Course Overview:

Muay Thai Clinching - Elbow & Knee Fighting

This seminar focuses on the core principles of Muay Thai clinch fighting, with an emphasis on controlling range, dominating posture, and creating high-percentage opportunities for knees and elbows. Students will learn how to establish and break clinch ties, fight for head and arm position, and maintain balance and pressure in close-range exchanges. The course breaks down offensive and defensive clinch strategies including pummeling, framing, off-balancing, and angle creation, with a strong focus on delivering effective knee and elbow strikes while neutralizing your opponent’s ability to return offense. Designed for fighters and grapplers looking to sharpen their stand-up clinch game, this seminar bridges traditional Muay Thai concepts with modern combat sports application in MMA and no-gi environments.

MEET THE INSTRUCTOR(S)

ben stark

Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Experience

- 3rd Degree Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Black Belt

Coaching & Leadership Experience

- Owner & Head Coach of American Top Team Palm Beach Gardens
- Former Head Coach at EMAC Thailand
- Former No-Gi Coach at American Top Team Sunrise / MMA Science Academy
- Extensive experience coaching athletes across MMA, No-Gi grappling, and competition-focused training environments

International Teaching & Seminar Experience

- Seminar Instructor at Jyväskylä Fight Club (Finland)
- Seminar Instructor at Chok Dee Academy (York, England)
- Seminar Instructor at The Lions Den (Tai Chung, Taiwan)
- Conducted seminars and training programs across the United States and internationally

Competition & Fight Experience

- Former Professional MMA Fighter
- Current Champion under Art of War Fight Promotion
- Active competitor with a strong emphasis on clinch fighting, positional dominance, and fight control

Media, Business & Industry Contributions

- MMA commentator and combat sports analyst
- Co-host of Jiu Jitsu Dummies Podcast, covering grappling, MMA, and combat sports culture
- Owner of Fight Tape, providing professional-grade medical supplies to the combat sports industry
- Active contributor to the growth and accessibility of combat sports through media, education, and equipment support

Ben’s life pretty much revolves around combat sports as a coach, cutman, commentator, and dad but if he’s not doing that, he is probably hunting down good food.

Matt Turnbull

Competition & Fight Experience

- Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Black Belt
- Art of War Featherweight Champion (Current)
- Professional MMA Veteran (PFL Competitor)
- Multi-time Fight of the Night Award Winner
- 2-Time Fight of the Year Award Winner
- Proven high-level competitor with a reputation for exciting, technical, and durable performances

Coaching & Leadership Experience

- 10 Years of Coaching Experience in MMA and Combat Sports
- UFC Corner Team Member with experience coaching at the highest level of professional MMA
- Extensive experience cornering and developing professional fighters across major promotions
- Recognized for high-level fight preparation, in-cage strategy, and athlete development
- Trusted assistant coach and collaborator within elite coaching environments

When Matt’s not coaching or competing, he’s still in the mix somewhere training, cornering, or answering to “White Chocolate” more often than his real name.