Congratulations Grand Master Sergio Von Schmeling
On Your Go2 Karate Lifetime Achievement Award
Introducing Grand Master Sergio Von Schmeling
The Go2 Karate Lifetime Achievement Award Recipient
He can also be seen HERE on the Go2 Karate Home Page
He can also be seen in the G2K Recognition Award Wall Of Recipients
To all my fellow Martial Artists,
Carlos Machado: The “Godfather of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu” in the U.S.
It is with great honor that our board has selected Grand Master Sergio Von Schmeling for the Go2 Karate Lifetime Achievement Award.
Grand Master Sergio Von Schmeling is a 9th Degree Black Belt and the founder of Victory Martial Arts, one of the most respected martial arts organizations in the United States. Born in Paraguay as the seventh of ten children, he began working at age seven to help support his family. Despite growing up in poverty, his parents instilled in him the belief that he was capable of achieving greatness.
At 12 years old, he discovered martial arts — and with it, a path that would transform his life. Through discipline and perseverance, he earned his Black Belt at 18 and quickly became one of the most accomplished martial artists in his country. He opened his first school soon after, developing leaders and expanding into multiple successful locations.
In 1993, he brought his vision to the United States. What began as a single school has grown into more than 45 locations nationwide, with the Victory curriculum now taught in over 1,000 schools worldwide.
For over three decades, his mission has remained clear: to inspire, educate, and help children, families, and communities reach their highest potential. His life skills-based philosophy develops confident, disciplined leaders who embody respect, integrity, and perseverance.
From a young boy in Paraguay to a mentor of thousands, Grand Master Von Schmeling’s legacy is measured not only in black belts earned, but in lives transformed.
Tracy Lee Thomas
8th Degree
Go2 Karate Recognition Board Member
Founder | Go2 Karate
Lifetime of Legacy
Add your voice to celebrate the award and the man behind it. We invite you to leave a congratulatory note for Grand Master Sergio Von Schmeling in honor of his Go2 Karate Lifetime Achievement Award. Whether you are a student, an instructor, or part of the martial arts industry, your words of recognition and celebration are welcome. Share your message and join the community in honoring his lasting impact.
Greg Moody
8th Degree Black Belt, Chief Master Instructor
KarateBuilt Martial Arts
Cave Creek, AZ
It is an honor to recognize Grand Master Sergio Von Schmeling as the recipient of the Go2 Karate Lifetime Achievement Award for his extraordinary contributions to Taekwondo and the martial arts community worldwide. Born in 1964 in rural Paraguay, his journey from humble beginnings to international leadership is nothing short of incredible. From helping his family on a small farm to discovering Taekwondo at age 12, earning his black belt by 18, and opening his next school shortly thereafter, his life reflects resilience, discipline, and unwavering determination.
I have had the privilege of watching Grand Master Von Schmeling’s work in our industry for many years. His competitive success as a national champion and grand champion in Paraguay demonstrated his skill and courage early on. Yet what truly distinguishes him is not only what he achieved on the mat, but what he built off of it. When he opened his first school and was restricted to teaching only children, he adapted rather than retreated. Guided by his father’s counsel, he began integrating discipline, respect, and life principles into every class — shaping a model of martial arts instruction that emphasized character as much as technique.
Through his leadership as Founder and CEO of Victory Martial Arts, Grand Master Von Schmeling has developed one of the largest martial arts organizations in the United States. His commitment to continuous growth, innovation, and excellence has influenced countless instructors and thousands of students. His work has strengthened families, built leaders, and elevated the professional standard within the martial arts industry.
Please join me in congratulating Grand Master Sergio Von Schmeling on receiving the Go2 Karate Lifetime Achievement Award. His incredible story, steadfast leadership, and enduring impact stand as a model of integrity, perseverance, and service to martial arts worldwide.
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Congratulations, Grand Master Von Schmeling. This honor is so well deserved.
With respect ,
Denise Morin
5th Degree
Go2 Karate Recognition Board Member
Go2 Karate Editor
It is an honor to recognize Grand Master Sergio Von Schmeling as the recipient of the Go2 Karate Lifetime Achievement Award for his extraordinary contributions to Taekwondo and the martial arts community worldwide. Born in 1964 in rural Paraguay, his journey from humble beginnings to international leadership is nothing short of incredible. From helping his family on a small farm to discovering Taekwondo at age 12, earning his black belt by 18, and opening his next school shortly thereafter, his life reflects resilience, discipline, and unwavering determination. I have had the privilege of watching Grand Master Von Schmeling’s work in our industry for many years. His competitive success as a national champion and grand champion in Paraguay demonstrated his skill and courage early on. Yet what truly distinguishes him is not only what he achieved on the mat, but what he built off of it. When he opened his first school and was restricted to teaching only children, he adapted rather than retreated. Guided by his father’s counsel, he began integrating discipline, respect, and life principles into every class — shaping a model of martial arts instruction that emphasized character as much as technique. Through his leadership as Founder and CEO of Victory Martial Arts, Grand Master Von Schmeling has developed one of the largest martial arts organizations in the United States. His commitment to continuous growth, innovation, and excellence has influenced countless instructors and thousands of students. His work has strengthened families, built leaders, and elevated the professional standard within the martial arts industry. Please join me in congratulating Grand Master Sergio Von Schmeling on receiving the Go2 Karate Lifetime Achievement Award. His incredible story, steadfast leadership, and enduring impact stand as a model of integrity, perseverance, and service to martial arts worldwide.
Respectfully,
Greg Moody
8th Degree
Go2 Karate Recognition Board Member
An Interview With Master Carlos Machado - Go2 Karate Lifetime Achievement Award Winner
Conducted by Dr. Greg Moody, Chief Master, Go2 Karate Magazine
Interview Highlights:
Dr. Greg Moody, Chief Master, Go2 Karate Magazine:
Dr. Greg Moody, Chief Master, Go2 Karate Magazine:
"Welcome, everybody. I'm really glad to have you today. Today we're joined by Master Carlos Machado, 10-time Brazilian national champion, 8th degree, coral belt, founder of the Carlos Machado Jiu Jitsu Association.
You're just a legend in martial arts, I'm so pleased to be And I'm so glad to get to talk to you.
We had a pre-conversation and I've thoroughly enjoyed it."
Master Carlos Machado:
"So thanks so much for being here. My honor and my pleasure, sir. Thank you"
Dr. Greg Moody, Chief Master, Go2 Karate Magazine:
"Okay. Well, great. Well, tell me a little bit about how you started. What was it like growing up in the Machado family and training?"
Master Carlos Machado:
" think you started training when you were very young. Yeah. So I'm a first degree cousin to several of Gracie cousins.
You know, my family is related to the Gracies. And we, when I was four years old, my mom used to take me to train with the late patriarch, Haleel Gracie, Grandmaster Haleel Gracie.
That's where I started doing some training. Then I trained with late Grandmaster Carlson Gracie, Holtz Gracie, then Carlos Gracie Jr., and then from then on, he became my main instructor for most of my life.
Uh, so, so it was kind of like we're, we're born into it, sort of. So it became very natural.
Um, my. My I have several cousins that are peers to me, and all my brothers, we are very close in age, so at one point in time, everybody was on the mat at the same time, training, and growing together with that culture, and I was a student, I was never, the part about teaching and being involved as a career path in the martial arts was not something that I planned in my early years, but it kind of felt natural after a while."
Dr. Greg Moody, Chief Master, Go2 Karate Magazine:
"I think that happens with a lot of us."
Master Carlos Machado:
"Yeah, well, they're bringing your peers, my peers kept me honest, you know, a lot of times, you know, within my family and my cousins, had the hierarchy on the mat, we all knew who was the top gun, we all knew that if we select in our training, you'd be there reckoning anytime we came back to train.
So even my brothers, you know, all of them were notable in their own rights. So it was an amazing experience with our peers. Thank In terms of us being very tight, close together, we competed together, and I'm very fond of the little memories I had.
Of course, there was a lot of pressure being related to your instructor, you know, like anytime you're on the mat, you want make sure that you make him proud.
So when I had classes, I always had butterfly in my stomach, sometimes going to class because I had some, you know, classmates that are really tough and I want to make sure that I didn't fall behind whenever the training session was.
But this was just part of, you know, growing up and eventually growing out of it as we got wiser"
Dr. Greg Moody, Chief Master, Go2 Karate Magazine:
"Well, you grew up with some legends that you were training with. Maybe they didn't, maybe for you, from your point of view, maybe it wasn't that way, but they certainly turned into legends in the martial arts community."
Master Carlos Machado:
"Yeah, quite, I mean, most of them, most of the individuals. The that I trained with are notable and exponentially, you know, popular."
Dr. Greg Moody, Chief Master, Go2 Karate Magazine:
"Yeah, that's amazing. How old were you when you started their first class?"
Master Carlos Machado:
"My first class, I was four."
Dr. Greg Moody, Chief Master, Go2 Karate Magazine:
"Oh, four years old. Okay. So back then, and you know, we're more than we're more than 20 years old, think, between the two of us. Back then, there weren't probably as many kids doing martial arts."
Master Carlos Machado:
"Ironically, some academies were specialized in kids. And what city in Brazil was that? Okay, so it was in the, I would say, in the mid to late 60s.
That's when I started to compete. Uh huh. And I would have, I would see some other academies that, they had a strong component of kids, you know."
