ABOUT ROBERT “BOBBY BIRD” AKA CHOKA Carlson Gracie 1 st degree Black Belt Born and Raised in Chicago. I started training Judo as a child, went on to Karate (Tae Kwon Do) under Master Han Cha Kyo. I earned my Blue Belt with one Red Stripe as a teenager. Martial arts played a major role in my formative years. While in the military I did Judo, Bushido Karate, Boxing and Kick Boxing to stay in condition. In 1996 while training Tae Kwon Do, Grand Master Carlson Gracie Sr. walked into our dojo with Rey Diogo. Rey was a Brown Belt in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu at the time. Master Carlson and Rey gave a demonstration. Rey challenged three of our best Black Belts to spar, he won all three matches. Once everything was over, I knew right then and there, I was studying the wrong martial art for self-defense. From that moment on, I stayed with Brazilian Jiu jitsu as my martial art. While training with Master Carlson Gracie Senior I received my 1st Blue belt. That was such an honor to have him recognize me. Then I moved back to Wisconsin. At that time there were no legitimate Jiu Jitsu schools in Wisconsin, resulting in taking off about 12 years. After the long hiatus, I demoted myself to white belt. My family and I trained at various gyms throughout Wisconsin. My kids and I started competing at various Midwest tournaments. Throughout our early journey, we never had any coaches come support at us at the tournaments. The only person, who always greeted us at the tournaments throughout the United States was Carlson Gracie Junior and his team. Even though, we were training at other gyms, he and his team members always took us in and coached us during our matches. This is why, after receiving my Brown belt, I went back to Chicago to see Carlson to join my original team. Carlson asked me to get on the mats, where he put me through various techniques and I had to roll with some of his guys. Once I finished taking his tests and rolling, he then redid my promotions from Blue Belt to Brown Belt. He then certified my promotions to show that I was a 100% Carlson Gracie student, which was such an awesome feeling. Throughout my competition career, I competed at the most prestigious tournaments held in the US. While competing, I was to be able to win a few Gold medals, Silver medals and a few Bronze medals at PANS, Master Worlds and a Chicago NAGA Champion Belt. As a Purple Belt, at Master World held in Long Beach California, I won Silver in my category and Gold in the Open Category. The highlight of my career happened in 2018. During that year, as a two stripe Brown belt I competed at Master Worlds and I won Bronze in my category and Silver in the Open category, later that year, I won Double Gold at PANS. In 2018 Master Carlson Junior awarded me my Black Belt. Lineage: MITSUYO MAEDA, CARLSON GRACIE SENIOR, CARLSON GRACIE JUNIOR,ROBERT BIRD