Grand Valley
Karate Academy

Renshi-Go Michael Fiorello is the chief instructor at Grand Valley Karate Academy. He started Isshinryu Karate January 3^rd 1983 at The Karate School of Isshinryu in Downtown Willoughby, Ohio under Senseis Cecil Moran, William Hayes, and Thomas Koons. In 1985 Michael became a member of Master Kichiro Shimabuku’s Isshinryu World Karate Association. In the fall of 1985 Michael went to college in Kansas, where he continued practicing Isshinryu in between his studies. After graduating from college he returned to the dojo to continue his training and was promoted to Sho-Dan in 1989. In 1991 he was promoted to Ni-Dan and became a co-owner of the dojo under its new name K&M Martial Arts. It was at this time that Michael got interested in the competition side of the martial arts. This led him to full contact kickboxing, then tournament point sparring, weapons and kata competition. In 1994 he was promoted to San-Dan and received his intructor’s certificate from Master Shimabuku. In 1998 he was promoted to the rank of Yon-Dan. In 1999 Michael moved to Rome, Ohio, and left the K&M dojo and founded the Grand Valley Karate Academy in 2001. He taught private lessons at his home to select students until 2003 when he found a permanent location for the dojo in Orwell, Ohio. In 2004 Master Shimabuku awarded Michael the title of Renshi-Go and the rank of Go-Dan. In 2005 Michael co-founded with long time friend Renshi-Go Heidi Gauntner “The Isshinryu World Karate Association Title Tournament Circuit”. In March of 2006 Michael joined Hanshi William Duessel’s W.H.D. affiliation and currently trains with Hanshi and his Black belts when time permits. All of Michael’s Dan ranks, titles and certifications come from Master Kichiro Shimabuku; Okinawa, Japan.

Over the years Michael has won over 200 awards, championship belts and trophies throughout the East and Midwest, all at the Black Belt level. This led Michael in conducting kumite seminars, which he still does to this day. Some of the awards Michael has won are:

Two-time 6 month Cleveland City Champion Cleveland City Kumite Grand Champion 1995 Karate and Kickboxing Hall of Fame Champion 1997 Karate and Kickboxing Hall of Fame Champion King Cobra Karate Championships Kumite Champion Pennsylvania Championships Kumite Champion P.K.R.A. State Kumite & Weapons Champion I.W.K.A. World Championships Kumite & Weapons Champion

Michael owes his success in the Martial Arts not only to his three instructors, who are now retired from teaching, but to the following people he has trained with on a routine basis or through clinics and seminars :

Sensei John Lennox (Isshinryu / Tonfa) Sifu Dwayne Harrell (Full-Contact Kumite) Hanshi William Duessel (Isshinryu) Master Chuck Wallace (Isshinryu) Master Kichiro Shimabuku (Isshinryu) Dr. John LaTourette  “The Speed Man” (Speed Development)

Michael DePasquale, Sr. (Jujutsu) Michael DePasquale, Jr. (Jujutsu) Danny Lane (Kumite) Bill “Superfoot” Wallace (Kumite) Joe Hess (Kumite) Prof. Wally Jay (Small-Circle Jujutsu)