Shihan Conner Cordova

• 4th Degree Black Belt, Kenpo Karate

Shihan Conner, the son of Kyoshi Cordova and Shihan Carol, literally grew up in the Dojo. Only a year old when the doors were first opened he began his formal training at the tender age of 3. At the age of 10 he was promoted to 1st Degree Black Belt. Considered the “lineage holder” by Grand Master Bill Ryusaki and GM Cecil Peoples, Shihan Conners’ black belt testing board was a who’s who of Martial Artists.

Present were: GM Bill Ryusaki, California, GM Cecil Peoples, California, GM John Hackleman, California, Master Chuck “The Ice Man” Liddell, California, Master Willie Hernandez, Puerto Rico, and Master Carlos Rodriquez, Florida. As a competitor Shihan Conner has won over 30 Colorado State titles in Forms, Weapons, Grappling and Fighting. In 2002 and 2005 he was the Colorado Karate Association “Competitor of the Year.” As a Junior competitor he won 3 sport karate fighting world titles and 1 forms world title.

Although his own martial arts training is still in full swing a big part of his focus is on journalism. In 2010, at the age of 18, he was recognized at the Fighters Only Magazine MMA awards banquet, held in Las Vegas, as one of the top 5 MMA journalist in the world. Google – Conner Cordova – and you can see many of his cutting edge interviews with the top UFC and MMA fighters in the world.