Pro Martial Arts Hall of Famer A.J. Verel, a native Western New York, is
a Former WKC Light Heavyweight Champion, and a Former WKA&WKO
Middleweight Champion in Kickboxing. A.J. compiled a record
of 37 wins, 5 losses and 2 draws before retiring and is the only
person to unify these three sanctioning body�s titles. Verel also won
two gold medals with the U.S. National Tae Kwon Do/ Martial Arts Team
and the North American Champions Karate (N.A.C.K.) Team, where he also
served as the co-captain on the team.
Verel has made a combined seven Ultimate Fighting Championship
appearances along with appearances at K-1, KOTC and the IFC. A.J. Verel
is also credited along with Joe Lewis and Troy Dorsey for being the only
three people to win both World Kickboxing and Sport Karate Titles.
A.J. Verel is a member of the Screen Actors Guild and has been credited
in several films for his roles as; actor, stunt coordinator/supervisor,
fight scene choreographer and producer, in such films as �TC 2000� with
Tae Bo creator Billy Blanks, �Shadow Creature�, �Moving Target� with
Heavyweight boxer Gerry Cooney and most recent �Against The Ropes� with
Meg Ryan and Omar Epps. A.J. Verel also spent five years on the FX
Channel with the hit television show the Toughman Contest.
Mr. Verel has degrees in Business Law and Psychology as well as a
Masters in Education, when he is not on the road for filming, hosting
seminars or working with numerous charities you can find him in Western
New York over-seeing the day-to-day operations of the restructuring and
relocation of the Pro Martial Arts Hall of Fame and Museum�.