By RAUL GARCIA JR | Close Combat Magazine
MERCEDES — The late Great Grandmaster Charles H. Gaylord learned the art of KAJUKENBO Karate from its founders in Hawaii in the 1950’s. The fighting style became known as the perfected martial arts for street fighting because of its blend of mixed martial arts consisting of Karate, Jujitsu, Kenpo and Boxing.
Gaylord learned the art under George “Paul” Seronio and earned the ninth degree black belt from Adriano Emperado.
Gaylord is known as one of the first men to teach KAJUKENBO in the main land United States after he moved to California in the 1960s. Since then, he has produced a family of black belts that stretches all across the United States and around the world.
On April 23, Saturday at 10 a.m. the Gaylord KAJUKENBO Karate schools of the Valley are hosting an open demonstration karate event at the Mercedes HEB Park to commemorate the school’s Great Grandmaster Charles H. Gaylord’s legacy, it’s past Grandmasters Jose Quiroz and John Valdivia of the Valley, and KAJUKENBO founders. The event will be led by Grandmaster Armando Saldana.
The Gaylord Method of KAJUKENBO was first introduced to Saldana in 1989. He would go on to become one of Gaylord’s pioneer students in Texas to earn a black belt under the KAJUKENBO Gaylord Method.
On April 21, 2007 the City of Mercedes honored Gaylord during his visit to Mercedes by proclaiming April 21, Great Grandmaster Charles H. Gaylord Day for his contributions to martial arts and helping develop and guide so many students in Mercedes and the Valley through his teachings. Gaylord passed away in 2009 at the age of 72.