Punong
Guro Bill "Tigas" Garness
History and Background
Punong Guro Bill Garness graduated from Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department after
618 hours of police training. Worked for LVMPD from 1988 to
1996 during that time he worked for the drug interdiction
team; a brief time in the gang unit but spent most of the time
in patrol. During his 8 years in law enforcement he continued
his training. In 1993 he became a defensive tactics instructor
and for 3 years he trained police officers in hand to hand
combat which consisted of hand strikes, kicks, control holds,
PR24 (Tonfa), handcuffing and lateral vascular neck restraints
(LVNR). In 1994 PG Bill achieved the status of Police Firearms
Instructor and taught firearms to hundreds of police officers
and several police academies.
PG
Bill has been training martial arts for over 24 years. He
started his training with Master Terry Houston in 1984 in the
Art of Ko Ta Kan and trained for several years. In 1993 he
trained under 8th degree Al Farnsworth in Kenpo Karate. In
1994 PG Bill trained in Aikido for a short while and in 1996 he
trained with Jon Gentile which was his introduction into the
Art of Jeet Kune Do and the Philippine Martial Arts. In 1999
PG Bill began his journey in the Art
of Chinese Boxing, Wing Chun, Kali/Eskrima and JKD concepts.
PG Bill became a certified instructor in 2003 and opened a
school called Chinese Kickboxing
International, U.S.A. PG Bill took first place at the 2004 World
Filipino Martial Arts Tournament held in Las Vegas, Nevada.
In 2005 PG Bill became a certified instructor in Jeet Kune Do by Professor Hargrave from the World Jeet Kune
Do Federation. PG Bill has trained with great legends such as: Bas Rutten, Benny "The Jet", Gokor, Pat Militech, Richard
Bustillo, Senior Master Roland Dantes, Master
Christopher "Topher" Ricketts, Grand Master Dionisio "Diony" Canete, Grand
Master Carlito Lanada, Tuhon Gaudiosa Ruby "The Queen of Filipino
Martial Arts", Master Ariel Moses, Punong Guro Myrlino Hufana and
Grand Master Estalilla just to name a few.
PG
Bill has conducted several joint seminars and has put on
several successful tournaments involving full contact fighting
with punches, kicks, grappling and the Eskrima. PG Bill and his
senior instructors separated themselves from CKI in 2006 and
started a new system called " Filipino Mixed Martial Arts,
Laban Sa Lahat"
which is free of egos and politics and they focus their
training towards MMA style of fighting with a Filipino
concept. PG Bill continues his advancement through
attending seminars and training with Professional Fighters,
Masters and Grand Masters in various Martial Arts.
On December 8, 2006 PG Bill was promoted to Black Belt 10th
degree under the United Stated Kali Association under Tuhon
Gaudiosa Ruby which gave him
the title of Punong Guro of Filipino Mixed Martial Arts System.
After his promotion Guro Erick gave PG Bill his Filipino name
of, "Tigas". On August 4th, 2007 PG Bill was
inducted into the United States Martial Arts Hall of Fame.
