Cecil Peoples
World Renowned UFC Referee
Hello Mr. Chaney,
How are you and your lovely wife? I hope everything is going well for you two. We haven't had the chance to sit down and talk for awhile, so I wanted to tell you a couple of things, so here it is:
I want you to know how much I admire and respect you. All the things you have accomplished in the martial arts and in your personal life. You are a true warrior, I'm very proud to call you my friend. I don't know how you do it, you went from bring a world class karate competitor, to training world champion kick- boxers to training world champion MMA fighters. How do you do it?
The thing you have done with the 155lb MMA fighter is incredible. You saved his career. Just the fact that you got him to make weight and be mentally and emotionally ready is incredible.
I remember watching you before you had the hip surgery; it hurt my heart watching you go up and down the steps of the ring for your fighters. But, like the champion you are you beat that down like you did so many of your opponents. To see you walk and train now you would never know you had a problem.
If I could start all over again
I would with out a doubt have you train me for kickboxing or MMA. If any
fighter ever asks me to recommend a serious trainer I won't hesitate to
recommend you.
You may wonder why I'm telling you this. Well, when I grew up in Alabama we had a program in church called "Give me my flower while I live," well that's what I'm doing; you are getting your flower now.
I hope we can meet sometime soon, maybe just to sit down and have a bite to eat or just have a cup of coffee. It will be great to hang out with you.
Be well my friend and let's keep in touch.
Respectfully your,
Cecil Peoples
Terry Wilson
2011 Martial Arts Writer of the year.
For decades I’ve
written hundreds of articles for just about every martial arts magazine in the
world and covered nearly every well known and
legendary martial arts personality in the world as well as having produced and
directed many TV shows on the arts. During that time Bob Chaney has been the
topic for many of my stories. His knowledge of numerous fighting styles is most
impressive but what really stands out is Bob’s ability to put his words into
action.
I’ve traveled
around the world to places like Thailand, China, Burma and Jamaica with Bob on
a handful of occasions covering his unique travels. I have seen first hand how
he applies his training skills and techniques with an array of seasoned
professional fighters in their prime. I have watched Bob take on seasoned Thai
Fighters one after another like the Energizer Bunny taking on and putting down
opponent after opponent without taking a breather. He is one person that
definitely talks the talk and walks the walk. Bob’s knowledge of how to control
your enemy in the ring is amazing; it’s all about technique and Bob has it down
to a science. This combined with his unprecedented teaching skill is but one
reason why the Thai’s hold Bob in such high esteem as a trainer. There is a
whole lot more to learning Thai than just throwing kicks at a heavy bag, the
science behind the techniques is paramount as is the strategy when it comes to
neck wrestling or using knees and I’ve never seen anyone teach those elements
better than Bob Chaney.
Bob was himself a
Tae Kwon Do champion in his younger days and has over the years continued to
develop and grow as a martial artist, teacher and trainer. His schools are
absolutely first rate from state-of-the-art equipment to show room entry ways
that at a glance detail his achievements with rows of trophies and photographs
of his many famous friends and fighters that are among the elite in their
respective fields. Over the years Bob and I have become good friends and I know
him to be honest and an astute and an all around good guy that will go the
distance to help his students and friends.
Grand Master Gary Mattevi
If you want to stack up grand championships, titles, rank and accomplishments to
measure the quality and character of a person, Master Chaney measures up to the
best of the best. If technical precision and high powered
motivation from a master instructor is important, again, Master Chaney excels.
If you are drawn to a quality facility with state of the art equipment and
beautiful esthetics, Master Chaney has no equal. However, if you want to find a
person who honorably and humbly wears the title of "Master", then
look no further.
Not
until 1994 did I realize the profound impact that Master Chaney has had on my
life. When I made the decision to go full-time in professional martial arts
Master Chaney was there to advise me on critical decisions that would
ultimately lead to the successful gym my wife, and I now own.
When
I started training with Master Chaney in 1974 I knew that the martial arts
would be part of my life for as long as I could foresee. Twenty years, two
careers and lots of hard knocks later, the dust settled and martial arts
remained the constant in my life. I knew then I would make martial arts my
profession. That's when the true substance of my relationship with Master
Chaney was revealed. He made himself available to me by phone and made several
trips to Duluth, Minnesota where I opened my first studio. From the design of
the facility to the development of the curriculum, he walked me through the
process of not only building the business but
developing an academy that produces high quality martial artists.
I
have learned it is rare for a martial artist to have a life-long relationship
with his teacher without some sort of major quarrel, but I can say that Master
Chaney has been a loyal teacher, mentor and friend.
If
you're looking for a martial arts instructor, turn to the Yellow Pages; close
your eyes and point. If you're looking for a teacher who will invest himself into your life and draw out potential you didn't
know you had, turn to Master Chaney.
Master Gary Mattevi, 7th Dan