I read an article in Fighting Arts International magazine about this guy, back in the mid-80's when i first started MAs. I recently came across a copy of this classic article on the web (excuse the typos, I think its been scanned). Its quite long - but its oh so good: http://www.geocities.com/unlicensed2000a/garyspiers.html For those of you that can't be bothered reading it, the guy was a seriously tough dude from NZ, background in wrestling, judo and Goju-Ryu Karate - worked as a doorman/bodyguard. I recently heard he had died in his sleep ay 57 which is sad. The stories of his bar/street fights are pretty awesome - anyone know of any similar "legends"? I guess if he was 20 years younger he might have had a go at competing in MMA and probably would have been pretty good.
I've seen a few interviews with Gary on the TV, and a few friends have been to a couple of seminars he ran. It was a sad loss to the MA community when he passed away and I'm dissapointed that I never had the oppertunity to meet him. Colin
If you mean 'legends' in terms of other allegedly larey Martial artists then, Steve Morris is always a name that comes to mind.
I suppose Gary Spiers used to like to tell a fight story or two but he does not come across as someone who is violent without provocation, whilst Steve Morris does. See his self penned biog - http://www.morrisnoholdsbarred.co.uk/biography.htm I guess most of his fight stories are past tense, but he seems to fight at the drop of a hat - because he knows he was/is good at it. I'm sure he is very good a what he does but the justification for some of his fights were just plain daft - he just doesn't seem to have been able to walk away from any confrontation. Correct me if I'm wrong but I don't think Gary Spiers' stories are quite as self-promoting and they tend to either be self-defence or the result of his line of "work".
Yeah, I've read Steve Morris's Biography on his website. It's hysterical in places, interesting guy in a variety of ways. And as he says, he totally burns all his bridges... That Interview with Gary Spiers was good, I remember some of it from years ago and interviews that were similar.
One story Steve Morris recounts with glee, just beggers belief - QUOTE: "I had my first private student: Tom O'Shaugnessy.......a fourth dan in judo, who had brought along video equipment to record the occasion. I can never remember exactly how the conversation went, but the jist of it was he wanted to fight. Not one to refuse, I kicked him straight in the leg and he went down (he later claimed I broke it) and then crawled off to the side. When we later reviewed the video neither of us could stop laughing." I guess he was lucky the guy he was training saw the "funny" side of it - but what would most people think of an instructor who on first meeting broke their leg? I personally wouldn't be laughing..........
bit late but..... Ok a few years late on this forum. Steve Morris at 64 is still on the go in a big way. You can read all you want into his bio BUT the dude still teaches at primal on sundays in birmingham. If you are into mma and are looking for something different other than rolling on a matted floor in lycra then get the funds together and visit this dude. I can promise you will be blown away. Listen, research is cool, and the internet gives out a lot of info but you have to see this guy to believe it. He is both a fighter and a teacher and that is rare. You can **** around on forums like this and think you are learning or you can go check this dude out.
Rolling around on the floor? you mean like olympic freestyle wrestlers,or maybe like Anderson Sylva or Bj Penn?
Funny, I've been doing MMA for a few years now and don't own any lycra. Is there a memo I didn't get?
oops!! gawd....your a touchy lot over here at martial arts planet! Ok ...so the lycra thing went a bit far. What I was trying to get across is that if you are looking for something different or are wanting to add to what you allready have then you should check this guy out. He is on another level with the approach he takes. peace brothers
Touchy probably isn't the right word - but when in your first ever post on this forum you make a sweeping statement using the phrase "**** around on forums like this and think you are learning" on your first post, you seemed to be implying that people here don't learn and don't do all that much training. You might be surprised as to just how much of the former takes place on the board and how much of the latter many people here do off the board. That said - Steve Morris is well known to be a good source of good info. I'm not sure how long you've been on this forum before posting - but there are actually a large number of very knowledgeable and very good people on this board. Not all of them post that often and sometimes it can be a surprise when you find out who one of them is. Even experienced people can learn a great deal from some of the threads here on MAP - it is a very good resource for when you can't train (or for those short breaks between exercise sets). Welcome to MAP.
Good post JWT. I have known of Steve Morris since i was 17 year old,he indeed will be a great guy to train with i have no doubt about that. Welcome to MAP BurtyBurr.
Oopps Apologies all around then.......posting on forums and beers after work are two joys in life i gotta stop mixing. I get a bit opinionated at beer number 3. I normally cant type after number 4 but i must have been pretty determined the other evening. Cheers for the welcome.
