Greg Nelson has his roots in athletic training and competition. Nelson is a former University of Minnesota Wrestling Team member and an All-American high school gymnast. Since starting his martial arts training in 1983, Mr. Nelson has earned Full Instructor Credentials in Jun Fan Martial Arts/Jeet Kune Do Concepts, the Filipino Martial Arts, and a Level III Instructor in Maphilindo Silat under Guru Dan Inosanto. Mr. Nelson is also a Full Instructor in Muay Thai under Ajarn Chai Sirisute of the Thai Boxing Association of the USA. A grappler at heart, Nelson earned the level of Advanced Student in Shoot Wrestling under Sensei Yurinaga Nakamura, and a certified Full Instructor in Combat Submission Wrestling under Erik Paulson. In 2002 Greg was awarded his Black Belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu under professor Pedro Sauer, and is currently a 2nd degree black belt. Greg has taught tactical training to numerous Federal and local law enforcement agencies and military units, including the FBI, the US Army National Guard, and the Federal Air Marshalls. In addition, Greg is a husband and father of two young children. Greg is also a 2 time cancer survivor after beating first non-nodgkins lymphoma and secondly beating a rare form of nerve cancer called neurolymphomatosis.

On a competitive level, Nelson has put his skills to the test. After graduating from college in 1989, Nelson started competing again in 1993. Nelson fought Muay Thai in the US and in Canada, Amateur Shoot Wrestling(MMA), won a Gold Medal in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu in the 1999 Pan-Ams, a Silver Medal in thee 2000 Pan-Ams, and most recently three golds in 2001 Grappling Games in LA.

Nelson is known as one of the top cornermen /coach to numerous MMA fighters. As a coach, Nelson has developed numerous world champions in MMA & Muay Thai, with several fighters holding title belts from the UFC, CMTF, USMTA, IKF, ISKA, WKA, NAGA, and a Bronze Medal in the 1996 Muay Thai World Championships. In submission grappling and mixed martial arts competitions Academy fighters have victories and titles in the the Ultimate Fighting Championship, Pride Bushido, EliteXC, Strikeforce, WVR Sengoku, BodogFIGHT, Shooto, King Of The Cage, Super Brawl, Hook-N-Shoot, All-Osaka Shoot Boxing Championships, San Shou Championships in Bejing China, IFC, Extreme Challenge, Danger Zone, WEF, WEC, and many more. Fighters such as UFC Heavyweight Champion Brock Lesnar, Former UFC Lightweight Champion Sean Sherk, IKF & WKA Pro-Muay Thai Champion Nat McIntyre, CMTF/USMTA Champion James Cook, Former UFC Middleweight Champion Dave Menne, and BodogFIGHT Welterwight Champion Nick "The Goat" Thompson have gained the mass of their Muay Thai and MMA training under the tutelage of Greg Nelson.
Read about Greg's battle with cancer