On a Quest to be the Best!
GRANDMASTER JOHN PELLEGRINI
FOUNDER OF COMBAT HAPKIDO
• 10th Dan Combat Hapkido - World Martial Arts Alliance
9th Dan Hapkido – World Ki-Do Federation / Hanminjok Hapkido Association
• Founder / President “International Combat Hapkido Federation”
• 9th Dan TaeKwonDo - Founder “Independent TaeKwonDo Association”
• Founder / President of the “International Police Defensive Tactics Institute”
• Founder / President of the “Military Combatives Association”
• Founder / President of the “World Martial Arts Alliance”
HALL OF FAME INDUCTIONS
• 1988 USA Korean Karate Association “Instructor of the Year”
• 1995 World Martial Arts Hall of Fame “Diamond Life Achievement”
• 1996 - 1997 WHFSC Martial Arts Hall of Fame “Golden Life” - “Founder of the Year”
• 1996 Florida Martial Arts Hall of Fame “Pioneer”
• 1998 Martial Arts Masters, Pioneers & Legends Hall of Fame “Founder of the Year”
• 1998 – 2004 World Karate Union Hall of Fame “Outstanding Contribution to the Martial Arts”
• 1999 United Martial Arts Association Hall of Fame “Outstanding Contribution to the Martial Arts”
• 2000 United States Martial Arts Hall of Fame “Founder of the Year”
• 2001 Action Martial Arts Magazine Hall of Fame “Outstanding Contribution to the Martial Arts”
• 2003 United States Martial Artists Assoc. Hall of Fame “Golden Life Achievement”
• 2003 Masters Hall of Fame “Silver Life Achievement”
• 2003 Int. Assoc. of Martial Arts Hall of Fame “Outstanding Practitioner”
• 2004 Inducted in the “TaeKwonDo Times Magazine Hall of Fame for Hapkido”
• 2004 Black Belt Magazine Hall of Fame “Instructor of the Year”
• 2005 Budo Int. Magazine Hall of Fame “Legend Grandmaster”
• 2006 Aaron Banks’ World Professional M. A. Hall of Fame: “World Renowned Hapkido Grandmaster”
• 2007 Artes Marciales Magazine Hall of Fame “Martial Arts Pioneer”
• 2007 Cinturon Negro Magazine (Spain) International Hall of Fame “Distinguished Founder”
• 2008 Inducted “Hall da Fama Das Artes Marciais Brasileiras”
• 2014 TaeKwonDo Times Magazine Hall of Fame "U.S. Grandmaster of the Year"
2017 WHFSC Martial Arts Hall of Fame "Pioneer Award"
2019 "Who's Who in the Martial Arts Legends Award"
MAJOR MEDIA FEATURES
• March 1990 Cover feature “TaeKwonDo Times” Magazine
• 1991 Featured on “ESPY-TV: World of Martial Arts”
• 1992 “Who’s Who in the Martial Arts” – Karate International Magazine
• April 1994 Cover feature “TaeKwonDo Times” Magazine
• June 1995 Cover feature “Martial Arts Business” Magazine
• October 1996 Cover feature “TaeKwonDo & Korean Combat Arts” Magazine (UK)
• July 1997 Cover feature “TaeKwonDo Times” Magazine
• June 1999 Cover feature “Martial Arts Professional” Magazine
• October 1999 Article in the “Wall Street Journal”
• September 2000 Cover feature “Artes Marciales” Magazine (Latin America)
• June 2001 Cover feature “Martial Arts Business.com” Magazine
• September 2002 Cover feature “TaeKwonDo Times” Magazine
• June 2003 Cover feature “Black Belt” Magazine
• Featured in the 2003 Edition of “Who’s Who in the Martial Arts” Book.
• December 2004 Cover feature “Budo International” Magazine
• February 2005 Cover feature “Action Martial Arts” Magazine
• April 2005 Cover feature “Mundo Marcial” Magazine (Latin America)
• May 2005 Cover feature “Disciplinas” Magazine (Latin America)
• August 2006 Cover feature “Afghanistan Freedom Watch” Magazine
• January 2009 Cover feature “Black Belt” Magazine
• September 2009 Cover feature “Budo International” Magazine
• May 2012 Cover Feature TaeKwonDo Times Magazine
• July 2015 Cover feature “Budo International” Magazine
OTHER AWARDS, HONORS & ACCOMPLISHMENTS
• Conducted training tours for US & Allied Troops in Afghanistan (2006) & Iraq (2008)
• Authored “Combat Hapkido: The Art for the Modern Warrior” 2009 by Black Belt Magazine
• Authored “Combat Hapkido: Intelligent Self Defense” 2009 by Budo Intl. Magazine
• Member “Hapkido Examination & Deliberation Committee” World Ki-Do Federation
• International Board Member “Hanminjok Hapkido Association”
• Instructor Certifications in Jeet Kune Do and Aikido
2016 Awarded an Honorary Doctor of Philosophy Degree by the "Ordem Filosofica Mundial Vidya Ashram"
• Master Instructor Certification – “CaneMasters”
• Certified Instructor “Monadnock Expandable Baton”
• Member Board of Directors “International Disabled Self Defense Association”
• Member “International Law Enforcement Educators & Trainers Assoc.” (ILEETA)
• “Seminar Sensation” at the 1998 Chuck Norris' Martial Arts Expo.
• 2002 – 2003 – 2005 Faculty Instructor at “Karate College” - Radford University
Guest VIP Instructor at the Annual Jeff Speakman Kempo 5.0 World Championship
• Founding Member “World Black Belt”
• Honorary Fellow of the “National Law Enforcement Academy”
• 1980 & 1983 Editions of “Who’s Who in American Law Enforcement”
• 1982 Edition of “Who’s Who in Professional Security”
• Certified Firearm Instructor (NRA) - Certified Fitness Instructor (FAU)
• 1996 Awarded Commission in the “Honorable Order of Kentucky Colonels”
• 2001 Appointed “Special Deputy Sheriff” – Buncombe County, NC
• 2009 Appointed “Reserve Police Officer” – Argentine Township, MI
• Awards & Commendations: Royal New Zealand Police College - Rome (Italy) Municipal Police - US Air Force - NYC Police Dept. -
Federal Air Marshall Service - NATO Forces Europe - US Army 10th Mountain Division - Costa Rica Police SWAT Team -
Colombia Air Force Anti-Terrorist Unit - US Office of Naval Intelligence - German Air Force & many other Police Depts. & Military Units around the World.