Mark Staniszewski
Mark Staniszewski; also known as Mark Stan (born August 1973) is an American born martial artist and the first athlete to win Pan American Championships in both Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and Judo;[1] and a Martial Arts Hall of Fame inductee.[2]
Biography
Staniszewski was introduced into the martial arts at the age of 5, studying various styles of karate, and Tae Kwon Do under 1988 Olympic coach Y.H. Park. An East Meadow High School wrestling team captain under Hall of Famer John Hamilton, Staniszewski went on to wrestle for Cortland State under Olympic alternate Gene Neiman. While in college he discovered the Olympic sport of judo. In 1996, Staniszewski was introduced to the art of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu by childhood friend UFC veteran Matt Serra. Finding them to be a perfect complement to each other, Staniszewski studied and competed in both disciplines for over two decades. His unique and successful style has been influenced by legendary martial artists and friends: Tom Dalvano, John Lucas (World Masters Judo Champion), UFC veteran Matt Serra, legendary 8th degree coral belt Joe Moreira and 9th degree red belt Grandmaster Francisco Mansor (direct student of Helio Gracie). Staniszewski has earned State,[3] National, Pan American and World Championships.[4][5]
Personal Life
In February 2013, tragedy struck when Staniszewski's 14 month old son Jake was diagnosed with stage 4 alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma, a rare and highly aggressive pediatric cancer. Later that year, Staniszewski suddenly and unexpectedly lost his younger brother Michael to causes unknown. In October 2013, Mark Staniszewski officially announced his retirement from competition and the sale of his martial arts academy Team Combat Judo and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, in which he founded in 2007 in Massapequa, New York.
A whose-who of judo, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and wrestling practitioners came out in support of the Staniszewski family. A series of seminars and events were conducted to help offset mounting medical expenses of a novel treatment plan that took the Staniszewski's fight for their son Jake from the United States to Germany. Elite athletes by the likes of: Joe D"Arce, Alex and Christopher Vamos, Matt Serra, Eddie "The Truck" Gordan, Steven Sciandra, Joe Scarola, Nick Kossor, Tony Sangimino, Brad Bolen, Hannah Martin, Mansher Khera and many more came out to support their friend and colleague.
Sadly, on August 4, 2014, Jake Staniszewski (age 2), lost his battle with cancer.
In January 2015, Mark Staniszewski returned to his passion of martial arts and founded "Team Believe" (Judo and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu) in the memory of his son Jake. Team Believe training centers offer "Jake's Promise", which is program that offers free classes to any child with cancer and any parents or siblings of a child with cancer.
Judo
Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu
- Rank: Black Belt (2nd Degree) under 8th Degree Coral Belt Joe Moreira and 9th Degree Red Belt Grandmaster Francisco Mansor. (IBJJF, USBJJF, USFBJJ) [10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18]
Notable Accomplishments
- First athlete to win Pan American Championships in both Judo and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.[19][20][21][22]
- Captain of Team USA at the 2009 World Judo Masters Championships. Led the US to a bronze medal (tied with Russia).[23]
- The only US athlete to medal in both the Elite and Masters divisions at the 2009 USA Judo Nationals and World Team Trials.
- Won both the Elite and Masters divisions at the 2009 East Coast Championships.[24]
- USA Judo's Most Outstanding Masters Athlete for 2010.
- Most notable technique: sode guruma jime (Ezekiel choke). In 2009, Staniszewski used an ezekiel to defeat Jim Hannan in the finals of the Pan Jiu-Jitsu Championships; he defeated then undefeated submission grappler Steve Quinn in a charity Heavyweight Championship bout at Fight Club #4; and he defeated Nicholas Gohn by Ezekiel to advance to the medal round at the 2009 USA Judo National Championships and World Team Trials. In 2012, he defeated USA Judo's Ethan Stanley by sode guruma jime at the International Starrett Cup .
- On Oct. 2, 2009, Staniszewski competed in a charity main event against undefeated 300 lb (140 kg) fighter Steve Quinn.[25] Staniszewski won by submission[26] and raised thousands of dollars for martial arts based charities including: The Blind Judo Foundation, Rusty Kanokogi Memorial Fund, Jeff R. Lorio Memorial Scholarship Fund.[27]
Career highlights
GOLD | SILVER | BRONZE |
---|---|---|
2006 Empire State Games (Judo) | 2010 Empire State Games (Judo) | 2003 Empire State Games (Judo) |
2007 Empire State Games (Judo) | 2005 Empire State Games (Judo) | 2002 Empire State Games (Judo) |
2004 NYS BJJ Championships | 2004 Empire State Games (Judo) | 2001 Empire State Games (Judo) |
2009 East Coast Judo Championships | 1999 East Coast Judo Championships | 2010 East Coast Masters Judo Championships |
2009 East Coast Masters Judo Championships | 2010 East Coast Judo Championships | 2011 East Coast Judo Championships |
2012 Hudson Judo Cup | 2011 East Coast Masters Judo Championships | 2009 Starrett Cup |
2012 Starrett Cup - Masters | 2012 Starrett Cup | 2009 USA Judo National Championships |
2010 USA Judo Masters National Championships | 2009 USA Judo Masters National Championships | 2005 USA Judo Masters National Championships |
2008 USA Judo Masters National Championships | 2006 USA Judo Masters National Championships (open) | 2005 USA Judo Masters National Championships (open) |
2008 USA Judo Masters National Championships (open) | 2002 Grapplers Quest World Championships | 2009 Pan American Judo Masters Championship (Team USA) |
2007 USA Judo Masters National Championships | 2010 Pan American BJJ Championships (no-gi, absolute) | 2012 Western BJJ Championships (absolute) |
2007 USA Judo Masters National Championships (open) | 2015 World Police/Fire Games (Submission Grappling) | 2009 USA Judo World Team Trials |
2006 USA Judo Masters National Championships | 2015 World Police/Fire Games (Judo) | 2009 World Judo Masters Championships (Team USA) |
2010 NAGA World Championships (expert) | 2009 World Judo Masters Championships | |
2009 NAGA World Championships (black/brown) | 2011 World Police/Fire Games (Greico Roman) | |
2008 NAGA World Championships (expert) | ||
2006 NAGA World Championships (advanced) | ||
2005 NAGA World Championships (advanced) | ||
2004 North American Grappling Championships (expert) | ||
2002 Grapplers Quest US Nationals | ||
2012 Pan American BJJ Championships (no-gi) | ||
2010 Pan American BJJ Championships (no-gi) | ||
2009 Pan American BJJ Championships (no-gi) | ||
2009 Pan American BJJ Championships (no-gi, absolute) | ||
2008 Pan American BJJ Championships (no-gi) | ||
2008 Pan American BJJ Championships (no-gi, absolute) | ||
2009 Pan American Judo Masters Championships | ||
2009 Pan American BJJ Championships (no-gi, absolute) | ||
2012 Western BJJ Championships | ||
2007 Warrior Challenge MMA Tournament | ||
2009 Fight Club #4 | ||
2012 Wrestling Under The Lights | ||
References
- ↑ "News 12 Interview".
- ↑ "US Hall of Fame".
- ↑ "Local Judo athletes compete in Empire State Games". Massapequa Post. January 9, 2008. Retrieved March 20, 2010.
- ↑ "World Masters Judo Association (Atlanta) – JudoForum.com – Page 4.33333333333". JudoForum.com. Retrieved March 20, 2010.
- ↑ "2006 USA Masters". Judophotos.com. Archived from the original on October 15, 2009. Retrieved March 20, 2010.
- ↑ "2009 USA Judo Senior National Championships | U.S. Olympic Events | USA Judo". Judo.teamusa.org. Retrieved March 20, 2010.
- ↑ "Nationally Ranked". Nationally Ranked. Retrieved March 20, 2010.
- ↑ "Usa Judo". Usjudo.org. March 9, 2010. Retrieved March 20, 2010.
- ↑ "Masters National Rankings | USA Judo". Judo.teamusa.org. Retrieved March 20, 2010.
- ↑ CombatJudo (March 8, 2011). "Martial Arts Masters From Around ths U.S. Meet in AZ (Judo, BJJ, Muay". JudoForum.com. Retrieved March 14, 2011.
- ↑ "Mark Staniszewski Promoted to BJJ Black Belt". JudoForum.com. Retrieved March 14, 2011.
- ↑ "Judo and BJJ". JudoForum.com. October 11, 2008. Retrieved March 20, 2010.
- ↑ "NAGA World Championships". JudoForum.com. April 13, 2009. Retrieved March 20, 2010.
- ↑ "NAGA World Championships". JudoForum.com. April 13, 2009. Retrieved March 20, 2010.
- ↑ "NAGC Championships". JudoForum.com. November 11, 2008. Retrieved March 20, 2010.
- ↑ "Mark Staniszewski at NAGA, November 8, 2008". YouTube. November 9, 2008. Retrieved March 20, 2010.
- ↑ "Combat Judo & BJJ – JudoForum.com – Page 2". JudoForum.com. Retrieved March 20, 2010.
- ↑ "Feature Story NYMA Magazine". JudoForum.com. February 9, 2009. Retrieved March 20, 2010.
- ↑ "Long Island Instructor Makes History". Monkeygripworld.com. Retrieved March 20, 2010.
- ↑ CombatJudo (January 4, 2010). "Mark Staniszewski (LIMA Academy/Combat Judo)". JudoForum.com. Retrieved March 20, 2010.
- ↑ "Mark "Stan-The-Man" Staniszewski". JudoForum.com. November 23, 2009. Retrieved March 20, 2010.
- ↑ "Mark Staniszewski (Pan American Champion)". JudoForum.com. Retrieved March 20, 2010.
- ↑ "Garden City’s Staniszewski Captures Bronze at Judo Championships". Antonnews.com. September 11, 2009. Retrieved March 20, 2010.
- ↑ CombatJudo . "Combat University". JudoForum.com. Retrieved March 20, 2010.
- ↑ "Long Island News – Fight Club IV Comes to Uniondale | Long Island Press Releases". Longislandexchange.com. Retrieved March 20, 2010.
- ↑ 28 juli 2009 (November 8, 2008). "NYFC4 Mark Staniszewski vs Steve Quinn [Bout 14]". YouTube. Retrieved March 20, 2010.
- ↑ "Judo and MMA". JudoForum.com. July 24, 2009. Retrieved March 20, 2010.