Philip Gelinas
Canadian fighter Philip "Sled Dog" Gelinas is one of the Original Dog Brothers, holds the rank of Mandala-Tuhon in pekiti-tirsia kali and co-founded Brazilian Top Team Canada.
Quick Facts
CanadaBiography
Philip Gelinas was born in 1952 and is known by the nickname Sled Dog, which he received in 1989 while filming a Dog Brothers video; this made him one of the so-called Original Dog Brothers. The nickname Top Dog is carried by another member of the group, Eric Knaus.
In 1973 he earned a black belt in kempo and in 1975 in kajukenbo. In 1985 he received instructor credentials in muay thai from Tom Harinck Jr. Under Grand Tuhon Leo Gaje Jr. he reached the rank of Mandala-Tuhon in pekiti-tirsia kali, and from Guro Dan Inosanto he received full instructor credentials in Filipino martial arts and in jeet kune do.
In 1989 he won the Grand Championship in pekiti-tirsia kali in Nashville, Tennessee. The Council of Elders of the Dog Brothers named him a 1st Tier Fighter in 1995 and admitted him to their ranks in 2012. He is one of the founders of the Canadian Brazilian jiu-jitsu school network Brazilian Top Team Canada and runs the Gelinas Academy of Mixed Martial Arts (GAMMA) in Montreal.
Teachers, students and family
Associated Martial Arts
The first martial art created on American soil as a deliberate blend of five schools. It took shape in 1947–1949 in Hawaii, where five masters of different systems met.
Pekiti-Tirsia KaliNotable figure→Filipino system of fighting with blades and sticks, tied to the Tortal family and to Leo Gaje, who spread it in the USA from 1972. The Philippine Marine Corps teaches it.
Organisations
- Brazilian Top Team CanadaCo-founder
- Dog Brothers Martial ArtsChief instructor · 1989
Achievements and honours
- Pekiti Tirsia Kali Grand Championships, NashvilleMajor tournament · 1st place · 1989