Richard M. Poage
Co-founder, Renshi 5th Dan
1985-2017
Sensei Richard M. Poage was the co-founder and lead instructor at Peaceful Warrior Martial Arts. He was a mentor, a friend and an inspiration to thousands.
Sensei Poage began training martial arts in 1989, at the young age of four, under the number two kickboxer in the world, Dino Holmesy. In 1992, he began training Okinawa Karate. During this time he also studied shoot boxing and grappling with UFC coach, Richard Hamilton, in addition to Brazilian Jui-Jitsu. At age 14, Richard was the youngest student to receive black belt from Taika Oyata in Ryukyu Kenpo. In 2001, he began his study of Shorin-Ryu Karate and traditional Japanese Jujitsu.
He has studied under Okinawan Grand Masters; Taika Oyata, Naonobu Ahagon, Shugoro Nakazato and Minoru Nakazato. He was a practitioner and teacher of Shorin-Ryu Shorinkan karate under his immediate Sensei, Kyoshi Eddie Bethea. Richard was promoted to Renshi, fifth degree black belt in 2015 in Shorin-Ryu Karate and held a third degree black belt in Kokusai Rengokai Kobudo. Richard also held varying degrees of black belts in Shuri-Ryu, Shorei-Ryu and Ryukyu Kempo.
He began competing in 1990 and completed in, and won, his final tournament in November 2017. He earned several Grand Championships in kumite, kobudo and kata and other divisions, and won more than 1,000 awards including National and World titles. He held #1 Instructor in Arizona five-years running. At age 25, Richard was appointed to the U.S. Team to fight at the Pan Am Games.
Richard traveled to Okinawa several times to train in the birthplace of karate so he could consistently improve his art and teaching skills. He began teaching karate full-time in 2002 and co-founded Peaceful Warrior Martial Arts with his partner, Tiffany, in 2010. In his career, Richard taught more than 10,000 classes. His Waza Wednesday videos and various teaching events throughout the country encouraged and inspired thousands of martial arts practitioners.
He is missed dearly. Sensei Poage was, and still is, loved by his students and friends and continues to motivate us all. His legacy lives on at Peaceful Warrior Martial Arts in Scottsdale, AZ and through his students who keep his vision alive.
Jeff Allred
Renshi 6th Dan
1956-2019
Renshi Jeff Allred studied the martial arts for more than 40 years. During that time, he achieved black belt ranks in several styles, but always found the greatest value in studying and preserving the traditional combat styles of Okinawa. Students would often hear him say, “Don’t let being who you are keep you from being who you are.”
Renshi Allred was an exceptional human being and advocate of our dojo and the art. He and Sensei Poage were inseparable for more than 15-years, traveling all over the US and to Okinawa for training camps. He would drive more than 20-miles up to three times each week to train and teach. He was an honorable example of the martial arts and served our community with the utmost integrity and respect.