Felicia Oh
| Felicia Oh | |
|---|---|
| Born | Felicia Linda Oh December 13, 1967 Seattle, Washington |
| Residence | Tarzana, California |
| Nationality |  American |
| Height | 5 ft 1 in (1.55 m) |
| Weight | 105 lb (48 kg; 7.5 st) |
| Style | Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu |
| Teacher(s) | Jean Jacques Machado, Eddie Bravo |
| Rank | 2nd Degree Black Belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu |
| Occupation | Martial Arts Instructor |
| University | Cornish College of the Arts UCLA |
| Website | http://www.feliciaoh.com/ |
Felicia Linda Oh (born in Seattle, Washington, on December 13, 1967) is an Asian American black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu under senior instructor Jean Jacques Machado, an accomplished submission grappling competitor, martial arts instructor, and college professor.
Biography
Felicia began training in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu in early 2001 after being introduced to the art by her friend’s husband. Shortly thereafter she enrolled at Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu master Jean Jacques Machado’s school in Tarzana, California.[1] She quickly excelled in the art and after only 4.5 years of training under Machado was promoted to black belt in June 2005.[1][2] In addition to training under Jean Jacques Machado, Felicia also trains under fellow Machado black belt and 10th planet jiu-jitsu founder Eddie Bravo.[3]
Felicia has won many championships but she is best known for being the first and only women to win the Pan American Jiu-Jitsu Championship in both the black belt Gi and No-Gi divisions in 2007. After winning the ADCC North American Trials and securing her spot to represent the United States at the ADCC World Submission Wrestling Championship, she had convincing victories over a multi-time BJJ World Champion and a Japanese superstar which put her in the finals of the most prestigious grappling event in the world.[4]
Personal life
Felicia currently teaches Women’s Submission Grappling, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, and CrossFit classes at Big John McCarthy’s Ultimate Training Academy in Valencia, Santa Clarita, California[5] and is a guest instructor for Jean Jacques Machado’s Online Training Program.[6] Along with BJJ Revolution black belt Valerie Worthington, Ricardo Almeida black belt Emily Kwok, and her student Alaina Hardie, Felicia is one of the directors of womensgrappling.org, a non-profit whose mandate is to promote women in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and submission grappling.[7]
In addition to her martial arts teaching schedule Felicia is also an interviewer for the online magazine website GrappleTV.[8]
Felicia also appeared in the four volume instructional DVD series "Vicious Vixens: Brazilian Jiu Jitsu" starring Cindy Omatsu.[9]
In 2007 Felicia was inducted into the "Masters Hall of Fame" for "Outstanding Contributions To The Martial Arts".[10]
Education
Felicia holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Art from Cornish College of the Arts in Seattle and a Master of Fine Arts degree in Art/New Genres from the University of California, Los Angeles. For several years Felicia had been a Digital Media professor at Otis College of Art and Design before concentrating on her martial arts career full-time.[11]
Lineage
Jigoro Kano → Tsunejiro Tomita → Mitsuyo "Count Koma" Maeda → Carlos Gracie, Sr. → Carlos Gracie, Jr. → Jean Jacques Machado → Felicia Oh
Titles
- 2009 FILA world champion, 50 kg, gi and no-gi
- 2009 USA world team member
- 2009 USA Grappling World Team Trials champion
- 2008 FILA Grappling Silver Medalist
- 2008 USA Grappling World Team Trials Champion
- 2008 USA World Team Member
- 2008 IBJJF World No-Gi Silver Medalist
- 2007 12th GrapplersQuest West Adv. No-Gi Absolute Champion
- 2007 FILA Grappling World Champion
- 2007 USA Grappling World Team Trials Champion
- 2007 USA Grappling Team Qualifying Trials Champion
- 2007 USA World Team Member
- 2007 ADCC Submission Wrestling World Championship Finalist
- 2007 IBJJF World No-Gi Silver Medalist
- 2007 IBJJF World Gi Bronze Medalist
- 2007 IBJJF Pan American Jiu Jitsu Black Belt Champion
- 2007 IBJJF Pan American Jiu Jitsu No-Gi Black Belt Champion
- 2006 ADCC North American Submission Wrestling Trials Champion
- 2006 US Open of Submission Grappling Absolute Champion
- 2006 US Open of Submission Grappling (Class B) Advanced Division Champion
- 2005 Pan American Games of Submission Grappling Advanced Division Champion
- 2005 Pan American Games of Submission Grappling Absolute Silver Medalist
- 2005 GrapplersQuest VII (Class A) Advanced Division Champion
- 2005 GrapplersQuest VII (Class B) Advanced Division Champion
- 2004 GrapplersQuest VI Advanced Division Champion
- 2004 GrapplersQuest VI Absolute Silver Medalist
- U.S. Open Professional Women’s Division Champion 2004
- U.S. Open 2003 – Champion
- Pan American No-Gi Championships 2003 – Champion
- Tito Ortiz Submission Wrestling Invitational 2003 – Champion
- Grappling Games 2003 No-Gi – Champion
- Copa Pacifica 2003 – Champion
- California State Championships 2002 – Champion
- Grappling Games 2001 – Champion
References
- ^ a b Felicia Oh Bio. URL accessed on October 9, 2009.
- ^ Jean Jacques Machado Official Belt rankings. URL accessed on October 9, 2009.
- ^ Felicia Oh Profile. URL accessed on October 9, 2009.
- ^ International Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Federation >> Championship Results. URL accessed on October 11, 2009.
- ^ BJMUTA >> Felicia Oh Bio. URL accessed on October 9, 2009.
- ^ Jean Jacques Machado's Online Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Training Program >> Felicia Oh Bio. URL accessed on October 9, 2009.
- ^ womensgrappling.org URL accessed on December 26, 2009
- ^ GrappleTV. URL accessed on October 9, 2009.
- ^ Century Martial Arts >> DVD >> Cindy Omatsu's Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. URL accessed on October 10, 2009.
- ^ 2007 Masters Hall Of Fame Inductee List. URL accessed on October 11, 2009.
- ^ Otis College of Art and Design Digital Media Faculty. URL accessed on October 9, 2009.