Grand Master Jeff Smith, 10th Degree Black Belt, is the first PKA World Light Heavyweight Champion (1974) and Chief of Instruction at Mile High Karate and Martial Arts Wealth Mastery, where he coaches martial arts school owners on instructor development, teaching quality and student retention with Grand Master Stephen Oliver.
Grand Master Jeff Smith is a 10th Degree Black Belt in Tae Kwon Do and a former PKA World Light Heavyweight Champion who has trained in the martial arts since 1965. Today he is Chief of Instruction for Mile High Karate and Martial Arts Wealth Mastery, where he works alongside Grand Master Stephen Oliver helping martial arts school owners build stronger, more professional schools. Read his documented history →
Free Books by Grand Master Jeff Smith and Grand Master Stephen Oliver
Extraordinary Teaching
Transform your martial arts school into a leadership academy. Co-authored by Grand Master Jeff Smith and Grand Master Stephen Oliver.
Six Simple Steps to Add 100 New Students to Your School
Never stress out about where you are going to get new students ever again. By Stephen Oliver, Jeff Smith, Bob Dunne and Greg Moody.
See all of Grand Master Jeff Smith’s books on his Amazon author page.
Grand Master Jeff Smith
PKA World Light Heavyweight Champion · 10th Degree Black Belt · Chief of Instruction, Mile High Karate and Martial Arts Wealth Mastery
Career Moments in Photos
Grand Master Jeff Smith on Magazine Covers and in Articles
Biography of Grand Master Jeff Smith
Former World Champion and Multi-School Millionaire Grand Master Jeff Smith
A World Champion Competitor AND Long Time Martial Arts School Millionaire!
He is best known as the seven-time PKA World Light Heavyweight Champion. On October 1, 1975, he defeated Karriem Allah for a heavyweight title sanctioned by Don King’s organization at the Capital Centre near Washington, D.C.; the bout was part of the closed-circuit broadcast of Muhammad Ali vs. Joe Frazier III, the “Thrilla in Manila,” an event seen by an estimated one billion viewers worldwide.
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. He competed in the formative era of American karate alongside Chuck Norris, Joe Lewis and Bill Wallace.
Video: 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 earned his Black Belt in September 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 earned 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 Steen and Pat Burleson. 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.
On September 14, 1974, in Los Angeles, the newly formed Professional Karate Association (PKA) held its first Full Contact World Championships. In his first bout, 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 the PKA World Light Heavyweight Champion. Joe Lewis and Bill Wallace also become Champions of the World, in their respective categories.
On October 1, 1975, Jeff Smith defeated Karriem Allah (also known as Karriem Abdallah) by split decision over 11 rounds to win a heavyweight title sanctioned by Don King’s organization. The bout took place at the Capital Centre near Washington, D.C., and was part of the closed-circuit broadcast of the third Muhammad Ali–Joe Frazier fight, the “Thrilla in Manila,” an event seen by an estimated one billion viewers worldwide. Allah won the early rounds; Smith took the later ones.
In 1979 Dan Macaruso defeated Smith for the title by split decision after 12 rounds. 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 world title seven times and retired from full-contact competition with a kickboxing record of 32–1, with 16 wins by knockout. He founded Jeff Smith Karate in Virginia in 1981 and holds a 10th Degree Black Belt in Tae Kwon Do. On April 6, 2007 he was inducted into the Official Taekwondo Hall of Fame.
Read the complete documented history of Grand Master Jeff Smith →
Current Activities
Grand Master Smith is Chief of Instruction for Mile High Karate and Martial Arts Wealth Mastery, responsible for instructor training, Black Belt testing and development, and curriculum oversight. He is also President of Sports Operations for PKA Worldwide, the organization that crowned him world champion in 1974. 
His students have included 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.
Through Martial Arts Wealth Mastery, he and Grand Master Stephen Oliver coach martial arts school owners, BJJ academies and MMA gyms on teaching, student retention, renewals and instructor development. The two co-authored Extraordinary Teaching, and Jeff’s books are listed on his Amazon author page.
Seminars and Reviews
Previews of Grand Master Jeff Smith’s training and teaching seminars
What Martial Arts Leaders Say About Grand Master Jeff Smith
What martial arts leaders and school owners say about working with Grand Master Jeff Smith.
“Grand Master Smith is a martial arts superstar. On top of being one of the best competitors ever, he is also a world-class school owner and business consultant. He has decades of experience and knows how to share it in a productive way.”
Dave Kovar
Founder, Kovar’s Satori Academy
“I always introduce Jeff as the all-around most accomplished martial artist in the history of martial arts in America. No other person can point to as many excellent results in so many areas as Grand Master Jeff Smith.”
Joe Corley
CEO, PKA Worldwide
“Jeff is one of the top financial consultants, if not the very best, advising the top martial arts school owners in the nation. Jeff is, without a doubt, the ‘Tony Robbins’ of the financial world of martial arts.”
Keith Vitali
Martial arts champion and author
“He is one of the best fighters and martial arts leaders I have met in my many years of travel. What stood out most is his ability to build strong relationships with his students and his teams of instructors.”
Chris Casamassa
CEO, Red Dragon
“Being part of the Martial Arts Wealth Mastery program has been one of the best things we’ve ever done. Grand Master Jeff Smith has helped us so much — when we started we were grossing about $15K a month and now we’re working toward $100K a month. Our lives have changed dramatically.”
2026 update: Family Black Belt Academy now grosses about $1.5 million a year.
Jason Purcell
Owner and Master Instructor, 6th Dan
“Grand Master Jeff Smith is one of the true icons of the martial arts on all levels. He has become a mentor to numerous school owners around the nation, giving his time tirelessly to raise the standards in the industry, and helped many schools weather the storm and keep growing.”
David Hughes
Master Instructor, Ernie Reyes’ West Coast World Martial Arts
“Jeff Smith is one of the foremost authorities in the martial arts business and management world — a 10th-degree black belt, former world champion kickboxer, and a martial arts pioneer. If you’re looking for a business coach, I highly recommend him.”
Jessie Bowen
President, American Martial Arts Alliance
LinkedIn Recommendations for Grand Master Jeff Smith
“I have been working with Grandmaster Smith for the past 4 years. When we met he said he would teach me [and] walk me [through how] to become a successful business professional, and under his tutelage my business has [thrived] well beyond my expectation, even during the pandemic. I can’t [thank] GM Smith enough for the support and guidance through the years; with your help you have [changed] my life, my family’s, my employees’ and their families’. I would absolutely recommend working with GM Smith if you want to learn to run your business as a professional Black Belt.”
Sebastian Mejias
Founder, Samurai Inti Martial Arts; Founder and President, Kana Samurai Foundation · Client · LinkedIn, March 2023
“Grandmaster Jeff Smith has been instrumental on my journey to build a better and more successful academy. I am grateful for his awesome mentorship so far and excited about continuing to grow with him for many years. Grandmaster Smith is the real deal in the martial arts and in helping hungry students grow. I’m proud and grateful to have him as my teacher, and highly recommend him to anyone wanting to bring the quality and performance of their school to a higher level.”
Stephen Del Castillo
Founder, KMMA Blackbelt Leadership Academy · Client · LinkedIn, March 2023
“I have known Jeff Smith for 49 years since competing against him in the championship round of The Battle of Atlanta. Jeff has always been the textbook example of what a world champion should be! And unlike most other champions, Jeff has gone far beyond the “Thrilla in Manila” fighting champion as a world-class martial arts teacher and school operator. Jeff is a true inspiration to all who have the pleasure of studying from him and working with him. He’s the kind of guy you would want in your corner!”
Frank Hargrove
Founding Member and Co-Chairman, International Okinawan Shorin-Ryu Karate-Do Union · LinkedIn, February 2023
“I have known Jeff Smith for probably around 36–37 years. He is a true World Champion in the ring and World Champ when it comes to business and teaching and coaching! I highly recommend Mr. Jeff Smith!”
Christine Bannon-Rodrigues
Chief Instructor and Co-owner, Don Rodrigues Karate Academy · LinkedIn, January 2023
“Jeff Smith has been a leader in the martial arts industry for decades now. It takes a lot for someone to be in that position for such a long time. I was first introduced to GM Smith through a mutual friend, Grand Master Stephen Oliver. If you are looking for knowledge about martial arts and martial arts business, this man needs to be your coach. He does not talk about success. He is success.”
Art Mason
Professional Martial Arts Teacher, Kyusho Jitsu · LinkedIn, January 2023
“World Champion Jeff Smith is a true American hero in sport karate around the world and a tremendous role model. He steps up to the word excellence — his wisdom in technique, and his wisdom as a leader to so many throughout the world of Tae Kwon Do and sport karate. GM Allen Steen, GM J. Pat Burleson and GM Jhoon Rhee helped develop him into a true world champion of sport karate and a leader in our community.”
Professor Gary Lee
Founder and Curator, Sport Karate Museum · LinkedIn, January 2023
“Jeff Smith is one of professional karate’s greatest exponents, bar none. A true legend in his own right, Jeff Smith is a bona fide champion and teacher. Jeff’s championship titles and experience fighting in the ring make him a great teacher and leader in the martial arts. Jeff personifies the true martial arts warrior spirit, with not only his skills as a karate practitioner and champion but with his excellence, leadership, and humility.”
Art Camacho
Director and Fight Choreographer · LinkedIn, January 2023
“Grand Master Jeff Smith is one of the most knowledgeable martial artists in the world — not just in the practice of martial arts but as a business owner and leader. I have seen Grand Master Smith help beginning students become world champions and struggling business owners become genuine millionaires. As a person of great character and a champion in his own right many times over, I can recommend him for anyone that wants to be the best!”
Greg Moody
Consultant, Coach and Business Owner · LinkedIn, January 2023
“Grand Master Smith is one of only a handful of world-class experts in all aspects of running, marketing, sales, and management of a martial arts school of any sort. He’s trained some of the very best fighters and competitors in the world and has been instrumental in developing some of the very top $1,000,000+ school operations.”
Grand Master Stephen Oliver
Founder and CEO, Martial Arts Wealth Mastery and Mile High Karate · LinkedIn, January 2023
On Extraordinary Teaching by Jeff Smith and Stephen Oliver
“I wish this book was available 18 years ago when I opened my first martial arts school. The concepts in Stephen Oliver and Jeff Smith’s ‘Extraordinary Teaching’ completely turned my school around — a clear route to marketing and sales, higher enrollments and long-term commitments, and continuous growth. Whether you are a new or seasoned school owner, you should consider this book indispensable.”
Master Chuck Vertolli
Yi’s Karate (Amazon review)
“I’ve known Stephen Oliver and Jeff Smith for more than 30 years… a must-read for any instructor who wants to reignite their passion for teaching.”
Greg Silva
Martial arts industry leader
Grand Master Jeff Smith on Stephen Oliver
“He stays at the leading edge of what’s really working today. If you’re planning on making your mark in martial arts, Stephen’s the only business consultant to get you into the very top rungs.”
Grand Master Jeff Smith
On Grand Master Stephen Oliver
Reviews reproduced from Martial Arts Wealth Mastery Reviews & Testimonials and from recommendations on Grand Master Jeff Smith’s LinkedIn profile. Bracketed words were added for clarity.
Free School & Gym Growth Diagnostic · a $1,297 value
The Most Valuable Hour You Will Spend This Year
A free one-hour Zoom working session with Grand Master Jeff Smith and Grand Master Stephen Oliver to find exactly why your martial arts school, BJJ academy or MMA gym stopped growing. A real diagnosis of your business, not a sales pitch.
Bring four numbers: active students, monthly collected revenue, average membership price, and your single biggest frustration. You leave with a page of specific numbers about your specific school, plus free copies of Extraordinary Teaching and Six Simple Steps to Add 100 New Students to Your School.
Claim Your Most Valuable Hour →
Or call or text Bob Dunne, National Director, at (720) 256-0208. No cost, no obligation.
CONTACT
14143 Denver West Parkway, Suite 100
Golden, CO 80401
Office: 1-720-256-0208
Email: JeffSmith@MartialArtsWealth.com