BIO: Mike Rogers

Head instructor Mike Rogers has been traning under Rodrigo Vaghi since 1997, and is a black belt in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu.  Mike was also an All American wrestler at SIUE graduating with a teaching degree, 2 time Golden Gloves Boxing Champion under the guidance of Jim Howe, and former #1 ranked light heavyweight contender in King of the Cage. Mike has a record of 14-3 in MMA with wins over such top-notch fighters as Travis Fulton and Greg Wikan.  He is the former head wrestling coach at McCluer high school, coaching 5 state place finishers including Tyron Woodley to a undefeated senior season at 48-0, placing 1st in the state and 3rd in the country.  Mike was also the assistant wrestling coach at Meramec junior college for 2 seasons.  At St. Charles MMA Mike has coached fighters at all levels from amateur to the UFC.  In 2009 scmma was the St. Louis Golden Gloves team champions.

BIO: Alan Smith

Alan Smith began his training in Little Rock, AR in 2006, at what is now Westside MMA. In 2008 he joined SCMMA and Team Vaghi where he recieved his brown belt. He has competed in one MMA fight after which he decided to turn his focous strictly to BJJ. Alan has trained all over the US and Mexico with various world champions. In 2010 Alan moved to Las Vegas where he trained with Team Carlson Gracie under fifth degree balck belt Master Ricardo Calvacanti. Alan returned to St. Charles MMA in 2012 and became an assistant instructor and leader of the SCMMA BJJ.

BIO: Hal Goodman

Hal Goodman started training in 1998 at Rodrigo Vaghi’s original school on Manchester Road in St. Louis. In May of 1999 he became one of Rodrigo’s first blue belts along with Bryan Guidry and Ed Shobe from Omaha, Nebraska. In 2000 he won the blue belt division at Rafeal Lovatos Tournament in Oklahoma. Shortly after, Hal took a hiatus from Jiu Jitsu to travel to Europe and South America. When St. Charles Brazilian Jiu Jitsu opened in March of 2007 he resumed his training and now helps teach. Hal is known for his extreme toughness and exceptional guillotine chokes. In 2011 he was promoted to brown belt. He is also a local MMA judge for Kick International.

BIO: Patrick Christie

Patrick is an avid practitioner of Muay Thai (Thai Boxing) and has been around the sport for nearly a decade. He began his training under Tomer Litvin, head coach and owner of Siam Star Muay Thai & Mixed Martial Arts in Dallas, TX, until 2008 when Patrick moved to Missouri and began training with professional fighter Fuad Keranovic, formerly of Vaghi Martial Arts. Patrick also trained with the renowned Fairtex camp in Pattaya, Thailand and has received coaching from Jongsanan “The Wooden Man” Fairtex, Kongnapa Watcharawit, and the late Ramon “The Diamond” Dekkers. His favorite fighters include Yodsanklai Fairtex, Kevin Ross, Victor Saravia, and Tyrone Spong.

Patrick teaches a traditional Thai style, incorporating punches, knees, kicks, clinch work, and his favorite weapon – elbows. He last competed in the Super Heavyweight division of the 2009 Thai Boxing Association Muay Thai Classic and has since dedicated his time to Vaghi Martial Arts and St. Charles MMA to train professional and amateur fighters through pad work and conditioning drills, private lessons, and group classes.