It is with great honor and respect the Senior Rank below have agreed to participate in this project. We wish to thank them for their continued representation and leadership of the Kajukenbo system.
• Founder Wun Hop Kuen Do
• Black Belt Hall of Fame
• America’s Grandmaster’s Council
Senior Grandmaster Al Dacascos has been an icon in the Martial Arts. Since the founding of his unique fighting art, Wun Hop Kuen Do in 1969, GM Dacascos has become one of the most noted Martial Artists of our era. He has completed the cycle from oustanding student to world class competitor in both fighting and forms, to innovative instructor.
Mr. Dacascos has given motivation to many martial artists and training multiple world champions. The greatest thing that sets him apart is his willingness to give encouragement to other martial artists when needed. He has given support to this project and we are grateful and appreciative.
• 9th Degree Black Belt
• 50+ Years Kajukenbo
Senior Grandmaster Emil Bautista was born in 1938 in Alameda, California. He began studying Kajukenbo in 1961 in Fairfield, CA
under Aleju Reyes and continued under AhGung Tony Ramos also in Fairfield. He received his black belt in
Kajukenbo in June of 1963 and later went directly under Sijo Emperado, the founder of the Kajukenbo
system, for his training. He started his own school in 1968 in Vallejo, CA and today, almost 40 years later, it is still located at the same Benicia Rd. address. No other martial art school, in fact no make that claim. He has taught thousands of students over the years and has promoted only 40 of them to black belt status due to his rigorous training and strict standards for black belts.
In 1993 Bautista and his school were awarded the distinction of becoming the Northern California Headquarters of Kajukenbo Self-Defense Institute, Inc. by Sijo Emperado {the website is www.NorCalHeadquartersKSDI.50megs.com}. In 1999 in Las Vegas, Nevada he received the title of Grandmaster again from Sijo Emperado, one of only a handful of men to receive this honor.
Inside Karate published an article on Grand Master Bautista in a 1998 issue and Inside Kung Fu Magazine featured him in their June 2004 issue. He has 2 sons who trained in Kajukenbo and are black belts today. Joseph who is an 8th degree Professor and Steven who is a 4th degree Sifu in Kajukenbo. Bautista is currently married to wife Betty and they live in American Canyon, California.