The Issue with Bret Gordon

No adult should ever threaten a child or use someone’s child against them online. However, Bret Gordon did this very thing to a 13 year old girl, the daughter of someone I know. Anyone who knows me, even those who hate me, will tell you one thing….. I don’t suffer grief from anyone in any form. Back in 2020  Gordon who at the time was claiming to be a 5th degree black belt in judo tried to defame and slander me in an online article. Long story short Gordon's article was debunked by the very people that Gordon himself tried to get after me, a blogger by the name of Greysmith.

Gordon hates my guts quite literally because I am an authority in my field and a legitimate black belt in judo and he isn’t. I have a verifiable background in judo and Gordon doesn't. Gordon has no affiliations or connections to any legitimate Kodokan recognized judo organizations or even the Kodokan. What he does have is a lot of hate for me or anyone affiliated with me apparently…. and this incident proves it. 

It seems Gordon and a colleague of his threatened the 13-year-old daughter of one of my long-distance students to harass him. Gordon had dropped the little girl’s name online less than 24 hours after Randy received a death threat toward his daughter over the phone. It seems both Gordon and the caller knew Randy's daughter's name and where she was that particular weekend. According to Randy, he reported it to the Ohatchee police and filed a complaint. 

The Ohatchee police, took the threats extremely seriously but had to verify that this wasn't a false report. The officer contacted Gordon by phone. During the call with the Ohatchee Police, Gordon incriminated himself along with others involved with making the threats. Gordon went so far as to try and justify threatening the little girl to the police by telling the police that Randy was Graysmith, the blogger I mentioned earlier in this article. The Police were able to determine that Randy was NOT Graysmith and that Gordon was indeed involved or behind the threat or at the least he knew who did it and why. Gordon had dropped the little girl’s name online the day after Randy received the death threat toward his daughter. According to Randy, the police have also supposedly identified the other party (person) involved.

SIDE NOTE: Gordon has accused me being Graysmith back in 2020, Gordon was mad that I was able to verify my back ground to anyone who asked. Gordon then wrote another article online and demanded that I show him a picture of my arms. Apparently Graysmith has a arm tattoo(s). I don't have any arm tattoos.  https://combatjudo.blogspot.com/2023/07/the-shit-that-spews-from-bret-gordons.html

Gordon was advised by the Ohatchee Police that making terroristic threats against a minor is a felony in the state of Alabama. The investigators came to the conclusion that the real reason Gordon had targeted Randy and his daughter was because Gordon holds a grudge against me. Police advised Gordon if Randy received any more calls, or threats from anyone, they would hold Gordon personally responsible and he would face more charges. The threats and harassing calls then stopped. 

THE COMPLAINT BECOMES A CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION

Three months later, in May, Randy started receiving more threatening calls and harassment via social media, Gordon was once again contacted by the Ohatchee Police and Gordon again incriminated himself during the officer’s interview by actually naming the person helping him. Gordon also told the police that he had told “his people” (apparently pussy ass cowardly fucks have side kicks) to leave Randy alone.

According to Randy, Gordon was informed by the investigators of the Ohatchee Police Department that he is under an open criminal investigation and likely facing multiple felony charges. After Gordon’s phone call with the police the social media accounts that some of the threats emanated from started disappearing, taken down by its users, Gordon or the person(s) helping him. Needless to say Randy is pursuing this and wants them punished to the full extent of the law for targeting his daughter, as well as he should. He has also obtained help from attorneys.

If anyone has questions or ANY information regarding this matter please feel free to contact the Ohatcheee Police Department, 7801 Al-77, Ohatchee, AL 36271  Phone: (256) 892-3156 https://www.facebook.com/OhatcheePolice

HERE YA GO BRET A CHANCE TO ACTUALLY BE LEGIT!

Regardless of Gordon’s current problems with the Ohatchee Police, Gordon is obviously targeting me behind my back by targeting the daughter of one of my long-distance students that lives in another state. This little girl's life was threatened and her name used online just to get at me! Gordon is only 40 minutes away from me! Seriously, how cowardly can someone be? I am not gonna let this thing slide. 

Gordon’s fat cowardly ass can come to me and get on the mat and fucking randori then. Again, this is not a threat! I don’t plan on hurting or injuring Gordon or anyone. I do intend to embarrass Gordon on the mats.....in randori. Gordon isn’t a real judoka and he knows it. I expect he will pass on the following opportunity to actually earn a legitimate rank in judo. Gordon, claims to be a judoka teaching “Kuntei Judo". I’m gonna give Gordon a chance to not only get face to face with me, if he is actually man enough, but also a chance to actually get promoted solely based on his performance in judo randori.... if he can beat me.

"JUDO THE WAY KANO INTENDED"

SHIAI is the testing of oneself. The time when a student must put his skills to actual use in contest or randori.

RANDORI means free sparring it is practiced under conditions of actual contest/competition/shiai.

BATSUGEN is a special contest/shiai, where one is awarded an instant promotion for defeating opponents of equal or greater rank in competition, by Ippon (perfect score).

Gordon shouldn’t have a problem at all with a special Batsugen shiai/randori session with me. Yeah, like the founder of Judo, Jigoro Kano, did it back in the day. If Gordon can beat me in randori, I will instantly promote him to his next rank. Since Gordon seems to put stock in the certificates that are currently adorn his dojo walls that actually aren't worth a fuck, I will give him a legitimate one signed by me… suitable for framing of course.

Gordon is less than an hour away and can easily come to me, sign a fucking waiver, get on the fucking mat and randori. Everything will be videoed so none of it can get Gordon in any kind of trouble with the law….unlike the hot water that running his meat sucker has gotten him into with the Ohatachee, Alabama Police department. 

I don't have any intention to harm or hurt anyone. Gordon is just being asked to do what all Judoka do....Randori. Gordon does claim to randori, though I highly doubt that he really does. I highly doubt Gordon will show up, he isn't man enough and certainly isn't any kind of a judoka. Gordon knows getting on the mat with me would expose that he isn’t a legitimate judoka of ANY LEVEL not even that of a white belt.

UNVERFIABLE INSTRUCTORS EQUATE TO SUBSTANDARD JUDO SKILLS

I am addressing two articles that were written by Bret Gordon and Steven Hatfield, "The Myth of the National Governing Bodies" and "Fantasy, Narcissism and lack of honor in the NGBs". I want to point out that both Gordon and Hatfield spread only disinformation when it comes to the inner workings of judo and how organizational and Kodokan ranking procedures really work. These articles were an attempt to rewrite the actual procedures of the Judo ranking system and to cover up Gordon's and Hatfield's own judo claims and backgrounds are non existent and UNVERIFIABLE. 

A lot of effort and hard work is put into learning judo in legitimate judo organizations and the Kodokan recognized national Governing bodies for judo. Judo is regulated and those who claim judo ranks can easily be verified. Judo keeps a clear record via the Kodokan and all its international and National governing bodies. Because of this it is easy to vet who are legitimate judo instructors and who arent. 

Be warned it is buyer beware when dealing with judo instructors with unverifiable back grounds. You are not getting Kodokan Judo by any standards, you are getting garbage!

The cold hard facts are that Neither Gordon or Hatfield are certified teachers, coaches or certified or endorsed instructors from any Kodokan regulated organization. The judo ranks both Gordon and Hatfield claim are not the result of actual Kodokan judo training of any kind.  They're self proclaimed judo instructors who literally garnered their ranks overnight, fabricated them and then bought rank from a non recognized organization, the USA TKJ. Only pussies buy a rank in this manner instead of earning it the right way.  

The article pictured above was written by Bret Gordon. He claims the NGBs are all about sport and nothing else. Gordon is purposely misleading because there are things he just doesn't want his students to know. First off the three NGBs (USA judo, USJA, USJF) that Gordon speaks of follow standards that were set by the Kodokan. These three NGBs in the US are the only ones the Kodokan recognizes. The Kodokan does not recognize USA Traditional Kodokan Judo (USA TKJ). The USA TKJ is not affiliated in any way to the Kodokan in Japan. 

Statement from Bruce Bethers, President of USA TKJ circled in red.

For any American Judoka the only path to the Kodokan is thru the NGBs then to the US Kodokan Committee then to the Kodokan in japan. THIS IS THE ONLY PATH! The Kodokan vets American judoka through the NGBs (USJA, USJF USA Judo) only. There is no skirting the NGBs in any country. The NGBs are who the Kodokan uses to vet all foreign Judoka around the world who want their ranks registered through the Kodokan.

The three NGBs themselves are represented by a US based Kodokan Committee. Anyone who has earned a shodan in the NGBs can submit their rank to the US Kodokan committee, if they qualify it will get passed on to the Kodokan in Japan. The Kodokan in japan will vet the application and check on all verified experience. If, involvement in the sport of judo is minimal you will not be granted a rank from the Kodokan. If a higher rank like a sandan wants that rank recognized and has not applied for rank recognition from the Kodokan before. The applicant will not be recognized at sandan, he will be recognized at shodan provided he has the commensurate amount of tournament experience. His time in grade will start on the day his shodan was recognized by the Kodokan. Basically starting over to earn his higher ranks. 

Secondly, what Gordon doesn't say is that the NGBs do cater to non competitive judoka. The NGBs have different sets of standards for judoka involved with the sport and those who aren't. There are four classifications. These four classifications range from the very competitive judoka, lessor competitive judoka to the Non competitive judoka. The competitive judoka make up only a small percentage of judo practitioners. There are not enough competitive judoka to sustain a NGB let alone the three NGBs in the US. Most of the people in the NGBs are non competitive judoka. The bigger numbers of non Competitive Judoka are who really sustain the NGBs. The NGBs recognize that not everyone has a desire to compete. Those who are more involved with Judo like sport judoka will garner ranks about 30 to 40 percent faster than those who don't compete.

Gordon goes on to state in his article that the NGBs aren't the real authority or influence on governing anything related to the traditional arts (judo). This is an out and out lie, the NGBs are the authority, no question. The Kodokan is the birthplace of Judo.  Judo is regulated and it is structured in a very specific way. The structure was indeed established and set forth by the Kodokan through its National Governing bodies all over the world. Because of this structure there is a distinct difference between verifiable judo rank which is capable of being proven true or real and a fabricated or unverifiable rank that is not objective and can't be proven.

I don't expect Gordon to speak knowledgeably about the workings of the NGBs he has never been involved in judo outside his own imagination. Gordon is being purposely misleading about what the NGBs true functions are. Gordon doesn't want his students to know that the NGBs true purpose reflects that of the Kodokan's. 

Fabricating ranks or buying them from non qualified organizations or sources is NOT a practice that the Kodokan or the NGBs engage in and seriously look down on. Gordon's and Hatfield's issues are really about the standards the Kodokan and its international Governing bodies ALL have. Neither Gordon or Hatfield meet those standards and requirements.  

UNVERFIABLE INSTRUCTORS EQUATE TO SUBSTANDARD JUDO SKILLS

What one gets from an unverifiable instructors is very sub standard at best..... meaning black belts who can easily be beaten by even a legitimate white belt. What Gordon tries to teach in the way of judo is very very substandard in comparison to the NGBs and the Kodokan. For the non competitive judoka or the judoka who does very little in the sport to achieve green belt level would typically be three years. To give an idea about how substandard Gordon is he promotes students to green belt in less than a year. it would take more than a year for a competitive judoka to reach that rank. Neither Gordon or his instructor have exemplary skills by any stretch of the imagination and sadly pass their non existent to substandard skills to their students. Their so called judo class/program is a literal joke. 

Gordon's method of fast tracking students thru judo ranks is disastrous for the student. It is generally the students of these types of instructors who pay the price. The instructors themselves would not dare step on the mat with legitimate judoka. They know what the poor skills that they are passing on aren't good or effective. This why Gordon will never step foot on the mat with someone like me. His piss poor skills would be no match, he would lose and lose badly.  

Some of Gordon's former students, believing they were the ranks Gordon had promoted them to, visited other judo schools. The poor level of training they received from Gordon became quickly apparent and they were embarrassed in front of everyone. The white belts with less than six months training were beating Gordon's green and brown belt students it spoke volumes of Gordon's lack of  judo skills. 

With that being said I want to stress this was one hundred percent Gordon's fault NOT his former students. Gordon is not a judo instructor, he teaches garbage. He has never been a judoka. He convinced his students that they didn't need years of training but only months and they would be ranked judoka. It was unfortunate that they found out the hard way that they were taught garbage that wouldn't work nor was it even remotely effective.

 Like Gordon's article, Hatfield attempts to put out false and misleading information (pictured above) to hide that the fact he is not even remotely qualified to teach or coach Judo. Hatfield sports a red white belt in judo, laughingly he isn't even old enough to have such a rank in judo. To say it is inflated is an under statement. He claims he started training in judo roughly in 2012. To obtain a 5th - 6th degree black belt in judo would require 35 plus years of judo training and experience. Hatfield's whole article gears around what he calls the uselessness of certifications and that they aren't really needed.   

Despite what Hatfield tries to say in his article, certifications show a specialty that goes beyond just an individual achieving a black belt rank in judo. Earning a Black belt rank isn't any indication of ones teaching or coaching ability. The NGBs, the Kodokan, even the founder Jigoro Kano all recognized this. Kano himself wanted qualified teachers and instructors. Simply getting your black belt in judo wasnt enough even back in Kano's era. This is why there are teaching/coaching programs and certifications today within the NGBs as well as educational programs within the Kodokan itself.  

Coaching certifications and accreditations are specific in that it shows an area of a judoka's expertise....TEACHING AND COACHING. It indicates that not only can the instructor do judo himself but he is a credential instructor and coach in other words, he is a professional. It cannot be stressed enough that coaching education doesn't stop with gaining a certification it is continuing education program. Personally I have coaching credentials and do continuing coaching education programs in three different legit Judo organizations as each hae their own coaching education programs. 

YOU ARE EITHER VERFIED OR YOU ARENT SHIT

The unverified uncredentialled instructor is substandard in comparison to the person who has specialized in judo by taking and garnering his certifications. Likewise when going to a school that is run by a instructor who is unverified....you are just getting a sub standard level of instruction. Substandard instruction can leave these types of schools and instructors wide open to civil litigation. Failure to provide adequate instruction is when a teacher instructor or coach has not adequately or properly instructed students in any or all phases of judo. It is the instructor's/ coaches duty and responsibility to adequately and properly instruct all students in correct technical and safety skills of judo. 

From a legal stand point it is never a good idea to lie about or exaggerate your expertise for several reasons. If you have to bull shit people it means you are hiding your lack of knowledge. It also means you aren't even confident in your own abilities if you have to make them out to be more than what they are. Judges see right through practices like a play on words. Those kinds of BS tactics certainly wont help you in legal proceedings. In court you will be required to prove every last one of your claims. Unverifiable claims will not be considered evidence. 1000 unverifiable claims doe not equate to a single truth or fact.

Hatfield's school ad on left - Kodokan member card on right

It is never a good idea to advertise or represent yourself as something as something that you are not. Hatfield has claimed to be a licensed and or endorsed with the Kodokan (pictured above on left). The truth is Hatfield doesn't hold a single rank through the NGBs. According to the Kodokan them selves he holds no rank with the Kodokan either. Hatfield's Kodokan judo rank and instructor claims were false. He isn't licensed nor is his school, his Kontei Judo or Sieken Judo Jiujitsu Association. Also if Hatfield's rank was recognized by the Kodokan the rank would be on his card. It clearly isn't (pictured above on right). 

According to an email from the Kodokan in Japan (pictured left), Hatfield isnt an instructor of any rank or of any licensed status with the Kodokan. ALL Hatfield did was buy a Kodokan member card. Anyone even non judoka can purchase a Kodokan member card. Kodokan member cards are easy to get.  Tourists can purchase them from a vending machine at the Kodokan with ever stepping on the mats to do judo. They can be purchased online without ever training in judo or physically stepping foot in the Kodokan. 

The Kodokan member card is not  proof of a license, rank or endorsement. The card's only function is as a gym card, you show it to get in. Trying to say its proof of endorsement or a license as Gordon and Hatfield implies is misrepresentative of the card's actual purpose. The way Gordon and Hatfield attempt to word things and imply on their websites and other public media is quite misleading. 

It is not a good idea from a legal standpoint to claim to be something that you are not. Neither Hatfield or Gordon should make things out to be more than what they really are but they do. They both have implied an affiliation with the Kodokan that isn't there. This quite literally leaves them open and vulnerable to litigation. It gives their students grounds to break any and all contracts they may have signed with Gordon or Hatfield schools immediately and even start litigation to regain the monies the students paid to them. Uncredentialled instructors can also be held liable for committing fraud. Claiming to be a judo instructor when you are not a verified judo instructor opens many doors for civil legal litigation. They can be held liable for any and all injuries that occur in their classes. 

Hatfield has no understanding of the certification process or even what it means and blatantly attempts to say in his article that standards, certification training and requirements that all legitimate judoka must meet means nothing. 

Being a credentialed, certified or accredited instructor is considered a professional and goes a long way in the eyes of the legal system. Attorneys do call instructors who are recognized by the NGBs into court proceedings for professional assessments, evaluations and testimony as they are noted credentialed experts. An instructor that is trained and certified through the NGBs could be called to testify against an instructor who isn't credentialed or certified. Example, I am an authority in my field, I am credentialed and certified in multiple legitimate Judo organizations. My testimony in court would hold more weight than that of Hatfield's or Gordon's. I would literally be there worst nightmare in a litigation. How important does being certified sound now?

The more educated you stay the better. It shows everyone that you are just not another instructor, it shows you are not an amateur or self proclaimed expert or self promoted instructor. Certifications from National recognized institutes and organizations shows that you are a capable professional Judo teacher, instructor and coach. Teaching judo cannot be taken lightly nor should it be, the more credentialed a judo instructor is, the more it helps protect the instructors themselves from legal litigation. If one isn't qualified to do CPR and offers assistance anyway and the subject dies as a result. Even if  their intentions were good, legally they would and could be held responsible for the death.  

Whether Gordon and Hatfield and others of their ilk like it or not,  Judo IS regulated, with the standards and requirements being set by the Kodokan. The three NGBs in the US are ALL comprised of professional teachers, instructors, coaches and athletes ALL who have met certain standards and criteria to be such.

Hatfield's skills are very substandard, a beginner level of white belt.  His poor level of skill and knowledge is evident in the videos he has on social media attempting to demonstrate judo techniques. He is clearly not a ranked judoka with any legitimate judo organization nor is he ranked with the Kodokan. He didn't go through the hard training or the effort that comes with judo and it shows. Calling  himself a 5th degree black belt master....now that's a joke. Like Gordon, he's a pretender and a candy ass. Hatfield cant and doesn't meet any standards in judo not even at a beginner rank. Hatfield calling himself a judo instructor is like someone trying to claim they're a attorney without having to go to law school and pass the bar. Lastly, only a pussy would buy a judo rank from a joke organization instead of actually training in it to earn it. 

PROTECTING YOURSELF FROM UNVERIFIED JUDO INSTRUCTORS 

I would like to point out to readers that unverifiable judo instructors or instructors who fast track you through judo ranks are practices not recognized and that these type practices are looked down upon by the Kodokan and its NGBs! There is no skirting the NGBs in any country. The NGBs are who the Kodokan uses to vet all foreign Judoka who want their ranks registered through the Kodokan. 

There is nothing wrong with a student or potential student independently verifying an instructor's information for themselves. Only those with stuff to hide will take it as an affront. If your instructor is claiming things like he is a Kodokan black belt and that he will get your rank registered with the Kodokan my advice is to CONTACT THE NGBs and THE KODOKAN DIRECTLY!  Website: http://www.kodokanjudoinstitute.org/  Email: int@kodokan.org