Our Coaches
Coach Tery
In 1990, Tery started training in American kickboxing, Muay Thai kickboxing, and Bruce Lee's Jeet Kune Do. He started competing and won in full contact kickboxing in 1993 in the late Walt Mason's TACKA (Texas Amateur Contact Karate Association) tournament.
After watching Royce Gracie from Brazil's Gracie Jiu-Jitsu totally dominate any black belt or pro fighter at the first UFC (Ultimate Fighting Championship), a no-holds-barred competition, Tery started training in the only Jujitsu school in his area. Mr. Corkran received his black belt in 1996 in Japanese Jukido Jitsu.
In November 1995, Tery found out that instructor Carlos Machado, the multi-world Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu champion, fifth degree black belt, and cousin to the legendary Gracie's, had moved to Dallas and was teaching at Chuck Norris's Walker Texas Ranger studio. Tery began training with Mr. Machado right away. He is now a fifth-degree black belt and continues to train under Carlos Machado. He is also continuing to train in American kickboxing and Muay Thai kickboxing.
Tery has competed in several Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu tournaments, Tery won 3 gold medals in the 2001 and 2002 Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Pan American championships in Florida this event in the US was comparable to the Worlds Championship because the worlds was only held in Brazil at this time. He received his black belt from Carlos Machado on October 19, 2002. Tery was one of 8 black belts living in the state of Texas, and one of 20 Americans living in the U.S. at that time. Tery tries to associate himself with teachers that are well-known for their talent and proving themselves in competition as world champions, such as Carlos Machado and his brothers.
Tery is an IBJJF (International Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Federation)-certified instructor. Mr. Corkran has had great success teaching children, women, and men at his school, North Texas Mixed Martial Arts, in Flower Mound, Texas. Tery opened the Academy of Brazilian JiuJitsu in 1998 and was one of the first schools in Texas to teach MMA to children and adults.
In 2007, the Academy expanded into North Texas Mixed Martial Arts. Along with the best team MMA record in the Metroplex, Tery strives to provide one of the best standup and ground training schools in the Metroplex. He sets high standards for his children's classes and in September of 2001, was awarded the “Children's Empowerment Award” by the Mayor of Lewisville, Texas. Tery has trained a lot of children and adults that have competed and won many Jiu-Jitsu tournaments.
STEVE LICHTI
Steve is a 2nd degree black belt in Jiu-Jitsu and one of our top adult instructors and also teaches the Sunday morning Brazilian JiuJitsu class. A gym rat all his life, Steve found BJJ in 2011, and was hooked. Aside from being a coach, he is among NTMMA’s most frequent and consistent students, earning his black belt in 2019. While successful in competition, having won several local tournaments, he has gravitated more toward coaching than competing. The focus for Sunday class is pairing high percentage techniques together, giving the student simple options they can immediately add to their game. Whether you are seeing a technique for the first time as a white belt, or a high rank who has trained for years, the emphasis is on the details that allow the technique to work.
TJ SEWELL
TJ Sewell wrestled at the University of Oklahoma, where he was an NCAA Division I 3-time All-American, NCAA Division I Finalist, and second on the all-time win list for the University of Oklahoma. TJ has continued to be involved in wrestling instruction for collegiate, freestyle, and Greco-Roman wrestling, helping the local wrestling programs on the high school and grade school levels. He’s also produced many state wrestling champions as well as assisted with their continuation onto the college level through scholarship opportunities. TJ has been training and teaching at North Texas Mixed Martial Arts for several years and is a blue belt under Tery Corkran. TJ has worked with many NTMMA fighters and we are fortunate to have him at NTMMA.
Competitions
- Three-Time NCAA Division I All-American
- NCAA Division I Finalist
- 2-Time Big 8 Champion
- #1 Nationally Ranked Division I
- Second All-Time Win List
- All-American High School (Freestyle)
DRAKE LICHTI
Drake Lichti is a Jiu-Jitsu Black belt under Tery Corkran and is one of our adult instructors and Steve’s son. Training since 2013, he quickly fell in love with the sport of jiujitsu and the mental component required to win against an opponent who is bigger or stronger. Drake loves the camaraderie that jiujitsu encourages and the chance to teach the finer details of basic moves that can make them effective on newcomers and black belts alike. Drake loves teaching for the “aha” moment that many have when they have a breakthrough in their game and the challenge of making sure he stays one step ahead of his students.
DANIEL ANDREWS
Daniel Andrews is a two stripe black belt who started JiuJitsu in 2003 and received his black belt in 2013. He received his 2nd stripe from Tery Corkran in 2017. Daniel has fought in 3 MMA matches, going 2 and 1 in the cage. He is also a second degree black belt in Japanese Jujutsu. Daniel coached middle school and high school sports for ten years, carrying out summer fitness programs and coaching power lifting.
LEROY SANCHEZ
Mr. Sanchez has been training and competing in the Martial Arts for over 40 years. As a kid under the coaching of his father Jay Sanchez at the 10th Street Gym in Dallas, he had a successful career as an amateur boxer and then moved up to the professional kickboxing ranks in the PKA and ISKA. In 1987, he was awarded the rank of 1st degree Black Belt in American Tae Kwon Do. In 2007, he was promoted to the Martial Arts level of Master Rank by being recognized and promoted to the rank of 6th Degree Black Belt in American Tae Kwon Do. Mr. Sanchez was promoted to KICKSTART Kids 5th Degree Black Belt by Mr. Chuck Norris in 2017. In 2019 he was inducted into the USA Martial Arts Hall of Fame.
In 1998 he was hired by Grand Master Chuck Norris and the Kickstart Kids foundation to teach and share his experiences to as many students as possible. Mr. Sanchez currently works for Mr. Chuck Norris as the North Texas Regional Director of the KICKSTART Kids foundation founded by Mr. Norris. Leroy is currently a Jiu-Jitsu Blue belt under Tery Corkran. Coach Leroy teaches Boxing and Kickboxing at NTMMA several days a week while working on getting his Purple Belt in Jiu-Jitsu. He is a great asset to NTMMA students and fighters.