Grand Tuhon Leo T. Gaje Jr.

Grand Tuhon Leo T, Gaje, Jr. is the Supreme Grandmaster of the Pekiti-Tirsia Kali system by virtue as the sole inheritor from his maternal Grandfather, Grand Tuhon Conrado B. Tortal.

Originally from Bacolod City, Negros Occidental, Philippines, Grandmaster Gaje is Chairman of the Pekiti-Tirsia System Global Organization and presides over national Pekiti-Tirsia organizations in the Philippines, North America, and Europe.

Arriving in the United States in 1972 he pioneered the teaching of Kali on the east coast from his headquarters in New York City and introduced real full contact stickfighting across the United States producing both U.S. and Philippine national champions including the Grand Champion of the First (1st) National Arnis (Kali) Tournament held in the Philippines in 1979. As NARAPHIL Commissioner for North and South America and Europe he promoted the Filipino martial arts in these areas respectively and in other Far East Asian countries.

As National Training Director for the Justice System Training Association and the United States Police Defensive Tactics Training Association, Tuhon Gaje developed the SAFETY BATON SYSTEM and EDGED WEAPON AWARENESS/STRATEGIC KNIFE DEFENSE programs and introduced these and other tactical skills nationwide to federal, state and local law enforcement agencies. As testified by Dr. Kevin Parsons, leading law enforcement legal authority in the United States, the techniques of Leo Gaje have revolutionized the use of force. And “These tactical training programs are the most progressive, effective and advanced methods for the application of intermediate force, liability reduction and officer survival available to the law enforcement community today. In 1988, Tuhon Gaje was technical advisor and appeared in the internationally released Calibre Press video SURVIVING EDGED WEAPONS, critically acclaimed as the finest law enforcement training video ever made.

Beginning with his service in the Philippine Army in the 1950's, Grand Tuhon Gaje has developed military close quarters combat skills programs and trained special military forces from across the world. Additionally, he has trained presidential/head of state protective forces from the Philippines, Southeast Asia, North America, and Europe.

Featured on the covers of the leading martial arts magazines and a member of the Martial Arts Hall of Fame and Karate Hall of Fame, Tuhon Gaje continues to propagate Pekiti-Tirsia Kali and the Filipino martial arts worldwide through cultural, educational, full-contact sports competition and tactical training programs to military, law enforcement and security forces.

The Blademaster, Grand Tuhon Leo T. Gaje, presents the most advanced and complete systems of combat from weaponry to empty hands through the legendary art of Pekiti-Tirsia Kali.

 
K. Kearns, Maginoo Tim Waid, GT Gaje, and Guro Schultz