Inducted into the A.M.A.H.O.F. (Inc) and W.K.U.H.O.F. for 2010
Martial Artist of the Year – Eskrima Eskrido
Vincent Palumbo has been a well known identity within the Australian martial arts community for 35 years. Born on the 4th of November in 1965 and growing up in the city of Adelaide in the state of South Australia.
Since when he was 8 years old when he acquireded a real passion for the Martial Arts his quest for knowledge has led him on a journey all over the world to practice and gain more knowledge in the fighting arts. Now at 43 years of age, it has led him to become a Grand Master and a World Champion in the Filipino Martial/Fighting Arts.
His commitment to his instructors and to his students has seen not only Vince Palumbo achieve his aims and goals but also the development and empowerment of countless individuals who have trained with him.
He has appeared in several films in the US and Europe and is currently the Chief Instructor of the International Combative Martial Arts Academy located in Adelaide, South Australia.
He is the founder of Arjukanpo Karate, and has qualifications in Jujitsu, Boxing and Kickboxing. He also has black belt gradings in Tae Kwon Do, Tang Soo Do Korean Karate, Freestyle/Combat Karate, Filipino Pangamot Jujitsu, Cacoy Doce Pares Eskrima Filipino Stick and Knife fighting, Combat Jujitsu, and Combat Judo Hapkido. His qualifications include the following:
• 9th Dan Cacoy Doce Pares Eskrima
• 8th Dan Arjukanpo Karate
• 9th Dan Filipino Pangamot Jujitsu
• 6th Dan Korean Karate
• 5th Dan Combat Jujitsu
Because of the knowledge that he has acquired over the many years of training, it has led him to formulate his very own synthesis of real fighting Karate, ‘Arjukanpo’. The style incorporates a wide range of Martial Arts styles into the system including techniques from Aiki-Jujutsu, Judo, Karate, Tang Soo Do, Jujitsu, Filipino Pangamot Jiu Jitsu, Taekwondo, Boxing, Kickboxing, and the Filipino Stick and Knife Fighting Art of Eskrima.
AR-Arnis (Filipino stick and knife fighting)
JU- Judo and Jujitsu
KA-Karate
N- Nei Gung (Internal development)
PO- Meaning very good in Filipino
He has taught martial arts in the Philippines, USA, Indonesia, Japan, New Zealand, Hong Kong, Italy, Poland, Malaysia, Switzerland, Singapore and in the UK, with everyone enjoying his approach to reality based combat training.
He was inducted into the Blitz Martial Arts Magazine Hall of Fame awards in 2003, and went on to win the award as “Best Freestyle Martial Arts Instructor in Australia.” He was also named the “Best Amateur Boxer in South Australia” in 1994, 1998, 1999 and 2000, and in 2004 won the IKBBF Professional Middleweight World Boxing Champion Title.
A chronology of Vince Palumbo’s career commenced when he began junior boxing in 1974 in Adelaide, Australia. After winning most of his junior boxing bouts; he expanded his interests to judo at the age of 11.
In 1980 he began learning Freestyle Karate at the Zen Do Kai Bushido Dojo in Adelaide grading in 1984 to Shodan, 1st degree black belt in Freestyle Karate. In the same year he started to train Tae Kwon Do under Master Chris Nasilowski, earning his Shodan in 1988 with Grand Master Choon Bong Lee 9th degree black belt.
In 1988 he travelled to Alice Springs in the Northern Territory Australia, training under Martin Gardiner Sensei in Mu Duk kwanTang Soo Do, Korean Karate, and Filipino, Doce Pares Eskrima Stick and knife fighting. During his stay he graded Shodan, 1st degree black belt Tang Soo Do, and Brown Belt in Stick fighting after doing an examination in front of visiting Grand Master Cacoy Canete, who was conducting seminars and exhibitions in Doce Pares Eskrima.
He trained in Muay Thai Kickboxing, with Master Fai Quoc Giang of Vietnam, who graded him Nidan, 3rd degree black belt, and encouraged him to open his own martial arts school. In 1991 Grand Master Brian Dossett, 9th Dan of the World Combat Federation grading him to the rank of International Instructor Chodan, 4th degree black belt.
In 1992, he competed in the Philippines and was assistant coach for the Australian Stick fighting Team, winning a Gold and Bronze Medal at the World Eskrima Kali Arnis Federation (WEKAF) World Stick fighting Titles in Manila and Cebu. In 1999, Grand Master Cacoy Canete graded him 6th Degree, Master Level black belt in the art of Doce Pares Eskrima and Pangamot Jujitsu. In 2002 he was awarded the rank of 8th Dan in Doce Pares Eskrima, Jujitsu and Filipino karate by Grand Master Cacoy Canete and his 9th Dan in 2007.
Commencing a competitive career At 21 in the combat sport ring developing substantial experience in the combat sport arena since his first full-contact fight, he has won a multitude of titles in differing combat sport disciplines. Vince Palumbo knows what it is like to be in the heat of a full contact fight, and knows what is also needed to train in preparation for such an event. Having been a warrior in the fighting arena for over 20 years, he would like to continue competing up to his 50th birthday, achieving his own private, personal achievement.
The one motto that Grand Master Palumbo always trys to follow in his life are these following words-
GOOD, BETTER, BEST
NEVER LET IT REST
UNTIL YOUR GOOD IS BETTER
AND YOUR BETTER IS BEST!
Vincent Palumbo is a student of Supreme Grandmaster Cacoy Canete of Cebu City in the Philippines, probably the most influential teacher in his life and possibly the greatest stick fighter on the planet.
“This wonderful man has passed on so much knowledge to me over the many years that I’ve been his student, and this knowledge has led me to become a World Champion in Filipino Stick fighting, and it has led me to become a Grand Master in CACOY DOCE PARES ESKRIMA, and also in the art of CACOY PANGAMOT FILIPINO JIU JITSU, and I was graded to these ranks by the legendary man of Stick fighting in Cebu City of the Philippines, his name is Supreme Grand Master Cacoy Canete, I will be forever grateful to this very special man!”.
Vince Palumbo has fought in over 250 fights in the combat sports arena and continues to promote martial arts and develop his students in Australia and around the world, his titles include:
2009 CDPEWF World Stick fighting Champion
2008 New Zealand Council of Kali Eskrima Arnis Instructors (NZ CKAI) Stick fighting Champion (Inaugural New Zealand Stick Fighting Nationals)
2007 CDPEWF World Stick fighting Champion
2006 CDPEWF World Stick fighting Champion
2006 WEKAF New South Wales Stick fighting Champion
2005 CDPEWF World Stick fighting Champion
2004 WEKAF Australian Stick fighting Champion
IKBBF World Pro Boxing Champion
2003 BJCEF South Australian Stick fighting Champion
IKBBF South Pacific Pro-Boxing Champion
2002 APBF South Australian Pro Boxing Champion
1998/99 AABA South Australian Amateur Boxing Champion
1998 WKA South Australian and Australian Amateur Shoot boxing Champion
1996 AFCKFA Australian Kickboxing Champion AMAA South Australian Full Contact Karate Champion
1995 WKA South Australian Submission Grappling Champion
1994 South Australian Amateur Boxing Title for Men’s Novice Middleweight Division
1993 Grand Champion, Australia’s 1st Tough man Competition
1988 ATU Australian Tile Breaking Champion