Mi-Ki-Do Team Claims Three Championship Titles At The First Ever IKF North American Amateur FCR Championships November 16, 2002
The Mi-Ki-Do Amateur Team Champions L to R: Adam Sylvia, Brent Hess, Jarett "JP" Perelmutter, Master Mike Hess

The Mi-Ki-Do Amateur Team, based in Alexandria, VA was invited to participate based on its outstanding showing at the 2002 USA IKF Kickboxing Amateur Championships held in Iowa. Three Mi-Ki-Do athletes competed in the men’s category, each taking home a North American Championship Title.

Lightweight Champion Kicking off the night was Brent Hess of Alexandria, VA (5'7", age 17) fighting Joseph Balkis of Robbins, IL (5'5", age 33). Brent was this year’s 2002 IKF USA National Junior Division Featherweight champion and held the same title in 2001. According to the IKF, “There was plenty of strong action, and most of it all from Hess as he took the title easily to become the first "Fighting" IKF North American Amateur Champion.”  Brent set a high mark for his teammates to follow. At age 17, he has secured the Lightweight Champion title in the men’s division. Brent is a senior at Lake Braddock H.S. and is also a member of the wrestling team.
Cruiserweight Champion In bout six, Adam Sylvia of Alexandria, VA (5'11", age 28) stepped into the ring to fight Adrian Turpin of Anderson, GA (6', age 34). Adam is a 2-time IKF USA National Amateur Champion. At the 2002 nationals he fought one of the most memorable and classic kickboxing wars we can remember against Tim Mazurkiewicz of Beloit, WI. In this match, the surprise came in round three when Turpin took two of the three judges' scores. And although he hung tough, Turpin just didn't have enough as Sylvia picked, jabbed, and sliced his way to the end, enabling him to take home the title with a unanimous decision.
Welterweight Champion The third bout of the night matched up Jarett "JP" Perelmutter of Ft. Lauderdale, FL, (5'6", age 27) against Neil Halmstad of Wrenshall, Minnesota (5'10", age 27). It was the height and reach of Halmstad against the strength of Perelmutter. Coming into the bout ranked number seven in the Super Lightweight division, JP had a strong desire to prove he should be ranked higher. Halmstad set the pace early winning the first two rounds, but in rounds three and four he seemed to play into JP’s inside fight game, which cost him dearly. JP took rounds three and four on all three judges' cards. This bout came down to who had what in the 5th round, and in the end JP took the round on all three judges' cards. That gave him the win by unanimous decision.
The Preliminary Matches Before the championship bouts, four women fighters put on a show for the crowd in two exhibition bouts. According to IKF, in the second exhibition bout Mi-Ki-Do Amateur Team member Nicole Hess of Alexandria, VA (5'3", age 15) “showed why she is the 2002 IKF USA National Junior Girls Flyweight Champion with a strong sparring session against Rachael Preacher” of Simpsonville, SC (age 18). When the ladies' smoke cleared the ring it was time for the men to take the stage and what a performance they gave. Nicole Hess is a sophmore at Lake Braddock H.S. and also a member of the JV Field Hockey team.
Master Mike Hess and Manager Maria Hess of Hess Fitness, Inc train the Mi-Ki-Do athletes.  Both Mike and Maria hold black belts; in fact, Mike holds black belts in six different martial arts systems.  They are known in the martial arts community for the many National and International trophies that Mike and their students have won; for establishing the Mi-Ki-Do Martial Arts system; for establishing and training the Mi-Ki-Do Amateur Team; for training others to attain black belts (e.g., Tony Fuller, 2002 USA Light Middleweight Kickboxing Champion); and for being able to train and encourage men, women, children, and the handicapped in the art of self defense.
To learn more about their work send them an email message or call (703) 922-5147. Back to Events