Steve LaFrate

I started wrestling when I was 8 years old and immediately fell in love with the art and science of grappling. I thought wrestling was the end all for the next few years until one afternoon at a family barbecue my 13 year old cousin threw me on my head using Judo. SHE thought it was pretty funny and candidly, so did I, but it opened my eyes to a much bigger world. Though I wouldn't start formal judo training for some time, the die had been cast.

My passion for the grappling arts has taken me on a very diverse road allowing me to be fortunate enough to train with and under some of the great martial artists including Mark and Tom Tripp, Igor Yakimov, Harley Walen,and Michael Jen. Under Mark Tripp I've earned blackbelts in Judo and Japanese Jujitsu as well as develop a competence in the unranked disciplines of Russian Sambo, Catch Wrestling, and Submission Wrestling.

This wonderful journey has created opportunities for me that I never could have expected as a teenager being humbled by his female cousin in her father's backyard.

I've taught at various schools over the years now having the privilege of teaching Judo at the Self Defense Academies of Michigan in Clinton Township and Jujitsu at Ultimate Martial Arts, also in Clinton Township.

I've had the honor of being cage side as a judge for over 500 amateur and professional MMA matches.
For the past few years I've been one half of the color commentary team for the XCC, providing commentary and analysis that has been seen in over 130 million homes. And soon, my babblings will be found the Xtreme Cagefighting Championship's web site.

The best part of this whole ride is that it is just getting started.