CHRIS’ STORY

Chris Mikuta was born in the Chicagoland area and raised in the south suburbs. He began martial arts training and competed in Karate in the early 1980s.

In time, he became exposed to other martial arts such as Judo and Kickboxing. Following military service in the mid-90s, Chris began training in Jeet Kune Do, Filipino Martial Arts, and Muay Thai at the Aiki Training Hall in Skokie, IL.

He also formally began training in Submission Grappling and Gracie Jiu-Jitsu.

In the mid-2000s, after some life changes, and a new career, Chris began a serious study of Judo and again took up Jiu-Jitsu training.

Over the next decade he became very competitive in Judo, No-Gi Grappling, and in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, winning multiple championship titles.

During this time Chris also assisted his Judo Instructor, Sensei Chuck Clark, in running the kids program and was instrumental in helping the club’s Judo and Jiu-Jitsu curriculum. Ultimately, he was asked by his instructor to take over the club.

Since then Chris has affiliated with the Roy Dean Academy and successfully rebranded the club as AXT Jiu-Jitsu.

Their slogan is Learn. Drill. Roll. TRANSFORM!

Some highlights of Chris’ journey over the years:

• Promoted to Black Belt in Judo

• Affiliated with JKD Unlimited under Burton Richardson

• Training with Sifu Roy Harris as a Jeet Kune Do Instructor

• Became a national level Judo coach

• Joined the Roy Dean Academy as an Affiliate BJJ Instructor

• Promoted to Black Belt in Shingitai Jiujitsu

• Earned an MMA For The Street instructor designation

• Successfully coaching athletes and earning multiple club titles