Glen Sweeney had operated a Tae Kwon Do School in Corvallis Oregon since the 1970s. In 1998 he was traveling to the Los Angeles area on a regular basis and he started taking Brazilian Jiu Jitsu lessons from Royce Gracie at the Gracie Academy in Torrance. After Tae Kwon Do lessons Glen started teaching some of his TKD Black Belt students the BJJ techniques that he had learned. Mike Downing started his training in Brazilian Jujitsu in 1998.
Glen started calling the program “the Oregon Pound” in late 1998 and began having separate classes for Tae Kwon Do and Jiu Jitsu. Glen retired from teaching and turned the program over to Mike Downing in 2003.
Oregon Pound was originally affiliated with the Gracie Academy. Since 2001 we have been an affiliate of the Pedro Sauer Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Association. Oregon Pound also has a long association with Rylan Lizares and we affiliated with his Gracie Technics organization in 2008.
Mike Downing used a number of highly skilled Jiu Jitsu players over the years as head instructors and assistant instructors. Professor Downing was promoted to Black Belt in 2014 by Pedro Sauer. Former instructors at the Oregon Pound include Rylan Lizares, Jeff Rockwell, James Wohlmacher, Josh Figeroa, Nick Haloski, and Jonn Nishiguchi.
KHJi Karate is a self defense based fighting system derived from Kokondo Karate. Shihan Colburn developed KHJi after decades of training in a number of Japanese martial arts. We teach this system using traditional methods including katas and sparring. The class focuses on practical application of techniques.
In 2018 Professor Downing and his wife relocated to Farmington, NM as he loved the people, area, and climate. He opened up this BJJ training facility in Aztec, New Mexico.. His passion to teach and train in the martial arts continues to this day. Professor Downing brings a wealth of experience in many styles of martial arts from stand up to grappling. Mike served 6 years in the National Guard and worked in law enforcement for 25 years, retiring in 2008.
