Instructor

 

Rick with his BJJ instructor, Soneca

BJJ

Judo
Other

 


Rick Sparks

  • IBJJF Certified BJJ Black Belt
  • USJA Certified Judo Sandan (3rd Degree Black Belt)
  • Main Instructor: World Champion Helio Soneca
  • All BJJ Belts, Blue to Black, were received from Soneca
  • Current Co-Instructor: 6x World Champ Samuel Braga
  • IBJJF Certified BJJ Referee
  • TN BJJ Federation Board of Advisors
  • TN BJJ Federation Chief Referee

 

Most Notable BJJ Competition Results:

  • 2007 Pan American Brown Belt Seniors Silver Medalist
  • 2005 Campeonato Internacional de Master e Senior (AKA Masters Worlds) Purple Belt Champion
  • 2005 Campeonato Internacional de Master e Senior (AKA Masters Worlds) Open Weight Purple Belt Silver Medalist
  • 2004 Tennessee State Champion (Masters Purple Belt Open Weight)
  • 2004 Campeonato Internacional de Master e Senior (AKA Masters Worlds) Blue Belt Champion

 

 

 

Full Bio

My Instructors and Lineage

Competition Results and Pictures

Friends and Legends I Have Met (Pictures)

Certifications

My Small Appearance in Grappling Magazine

My Appearance in the Helio Soneca Interview by Tinguinha

 

 

Co-Instructor


Gavin with Royler Gracie

 

BJJ 

Gavin Enck

  • Black belt received from Rolyer Gracie and Rosendo Diaz
  • Collegiate Wrestler

 

 

Students: Hall of Champions

BJJ 

Judo
Other

 

Dr. Michael Carter

  • Blue belt received from Helio Soneca
  • Purple belt received from Helio Soneca and Rick Sparks
  • Judo Yondan (4th degree black belt)
  • Judo Coach for 25 years
  • Former Wrestling Coach

 

Notable Competition Results:

  • 6 Time Southeastern Judo Champion
  • 2 Time State Wrestling Silver Medalist
  • Multiple local, state, and regional Judo championships
  • 2008 Helio Soneca BJJ Tournament Champion

 

 

 

 

 


BJJ 

Judo

Other

 

Alex Basiri

  • Blue belt received from Rick Sparks

 

Notable BJJ Competition Results:

  • 2010 Smokey Mountain Open Silver Medal Gi
  • 2008 Tennessee State BJJ Champion
  • 2008 Helio Soneca BJJ Tournament Champion

 

 

 

 

BJJ 

Zack Smitley

  • Blue belt received from Rick Sparks

Notable BJJ Competition Results:

  • 2010 Smokey Mountain Open Gold Medal No-Gi
  • 2010 Smokey Mountain Open Bronze Medal Gi
  • 2009 Tennessee State BJJ Champion No-Gi
  • 2009 Tennessee State BJJ Silver Medalist Gi
  • 2009 Smokey Moutain Open BJJ Gi Champion
  • 2008 Helio Soneca BJJ Tournament Silver Medalist

MMA Record: 1-1

 

BJJ 

Other

 

Justin Headrick

  • Blue belt received from Rick Sparks

 

Notable BJJ Competition Results:

  • 2010 Tennessee State Championship Gold Medalist No-Gi Advanced
  • 2010 Smokey Mountain Open Gold Medal No-Gi Advanced
  • 2009 Smokey Moutain Open No-Gi Champion
  • 2009 Smokey Moutain Open Gi Silver Medalist
  • 2008 Tennessee State BJJ Silver Medalist

 

 

 

 

BJJ 

 

Eric Horton

  • Blue belt received from Rick Sparks

 

Notable BJJ Competition Results:

  • 2009 Tennessee State Championship Gold Medalist
  • 2009 Kentucky BJJ Open Championship Gold Medalist

 

 

 


BJJ 

Judo

 

Chris Miller

  • Blue belt received from Rick Sparks
  • BJJ Green belt received from Samuel Braga

Notable BJJ Competition Results:

  • 2010 Smokey Mountain Open Bronze Medal Gi
  • 2009 Tennessee State Championship Silver Medalist Gi

Wrestling

  • Regional Bronze Medalist
  • Gold and Bronze Tournament Victories
  • 90-20 overall record

 

 

 

 


BJJ 

Judo

 

Allan Ho

  • Blue belt received from Rick Sparks

Notable BJJ Competition Results:

  • 2010 Smokey Mountain Open Gold Medal Gi
  • 2009 EGO Grappling Tournamant Bronze Medalist

Judo Competition Results:

  • 2009 - Waynesville Fall Brawl - 2nd place - Advanced
  • 2008 - Ippon Open - 1st - Novice
  • 2007 - Ippon Open - 3rd place 2 x Divisions - Novice
  • 2006 - UT Martial Arts Club Tournament - 3rd place - Novice
  • 2005 - UT Martial Arts Club Tournament - 1st - Novice
  • 2005 - Waynesville Fall Brawl - 1st place - Novice
  • 2005 - Cumberland Judo Classic - 3rd place - Novice

 

 

BJJ 

 

Kayla Stephens

  • Blue belt received from Rick Sparks

Notable BJJ Competition Results:

  • 2010 Tennessee State Championship Gold Medalist Gi
  • 2010 Smokey Mountain Open Gold Medal Gi
  • 2009 Tennessee State Championship Gold Medalist Gi

 

 

 

 

BJJ 

 

Brad Wilcox

  • Blue belt received from Rick Sparks

Notable BJJ Competition Results:

  • 2010 Tennessee State Championship Silver Medalist Gi
  • 2010 Smokey Mountain Open Gold Medal No-Gi
  • 2010 NAGA National BJJ Championships Bronze Medalist

 

 

 

BJJ 

 

Darryl Lawson

  • Blue belt received from Rick Sparks

Notable BJJ Competition Results:

  • 2010 Tennessee State Championship Silver Medalist Gi
  • 2010 Smokey Mountain Open Bronze Medal Gi

 

 

 

BJJ 

 

Dan Hoggit

Notable Competition Results:

BJJ

  • 2010 Tennessee State Championship Gold Medalist No-Gi
  • 2010 Smokey Mountain Open Gold Medal No-Gi
  • 2010 Smokey Mountain Open Bronze Medal Gi
  • 2009 Tennessee State Championship Bronze Medalist Gi
  • 2009 Tennessee State Championship Bronze Medalist No-Gi
  • 2009 Smokey Moutain Open Silver Medalist
  • 2009 Kentucky BJJ Open Championship Bronze Medalist

Wrestling

  • 2004 Blount County Champion
  • 2004 All County
  • 2003 Blount County Silver Medalist

MMA Record: 1-1

 

 


BJJ 

Judo

 

Jeremy Sizemore

Notable BJJ Competition Results:

  • 2010 Tennessee State Championship Gold Medalist Gi

 

 

 

Other Students:

  • John Miller (Blue Belt with Two Stripes, Judo Brown Belt) [Blue Belt Given by Helio Soneca]
  • Bryan Dwyer (Blue Belt with One Stripe, Judo Black Belt) [Blue Belt Given by Rick Sparks]
  • Dennis Wright (Blue Belt, Judo Black Belt) [Blue Belt Given by Rick Sparks]

 

  • Patrick Caylor (Four Stripe White Belt)
  • Adam Treadway (Two Stripe White Belt, Judo Brown Belt)
  • Derrick Giles (Two Stripe White Belt)
  • Trey Horton (Two Stripe White Belt)
  • Emily Mamescmidt (Two Stripe White Belt)
  • Wes Franks (One Stripe White Belt, Judo Brown Belt, Wrestler)
  • Jason Roberts (One Stripe White Belt, Judo Green Belt, Wrestler)
  • Shawn Mason (One Stripe White Belt, Judo Black Belt, Collegiate Wrestler)
  • Anatoliy Aksanov (One Stripe White Belt)
  • Scott Campbell (One Stripe White Belt, Judo Black Belt)
  • Joseph Dwyer (One Stripe White Belt)
  • Richard Eggers (One Stripe White Belt)

PLEASE NOTE: Students will be added to this list when they obtain the rank of one stripe white belt

 

Former Students:

  • Cody Hudson (Purple Belt under Jonathan Border) [Blue Belt Given by Helio Soneca and Rick Sparks]

  • Greg Wenndt (Blue Belt given by Rick Sparks)

  • Aaron Shugart-Brown (Three Stripe White Belt, Judo Black Belt)
  • Braden Wenndt (Three Stripe White Belt)
  • Greg Ostermeyer (One Stripe White Belt)
  • Matt Miller (One Stripe White Belt)
  • Nathan Crowe (One Stripe White Belt)
  • Tim Willis (One Stripe White Belt)
  • Johnny Diggs (One Stripe White Belt)
  • Kent Johnson (One Stripe White Belt, Wrestler, Wrestling Coach)