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Guro (teacher) Jeff Davidson is an internationally recognized instructor of Southeast Asian knife and empty-hand combatives, who has taught martial arts in Michigan since 1985. He established his first school at the age of 16 in a suburb of Detroit, which served well over 500 students of all ages during his tenure.

In 1987, Mr. Davidson began travelling directly to the Southeast Asia to study Pencak Silat and Kali/ Escrima, under various Masters. By the early 1990’s he was teaching a unique and comprehensive curriculum of Malay fighting disciplines to a growing body of students throughout the Midwest.

Today, he continues to teach not only Indonesian Pencak Silat, but also Silat Kuntau Tekpi from Kedah, Malaysia, Pekiti-Tirsia Kali (as a direct student of Grandmaster Leo T. Gaje and Guro Doug Marcaida), and is one of only five individuals in the world given permission to teach Barako Batanguenio a highly unorthodox system of pistol and knife-fighting by its founder Manong Leon “Tito Jun” Saludo of Batangas Province. He is also a student of Kali DeLeon under Ama Guro Jun DeLeon of Toronto.

Since 2000, Mr. Davidson has made regular trips to West Africa specifically Nigeria and Benin to study the indigenous martial arts of Yorubaland and has received formal initiation into several traditional Martial Arts societies there.

Guro Davidson has conducted seminars on various specialized topics in the Southeast Asian fighting disciplines for diverse groups of students in North America, South America, West Africa, and Israel.  In 2005 he designed a streamlined course in Tactical Combatives for use by Military and Law Enforcement personnel which he has been teaching at the Oakland County Advanced Police Academy.

He has received numerous accolades from the Indonesian Counselor General of Illinois, The Philippine American Cultural Community Center of Michigan, and has been a featured guest lecturer on Southeast Asian martial culture at academic institutions such as the University of Michigan, Western Michigan University, Oakland University, Michigan State University, and Marygrove College of Detroit.

Guro Davidson and his assistant instructors have provided expert training in Southeast Asian martial arts  to to many Law Enforcement and Military agencies throughout the world including:

  • PHILIPPINE FORCE-RECON MARINE CORPS.
  • CRISIS RESPONSE GROUP (CRG) OF THE PHILIPPINE COUNTER TERRORISM TASK FORCE
  • SPECIAL WEAPONS AND TACTICS (SWAT) OF THE PHILIPPINE AVIATION SECURITY GROUP (ASG)
  • SPECIAL ACTION FORCE COMMANDOS (SAF) OF THE PHILIPPINE NATIONAL POLICE
  • PRESIDENTIAL SECURITY FORCES OF THE REPUBLIC OF TOGO
  • MICHIGAN TACTICAL OFFICERS ASSOCIATION
  • WAYNE COUNTY SCHOOLCRAFT POLICE ACADEMY
  • WAYNE, OAKLAND, MACOMB AND WASHTENAW COUNTY LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES.
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Jeff Danuloff (in Memoriam)

Jeff Danuloff began his martial arts training at an early age in Huntington Woods, Michigan.  He studied traditional Japanese Judo under Sensei Camari – acquiring solid grappling skills and learning the basics of throws, locks, and takedowns.  He then went on to study boxing and kickboxing intensively with private trainers for many years with a major focus on striking and related stand-up fighting skills.

In 1999 Mr. Danuloff became a dedicated student of Kali and Silat under Guro Jeff Davidson at the well-known King Dragon Martial Arts School in Farmington Hills.  He has pursued his training with a passion for more than a decade, quickly rising through the student ranks and eventually –through tremendous initiative and discipline – was awarded the title of Guro by Jeff Davidson in 2008. As with all great Teachers, he remains a dedicated student to this day – continuously honing his skills and refining his knowledge in the Southeast Asian fighting arts.  Guro Danuloff has co-instructed with Guro Davidson at Martial Arts seminars throughout North America.

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 He was a respected member of the business community, a personal fitness aficionado, and devoted father.

Steve Renico
Steve Renico spent five years in the US Army, where he attended Parachute School,  Ranger School, and spent time in the 101st Airborne Division and 5th Special Forces Group. He has been a police officer for 16 years with experience in SWAT, Defensive Tactics, and Firearms Instruction.

A lifelong student of martial arts, Steve has trained with Guro Davidson for the last 10 years.  He has found Kali-Silat to be the most complete martial art he has ever studied.  According to Steve, the attention to technique and detail in Kali-Silat has helped him become a more complete SWAT officer, a more competent tactical shooter, and a better Defensive Tactics Instructor, as well as having practical use in his every day duties.

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Steve attained the rank of Guro in 2010.  He regularly gives specialized training classes for Detroit Kali-Silat Academy members, and has developed and refined a unique program called Tactical Shooting for the Kali Practitioner – which teaches students how to integrate the skills developed through training in the Southeast Asian martial arts with pistol and long-gun.

Sam Hammoud

An avid devotee of health and physical culture, Mr. Hammoud was a competitive body builder on the national circuit for 15 years and is a former Mr. Michigan title holder.  Sam has been training in the martial arts continuously for over 30 years.  He has studied Aikido, and Isshinryu Karate (where he attained Black Belt) under Sensei Bob Cooley of Detroit.

Sam has been studying Kali and Silat with Guro Jeff Davidson for the past 15 years.  According to him: “I have found Kali to be the most effective art for real combat situations.  Kali is a martial art that can be taught to people of all ages and physical statures.  We live in a more dangerous society where anything goes and the training that I have received under the guidance of Guro Jeff Davidson has allowed me to have a solid foundation for self-defense.”  He is currently the most Senior Instructor at the Michigan Kali-Silat Academy.

Mr. Hammoud, a full time Pharmacist, resides with his family in Northville, Michigan.

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