Sensei Mike Vasquez
Founder: Vasquez Modified Karate
Headmaster: Vasquez Modified Tapado

  • Undefeated Professional Heavyweight Karate Champion of the Philippines (1972)
  • Head Coach of the Philippine Team to the World Karate Goodwill Tournament (1974)
  • Filipino Arnis Master (Encruzada and Ricarte Styles)
  Sensei Mike Vasquez started martial arts training at the age of ten, when his uncle had him trained in the Filipino art of arnis de mano under two prominent instructors, namely Juan Lawan and Amador Chavez. When he was 12, he tried his hand on judo and jiu-jitsu. He also expanded his knowledge of ancient Oriental weaponry such as nunchaku, yawara, sai, the bo and the bullwhip. Karate, however, is nearest to Sensei Mike's heart.
 



Sensei Mike Vasquez (standing) together with Kancho
Hirokasu Kanazawa (sitting, lower portion) doing stretching exercises
during the latter's visit to the gym of Sensei Mike Vasquez
in the 1970's. Kancho Kanazawa accompanied the Japan Karate
Team for the World Goodwill Tournament held in
Bacolod City, Negros Occidental, Philippines.

Modified Art
After the return of his elder brother, Ceferino F. Vasquez Jr., from Japan where he also studied under Grandmaster Masatoshi Nakayama, he learned more from his brother. For additional instruction, Shihan Kunio Sasaki, the representative of Japan Karate Association came to Bacolod City, Negros Occ. In 1984, Sensei Mike Vasquez was intrigued by a new Filipino martial art called Tapado. After two years of private study from the founder of the art himself, Grandmaster Romeo "Nono" Mamar, he finally modified the art, which he now teaches. Sensei Mike Vasquez is the author of two books, Modified Karate (A New Concept of Advanced Karate) and Fundamentals of Tapado- Arnis Long Stick Art of Fighting , both of which had already been copyrighted under Philippine laws. He was also featured in several international martial arts magazine including Inside Karate.

 

 


Sensei Mike Vasquez, executing a yoko tobi geri
kikome (flying side thrust kick) with some of his students
Bacolod City during the mid 1960's.

Accomplishments
Sensei Mike Vasquez holds a degree of Bachelor of Science in Commerce from the University of St. La Salle, Bacolod City, where he once serve as Physical Education (P.E.) instructor. Likewise, he was also the P.E. instructor of La Consolacion College from 1966 to 1971. He , however, got his P.E. major from West Negros College, Bacolod City.

Sensei Mike Vasquez, among his many accomplishments, won as champion several karate tournament competitions as follows:

  • Second National Professional Karate Championship, 1972 (Heavyweight Division)
  • 1st Negros Invitational Karate Tournament, 1964
  • 2nd Western Visayas Karate Championship, 1965

Sensei Mike Vasquez other major accomplishments include his being one of the Top Five for the Philippine Team for the World Karate Tournament and as the Head Coach of the Philippine Team to the World Karate Goodwill Tournament, 1974
 
  Sensei Mike Vasquez (left) with one of the world's legendary karate fighters and masters (right), Hirokazu Kanazawa, during the latter's visit to the gym of Sensei Mike in Bacolod City, Neg. Occ., Philippines in the 1970's
 

 


Sensei Mike Vasquez together with some of his core instructors
under Vasquez Modified Martial Arts.
Standing from left to right:
Ferdinand "Bobot" Gayoles, Antonio Ivan "Tony" Aguirre,
Sensei Mike Vasquez, Jimmy Efenio, Henried Lamayo
and Rolando Hidalgo.
 


(written by Tony Aguirre)
Sensei Mike Vasquez is the Headmaster- Vasquez Modified Tapado, Founder- Vasquez Modified Karate and the undefeated Philippine Heavyweight Professional Karate champion. He was the first Filipino to modify Karate and bring to the world arena "Filipino Modified Tapado"- the Arnis Long Stick Fighting. His innovation has caught the attention of internationally renowned martial artists and they spent several months in the Philippines just to study this modified art from him. I am a student of Sensei Mike Vasquez (under Shotokan Karate) since 1971. As a youngster, he introduced me to a way of life where discipline, honor and respect are first and foremost. He embodied the spirit of the "bushido"- heart of a gentleman, mind of a scholar and courage of a Samurai warrior. He was brought up in the Japanese way of martial art spirit and was able to adopt and absorb other martial arts (as seen in Tapado) with the same passion and excellence. Sensei Mike Vasquez is one of the most cerebral martial artists I have encountered.