HARDEE’S STORY

Hardee Merritt’s martial arts fascination began as a five year old, watching the “Snake Eyes” character in the “GI Joe” cartoon. He was immediately hooked on martial arts and the idea of becoming a ninja.

In 1993, at 14 years old, Hardee witnessed the first UFC. The incident had a profound effect on his outlook, but because Jiu-Jitsu didn’t look like the “martial arts” as he had read about, he remained ambivalent.

In 1998, he found a Stephen K. Hayes To-Shin Do dojo in Chapel Hill NC, which changed his life completely. He moved to Chapel Hill and secured a job in the dojo.  In 2005 he purchased the dojo and became the Chief Instructor. 

In 2005 he began his Jiu-Jitsu training in earnest at a Royce Gracie academy.

His initial motivation was to learn how to “beat” jiu-jitsu.  The jiu-jitsu domination of all martial arts competitions (where appropriate) made him question what he and the rest of the martial arts world were doing wrong. 

His modern jiu-jitsu training coupled with his classical training made him eager to test himself further.  He had short stint as an amateur MMA fighter, with two fights, one in 2006 and one in 2007, and had a 2-0 record. 

Presently, Hardee’s training is focused on utilizing the practice and expression of his martial arts to continuously strive for growth. He seeks to improve himself rather than prove himself.

Hardee holds a sixth degree Black Belt in To-Shin Do under An-Shu Stephen K. Hayes and a Black Belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu under Professor Roy Dean.