Sifu Theo Katsigiannis 

ΣΥΝΤΟΜΟ ΒΙΟΓΡΑΦΙΚΟ ΣΗΜΕΙΩΜΑ

         Challenges and competition  by S.Triantafilidis

It was not that long ago as I travel back in my recollections to a time that the now Sifu Theodoros Katsigiannis and I were students at William Cheung’s World Wing Chun Kung Fu Association (WWCA).

It was a time of hard training, of analysis, experimentation, challenges and competition.

It was a time of great masters and practitioners of the art – including Grandmaster William Cheung, Si gung David Cheung (Sifu William’s brother), Dana Wong, Sifu Christopher Wilson, Rick Spain and the likes of Guru Dan Inosanto just to name a few.

It was a time of the exchanging of ideas and individual interpretations based on the understanding of the principles of the art, and hence as a direct consequence of this, the different levels of manifestations of the art itself.

Having said this I feel we were lucky to have had this first hand experience and exposure to this calibre. Their ideas helped formulate and instill the principles and form strong foundations within us from within which we grew.

Then there were the competitions where needless to say the style proved itself over time and time again and again..... and the personal anecdotal circumstances and events which went hand in hand with some of these. At this point I will share with the readers a story which demonstrates the aforementioned points. Sifu Katsigiannis and I were still intermediate students under Sifu Christopher Wilson who saw the potential in us both as successful competitors in full-contact Kickboxing competitions. At this point I must stress that there had not been any successful combat tested practitioners to come out of WWCA for some time; the last true champion fighters being the likes of Sifu Chris Wilson and Rick Spain. There were the occasional competitors who unfortunately turned out to be ‘paper tigers’. So Sifu Wilson who was head instructor at WWCA at the time entered Sifu Katsigiannis in one of these events without Grandmaster Cheung’s knowledge. On fight night Sifu Katsigiannis was the last fight on the bill.

This was Sifu Theo’s first full-contact kickboxing bout and this was his opponent’s 11th professional fight undefeated with most by way of K.O (knock out). Of course we found out this information at the weigh-in that night!!! It seems Chris thought that Theo didn’t need to know this….. I was so worried but tried not to show it, but deep inside I knew Theo would pull through. So we went off into the back rooms where I was helping Theo warm up and prepare for his bout when a couple of big mean bikie looking guys entered and watched Theo warming up. One asked if Theo’s chances were good and I answered that he was going to kill the other guy within three rounds. So they leave and appear again after a few minutes saying that they had put money on Theo and that if he didn’t pull through they will be seeing us after the bout!!! So Theo’s fight comes up, the referee being Dana Goodson, Chris Wilson and I in Theo’s corner. The first round starts and within 15 seconds Theo settles into the match and holding true to the centre-line principle straight kicks, and superior footwork made the supposedly up and coming champion look like a complete amateur. The problem was that other styles were not familiar ‘real combative Wing Chun’ and were taken by surprise. Whatever the opponent was throwing at Theo, who by the way was a kicking stylist and expert in Tae Kwon Do, never found the target and Theo just lashed away at him. The first round was Sifu Theo’s baptism of fire in combative competition. The second round was even more brutal and the auditorium was cheering for Theo as it looked like the under dog was going to not only win but outclass his supposedly more experienced and seasoned fighter. Well the second round bell rang, as Chris was coaching on what to do in round three I look across at the opponent’s corner and watched him slumber over falling unconscious. It was over…Theo was the winner. The trophy he received was put on display on the WWCA front desk and William Cheung, I think was both surprised and pleased as well as I think a little apprehensive about the whole affair taking place without his knowledge…

All fond memories, all learning experiences.

That was in the past…but it is the past that defines who we are today, the way we think and the way we do things. And anyone who has known Sifu Theo as long as I have known him, can attest to him being a true martial arts master and warrior in his own right. And a true master of his art is one who keeps learning and striving for more, having no limits and being an ongoing innovator bordering onto the ingenious.

I have been training Wing Chun for over half my life now and have kept in touch with many of my Kung Fu comrades, but I stand in awe at the level of excellence that Sifu Katsigiannis has achieved in this field physically, mentally and spiritually in as much that I have not the slightest reservation, when I say that he is, without a doubt one of the foremost and formidable exponents of the style today worldwide. If actions could speak louder than words, then one just has to experience a class conducted by Sifu Katsigiannis and catch a glimpse of his philosophy of what it should be all about…

That is reaching for your maximum potential and being the best you can be. This idiom extends beyond the confines of the Wing Chun aspect, to everyday life with Sifu Theo Katsigiannis, as well as to his many other pursuits as I hear.

INSTRUCTOR'S LETTER OF REFERENCE

At the age of twelve in 1971 Sifu Chris Wilson began his study of Martial Arts. Until the age of sixteen he studied Western Boxing, and Aikido. In 1976 he was awarded the Police Cadet Student of the Year Award. He began his instruction in the style of Wing Chun under the internationally renowned Grandmaster William Cheung. In 1980 won Australian Light Heavy weight Inter police force title, in 1982 won international World Kung Fu Tournament held in Hong Kong. In 1983 began instructing at the Australian Wing Chun Kung Fu Academy and placed Second in the Australian Kung Fu Titles.

In 1984 he was appointed as the Unarmed Combat Instructor for the Victorian Police’s anti-terrorist squad, the Special Operations Group.

In 1985 Won Kung Fu federation’s Speed Punching Contest by setting a record of 7.3 punches per second.

To Whom It May Concern:

Let it be known that

Theo Katsigiannis has studied the Martial Art of Wing Chun Kung Fu as my student for 7 years.

He proved himself to be an extremely keen and dedicated student. He was able to attain this high standard by his psychological and physical application to learning and researching the style.

He has the ability to practice and understand the style. I have no hesitation in endorsing him as an instructor.

Yours truly.

Sifu Chris Wilson