years on the board of the International Order of the Sword & Pen.
Where is Jared Teaching?
Maestro Ramon Martinez
Master, Martinez Academy of Arms
Maestro's Full Bio
Maestro Ramón Martínez is a traditional master of arms, teaching classical and historical fencing. He studied with the late Maître d’Armes Frederick Rohdes in New York City for ten years. Maître Rohdes was one of the last fencing masters to teach fencing as a martial art. During that time Maestro Martínez became assistant and protégé of Maître Rohdes and was the only one of his pupils permitted to teach with full authorization at the Rohdes Academy. In late 1982, shortly before his death, Maître Rohdes conferred the rank of Fencing Master on Maestro Martínez. Ramon Martínez is an inheritor of a “Living Tradition” generations old and a highly respected scholar of historical fencing. He has devoted nearly four decades to the study, practice and teaching of classical and historical fencing. In addition to the instruction in historical fencing that he received during his training with Maître Rohdes, he has also done and continues to conduct extensive research in historical fencing. Maestro Martínez has spent years researching many of the detailed treatises of the schools and systems left by some of the most prominent masters of the past in his effort to accurately reconstruct some of these systems. These historical forms are then taught as authentically as possible. His goal and responsibility is to teach, promote, and preserve these rare martial arts.
Where is Maestro Martinez Teacing?
David Baker
Forged in Fire, Dealiest Warrior
David started his carrier in the entertainment industry in 1980 when he moved to LA. Working in film and television productions such as Grease 2. Crime Story, Call to Glory and a daytime TV show. Throughout this time his study of the martial art grew to include the sword.
While teaching theatrical combat in the early 90’s David began to build weapons for use in class and stage productions. This soon led to the opening of his prop business The Hollywood Combat Center, a prop company focused on historical and fantasy bladed weapons. Those weapons have been seen in film and TV show such as Legion, Queen of Swords, Deadliest Warrior, Dragon Ball Z, Joana Hex and many more.
The desire to make fully functional bladed weapons was a natural progression and Baker Blades was created.
Over the past 12 years David’s career has brought him back i n front of the camera on show such as More Extreme Marksmen, 101 weapons that Changed the World, Dude What if, Deadliest Warrior and Forged in Fire.
As a Weapons Smith, over the past 12 years, David has made more exotic and ethnocentric weapons than most. And each of those weapons has been put through some of the most grueling tests imaginable.
Now with his new shop in Virginia, David plans to expand his work on bladed weapons and begin teaching classes in blade smithing.
David Baker
Forged in Fire, Dealiest Warrior
David started his carrier in the entertainment industry in 1980 when he moved to LA. Working in film and television productions such as Grease 2. Crime Story, Call to Glory and a daytime TV show. Throughout this time his study of the martial art grew to include the sword.
While teaching theatrical combat in the early 90’s David began to build weapons for use in class and stage productions. This soon led to the opening of his prop business The Hollywood Combat Center, a prop company focused on historical and fantasy bladed weapons. Those weapons have been seen in film and TV show such as Legion, Queen of Swords, Deadliest Warrior, Dragon Ball Z, Joana Hex and many more.
The desire to make fully functional bladed weapons was a natural progression and Baker Blades was created.
Over the past 12 years David’s career has brought him back i n front of the camera on show such as More Extreme Marksmen, 101 weapons that Changed the World, Dude What if, Deadliest Warrior and Forged in Fire.
As a Weapons Smith, over the past 12 years, David has made more exotic and ethnocentric weapons than most. And each of those weapons has been put through some of the most grueling tests imaginable.
Now with his new shop in Virginia, David plans to expand his work on bladed weapons and begin teaching classes in blade smithing.
Anthony DeLongis
Actor/Weapons Expert/Whip Master to the Stars
To See him in action:
Sword Master Reel: https://vimeo.com/
Whip Master Reel : https://vimeo.com/124346745
Horse Skills Reel : https://vimeo.com/124346745
Knife & Hawk Throwing Reel : https://vimeo.com/124346745
ADL Slo-Mo Firewhip Sequence: https://vimeo.com/
ADL Fire Whip Demo Reel: https://vimeo.com/
Bullwhip Tango: https://vimeo.com/
Mary’s Slo-Mo Fire Whip: https://vimeo.com/
Yuen Woo Ping flew him to Shanghai to duel Jet Li with saber vs gin in the FEARLESS and he guest starred twice on HIGHLANDER – THE SERIES in season 3 Blackmail as the Irish Immortal Lyman Kurlow (broadsword vs katana) and in season 5 Duende as the Spanish Swordmaster Ottavio Conssone. Duende was written for Anthony and allowed him to introduce the unique Mysterious Circle system of Spanish rapier fighting to the screen in a classic rapier and dagger duel in the rain created with co-choreographer Braun McAsh and series star Adrian Paul. View both of these sword fights and others utilizing a variety of bladed weapons combinations on his Sword Reel at https://vimeo.com/124346745
A Fifth Degree Black Belt, he’s a member of the Black Belt Hall of Fame (2008 Weapons Instructor of the Year), collegiate saber champion and a 3rd Degree Black Belt and Instructor in Shinkendo under Sensei Mathew Lynch and founder Kaiso Toshishiro Obata, De Longis created his unique “rolling loop, follow the handle” style of Combative Whip artistry based on decades of bladed weapons training in European (with Maestro Ralph Faulkner), Filipino (with Guro Dan Inosanto) and Japanese combative sword styles.
Anthony created a more efficient, effective, accurate, visually pleasing and dynamic method of Whip artistry for Michelle Pfeiffer’s Catwoman in BATMAN RETURNS and has been refining his methods for over 35 years. He trained and shared these methods with Harrison Ford for Indiana Jones in KINGDOM OF THE CRYSTAL SKULL, Angelica Houston in BUFFALO GIRLS and Ellen Barkin in WILD BILL and most recently created the whip action for Director Walter Hill’s new western DEAD FOR A DOLLAR, to name a few. Most people settle for the big bang and don’t begin to appreciate the versatility and potential combative applications the whip can employ at multiple ranges. His unique ‘De Longis Rolling Loop’ system stabs and focuses the energy for a much more concentrated point of impact. His latest Instructional BULLWHIP COMBATIVES AT MULTIPLE RANGES will debut at COMBAT CON 2023.
His work has been featured in the movies (Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, Batman Returns, Wild Bill, Bad Girls, The Rundown) and on television (More Extreme Marksman, Buffalo Girls, Kung Fu: The Legend Continues, Adventures of Sinbad, Queen of Swords). He has even worked his bullwhip for the Los Angeles Opera where he choreographed action from 1985-2005 – wrapping famed tenor Placido Domingo in The Girl of the Golden West (their 5 time working together).
Watch the Whip Master cut the wick from beneath a candle flame, slice effortlessly through a hand-held wine glass and sever targets from horseback at full gallop from the fingers of an opposing rider as they pass at full gallop:
Anthony De Longis COACHES & TEACHERS
Godan (5th degree) Black Belt, awarded 2010 at Karate College by the Dojo Association in Goshin Ju Jitsu by Sensei James Houston, Soke Michael De Pasquale, Coach Ric Anderton, Renzo Gracie, Dr. Jerry Beasley.
Ren-e (2nd Degree Black Belt) and Instructor in Shinkendo: Japanese Swordsmanship under Sensei Mathew Lynch and system founder Kaiso Toshishiro Obata
Black Belt Hall of Fame: Inducted 2008 as Weapons Instructor of the Year
Guro Dan Inosanto: student for 12 years in Kali, Wing Chun, Penjak Silat, Savate, Boxing, Karate
Tae Kwon Do: Red Belt under Master Yong Kil Kim
IINTERNATIONAL KNIFE THROWERS HALL OF FAME : inducted 2009
USA MARTIAL ARTS HALL OF FAME as a Martial Arts Pioneer.
ULTIMATE WARRIORS HALL OF FAME CLASS OF 2022 by GM Al Dacoscos and GM Ron Van Clief.
FENCING:
Maestro Ralph Faulkner, 15 years with Olympian and Coach of multiple champions
Coach Carlos Fuertes – Pan Pacific Games Champion, Competition Director & Sports Mgr 1984 Los Angeles Olympic Games.
Coach George Ganchev – Professional World Sabre Champion & British Fencing Team Coach
Coaches Gehrman Hailey, Mark Berger, Muriel Bower, Ted Katzoff
Maestro Ramon Martinez & Maestro Jeanette Acosta-Martinez: seminars in Rapier and Smallsword in Spain and France.
Maestro James Loriega: seminars in Navaja in Spain and Combat de Couteau in France
Here is a brochure of our Instructional DVDs, this diverse catalogue of Instructional DVDs for Sword and Whip Skills for both theatrical and martial training. Our latest DVD is MASTERING THE BULLWHIP Vol 3 & 4, THE SUPERSONIC FLEXIBLE BLADE a step by step progression to professional excellence in my signature “De Longis Rolling Loop” Methodology that I used to train Michelle Pfeiffer, Harrison Ford, Anjelica Huston, Ellen Barkin and a legion of other professionals and amateurs alike.
Private Training available at Rancho Indalo, (www.delongis.com/indalo), our one-stop multi-skills training facility. We’re located top of the mountain in Canyon Country, about 45 minutes north of Universal Studios. This is where I have my school and where I teach, train and stay performance sharp. Disciplines include whips, swords, weapons on horseback, on-site live fire gun range, archery, knife and hawk throwing, world class riding opportunities for seasoned riders, fine dining (Dr Mary is a gourmet chef and the menu is extensive) and spa. I’ve taught and performed with such worthies as Harrison Ford, Michelle Pfeiffer, Jet Li, Tom Cruise, Brendan Fraser, Christian Kane, Anjelica Huston, Bo Derek, Placido Domingo, and a legion of others. I have horses trained for all my weapons work and great riding opportunities for intermediate to advanced riders. We get clients from across the country and around the world come to train in fight and weapons techniques.
We’re offering a 10% discount for all Combat Con participants who want to reserve Rancho Indalo visits for Intensive Training or an unforgettable action vacation, 12% if you stay 3 days or longer.
Consider a trip to Rancho Indalo for some intensive training and a lot of fun. Sunset libations and after dinner stories are a great end to days full of fun and we can really speed your learning curve. Give a call and we’ll discuss some options.
Mary DeLongis
Fear the Walking Dead, Deadliest Warrior, Queen of Swords
A bio for Mary De Longis reads like a book on ADHD. A Ph.D. in Cell Biology and Anatomy, Mary spent 16 years in biomedical research before she met Anthony De Longis – the circus she ran away and joined. Bullwhip artist, horsewoman, knife and tomahawk thrower, cowboy action shooter, fight performer, wrangler, ranch manager – she’s a woman of many talents. Mary was a fight double, weapons trainer and coordinator’s assistant on QUEEN OF SWORDS, trained and wrangled horses for 2 seasons of Spike TV’s DEADLIEST WARRIOR, and was stunt double for the feature SIX GUN SAVIOR. She regularly does live performances with bullwhip with Anthony, including the 2014 Del Mar Night Of The Horse celebration, and was the featured Catwoman bullwhip expert for DC Nation. In addition to her many other skills, Mary just earned her Black Belt Hyaku i rank in Shenkendo (Japanese swordsmanship). Mary and Anthony live just north of Los Angeles, CA at Rancho Indalo, along with their 4 horses and 2 dogs. They offer weapons training (bullwhip, swords, knives, guns, archery, knife/tomahawk throwing), extreme trail riding, fine dining and relaxing evenings at the ranch. For more information, visit http://www.delongis.com/indalo/
Jack Dagger
World-Renowned Knife Thrower
Jack Dagger: The King of Fling is a world renowned knife throwing comedian and Living Legend (according to the International Knife Throwers Hall of Fame), having performed over 2000 live shows in eight different countries.
Jack was one of People magazine’s Sexiest Men Alive. He’s worked with Conan O’Brien (on The Tonight Show), Nicole Kidman, Adam Sandler, Tony Shaloub, David Boreanaz and Emily Deschanel. He was featured on History Channel’s ‘More Extreme Marksmen’, all five seasons of TOP SHOT as the world’s most accurate marksman and expert in the field of knife throwing, and ‘Stan Lee’s Superhuman’ performing seemingly impossible feats of accuracy, garnering him the scientifically measured and confirmed title of Superhuman.
Jack has also appeared in Vogue Italia with supermodel Karen Elson, on the MTV Movie Awards, in the Britney Spears “Circus” music video, on Good Day LA, The Learning Channel, and has been featured on both Japanese and Greek television. In a recent interview, Michael J. Bainton (the executive director of the International Knife Throwers Hall of Fame) said, “I am continuously amazed by his precision marksmanship and his ability to entertain an audience. He is the most accurate knife thrower in the world at this time, and constantly raises the standards by which other knife throwers are measured in the entertainment field. “Although Jack Dagger has retired from competition, he continues to support the expansion of knife throwing as a fun, safe, confidence-building exercise for the general public. He continues to join me and my students at the Alamo to help raise funds for its preservation. Throughout the day he keeps the crowds in stitches with his quick wit and attention to detail. We could use more people like Jack Dagger.” Jack continues to perform in TV/Film, corporate/trade show environments, Renaissance Faires, Street (Busker) Festivals, and Fringe Festivals all around the world. Originally from Louisiana, Jack now lives in Los Angeles with his beautiful wife Amy, and their son Jack Arthur.
Thomas Potter
Military Tech Advisor for Hollywood and TV
Thomas Potter is an ex soldier who served with the PPCLI for 8 years, mostly in reconnaissance. Upon release from the military he started working in film with the goal to be a stunt performer. Along the way he discovered acting and auditioned for, and was accepted by the American Academy of Dramatic Arts. Completing the program at the Pasadena campus in 1996. As well as being a performer he is also the film and stage combat instructor for Blood and Iron Martial Arts. A historical European martial arts school specializing in edged weapons and some hand to hand techniques. He is also a weapons and tactics trainer and advisor for films such as Halo 4: Forward Unto Dawn, Falling Skies, The Whispers, The Killing (Full Season), Dead Rising, and a variety of TV shows. Also, he’s done stunts recently on Arrow and The Whispers.
Most recently Thomas is the Military Tech Advisor for War for the Planet of the Apes (2017), Lead Military Advisor for The Predator (2018), and military advisor for Shogun (2022)! For more details see http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1340564/
Robert Redfeather
Secretary of the Interior and Grand Master
Robert Redfeather is an Actor and Producer of Native American descent. He is a grandmaster in Martial Arts, specializing as a Combat Knife Advisor for productions and is accurate in Native Weapons. He was taught the art of knife fighting by his Native American grandparents. He began his training in martial arts at the age of five. Robert spent a year abroad as a government contractor teaching combat knife skills to the military and later to law enforcement and now to the movie industry. In 2003 Robert was awarded Action Martial Arts Magazine’s Hall of Fame & Spirit Awards for Outstanding Contribution to the Martial Arts as a Grandmaster of Knife Fighting. Robert represented the US at the 8th World Martial Arts Union at the Cheongju World Martial Arts Festival in Korea as part of the U.S.A. Apache Knife Team in 2004. He has been inducted into the Martial Arts History Museum in Burbank, CA. for the representative of the oldest fighting art in the United States. As result of Roberts dedication to the martial arts, his role as one of the biggest advocates for the Native American Indian Culture and as the founder of the Apache Knife Combat.
Mar Sytem, the Martial Arts History Museum recognized the 6th of May, in the year 2017 as Robert Redfeather Day. He received a certificate of declaration from the Martial Arts History Museum. This Declaration was issued to serve as a public acknowledgment for the impact made in preserving the martial arts, its history and its artifacts to benefit this and future generations. Robert is also an expert tracker and instructor at Apache Knife Combat Tracking Course. He was a professional PRCA bull rider, and rides horses as well.
His publications include:
APACHE KNIFE FIGHT LIKE THE WIND: Color 258 pages Edition Paperback – August 2,2019
FIGHT LIKE THE WIND APACHE KNIFE: Black, White 258 pages Paperback – July 12,2022 – August 2,2019
www.RobertRedfeather.com
www.ApacheKnifeFoundation.org
www.Apache-Knife.com
www.apacheblade.com
www.ApacheCoffee.com
www.imdb.com Name Robert Redfeather
Who was at CombatCon 2025?
Learn to Fight. Fight to Learn. Have Fun Doing It.
Register today and be part of the action.