# Combat Sombo in Buffalo



## US Combat Sombo Guild (Jan 16, 2013)

Currently White Wolf Sports Club in Buffalo is instructing classes in Combat Sombo. 

Classes run from 630-730 on Monday and Thursday. 

Sombo has a diffrent approach to the submission game. When you are interested in striking and grappling why take two classes to meet one need just take one class that will meet all of your needs. 

For those persons interested in training Russian, American, Sport or Combat Sombo contact Bill Adams martial arts. 

:ak47::ak47::ak47::ak47::ak47::ak47:


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## arnisador (Jan 16, 2013)

Bill Adams? Isn't he Isshin-ryu?


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## Stephen Koepfer (Jan 17, 2013)

To the OP: What is the "US Combat Sombo Guild?" I never heard of it.

I never heard of Bill Adams in relation to Sambo either. Is this the guy we are talking about? http://www.bestinmartialarts.com/ I don't see any mention of Sambo in his bio; or any mention of Sambo on the website either. 

A search of White Wolf brings this facebook page up: http://www.facebook.com/pages/White-Wolf-Sport-Club/179632372126164 which does link back to the Bill Adams website.

This page has Jon Kokotajlo and Jason Converse listed as Combat Sambo, Catch, BJJ, and Muay Thai coaches. They are listed as MMA coaches on the Adams site. I can't speak to the other styles, but I have never hear of either of these guys in relation to Sambo.

To the OP, would you please break down the background and qualifications of these guys? Aside from their Sambo background and past activity in the Sambo community, I would be curious about the other styles they teach (Catch, BJJ, Muay Thai) and their qualifications in those areas.

Thanks in advance.


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## Xue Sheng (Jan 18, 2013)

I have never heard of Combat Sambo however admittedly I really do not know a whole lot about Sambo in general

What is the difference between Sambo and Combat Sambo?


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## Monkey Turned Wolf (Jan 18, 2013)

Xue Sheng said:


> I have never heard of Combat Sambo however admittedly I really do not know a whole lot about Sambo in general
> 
> What is the difference between Sambo and Combat Sambo?


For the most part, (sport) Sambo is very close to Judo, IMHO, while Combat Sambo integrates striking and is more well-rounded then sport sambo. Also, in sport sambo choking is illegal, and (I believe) choking is legal in combat sambo. Those are the main differences, though I'm sure someone could list a thousand more small ones.


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## Monkey Turned Wolf (Jan 18, 2013)

Also, not familiar with Bill Adams or the other MA'ists mentioned to make any comment about them, and I did see mention of sambo and the white wolf sports club on the homepage of bestinmartialarts, but what is the US combat s(o)mbo guild? The only big association in America for sambo that I've ever heard of is the American Sambo Association, and I failed to find anything about them anywhere, found a brief mention of a us combat sambo association, but no us combat sombo guild...


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## Stephen Koepfer (Jan 18, 2013)

kempodisciple said:


> For the most part, (sport) Sambo is very close to Judo, IMHO, while Combat Sambo integrates striking and is more well-rounded then sport sambo. Also, in sport sambo choking is illegal, and (I believe) choking is legal in combat sambo. Those are the main differences, though I'm sure someone could list a thousand more small ones.



This is pretty accurate. Basically Sambo started as a Hand to Hand system in the early 20th Century (with roots in Judo, Japanese JuJitsu, several wrestling styles indiginous to former Soviet republics, and even Catch Wrestling). A sport version evolved and was formalized in 1938. The first world Championships was in 1973 (In Tehran, Iran). The advent of the sport version is really what prompted people to create the deliniation of Sport & Combat Sambo. Currently there are no chokes permitted in that sport version. But Prior to WWII they were permitted. There is lots of propaganda as to why chokes were taken out, but I believe it was essentially to distance it from Judo and Japan (long time enemy of the Soviets). The whole Soviet Pride thing was in force and trying to erase history (non Soviet contributions) was common. In fact one of the founders of sambo (Oshchepkov, a 2nd Dan Judo under Kano) was killed after being accused of being a Japanese Spy.

Combat Sambo as a formal sport (the version where striking and choking are allowed) slowly evolved as well with the first World championships being held in 2000. While it always existed in a club and military level, it did not really come to fruition as an international sport until the rise of MMA popularity (check the recent issue of Black Belt for an article on this very topic).

In the US, we started a rule-set called Freestyle Sambo (in 2004). It is very similar to sport sambo, but allows wide variety of submissions.

The US has been involved in sambo since the early 1970s. But due to many political issues (too long to go into here), after the early 1990s, our participation really declined, as did the sport in the US. Most of the sambo organizations from that time in the US are long defunct. But, lets stay away from tedious political and organizational history and stick with Sambo education  

For a bit of history on this topic, check our archive page: http://www.ussambo.com/archive.html


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## NEO316 (Mar 11, 2013)

*Cool, I found a sambo school about less than 2 hrs. from me. . So I was excited hearing about this, But then I went to the website http://unitedstatescombatsomboguild.weebly.com/chief-instructor.html and it looked odd. 

Chief Instructor John Lehmann-Combat Sombo 6th dan, Japanese Jujitsu 5th dan,  Arnis Balite 4th dan, Ssireum 3rd dan, Muay Thai instructor all earned this year 2013!!!!! I checked the Arnis Balite website and Punong Guro  Steven Dowd, who is head of the Arnis Balite and 1 of only 2 people authorized to promote in USA the other being his long time student never heard of him and says he is not authorized to teach??? 

Also he is a yoga teacher*: *Yoga Therapist, 2013, YTT Yoga Instructor Vinyasa, 2013, YTT Yoga Sutras, 2013, YTT Yoga Relaxation Specialist, 2013, YTT Meditation Instructor, 2013, YTT Chair Yoga, 2013- all earned this year??? 

And now people that train in sombo do not know these guys and they teach and have an organization. WTF.... 
Anyone have any idea who Mr. Lehmann is there is little info on him....
*


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## arnisador (Mar 11, 2013)

I know Mr. Lehmann personally but I haven't seen him in a few years and I don't know much about his involvement in Sombo beyond the fact that he was indeed involved in it. I have worked arnis with him and I have seen him grapple. Tough, enthusiastic, hard-training guy and he could surely teach you some good things. I don't know about his authorization in arnis balite but he certainly knows what he's doing in arnis in general.


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## NEO316 (Mar 14, 2013)

That find but arnis is not arnis when it comes to different styles especially a style of arnis that does not use b;ack belt rankings. Thanks for the info about Mr. Lehmann. Here is the list of instructors he has trained with or attended a seminar with listed from his profile on the website. i also did web search on these people....

Remy Presas and Datu Tim Hartman- Modern Arnis
Billy Robinson and Jake Shannon- Catch Wrestling
Billy Tompkins, Kevins Rosier, Jimmy Ralston, Brian Edwards- boxing, mma, kickboxing, and Mr. edwards Wing chun also
Bill Adams- Karate, judo, kobudo
Robert Hansen- jujutsu and yoga
Sensei Aso- aikido
Chris Anderson- jkd, sambo, bjj, kali 
Robert Handley- shotokan, aikibujutsu, daito ryu, kajukenbo, bok lum pai, jujutsu, shojukempo- all 7th dan or higher
Dr. Gyi- bando and asian arts
Mitsuo Onozaki- iaido and kendo

Arnis balite instructor not mentioned
Combat Sambo instructor not mentioned
sserium instructor not mentioned

which is odd considering you were just awarded these ranks this year and it is only march. Someone had to promote you in these arts right? 

Maybe I will give Mr. Adams school a call and ask them about there certifications...


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