Tag Archives: Wrestling

Jul32015

Posted in F4YL Cast

Eric Lawson

Eric “Lawless” Lawson is no stranger to fighting.  Having wrestled in high school, Eric was introduced to mixed martial arts by friend, UFC legend and Fight 4 Your Life supporter Urijah Faber, who he had met while attending UC Davis.  He quickly took to the sport.

Due to his successful career as a mixed martial artist, Eric knows what it’s like to step into the ring, or, in the MMA world, the cage.  His time as a professional fighter for MMA promotions Strikeforce and Gladiator Challenge taught him the keys to being a victor, not only in sport, but in life, carrying over to his career as a mortgage consultant, which he has also experienced great success in.

Another fun fact about Eric is in his youth he was a bit of a wild child.  His endless energy carried over well into extreme sports.  At one point he was a full time BMX competitor.  Many races did he win on the tracks.  Long story short, through his “live life to the fullest” mentality Mr. Lawson has found the equation for being a champion.  Success is in his DNA….a prime trait he shares with Fight 4 Your Life character and villain Hanson Hansome Kelly.

Having had a couple small roles in fighting based feature films TKO and Never Surrender, Eric caught the acting bug during his time as a professional mixed martial artist.  In fact, he claims:

 

“I actually had always wanted to act since I was a kid.  It was just one of those things that I never got a real chance to try.”

 

When the phone rang with the offer to go out for a lead role in F4YL, Eric was quite surprised.  His excitement was only challenged by his work and life responsibilities.  But in the end, after being offered the role, he knew playing Hanson Kelly was just too good of an opportunity to pass up.  No matter his schedule, he was determined to make it work.

 

“I just decided you only get opportunities so many times in life….I knew I would regret it later if I passed this movie (Fight 4 Your Life) up.  It was too awesome!”  – Eric Lawson

 

Eric played perfectly as Fleet Blackwood’s rival.  Truly, we couldn’t have asked for a better man for the job.  Thank you for all your hard work!  Look out for Eric’s future projects.  You never know where this social chameleon will turn up!

And if you’re ever in need of a mortgage revamp, please be sure to contact Eric at Pacific Funding Group in Concord, CA, where he is a Senior Mortgage Consultant.  His direct number is 925.771.4211

 
 
– The one studios crew
 
 

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May92014

Posted in F4YL Cast

Eliot Kelly

Eliot Kelly is the head instructor at El Dorado Hills Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.  He started learning Brazilian Jiu Jitsu while he was teaching English and coaching wrestling in Japan.  During his stay in Japan, he was fortunate enough to live in a community where many Brazilians lived and quickly became involved with their culture and sports.  Although his training took place in Japan, he experienced complete immersion in Jiu-Jitsu training while surrounded by the Brazilian community.  Eliot explains,

 

“I wanted to learn Gracie Jiu-Jitsu because I heard of people doing it well into their 50’s and even 60’s.  I finally found something I could do that wasn’t just lifting weights, hitting a ball, or chasing a ball.” 

 

Eliot earned his brown belt in Japan from Michel and Marcio Miyashita, instructors under 5th degree black belt Master Barbosa.  After moving back to the United States from Japan he trained with Andre Glodzinski for almost 2 years until the closing of the first Sacramento gym.  Eliot is currently training with World Champion Professor Marcos Torregrosa.

 

“I wish to teach the Jiu-Jitsu technique and skills I know while emphasizing some of the fun and  unique cultural elements I have experienced in my training.  Please ask me about my experiences, I would love to share them with anyone!”  – Eliot Kelly

 

Prior to his experiences in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, Eliot was a Division 1 Wrestler at UC Davis under the legendary coaching of Lennie Zalesky and Mark Munoz.  At UCD he became a two time Pac-10 place winner, Open Freestyle State Champion and earned medals at many other College Open tournaments.  Eliot has wrestled and beaten some cream-of-the-crop wrestlers from BIG 10 and BIG 12 schools, including the University of Iowa, Iowa State, Northern Iowa University, Oklahoma State and Oregon State.  He also has experience working as a counselor at a few of the toughest, most renowned wrestling camps in the nation, including J Robinson’s Intensive Wrestling Camp, Camp of Champs Ironman Training Camp, The Eternal Warrior Wrestling Camp and West Coast Wrestling Camps.

Eliot graduated from UC Davis in 2007 with a double major in Japanese and East Asian Studies and a minor in Education.  His Japanese knowledge has come in handy during his journeys to Japan, where he has had a unique coaching experience.  He worked with the freestyle clubs in Shiga Prefecture alongside former Olympians and National Champions, and at Ritsumeikan University alongside a 2 time Olympian.

 

After returning from Japan, back to the Sacramento area, he arrived again at UC Davis to help the team as an Assistant Coach and to train in order to make the Freestyle national team, for which he competed in the Dave Schultz Memorial and Asics Nationals.  Unfortunately, in 2010 the UCD Wrestling team was cut from UCD Athletics.  But Eliot is looking to stay involved in wrestling as he continues to develop the Jiu-Jitsu program in El Dorado Hills.

It was through wrestling Eliot met his longtime friend, creator of Fight 4 Your Life, Bryan Bachar, with B being one of his teammates at UCD.  B says a few words about his friend,

 

“You can’t ask for a better person to know than El Dog.  He’s a genuinely good human being.  And it makes me a better person just to know him.  Like everyone in his life I’m sure, I’m very proud of the man he has become and continues to strive to be.”

 

Eliot has been a supporter of Mr. Bachar’s creative endeavors since college, having helped out regularly as an extra hand, or, more recently, having provided his dojo as a location for F4YL.  In fact, Eliot has a small role in the film as well!  Keep an eye out for him.

And please be sure to check out his business site for his Jui-Jitsu school El Dorado Hills Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.  What a great place!  You can find out more about Eliot and his business on:

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– The one studios crew