Mike Goodman began grappling as a high school wrestler and transitioned to mixed martial arts (MMA) in 2006 with a competitive team in Overland Park, Kansas. Steve’s system shared much in common with Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ) but differed by focusing more on techniques favorable for mixed martial arts rather than BJJ competitions. Mike competed mostly as an amateur MMA fighter with a record of 9-1
and ended after one professional fight 1-0. While Mike was competing, he cross trained in BJJ to broaden his technical knowledge, but it wasn’t until 2014 that he began Gracie Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu with TOSS Academy under his current instructor and academy founder, Professor Shawn Pretat. Mike met Shawn while serving in the U.S. Carson, Colorado. Shawn was the Division Modern Army Combatives Program (MACP) master level instructor, and was responsible for training soldiers, from basic to elite teams, in defensive and offensive fighting techniques, including room clearing operations and small cell extraction with SRT (Special Response Teams). Shawn expanded upon the training received in MACP with BJJ classes in the evening. Mike trained under Shawn in MACP and BJJ, where he eventually served as an assistant instructor in MACP. During this time Shawn greatly deepened Mike’s technical knowledge and sharpened his existing skills. Professor Pretat is currently a 1st degree black belt under Master Caique, a well-known and respected Red & Black Belt in Gracie Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, having earned his black belt from Helio Gracie himself and 8th degree red black belt from Rickson Gracie. Mike is currently a black belt, awarded by Master Caique and Professor Pretat, and runs a satellite school of TOSS Academy in Towanda, Kansas.
