On August 27, 2011 Butch Hiles and Ryan Shank traveled to Kentucky to take place in another historic night for Butch Hiles Brazilian Jiu Jitsu & MMA, LLC.

Ryan Shank continued to his unbeaten streak with a dominating three round performance and securing another impressive title fight.  Ryan is a big up and coming fighter in the MMA scene and you will continue to hear his name as he fights hard to put Charleston, WV on the map in the MMA community.

Butch Hiles was also inducted into another martial arts hall of fame.  Through his years of hard work and dedication to helping MMA grow in the state of KY, he was inducted for his efforts.  The gym, and state of WV, is quite proud of all they have both accomplished thus far.

Please take a look at the pictures below:

Butch Hiles – 2011-08-16 –
Author: Da Closer and Butch Hiles

Da Closer of Nogibear.com recently discussed some pretty cool questions with Butch Hiles of Butch Hiles Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and MMA LLC. Butch was the driving force behind the legalization of mixed martial arts in West Virginia. Believe it or not mma was not sanctioned in West Virginia up unti last year. Butch is also known for his top notch instruction level and fighers from all over stop in for seminars. Most recently Jens Pulver and Wanderlei Silva have made their rounds into his training facility. Butch is also the man behind the BJJ and Submission grappling tournament at the West Virginia Games in Charleston, WV. Members of Nogibear.com will be in attendance this year and ready to compete. Hopefully, We see you all out there on the mat!

Nogi Bear: Butch, I attempted to access your website www.advancedbkj.com from my local library system. I was denied access because it was considered violent in category. What do things like this say about the state of mma?
 
Butch Hiles: That’s ridiculous but not too surprising.  I’d really like to think it was the work of some ignorant person making the filters for the library but sadly it’s probably the way some people still view the sport of MMA.  There is no denying that MMA has come a long way in the last few years, and I am quite proud to be part of it, but there is still a lot of work to do by us all.  Thankfully, MMA is becoming more and more mainstream and the days of the mainstream media making up false stories about safety and violence are about over

Nogi Bear: What was the reason you began training in martial arts? Please give us some history on the styles you have learned and teach.
 
Butch Hiles: I’ll try to make this as brief as possible so that I don’t bore everybody but I have done just about every style of martial art at some point in my life, even if it was just comparing notes with other teachers.  I have also been lucky enough to train with just about every person I have ever admired in MMA including the Gracie family, Wanderlei Silva, Ricardo De La Riva, Pat Militech and many of his fighters, and on and on.
 
I started training martial arts and mixed martial arts for two main reasons.  First, like all kids in the 80′s and early 90′s, I watched martial arts movies and shows and wanted to do some flying kicks and all the dramatic things you see on TV.  Secondly, I just wanted to know if I could defend myself if I needed to because I didn’t want to assume I could just because I was tall or big. 
 
I started with some traditional martial arts so I could fly across the room like the American Ninja, Jean Claude Van Dame, and the others.  However, I never did figure out how to disappear in smoke or do anything like they did in the movies, so I ended up making my way to wrestling practice.
 
I was lucky enough to attend a summer program for wrestling and it was a really fun sport.  It taught me how hard you needed to work and how disciplined you needed to be to get good at something.  Even though I was a newbie, I quickly became one of the best wrestlers in our little program but I never got to make a huge career out of it because my Dad was shipped off in the military and I was forced to stop wrestling as well as stop the other sports I was involved in at the time.  Sadly, if I would have known that wrestling was that valuable in my life, at that time, I would have made my family figure out a way for me to do it regardless.  However, none of us knew how important it would become to the sport of MMA until many years later.
 
I will fast forward a few years to when I started to do some things with more substance.  I never lost the desire to do some kind of martial art and when the opportunity presented itself I started to box in Cleveland, Ohio.  My Dad had a good friend who had a boxing gym and boxed in the military, so I trained with him and before you knew it we were having backyard matches all over town. 
 
About the time this all started, we were exiting Tyson’s reign and entering the UFC era so even then we would start to have local MMA type events in the early to mid 90′s.  Absolutely no one knew what they were doing but we all had some fun and I got some experience doing something that I would eventually grow to do at a much bigger scale.  Even at that time, being able to kick, punch, and grapple without knowing much of what I was doing was still fun and unique so I was hooked.
 
I made my way to West Virginia for college and just when I thought I was screwed because there was absolutely nothing in this tiny town I was living in, I read an article where a local guy, named Leon Ramsey, had just fought in a Gracie tournament.  I was totally amazed by this and to top it all off I saw the same guy that very night while in a local gym lifting weights.  So, I quickly approached him and we began training together the very next day.
 
We had a small group of just 3-4 people but it was amazing because we all got great knowledge from Leon, who had done just about everything there was to do including being the first person from WV to do legit MMA and compete in the cage.  Within 2-3 weeks or our initial training, I was signed up to do a sectional golden gloves tournament and won quite easily.  From there, I kept training and learning everything that I could from Leon and the guys we were training with and that included Muay Thai, boxing, grappling, and everything else. 
 
I won a few small grappling tournaments and even competed in the pro division in the Arnold Classic the first year they had it.  My training partners went on to fight in Pride, K1, and many other top things but I couldn’t keep my body together long enough to do anything of that caliber.  I tore both shoulders up and have had terrible knee problems from the start of my training.  In fact, I am currently dealing with a severe disc herniation and have been sidelined for the last seven months.  I feel like I train smart but my body just won’t hold up to every day training no matter how I train.  It’s very aggravating but luckily I turned a negative into a positive and used my ability to coach and train people into something that I am able to still do today.
 
In the late 90′s, while nursing some shoulder and knee injuries, I hooked up with Royce Gracie and the Gracie family.  I was able to train with Royce, Helio, Rorion, Rener, and many of the others.  I learned a lot from these legendary fighters and am forever thankful for all the knowledge I took away from them.  Royce and I trained together for a number of years until I started doing Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu with Marcello Monteiro.  In the end, I just couldn’t see Royce enough to really improve my training and do the things that I wanted to do.
 
Marcello has been amazing and I have learned so much from him that I and am so thankful for.  I finally received my Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Black belt in 2009 from Marcello Monteiro and we have been doing big things ever since.  In fact, Marcello, Wanderlei Silva, and Jens Pulver have all been in to help us train this year, so we are VERY lucky.
 
I have black belts in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, traditional martial arts, Japanese Jujitsu, Reality Fighting Systems, and knowledge and experience in a little bit of everything.  I try to teach our members a little bit of everything that was taught to me over the years, but, of course, we focus on the things that will work in every day real-life as well as the sport aspect of all mixed martial arts (boxing, Judo, Muay Thai, BJJ, etc).  My only hope is to give the members of my gym the best possible training that they can receive, and I still continue to be a student of the game each and every day.  Because of this, I think we will always continue to learn and grow making it much easier for us to accomplish our goals as a gym, team, and family.
 
Nogi Bear: Please provide some insight on your school and what drives you to do the things that you do.
 
Butch Hiles: We have the largest gym in West Virginia, right now.  It’s three floors of action and I am very proud to be able to provide such a nice facility to our members.  However, I didn’t get into teaching to make money or to start a business, I got into teaching because it’s what I feel I was born to do.  Even when I was first learning martial arts, the second someone would teach me something I would immediately show it to all my friends, and, before you knew it, I had little classes and groups I was teaching out of my house.
 
My goal has always been to help as many people as I could and that’s why I started a gym.  I really didn’t want a business and I didn’t want all the things that went along with it.  However, that’s the reality of the situation I am now in, so I work very hard to keep the best business practices up so I can have the best facility to provide to all my members and friends.  I see every day as an opportunity to do something new, exciting, and unique. 
 
In the end, I really want our gym to be more than a gym and I want it to stand for something different and unique in the community.  Hopefully, one day, I will be able to accomplish all of these goals even if they are bit overwhelming at times, and make our brand of martial arts something that our community will be proud of. 
 
Nogi Bear: You have recently been responsible for a huge success for the legalization of mma in West Virginia. Can you tell us about the work that you put into this?
 
Butch Hiles: MMA has been illegal in WV for around 10 years and it’s always something I was working on in the background.  However, it was a 10 year learning process, since I knew absolutely nothing about government and the things it took to introduce a bill and to get it passed.
 
Through the connections I have made through the years, I was lucky enough to be introduced to Sam Minardi, who was our lobbyist for MMA this year.  Sam, the UFC/Zuffa, and I worked on several things and learned from many of the mistakes that were made in the past.  Believe me, it wasn’t easy for any of us but each of us maximized what we were good at individually and got the job done.
 
In the end, the democratic process worked and the voice of the people was heard after a decade of being silenced.  This is something I am very proud of and I am proud to have been a part of it all.  I learned a lot of valuable information and met a lot of key players in the industry, so hopefully I can use this information for future projects.
 
Nogi Bear:  Why do you think mma is still looked upon as barbaric in nature?
 
Butch Hiles: I think it comes down to the old marketing that the UFC had.  The original owners of the UFC weren’t making a sport, they were making a spectacle and they used that kind of outrageous advertising to get people to watch the PPV’s.  Unfortunately, people still remember the blood and guts advertising and it’s very hard to break that stigma.
 
Zuffa has made the UFC a real sport and, since that time, there have been no major injuries or deaths in the UFC.  You cannot say the same for boxing or many other sports we watch and support.  So, as time passed so will the misconceived perceptions.  In 5-10 years a whole generation is going to have grown up watching MMA and is not even going to know the difference between the old days and the new.  They will only know it as the sport we currently have and love.
 
Nogi Bear: Where do you see the sport of mixed martial arts going in the next 10 years?
 
Butch Hiles: The UFC has branched into every aspect of business and marketing with gyms, expos, television programs, and more.  It’s bigger than has ever been and continues to get bigger.  I believe the UFC will help make MMA the biggest sport in America and across the globe.
 
Nogi Bear: The State of New York is still yet to sanction mma. What is your take on this being New York plays such a pivotal role in the United States?
 
Butch Hiles: It’s very similar to what we had happen here in WV.  There are a few guys with power that don’t want MMA and I am sure it has to do with kickbacks that they are getting from somewhere else.  The legislature is much more complicated than people would ever realize and sadly what the people want is not what always happens.
 
It would be great to have the UFC in New York and I am sure it will happen some day but it definitely doesn’t hurt the sport.  The sport is much bigger than a single venue and lets face it there are shows all over the country every weekend.  Vegas is always going to be a hotbed for MMA no matter what happens with NY.
 
I think NY needs MMA more than MMA needs NY.  The economic impact that the sport brings to each state and city is immense and that’s something that the leaders of NY really need to look at.  When the right leaders get involved there will be no denying MMA because it’s what the people of NY want and there is no legitimate reason to keep it out.  Denying the state of much needed economic revenue for political reasons should be a crime.
 
Nogi Bear: Zuffa, the parenting company of UFC, has recently purchased Strikeforce. Do you believe this is good or bad for the state of mma? What is your reasoning?
 
Butch Hiles: You can really play both sides of that argument and come up for good reasons for both.  Monopolies aren’t good and I understand the problems that come with having one person, or company, have all the control.  On the other hand, the UFC is now much like the NFL, NBA, and the other associations, and they are clearly taking the sport to the next level.  The UFC is the big show and it’s where everyone wants to be.
 
If it wasn’t for the UFC’s hard work and marketing, we would not enjoy everything we enjoy today, so as a pure fan I am all for it because they are definitely putting on the best fights that we could ever see.
 
Nogi Bear: Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and Submission wrestling has becoming an increasingly popular sport for amateurs across the country. What are the reasons for this and why does BJJ attract so many people?
 
Butch Hiles: BJJ and submission wrestling is one of those things where you don’t have to be an elite athlete to do it and people of all ages and skill levels can compete with little risk of injury.  It’s truly a sport that’s for everyone and you often see an entire family (mom, dad, brother, and sister) involved with it some way.
 
Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu has taken the world by storm and it’s truly the best form of self-defense on the planet.  There are literally thousands of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu schools across the nation and even more kids who wrestle in school.  Therefore, the blend of the twe disciplines create a lot of opportunities for people to be exposed to the grappling arts and the fun that you can have in being at one of these gyms as your form of martial art or a workout.  I am truly blessed to be part of it all.

Nogi Bear: You are responsible for the West Virginia Games Jiu-Jitsu and submission wrestling tournament. How has it been received over the last couple of years?
 
Butch Hiles: I have been promoting small grappling tournaments in WV for over 10 years but wanted to do something that would showcase our sport to many more people and get our entire community involved.  So, the idea of The WV Games was born and is something that I have been doing since 2009 with the help of the city of Charleston.
 
We, of course, showcase BJJ and Submission Wrestling but also showcase sports such as volleyball, beach wrestling, a distance run, crossfit, powerlifting, and much more.  The last two years the United Way has also come on board and added many inflatables, rides, and games, for the kids.  Thus, my goal of having a fun, community wide, event for the entire family has finally been accomplished.  It’s nice that everyone can bring their entire family out for a day of fun and healthy activities and all of the individual event promoters can also showcase the sports that they love so much.  It definitely allows me to entertain people in a way that they aren’t usually entertained during a BJJ tournament.
 
In fact, this year we have added several more vendors and I giant after party on the streets of Charleston with a live band, a DJ, and several vendors.  I think this year is going to be a lot of fun, and as always we continue to grow each and every year.
 
Nogi Bear: What can competitors looking to enter into the West Virginia games look forward to most?
 
Butch Hiles: Anyone who does the WV Games always receives a ton of opportunities to compete.  We offer a double elimination format in every division and we also offer absolute divisions for every skill level.  We keep the price low but the opportunity to actually compete very high.
 
This year we have also added beautiful swords to award to all of the winners and if you couple that with the unique outdoor atmosphere, the other sporting events, and the high level of competition, and the after party, I think you have yourself a tournament that everyone will enjoy.

Nogi Bear: Where do you see the West Virginia Games going in the future?
 
Butch Hiles: As our tournament and event grows, so will the things we are able to do.  We run an outdoor tournament, which forces us to buy a giant tent to put over the mats and competitors, misting fans, and several other things.  It’s unique but also very costly as a promoter.  As our sponsorship increases, so will the things we are able to do as a whole.  I would like to add more mats and divisions in the future and I can only see things getting better and better.
 
I have already started booking and planning things for 2012 and we are going to add some really unique and fun events to the whole event.  This is our third year and every year we get bigger and bigger.  I really can’t wait for the great things that are going to happen in 2012 and so on.  In the end, this is gong to be an event that our entire state can be proud of.

Nogi Bear: Have you considered having mma events held at the WV Games?
Butch Hiles: I definitely have.  There are quite a few obstacles to overcome to make this happen but one day I do see it being added to the games.  We have had boxing in the past and will be bringing it back in the future, so MMA is the next logical step.
 
Nogi Bear: Obviously you have been very busy with your school, the WV Games, and the legal matters regarding the sanctioning off mma in WV. What are you proud of most?
 
Butch Hiles: There have definitely been some great things happen for me, and some wild battles that I have been part of.  In fact in 2005 I had to ensure that BJJ remained legal in WV because it was once banned as well.  So, I have been part of some crazy battles and some great things for our sport in WV.  So, there isn’t one shining thing that I am most proud of as of yet.  I never stop working and I think that’s what has made me successful through the years. 
 
I have some even bigger plans for the future and plenty of things to keep me occupied.  Ultimately, I don’t want to live off the past quite yet, so hopefully there will be some amazing things for me in the future.  One day, I hope I have the opportunity to sit back and reflect but I hope it’s a long time from now.  
 
Nogi Bear: What keeps you pushing the pace that you have for the sport of mma?
 
Buch Hiles: I don’t ever want to settle for mediocrity and for the most part I am on there on an island.  Meaning, I take a lot of risks and fight battles that a lot of people won’t.  You never know how that’s going to end up and I could just as easily be far from where I am at right now.  However, I made some good decisions and learned from the many mistakes that I did make over the years. 
 
I now have some business goals and some goals for the members of my gyms.  I can’t see that ever changing because once I accomplish one goal I set another and so on and so.  When you start setting goals and thinking like that, you are always going to be moving forward and working as hard as you can.

Nogi Bear: Do you have any words of encouragement for those looking to enter mma/bjj?
 
Butch Hiles: If you are looking to do BJJ or MMA just follow your passion.  Definitely try a few gyms out at the beginning and find out which one suites you the best.  Nowadays, people let you try a class or a whole week for free, and I think it’s in every one’s best interest to try a few places out before they join.  Ultimately, you want to be with a group that actually cares about your progression and well-being.
 
After you join, I think you should train hard but smart.  Take notes, check your ego at the door, and listen.  The faster you can learn to do these things the faster you will improve.
 
Training in MMA and BJJ will also improve all areas of your life, which includes your self-esteem, health, energy, drive, and overall well-being.  I definitely think those who are considering training should give it a try and see what all the fuss is about.

Butch Hiles
www.advancedbkj.com – Butch Hiles Brazilian Jiu Jitsu & MMA, LLC
www.theWVgames.com – An annual event featuring the greatest sports and athletes WV has to offer

Join us for a great night of fights when Butch Hiles Brazilian Jiu Jitsu & MMA, LLC heads to Louisville, KY on August 27th.

Butch Hiles will, once again, be inducted into a martial arts hall of fame for his hard work in the mixed martial arts community.  Hiles will be entering the KY Hall of Fame for helping bring the sport of MMA in KY to it’s prominence today.  He, and his fighters, have been traveleing and working with KY for over 10 years now.

Also, watch the KYFC 170lb champion, Ryan Shank, make his 155lb debut and try to capture the 155lb title as well.  This is a night you don’t want to miss, so get your tickets now.

This is going to be one great night of fighting with a fan base of about 2000 people in the Triple Crown Pavillion in Louisville, KY.  The fight card will be amazing and the KY Fighting Championship will be honoring several past and present fighters who have brought MMA in Kentucky to where it is today.

There will be a huge after party right after the matches in the large Pavillion for all to enjoy.  Meet the fighters and be entertained by one of the hottest bands in KY. “THE DEVONSHIRES”

VIP Tables and tickets still available.  Please call 502-491-4830 for tickets ASAP!

www.advancedbkj.com

Here are a few updates to the schedule…  Please let me know if you have any questions:
 
Technical Boxing/Cardio
 
Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday at 6PM
Thursday’s class will be taught by Jason Pettaway and Terence Kelly and should have a nice split for beginners and more advanced members.
 
Boxing & Kickboxing Sparring
 
Tuesday at 6PM and sometimes Saturday (TBA).
This class will be designed for more advanced members and those actively competing.  There will be open gym for anyone else.
 
Muay Thai
 
Class will remain on Friday at 6PM and will also be included with the MMA Classes
 
Submission Grappling/ MMA
Tuesday at 7 will be No Gi Grappling. This class will be designed for everyone, since most of our fighters should be sparring on that day.
 
MMA
Tuesday at 7 is a class designed for everyone
Friday 6-7 Muay Thai, 7-8 Advanced MMA
 
Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu
Monday & Wednesday 6PM (members are strongly encouraged to wear the gi)
Sunday open mat
These classes and times remain the same, and the only difference is we would like to see more people wearing their gis on these days.
 
–

Butch Hiles
www.advancedbkj.com – Butch Hiles Brazilian Jiu Jitsu & MMA, LLC
www.theWVgames.com – An annual event featuring the greatest sports and athletes WV has to offer

Mens White Belt 164

1 David Lowery

2 Matthew McCormick

3 Erik Lilly

Mens White Belt 180-209

1 Kevin Cochran

2 Jeremy Randolph

3 Keith Stinson

Mens Blue Belt 150-164.9

1 Paul Simmons

2 Matt Garretson

3 Brian Propst

Mens Blue Belt 209 and under

1 Kevin Cochran

2 Burns Diamond

3 Barry Eickholt

Mens Blue Belt 225

1 Eric Halstead

2 Caleb Sedlock

Mens Purple combined weights

1 Adam Sepulveda

2 Eric Halstead

3 Caleb Sedlock

Mens Gi Absolute

1 Caleb Sedlock

2 Kevin Cochran

3 Jeremy Randolph

Teen No Gi beginner

1st Martin Hayden

2nd Chris Witters

3rd Matthew McCormick

Mens No Gi 149 and under

1 Martin Hayden

2 Matt McCormick

3 Erik Lilly

Mens No Gi Intermediate 165-179.9

1 Matt Garretson

2 Joshua Warren

3 Michael Mobley

Mens No Gi intermediate 150-164.9

1 Paul Simmons

2 Brian Propst

3 Matt Garretson

Mens No Gi 209 and under

1 Adam Sepulveda

2 Caleb Sedlock

3 Kevin Cochran 

Mens No Gi Absolute

1 Adam Sepulveda

2 Caleb Sedlock

3 Patrick Stevens

Thanks for a great tournament, great day, and a great night.  I hope everyone can go compete next week in Wheeling and on September 3rd for THE WV GAMES – http://www.thewvgames.com/state-brazilian-jiu-jitsu-submission-wrestling-championships/

Join us every Tuesday and Thursday at 6 as well as every Saturday at 1 for one of the best workout around.  Watch for yourself!

Guys,
 
Check out this recent article on the fights Saturday that we will be in (tickets still available at the gym). http://wvcombatsports.com/2011/07/gladiator-fighting-championship-meltdown/
 
We are all receiving a lot of press lately.  We will doing multiple radio interviews tomorrow as well and here is the info on the late one that everyone can join in on:
There is an open chat room while its being broadcasted so people can ask questions and interact with us. If you want to create a profile you can get in there and see what people are saying. You can also listen live by just calling in.
 
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/bluegrassmma/2011/07/15/bluegrass-mma-live
 
That’s Thursday night at 10pm (Wes, Butch, and Derrick will be live on the air)

–

Butch Hiles
www.advancedbkj.com – Butch Hiles Brazilian Jiu Jitsu & MMA, LLC
www.theWVgames.com – An annual event featuring the greatest sports and athletes WV has to offer

See Derrick Williams, Wes Hanson, John Shelhammer, Ryan Shank, and Matt Garretson discuss their upcoming fights on Juky 16, 2011 in Jenkins, KY.  Tickets still available for all who can make it!