Matthews began his martial arts career in March of 1986 while stationed at Holloman Air Force Base in Alamogordo, New Mexico. His training started in the art of Zen Bujutsukan under Sensei Rob Wilson. He trained in both traditional and full contact karate. He achieved the rank of Orange Belt prior to Sensei Wilson’s relocation. In October of 1988 at Holloman AFB, he continued his instruction under Sensei Kevin Porter in Okinawa ‘Te American Ryu Karate, now known as American Kobudo Ryu Karate. He achieved the rank of Shodan (1st Degree Black Belt) in April of 1990. In May of 1990, Sensei Matthews took over Sensei Porter’s classes as instructor after Sensei Porter moved on. He received his Nidan (2nd Degree Black Belt) from then Master R.G. Bowling, the Founder of the American Kobudo Ryu Association, in September of 1991. He continued to teach at Holloman AFB until he received orders for Camp H.M. While stationed in Hawaii, he started classes at Hickam AFB. Due to his involvement in tournaments and the martial arts community, he was elected into the Hawaiian Karate Congress in January of 1993. He brought about changes and improvements in the way tournaments were run within the Congress. During a visit by Master Bowling and Chief Instructor Bill Brown, he was tested and promoted to Nidan (3rd Degree Black Belt) before his class. He continued his teachings in Hawaii until May of 1995 when he received orders for Offutt AFB in Nebraska. During his move to Nebraska, he took time to attend a conference of the American Kobudo Ryu Association in Las Vegas, Nevada where he was awarded, by Master Bowling, the award of Instructor of the Year for 1995. He immediately started classes at Offutt AFB in addition to training in Filipino American Martial Arts under G**o Dave Hendrick and trained under Instructors Mike McHale, Bob Ryan and John Cammarata who also trained him in Jeet Kune Do Concepts to 4th Intermediate Level. In August of 1996, Sensei Matthews was awarded Kata of the Year in American Kobudo Ryu. In addition that same year, he earned Yondan (4th Degree Black Belt) under Grandmaster Bowling. During his time in Nebraska, he taught karate in three schools and Martial Arts Aerobics in one school. He also organized a Kick-a-thon for Chuck Norris’ Kick Drugs Out of America Program. He continued his teachings and training until he received orders to work the Armed Forces Inaugural Committee in Washington, D.C., in June 2000 for the Presidential Inauguration. During that short tour there, he continued to teach military members and law enforcement officers during his free time and was also promoted to Godan (5th Degree Black Belt) and received the title of Master by Grandmaster Bowling. In March 2001, he departed for McGuire Air Force Base, New Jersey. While assigned to the 305th Operations Group, Special Operations, he taught individuals in Special Operations as well as a small class at a nearby church. He also taught a small class at the Community Center in Pemberton, New Jersey. On January 1, 2015 he was promoted to 8th Dan in American Kobudo Ryu Karate by Grandmaster Bowling. On November 11, 2016 he was promoted to Lakan Dalawa (2nd Degree Black Belt) in Filipino American Martial Arts by Grandmaster Bowling. He currently lives in Galloway, New Jersey and continues to teach privately and semi private lessons. In addition Kyoshi Matthews teaches a remote class in West Virginia by Video. He makes occasional visits to make corrections and give hands on training while his Senior Student Clint Utt teaches the classes from video's and training given to him by Kyoshi Matthews. His Senior Student is one of his students from when he taught while in Special Operations and convinced Kyoshi Matthews to teach this class by video. These students have excelled beyond what he imagined. Kyoshi Matthews is a retired veteran of the United States Air Force. In addition to his rank in American Kobudo Ryu Karate, 8th Dan, under Grandmaster Bowling, he also currently holds a 2nd Degree Black Belt (Instructor) in Filipino American Martial Arts (FAMA) also under Grandmaster Bowling and 4th Intermediate Level in Jeet Kune Do Concepts under Sifu Bob Ryan. Kyoshi Matthews received recognition from Action Martial Arts Magazine Black Belt Hall of Honors for the last 16 years. He has also been honored at the Kung Fu & Karate Expo 10 Masters of the Martial Arts Awards. He was also recently honored in the Legends of the Martial Arts Hall of Fame by Grandmasters Cynthia Rothrock and Eric Kovaleski in October 2016. Aside from Kyoshi Matthews recent promotions in Karate and Kali by Grandmaster Bowling he has been teaching in other states by video and project started by a recommendation of a student from when he was in the military.
