INSTRUCTOR STATUS : UC Senior instructor/Street Tactics instructor

BACKGROUND;

My journey began at the age of 12 with jujitsu and judo. At around 16, I moved into boxing and Thai boxing, eventually competing and developing a solid foundation in striking and kicking. My security work has included nightclubs, discos, festivals, events and private security, working as a doorman, supervisor, intervention team member and standby team leader for violence intervention. These roles exposed me to real violence, including confrontations with multiple attackers. Those experiences taught me the differences between martial arts, combat sports and self-protection—and the need to adapt what I had learned to work under pressure. I began analysing what worked, what failed and why. The lesson was clear: keep things simple, train realistically and develop the right mindset. Although I was also training in technical or commercial Krav Maga at the time, I struggled to apply what I had learned during real confrontations. That search led me to contact Lee Morrison about training in Urban Combatives. With no UC instructor available in the Netherlands at the time, Lee directed me to Branimir Tudjan, who incorporated UC principles into his approach. There, I met Ronny Ali and learned Branimir’s Krav Maga through him. Ronny introduced me to a realistic approach to Krav Maga, but I also decided to pursue UC directly with Lee. I followed Lee on the international seminar circuit for years, training with him directly whenever possible and working towards the UC Instructor Program. Years of dedicated training eventually led me to become a Senior UC Instructor. Today, I teach and develop Street Tactics through the School of Self Protection, delivering seminars, workshops, group classes and private training across Europe and the United States. Our work serves civilians, law enforcement officers and security professionals, with a focus on practical self-protection grounded in real experience. Alongside physical skills, we develop the mindset and psychological readiness needed to deal with violence. Understanding fear, managing stress and being prepared to act under pressure are central to our training. In my experience, this is often the missing link in martial arts and self-defence training: the ability to put physical skills into action when it matters. I remain a martial artist. I continue to train MMA and grappling, challenge my own abilities and learn from others. Being an instructor does not mean I have finished learning. I will always be a student. My goal is to expand Street Tactics internationally through seminars and instructor development, building stronger, more capable people who have the mindset, understanding and physical skills to protect themselves and others.

“Sometimes a teacher, Always a student

— Michiel