Grandmaster Jeff Smith in the most memorable moments.

Grandmaster Jeff Smith on Magazine Covers and Articles

Grandmaster Jeff Smith’s Biography

Former World Champion and Multi-School Millionaire Grandmaster Jeff Smith
A World Champion Competitor AND Long Time Martial Arts School Millionaire!

Grandmaster Jeff Smith, a 10th Degree Black Belt Master in Tae Kwon Do, has devoted over 40 years to the martial arts. He currently has two karate centers in Northern Virginia and travels worldwide officiating at tournaments, teaching and conducting seminars. He is one of the most successful examples of translating the same core beleifs, behaviors and habits it takes to become a world class competitor into the martial arts school business.

He is perhaps best known as the seven-time “World Light Heavy Weight Karate Champion.” His title defense against Don King’s heavy weight fighter Kareem Allah was seen by over fifty million viewers as a preview before the Ali vs. Frazier World Boxing Title Fight, known as the “Thrilla in Manila.”

He was coach of the World Champion United States Karate Team and the Junior National Team. He is a member of the Black Belt Hall of Fame, the first recipient of the Bruce Lee Award (selected by Mrs. Bruce Lee and Karate Magazine) and listed in the Who’s Who of Martial Arts. Jeff is one of karate’s legends along with Chuck Norris, Bruce Lee, Joe Lewis and Bill Wallace.

Amazing video about Grand Master Jeff Smith

Career Highlights

Grand-master Smith has made appearances on ABC’s “Wide World of Entertainment,” “The Champions” TV series, Showtime, ESPN and

Pay-Per-View events. He co-starred in a martial arts movie in Korea. He has been on the cover of every major martial arts publication and was selected by Washingtonian Magazine as one of Washington’s top athletes.

Jeff “The DC Bomber” Smith was a World Kickboxing Champion and the first recipient of the Bruce Lee Award for “fighter of the year.” (Selected by Mrs. Bruce Lee and Karate Magazine) He was from Kingsville Texas where he started his training in Taekwondo at the Texas A & I University TKD club in 1965. He got his Black Belt September of 1969.

Jhoon Rhee would come every 3 months to Texas and teach and test at several college clubs that he had started while at the University. After Smith got his Black Belt,Rhee invited him to come to Washington D.C. to teach in his schools and train. Smith’s tournament background reads like the other “Red, White & Blue” Superstars in the famous photo with wins such as…

• 1972, Grand-Champion of the Pan American Championships in Baltimore.
• 1972, North American Championships in Toronto/Canada, wins the heavyweights title.
• 1973, Battle of Atlanta defeats Frank Hargrove, John Natividad and Everett Monsterman Eddy in the semi-finals but loses in the finals against Howard Jackson.
• May, 1973, he defeats Bill Wallace 5-1, Fred Wren 5-1, Darnell Garcia 5-1 and Howard Jackson 6-5 at the US Pro/Am (US Open Championships), in Ocean-City.
• 1973, Karate Team Championships, the Texas team is composed of Kurban, Butin, Gotcher, Watson and Havanas, and is coached by Allen and Pat Steen Burleston. The Washington DC team, coached by Jhoon Rhee is composed of Gordon Franks, Wayne Booth, Wayne Van Buren, Pat Worlen and Jeff Smith. Smith won his match against Havanas 3-0 and the team of Washington beat Texas 6-4.
• 1973, Top Ten Nationals he defeats John Natividad, and after James Butin for the heavyweights finals, 4-3.
• 1973, US Open Professional, Ocean City he defeats Howard Jackson 7-6, in the finals.
• 1973, wins the title of Grand Champion at the first “Professional Karate Tournament”, for the West Coast team.
• On May 17th 1974, in Berlin, the first European Championship Professional Karate tournament is held. At the end of the day, fights take place between the Europeans and the Americans. Smith defeated Harald Schrader, 5-0, second in the European middleweights.
• 1974, he defeated Darnell Garcia, in the Ed Parker’s Internationals Karate Championships, in Long Beach, CA, USA.
• 1974, he defeated Fred Wren for the middleweight crown, at the Karate Olympics in Houston.

During the first battle, Jeff Smith defeated Budimir Vejnovic of Yugoslavia, a resident of Berlin, in the 1st round, with a right 
hand followed by a kick. Next Smith beats Wally Slocki of Canada, on points. Smith wins the first round and Slocki the second. Finally, Smith wins the third round, as a point is deducted against Slocki, following the instructions given by the referee. That evening, Jeff Smith becomes World Champion of the Middleweights for the PKA. Joe Lewis and Bill Wallace also become Champions of the World, in their respective categories.

On September 14th, 1974 in Los Angeles, California, USA, the Full Contact World Championships are organized by the new federation, the PKA (Professional Karate Association). Traditional karatekas from the USA and European fighters, are sorted in an unknown manner.

On October 1st, 1975 at the 3rd fight between Pro Boxers Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier in Manila, Philippines, Jeff Smith defends his title on points, in 11 rounds, against Karriem Allah of USA, (aka Karriem Abdallah). This event is widely broadcast on television and seen by over fifty million viewers as a preview before the Ali vs Frazier World Boxing Title Fight, known as the“Thrilla in Manila.” Smith wins by a split decision. Allah won the first rounds and Smith taking the later rounds.

In 1979 Dan Macaruso defeated Smith for the title by split decision after 12 rounds. Word has it that Macaruso would never give Smith a rematch. Macaruso went on to defeat Dominique Valera by KO in round 6, Dale Michaud by KO in round 1 and Carl Beamon. From 1982 to 1985, Macaruso fought Pro Boxing and amassed a record of 9-3 with 5 wins by KO.

Smith defended his title of World Champion 7 times and when he retired from the sport he amassed a full contact kickboxing record of 21-1 with 7 wins coming by KO. He currently operates a martial arts school in Virginia where he teaches Tae Kwon Do, in which he holds a 10th degree black belt. On April 6, 2007 he was inducted into the Official Taekwondo Hall of Fame.

Current Activities

Grandmaster Smith is President of World Champion Jeff Smith Karate, and the Chief Operating Officer for the Mile High Karate franchise organization. His students include children, adults, professionals, sports celebrities and senior citizens.

He has performed at the White House in the “Kick Drugs Out of Your Life” campaign and again with his students in California for “Drug Abuse is Life Abuse” program. He conducts seminars in public schools for the “Just Say No to Drugs” campaign.

He also performed for Arnold Schwarzenegger on the White House lawn with his students for the Great American Workout and the President’s Council on Physical Fitness. In addition, he conducts seminars both nationally and internationally for other karate schools and karate tournaments.

He officiates at major karate tournaments, coaches teams in international competition and has done color commentary for karate events on national television, ESPN and Pay per View events.

He is a key figure in the Martial Arts Wealth Mastery educational system for martial arts school owners to help raise the professional standards in the martial arts industry.

Seminars and Reviews

Previews of Grandmaster Jeff Smith’s training and teaching seminars

5 Stars Reviews

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