My Martial Arts Story | Master Rafael Cordeiro

Rafael Cordeiro’s Martial Arts Journey

Rafael Cordeiro looks back on a life shaped by martial arts, from the day he first chose to train to the community he later built in California.

At 11 years old, he saw his neighbor, Daniel Lee—a prominent Taekwondo coach in Brazil—practicing martial arts. Cordeiro knocked on his door and began training. He says that decision changed not only his own life but many others’. Over 41 years in martial arts, he developed as a fighter and coach, eventually helping build champions in Brazil and coaching Mike Tyson, whom he had watched on television as a boy.

Starting Over in the United States

After moving to the United States 18 years before the video, Cordeiro started again. He lived in a small, two-room apartment and taught at different gyms while trying to establish himself.

A couple who took private lessons with him helped make his own gym possible. After one class, Tina encouraged him to open a place and offered support. Cordeiro credits the couple with helping him build his first gym, which later expanded into King’s MMA in Huntington Beach, California.

A Gym Built on Community

Cordeiro describes the gym as more than a training facility: it is a home and a family for students who come from around the world. He traces its culture to the community he knew at Shooto Box in Brazil, where people fought not only for their own dreams but also for their teammates’ dreams.

He emphasizes loyalty, sincerity, respect, and showing love through actions. He is proud to see students build families at the gym and to see his daughter share her passion for teaching martial arts.

Coaching with Responsibility

Cordeiro believes beginners should be welcomed and taught patiently—not bullied or made to feel stupid for not knowing a movement. He says he learns from his students, including white belts, by paying attention to how they move and coordinate.

For him, a coach’s or master’s responsibility does not end when class is over. He believes his conduct outside the gym must reflect the trust people place in him.

Advice for Newcomers

Cordeiro encourages newcomers to find a gym where they feel treated like family and can learn in a supportive atmosphere. He says martial arts can build self-confidence and help people understand themselves.

In life, everyone is still a white belt—always learning.

Presenter/source: Rafael Cordeiro