Fort Worth Eagle, Veteran Wrestler wins double Gold in Greco and Freestyle at 2006 US National Wrestling Championships in Vegas!

Grappling has been a life-long interest of Brad Rehor and Rehor continues to compete while in his fifties. Brad is the son of Rolland “Beau” and Helen Rehor of Nevada, Iowa. Rehor who was just installed in the Nevada, Iowa High School Hall of Fame, started wrestling in middle school, and wrestled in high school, the Marines and college before getting out of the sport for two decades while raising a family.

But Rehor, who lives in Fort Worth, Texas, is back on the mat again competing in Judo, Wrestling, and Brazilian Jui Jitsui. Rehor who met Coach Allan Rodger, while attending the World Team Trials in 2001 crossed paths again after Justin Wren started working out at Team Lutter’s Brazilian Jui Jitsu Center. When Rehor found out that Wren, who is a multiple high school state and national Greco, Folk style and Freestyle Gold Medalist, Rehor asked Wren who is just 18 years old to train him for the upcoming 2006 US National Veterans Tourney in Las Vegas. Wren, who was coached by Olympic Gold Medalist’s, Kendall Cross and Kenny Monday, while attending Bishop Lynch in Dallas, was also coached and trained by Coach Allan Rodger of the Fort Worth Eagles. Coach Rodger gave Justin the basics and the advanced skills to compete at such a top level and was also the Team Texas head Coach and State Rep for USA Wrestling. Rehor in turn offered to teach Wren all he knew about Judo and Brazilian Jui Jitsu. But I think Rehor got the best end of the deal!

Rehor is the only American Brazilian Jui Jitsu Black Belt to win two World titles in his Division and the Open categories. Rehor and his family has been a Fort Worth resident since 1983 and reside in Saginaw, Texas. And he is excelling in the sport even after turning fifty plus. Brad Rehor, a Judo Shodan through USA Judo and a Machado Brazilian Jiu Jitsui Black Belt.

Rehor is also, the 2004 and 2006 US Judo National Masters Gold and Silver Medal winner at 220 Plus and the 2004 and 2006 US Judo National Masters Open Bronze and Gold Medal winner. Rehor’s Judo highlight at this year US Nationals was beating Teimoc-Ono Johnston, in the finals of this year Open Tourney. Teimoc is a past Olympic Team member and multiple World Silver and Bronze Medalist. Rehor has also won several Judo and BJJ Masters and Seniors Tournaments both Regionally, Nationally and Internationally. In Brazilian Jiu Jitsui Rehor is an 8 time Gold Medal winner in Senior Pan Americans, in the Super Heavy Weight Division and the Open Divisions. Brad also won the Open and Super Super Heavy Weight as a blue belt at the 2000 World Masters Brazilian Jiu Jitsui Tourney in Rio de Janeiro. Brad is a Nevada Iowa High School Wrestling Hall of Fame, an Iowa All State Wrestler, was on the US Marine Corps Greco Roman Wrestling Team, and an ECC All Conference Wrestler, for American University in Washington D.C.

Besides competing in Jui Jitsu Rehor is an D Level Judo coach through USA Judo, a Sensei, Competitor and Coach for the Ruben Martin Judo Team, and a Bronze Level Wrestling Coach for USA Wrestling. USA Judo is the governing body for the USA Judo Olympic Team and USA Wrestling is the governing body for the USA Wrestling Olympic Team. Rehor is on the Machado Brazilian Jiu Jitsui Competition Team and trains with UFC, Pride, and King of the Cage greats like Guy Mezger and Tra Telligman of the Lions Den, King of the Cage fighter Royce Gracie Black Belt, Buddy Clinton, and UFC fighter and Machado Black Belt, Travis Lutter of Travis Lutter Brazilian Jiu Jitsui.

Rehor says, “I have to credit my success at the Veterans Wrestling tourney to Justin Wren, Big Ben, Troy and of course Coach Z and Coach Rodger. But I also was lucky to grow up in Iowa. Going to Ames every moment I could as a kid I was able to watch Dan Gable, Ben and John Peterson and all the old Iowa State Wrestling Hero’s! And to meeting such great people like Travis Lutter, Ruben Martin, Carlos Machado. But he also credits much of his skills to his high school and college coaches and Judo Black Belt, Jimmy Takemori. So many wonderful people have touched helped along the way. I have learned that many times you do not appreciate what you had until it is gone. Now I am at it again.”

To train for his competition Rehor does two hours of wrestling, Jui Jitsu or Judo four to five days per week, weight training at the Powerhouse Gym in Saginaw, Texas three times per week, owned by Chuck and Nita Knowles, and bikes everyday. Of course Rehor tapers down to just one hour of training per day three to four weeks before a major competition and stops lifting two weeks before. Rehor trains Brazilian Jiu Jitsui with Travis Lutter of Travis Lutter Brazilian Jiu Jitsui, and Carlos Machado. Carlos is of the famous Gracie family and he and his five brothers are all International Champions in their sport. Carlos also appears on Walker Texas Rangers and works out with and trained Chuck Norris in Brazilian Jiu Jitsui. Brad trains with Ruben Martin an Olympic Judo Coach and works out with and helps train many of the competitors from the Judo Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs.

When not training, Rehor is running a manufacturing company that makes fittings, adapters, valves, and various other precision machined parts for Fortune 500 and Fortune 1000 companies. Or if he is not running the company he can be found training and teaching Brazilian Jiu Jitsui, Wrestling or Judo to his students. Rehor is married to Denise Gerlach Rehor and has three daughters, Amanda, Jessica and Katie and a stepson named Jason.

Rehor continues, “You don’t realize it at the time but so many wonderful people come into our lives and they leave footprints all over our hearts, minds and souls and may God bless them for caring and taking the time because we are never, ever the same. There are three things that are important to my life: my faith, my family and my freedom. What I learned both on and off the mat taught and helped me keep my mental and physical balance throughout my life. And I want to especially thank everyone one that has touched my life and for taking your time to be there when I was a rowdy teen. Now it is my turn to begin returning the favor!”

Rehor’s wife Denise Rehor, daughter of Willard and Louis Gerlach of Nevada, Iowa, is a second degree Black Belt in Tae Kwon Do and his daughter Kate is a Blue belt in Tae Kwon Do and a Green Belt in Judo. Katie just recently came in second in the Texas State Junior Olympics held in Fort Worth , Texas in July.

Rehor continues, “People wonder why at my age I still compete…especially my Mom. And I have to ask them have you ever seen a dolphin swimming in the waves, strong, leaping and playing and showing off to no one's delight but his own? He doesn’t realize how old he is. He is just one of God's creatures doing and enjoying what they have been placed on this earth to do, and that is what Grappling is like to Rehor just doing what I have been placed on this earth to do! I just hope I can continue this for another 50 years!”

MMA, Judo, Wrestling and BJJ Instructor

Brad Rehor

Rehor, who lives in Fort Worth, Texas, and at fifty plus, is still competing in Judo, Wrestling, and Brazilian Jui Jitsu. Brad is a Judo Shodan through USA Judo and a Machado Brazilian Jui Jitsu Black Belt.

Brazilian Jiu-jitsu
black belt under Carlos Machado

· 4 time Black Belt Gold medalist for both the Super Heavy and Open divisions at the 2004 and 2005 International Masters & Seniors in Brazil

· 8 time Gold medalist in the Pan American Senior Super Heavy Weight Division and Open Divisions

· Blue Belt Gold medalist for the Open and Super Heavy Weight Champion at the 2000 World Masters Brazilian Jiu-jitsu Tourney in Rio de Janeiro

· Winner of many International, National and Regional Competitions

· Trains with Pride, UFC and King of the Cage Greats like Travis Lutter, Travis Lutter Brazilian Jiu Jitsui, Guy Mezger of the Lions Den, Buddy Clinton of Royce Gracie Jiu Jitsui

Judo
Shodan (black belt) under Ruben Martin

· Gold Medalist 2006 US Judo National Masters Open Division

· Silver Medalist 2006 US Judo National Master Super Heavy Division

· Gold Medalist 2004 US Judo National Masters Super Heavy Champion

· Bronze Medalist 2004 US Judo National Masters Open Division

· Winner of many International, National and Regional Competitions

· D Level Judo coach through USA Judo

· Sensei and Coach for the Ruben Martin Judo Team

· Masters and Senior Player for Ruben Martin Competition Team

Wrestling

· 2006 Greco-Roman & Freestyle Gold Medalist at USA Wrestling Nationals

· Bronze Level Wrestling Coach for USA Wrestling

· Iowa High School Wrestling Hall of Fame inductee

· Iowa All State Wrestler

· Former member of the US Marine Corps Greco Roman Wrestling Team

· 2 Time ECC All Conference Wrestler

· Competed in 1976 Olympic Team Trials

MMA

· Coaches and trains with Machado Black Belt, Travis Lutter UFC Fighter, Lions Den Fighters, Guy Mezger and Tra Telligman UFC and Pride Fighters, Royce Gracie Black Belt, Buddy Clinton King of Cage Fighter