Instructors at Guila’s Hawaiian Kajukenbo Kickboxing are Highly Trained and Legitimately Certified
Founder & CEO Professor Dennis Guila
2007 U.S. Martial Arts Hall of Fame Inductee & Trainer of World Champions
Biography of Dennis Guila,
Professor in the 8th Degree Kajukenbo-Kickboxing
The youngest child in the Guila Ohana (Family) of 13 and now into their 4th generation, Dennis grew up half his life in Hawaii and the San Francisco Bay area where Professor Guila has established a “Rock Solid” Martial arts foundation and background by learning from some of the best in the world.
In 1969 at the age of 9yrs old Dennis Guila began his journey in the martial arts learning Judo and Boxing by his mentor and older brother Reynaldo Guila (16yrs senior to Dennis). Soon hereafter, his brother Rey introduced Dennis to an instructor of Kenpo karate, Professor Lenny Beliso Sr. of Beliso Karate school in San Francisco, Ca. who until today Guila considers one of his long time mentors and close friend of the Martial arts in life.
At the age of 17 Guila moved to Hawaii to spend half his life on Oahu and pursued his training in Kajukenbo under the tutelage of the late Grand Master George Iversen of then Iversen Kenpo Karate school later renamed Hawaiian Kajukenbo Association.
In the later 1970’s Guila had been introduced to GM Iversen’s fellow dojo brothers who are recognized worldwide as one of the most innovative Grand Master’s of martial arts including Alfred Dela Cruz Chuan Fa-Kajukenbo, Black Belt Magazine Hall of Famer Albert Dacascos, Founder-Wun hop Kuen Do-Kajukenbo, Sixto Ramos-Kenkabo-Kajukenbo, and Edmund Louis-Leeward Kenpo Karate-Kajukenbo. Since the passing of GM Iversen, they have become the successors in Kajukenbo to Guila all whom which come from the same roots/lineage as GM Iversen directly under Sr.GM Sid Asuncion to the founder of Kajukenbo, Sijo Adriano Emperado.
Dennis Guila started to test his skills at an early age in tournament competitions at local, state, and international events and earned over one hundred awards in Kata, and Kumite (Sport Point Sparring) competition. In 1978 at the age of 18, Guila was then introduced to Full Contact Muay Thai/Kickboxing by GM George Iversen and found his forte in Full Contact Muay Thai and Kickboxing especially since Point Sparring Kumite was limited in contact therefore resulting in frustrating disqualification losses by Guila. Guila was introduced to World Muay Thai Fighter/Trainer Dana Goodson by GM Iversen and was sub-trained under Mr. Goodson for full contact competition and as promoting agent for Guila. He fought his way into the No.1 Light Heavy Weight Top contender position in 1979 then in 1983 fought and earned the WKA sanctioned 1983 Heavy Weight Champion out of Hawaii.
Guila earned his first degree black belt by GM George Iversen in August of 1980. Since then, Guila has been teaching multiple hundreds of students both in Hawaii and California and is responsible in many of them earning their black belts under the lineage of Iversen Hawaiian Kajukenbo Association family tree.
In the approximate years of 1986-1996 Professor Guila devoted almost 10 years as an assistant to Grand Master Edmund Louis in Honolulu, Hawaii in support of GM Louis’s Leeward Kenpo Karate and is very proud to be a part of the upbringing of many talented students and black belts under GM Louis. GM Louis and Professor Guila have known each other since the earlier days as color belts under GM Iversen in the mid to late 1970’s.
Now at the age of 48, growing up in the martial arts nearly all his life, Guila continues to grow with the evolution of changes in the martial arts world from the “old school” to todays’ “new school” in which Guila proudly continues his journey in introducing the martial arts by maintaining the traditional aspects of teaching and yet innovative to offer training of the modern day. Professor Guila runs a successful martial arts school in the San Francisco bay area, conducting seminars, promoting tournaments and actively serving communities abroad.
In most recent accomplishments Guila’s competition team “Team G-Force” 2005-2006 has earned over 300 winning places in local, state, national and international competition that include (165) 1st places, (67) 2nd places, (29) 3rd places, including (43) Grand Championship titles in Kata Empty Hand & Weapons, Kumite (Point Sparring), Continuous Sparring, and IKF Point Kickboxing.
In June of 2007 Prof. Guila was inducted into the USA Martial Arts Hall of Fame an organization founded by World Renown Grand Master Robert Trias.
In August of 2007 Guila’s Full Contact Kickboxing Team earned (4) World IKF Full Contact Kickboxing Championship Titles in (4) separate weight divisions.
In December of 2007 was awarded Instructor of the year by the World Masters of Martial Arts Assn. Guila also serves on the IKF World Advisory Board as an Associate and Promoter.
Professor Guila has been written up and seen on many media sources in news channels, newspapers, magazines, including television, Discovery Channel’s Fight Quest, CBS Sports, ABS/CBN, TFC, and the World Web. Today as an 8th Degree Professor, Guila continues to strive to carry out the philosophies of what the martial arts were developed and intended for by the ancient masters by teaching not only the philosophies and physical aspects of the arts but the moral ethics and good character building that help develop a healthy Spirit, Mind & Body in each of us…
Chief Instructor Sifu Alex Guila
The son of Professor Dennis Guila, Alex has been trained since the age of six months, starting in reflexes, speed, and flexibility training. Its by no surprise that at 15 months old he had developed “shattering” type strikes and flexible kicks way above his 2.5′ ht. frame (in diapers with photo’s in archives). In addition to many successful martial art tournament achievements, Sifu Alex has excelled in other sports including playing for the Hawaii All-Star Baseball League as an All-Star Pitcher. Sifu Alex has been the backbone to what Guila’s Hawaiian Kajukenbo-Kickboxing is today. And is the Driving Force of our “Team G-Force” World Championship Class competition team.
Sibak Fos Fiame
Assistant instructor Fos is a martial artist that demonstrates not only awesome physical aspects of the arts but true integrity and loyalty to his teachers and students of Guila’s Hawaiian Kajukenbo-Kickboxing and is articulate in passing his style of teaching to others at Guila’s Hawaiian Kajukenbo.
Long time Friend, and Mentor of Professor Dennis Guila is the late Grand Master George W. Iversen seen here together just 2 months prior to his passing in July 2005 while visiting Prof. Guila in California. Photo taken at Sijo Emperado’s KSDI annual birthday tournament. “It was an honor not only to have Grand Master Iversen always in my corner to coach me but to have the honor of competing together in the same arena at the same time as He did was an awesome Student-Mentor experience that will be cherished in my lifetime and in my book of memories.”