Some explanations are due...

[SonnyPuzikas]

In light of recent few threads and the obvious conflicting attitudes, I thought some explanations are due.
Before hand, let me state that this is not about Ryabko/Vasiliev Systema vs. Kadochnikov system. When M. Powell and his organization K-Sys were OFFICIALLY representing Kadochnikov system, such issues never existed. I'm sure I speak for many Systema people when I say that number of us would gladly support in some ways re-emergence of Kadochnikov system in US- some by attending seminars with Kadochnikov instructors from Russia (of course they would have to be recognized by Ded as representing his system), buy buying products and so on.
So- what is the problem? Enter Mr. Greg Smith...
Mr. Smith attended Vladimir Vasiliev seminars in New York, Charlotte in 2004 and GBU in Charlotte also in 2004. While there, he complained that in LA in Systema classes there's too much focus on pushups, and not enough on explaining techniques...
Later in the year 2004, Mr. Smith contacted myself and few other instructors about the possibility of him hosting Systema seminars in LA. During that same time VLadimir Vasiliev was bombarded with Mr. Smiths e-mails requesting instructor certification for himself. Those requests were denied. Rightfully so.
Fast forward. Enter Vadim Starov. Aleksey Kadochnikov and his son Arkadiy formed center in Tver to promote Kadochnikov system. Mr. Starov was given administrative role in the activities of the center. By accounts of many senior Kadochnikov students from around Russia, Starov was mostly seen with videocamera during the seminars and always standing next to Ded(Kadochnikov senior) when pictures were taken. Vadim Starov played role in publishing Kadochnikovs book and preparing video materials, web site. Web site had Kadochnikov name. In 2003 due to a conflict (details are not necessary- those who need to know will find it at official Kadochnikov forum and few other forums-all in Russian) Kadochnikovs severed ALL their ties with Vadim Starov and the center and formed different organization. Vadim Starov, having a notarized paper with Kadochnikovs signature giving him rights to handle the video and publishing production and administration of the centers activities, released Kadochnikov videos (with inserting some of himself into some videos), books and became the President of said center. The fallout was hush hush issue until last year. Re- enter Greg Smith.
Mr. Smith travels to Russia. Attends 10 day seminar in Tver with Vadim Starov. Becomes certified 1st. level instructor in KADOCHNIKOV system and OFFICIAL US representative. The only problem is- the above mentioned notarized paper is not valid as of october 2004, and Starov was never given authority to certify instructors in Kadochnikov system, and he is not part of OFFICIAL Kadochnikov organization... Wait- there's more than one problem here... Starov keeps the name of his website as kadochnikov-dot and uses it to advertise and sell. Non of the proceeds go to Kadochnikov. Zero. Starov travels to United Kingdom, Italy and conducts seminars there- claiming to teach Kadochnikov system. Responses from the seminars are varied. Second seminar in the UK draws half the crowd that attended the first one...
Meanwhile... On the forum of Starovs website, Greg Smith starts all out trash talk about Ryabko and Vasiliev. Much of it and what it started was eventually deleted (months later), but I have saved all of it. Vasiliev is blamed for stealing Kadochnikov system. For being fake. Ryabko is clasified as Vasilievs student and fake. Greg states that Vasiliev studied Kadochnikov system and now presents it as something else without giving credit. All of it is being accompanied by Mr. Smith stating that he has factual evidence of it, as well as KGB documents (coming from former KGB officer Vadim Starov...) proving that Ryabko and Vasiliev are fakes. Mr. Starov himself jumps on the bandwagon with variety of accusations. Eventually some of Systema practitioners make it to that forum. It becomes interesting, as questions are now being asked... Greg Smith and Vadim Starov start referencing with some names of people in Russia to solidify their statements. When these people are asked to comment, their accounts of events and facts contrast severly with Starov version...

More to come.

 

[NYCRonin]

The plot thickens.....

 

[Greg Smith]

You are in a trial by jury and the Prosecutor proves that you commited your 1st lie and that casts doubt on everything that proceeds out of your mouth from that point on!

Mr Puzikas knowingly is lying to the readers here; that is the 1st point-he is commiting an premeditated intentional disinformational campaign against me! The old Russian Forum that he allues to where he made at the time what he thought was a truthful statement( but out of ignorance), That I was trying to " front myself as a Vasiliev teacher" and later he changed that to " I was trying to become a Vasiliev Teacher" ( I guess he had way to much VODKA to remember exactly what it is!). At the time I posted on the Old Russian Forum that both was not the case at all and furthermore he had it completely wrong!
I originally thought Sonny ( Who I had bought a complete set of his training knives from and used to have the upmost respect for), was misinformed by his collegues, however I now believe that he is a willing accomplice is this Psychological Warfare Campaign against me, ie he knows the Truth and does not care and has joined the mob in persecuting me.

By now the reader, you should have gleaned that 2 very clear points have been driven home and they are the following:
1) In my Previous association with the Vasiliev Organization: NEVER AT ANYTIME PROMOTED MYSELF AS BEING AN INSTRUCTOR/TEACHER NOR STATED THAT I WANTED TO BE A TEACHER OF THAT STYLE ESPECIALLY SO SOON IN MY STUDY OF THIS NEW-TO-ME MARTIAL ART.
2) SAULIUS (SONNY/SANIA)PUZIKAS KNOWINGLY LIES ABOUT #1 ABOVE AND THAT I AM A CERTIFIED SPECIALIST 1ST CLASS KADOCHNIKOV SISTEMA TEACHER. I am not!
There are many other things that he and his group of co-horts have lied about. But what I have just said is sufficient to DISCREDIT THAT ANYTHING THAT THESE "PEOPLE" HAVE SAID ABOUT ME IS PATENTLY FALSE, INTENTIONAL, AND WITHOUT MERIT!

AS I SAID BEFORE YOU GUYS NEED TO STAY OUT OF MY BUSINESS AND GET ON WITH YOUR LIVES.

 

[Mark Jakabcsin]

1) In my Previous association with the Vasiliev Organization: NEVER AT ANYTIME PROMOTED MYSELF AS BEING AN INSTRUCTOR/TEACHER NOR STATED THAT I WANTED TO BE A TEACHER OF THAT STYLE ESPECIALLY SO SOON IN MY STUDY OF THIS NEW-TO-ME MARTIAL ART.

BULL-DOODOO! When you were at the GBU seminar in 2004 you made it clear to me that you wished to become a certified instructor in LA as soon as possible. This is interesting in and of itself since we only talked for about 2 or 3 minutes. Obviously becoming a certified Systema instructor was very much on your mind at the time. Furethermore you made numerous negative comments about Martin Wheeler and his ability to teach/do Systema. When I disagreed with you rather loudly you made a funny face and found another training partner.

Mark J.

 

[Greg Smith]

And The Beat Goes On !

Tell You What! Why Don't You Pay Me $1750 And Make It Out To Spetsnaz Sistema Rma , Send It To Spetsnaz Sistema 9400 Culver Bl #603 Culver City Ca 90232. I Will See You At My Seminar And We Can " Discuss" The Similiarities Of Systema And Kadochnikov Sistema, Man To Man.

I Am A Novice sistemist, With A Bit Of Private Training From Vadim Starov-post Seminar.

 

[milosmalic]

Are you really selling pyrated videos without approval of the owner, main actor and the father of this style?

 

[tshadowchaser]

MOD NOTE

Keep it polite
use the ignor button if you don't want to read someones comments

sheldon bedell
mt mod

 

[SonnyPuzikas]

Greg Smith- if by a chance I will be in San Diego area during that seminar of yours in LA (assuming it will be held...), I will gladly visit with you and Starov. And no $1750 from me...
Let me translate the words of Mr. Medennikov (person who trained both Vladimir Vasiliev- target of your activity for the last year, and Vladimir Varlamov- Vasilievs friend, whom Starov tried to reference in his forum to discredit Ryabko and Vasiliev, but it turned out very different- karate in Tver in early 80's):
Posted 1/11/2005
"I was introduced to V. Starov few years ago, when he started studying Kadochnikov system under Solovyov in Barnaul. Through Solovyov Starov met Kadochnikov and started helping out in organizing Kadochnikov seminars. Starov is more of a businesman, not a trainer. He was involved in preparing release of video and printed materials. The system of survival Starov understood in his own way- the most important is making money. That is where the paths of the Master and student have parted."
You want people to stay out of your business? What are you doing? Trying to establish the place for your own business by slandering others. Nobody would really care if Starov came and conducted the seminar, cerified instructors, etc. He SHOULD NOT present what he's teaching as Kadochnikov system, because:
OFFICIAL ANNOUNCEMENT
Aleksey Alekseyevich and Arkadiy Alekseyevich Kadochnikov

To all interested individuals and organizations:
1) In October 2003 we left the ranks of international organization of russian martial art by A.A. Kadochnikov "Russian Style" in the city of Tver and all official interaction with V. Starov has ceased.
2) Director of the center "Russian Style" Vadim Starov was informed about our decision- in writing.
3) Vadim Starov was promoted by A.A. Kadochnikov to the administrative position of the director of the center, and is not a qualified instructor.
4) A.A. Kadochnikov has never signed or presented instructors certificate to Vadim Starov to instruct others, because V. Starov is not qualified and has not past the certification tests.
5) A.A. Kadochnikov has not certified or empowered V. Starov to test and certify other instructors, or conduct seminars in Russia, and especially in foreign countries.
6) We demand that Starov ceases to discredit the honor and reputation of Kadochnikov's.
7) We demand that Starov removes the Kadochnikov name from the Tver centers name and all official documents.
We demand that V.V. Starov ceases using in his personal commercial interests all of the materials of A.A. Kadochnikov that he (Starov) has in his possesion, as these materials are the result of 40 years of hard work and are intelectual property of A.A. Kadochnikov.
9) We demand that Starov ceases the distribution of all printed, photo and video production that represents Kadochnikov's or the name of A.A. Kadochnikov.
10) We feel it is necessary to present the text of this document to all law enforcement administrators of Tver city and surrounding area, as well as founders and all officials of International center of Russian martial art by A.A. Kadochnikov "Russian style". This task is being delegated to S.V. Medennikov, the resident of Tver.

October 31, 2005.

Honor citizen of Krasnodar city, RAEN academic, academic of the Academy of safety, defense and law enforcement, honor professor of FPS- Kadochnikov Aleksey Alekseyevich.

Retired officer MO RF Kadochnikov Arkadiy Alekseyevich.

In Light of this statement from Kadochnikov himself, which could be found on OFFICIAL Kadochnikov system website, how are you you, Greg Smith, representing Starov and his center, are presenting yourself as Kadochnikov system US representative? Organizing seminar with Starov in Kadochnikov system, which Starov is not qualified, nor authorized to teach?

Greg- as I have mentioned before- you do have some gray hair, but you do act as a child with serious problems. Your conspiracy theories, your pathological lies, denial of the facts presented, ignorance and ego are just the attributes that go well together with Starov's ideology- to carve out the place for himself in the lucrative US martial arts market by slandering others, presenting the true Kadochnikov system as own (without agrrement or authorization from the source- Kadochnikov himself) product.

To be continued, as those interested in Russian MA's deserve to know.

 

[kage110]

Thank you Sonny,

Frauds should be exposed wherever they are found by whoever knows them.

Hugh

 

[Greg Smith]

I see that my emails to the Founder's site have been on acted AGAIN! The 1st time when there was 72 pages of Porn, they reduced it down to 29 pages and removed the most OFFENSIVE OF THE PORN( see my previous postings).

Yesterday I sent another email after Surveying the MEMBERLIST AREA once more and found that the Offensive materials still remained. Later yesterday in the late afternoon, I revisited the Founder's site and saw that they have further REDUCED THE MEMBERLIST'S PAGES from 29 to 10 and ALL PORN WAS COMPLETELY REMOVED!!

This is Restores the Honor and Respect to Alexey Kadochnikov that was TARNISHED BY THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATOR WHO PERMITTED THAT OFFENSIVE MATERIALS TO BE LISTED ON HIS SITE!!

And you are Welcomed! My work here is done!!

 

[Mark Jakabcsin]

I see that my emails to the Founder's site have been on acted AGAIN! The 1st time when there was 72 pages of Porn, they reduced it down to 29 pages and removed the most OFFENSIVE OF THE PORN( see my previous postings).

Yesterday I sent another email after Surveying the MEMBERLIST AREA once more and found that the Offensive materials still remained. Later yesterday in the late afternoon, I revisited the Founder's site and saw that they have further REDUCED THE MEMBERLIST'S PAGES from 29 to 10 and ALL PORN WAS COMPLETELY REMOVED!!

This is Restores the Honor and Respect to Alexey Kadochnikov that was TARNISHED BY THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATOR WHO PERMITTED THAT OFFENSIVE MATERIALS TO BE LISTED ON HIS SITE!!

And you are Welcomed! My work here is done!!

Greg,
The issue at hand is why are you and Mr. Starov continuing to use Kadochinkov's name when he has very clearly instructed you not to. That is the issue, not what you find offensive on his site, your shower problems or transportation issues when in Russia. Since Mr. Starov is no longer associated with AAK, whatever the reason, he should not be using the Kadochinkov name in any way, shape or form. If he has something of value to offer, I say great, let see it but he needs to put HIS name and his name only on his offerings. Surely you can see that his and your continued use of AAK's name, when he is not affiliated, is improper. Do the right thing.

Mark J.

 

[milosmalic]

I see ... 1st time when there was 72 pages of Porn, they reduced it down to 29 pages ...

Have you ever heared of computer term "bot"? Try this search http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=bot+forum+spam and read something, it might help you in your quest against windmills, ups pardon, against vicous systema practiotioners. Please note that I am carefull not to use your invented word systemist because I respect your intellectual property.

Respek! (Ally G)

 

[RJPaige]

It is outright disgusting how you misrepresented yourself Greg. It is equally disgusting how Starov has misrepresented himself. Both of your names are mud in the martial arts world.

 

[jks9199]

Considering that Greg Smith has a banner that says "Banned User" AND this thread is more than 3 years old... I kind of doubt that he's going to reply or care what's happening here.

One friendly tip 'cause thread necromancy has been on the increase of late --

It's great fun (and often instructive, too) to read older threads here on the MT forum. Sometimes you can save yourself asking a question that's been beat to death more than once that way, too... But it's worthwhile to take notice of the banners (Banned, Garden of Tranquility, and Suspended are good indicators that folks won't answer you...) and dates of the posts, too, before you reply. Sometimes, you bring a thread back to life for changed info -- but lots of times, we get "me too" or questions for someone who's been banned years ago, too.

 

[Brian King]

My guess is that in relation to the very recent “Starov vs. Kadochnikov, is this going too far?” thread http://martialtalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=76888 and the ummmm PR value of the video in that thread and the many you-tube Starov clips that there may be some interest in the background of that ‘conflict‘. I myself had forgotten about this thread and Sonny’s very clear presentation of information regarding the two in question.

We stand on the shoulders of our teachers lifted by them and their work. It is always sad when a student feels the right to abuse and steal from those that lift them, slapping the very hands holding them up, but it happens. It is no wonder that often such students eventually knock away their own base and fall into disserved ridicule and obscurity.

Regards
Brian King