Sensei Riley

As many know by now, I’ve officially stepped away from my active role in Judo.

Judo has been a cornerstone of my life for the past 20 years, shaping me in more ways than I could ever fully express. From the incredible people I’ve met, to the physical and mental skills I’ve gained, and the leadership it fostered in me from the time I was 13, this sport has been a constant guide. I owe so much to Jimmy Pedro and the entire community at Pedro’s Judo Center and FUJI along with all of my extended Judo family gained through American Judo & Hatash*ta Sports. They will always have a special place in my heart, and I’m excited to continue my journey with Judo, albeit now as a passionate fan.

As for me, I’ve been given a unique opportunity to become a Teacher. I’m eager to take the life lessons Judo has given me into the classroom and continue empowering others, whether through teaching academic or Judo principles.

My goal remains the same: helping people in my community become the best versions of themselves.

To be clear, Pedro’s Judo Center will always be my home dojo, and Jimmy Pedro will forever be my Sensei. There are SO many people… this post cannot do it justice. I’m looking forward to seeing what the future holds for my Judo friends and family, and I’m excited to witness the continued success of Pedro’s Judo and FUJI.

There will be more stories and reflections to come on how Judo and the incredible people around me have shaped who I am today….

But for now, it’s time for me to embrace this new chapter and forge my own path.

On the mats again, hitting the road for another incredible Judo journey across the U.S.! 🎉 I’m beyond grateful for the opportunity to work with so many talented dojo owners and dedicated judoka. From Brooklyn to Jefferson City, each stop is a chance to share, learn, and grow together. Thank you to everyone making these events possible—I can’t wait to see what we achieve during these events - I’m already booking events through November - Let’s make 2024 a year to remember. 🥋👊

First stop! Brooklyn, NY!

Sensei Tony Camal was larger than life on the tatamis:

- His strength: massive.
- His thoughts for others: huge.
- His passion: immense.
- His grit: unyielding.
- His voice: booming.
- His love: boundless.

When I was 15, I got my butt kicked in his Summer Slam tournament. Crying, my coach brought me to Sensei Tony. He told me, “You’re a big kid for 15. Go fight the seniors. Tough kids from Boston don’t cry!” He wrote me into the Senior Novice division, no charge, just “fight hard.”

That match boosted my confidence. Fast forward to 2024, I did the same for a struggling kid. Had a tough draw in the juniors and was matched against some BIG kids. I was able to add him to the Senio Novice division and lo and behold he won silver in Senior Novice, just like Sensei Tony taught and helped me achieve nearly 20 years ago.

A LOT of people have stories this mine. I’m just grateful I have one to share ❤️

I’m thank for Sensei Tony, who always looked out for me and my students. I’ll miss his booming voice and his big heart.

Along with being a dedicated judoka and Sensei, he was a captain in the Paterson, NJ Fire Department along with being one of the first responders during 9/11. He also was an accomplished body builder, loving husband and father to two daughters.

This photo was taken at his Wake on Sunday, August 4th that I snagged from social media. His service was a beautiful tribute to the many lives he impacted.

Sensei Tony - you will be missed ❤️🥋

The second season of the series , based on the game franchise, is now available on DVD, Blu-ray, and Limited Edition 4K UHD Steelbook. With every episode from Season Two and nearly 2.5 hours of special features, see Master Chief, Cortana, and the other Spartans of Silver Team take on humanity’s greatest threat, the Covenant. Get your DVD, Blu-ray, or Limited Edition 4K UHD Steelbook copy of today, from .

One lucky student at FUJI Martial Arts will be taking home a copy! 💪

Here is a really nice moment that someone was trying to capture of Kayla & Travis at the 2012 Olympics in London that I ruined ….🙃🤷‍♂️🤦‍♂️

This was at the USA House celebrating Kayla’s Gold Medal performance!

I can’t wait to be watching Olympic Judo soon 👏👏👏

🥋 This past weekend was so much fun! I had the privilege of accompanying 2x Olympian Kelita Stevens at Jefferson City Judo in Missouri for a regional development camp hosted by American Judo. Sensei Kelita led 5 sessions packed with techniques and tactics essential for judo competitions. Then we ran a small tournament to get each participant 4 plus matches each!

Thank you to everyone who participated and made this event a success! 🙏

Happy 4th of July 🇺🇸🥋

Check out this amazing 5-year-old student practicing the of tying her belt! 🎉 Knowing how to tie your belt is a big step in building discipline, focus, and skills that go beyond the mat. If you can tie your belt, you can tie your shoes! 😁 Keep up the awesome work💪! #JudoKids #Discipline #Focus #SkillsForLife #FutureBlackBelt #WoburnKids #WoburnMA #fujiwoburn