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Scott 'TNT' Tannenbaum is a 2nd degree black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu earning his rank under Rigan Machado. Scott also holds a 3rd degree black belt in Aikido and a 1st degree in Japanese Jujitsu. Tannenbaum currently teaches out of his Arizona Academy.

Biography
Scott began his passion for the Martial Arts at age 4 after watching a Bruce Lee movie. After studying Kung Fu for a couple years Scott was introduced to Aikido. Thrilled by the joint manipulations and throws Scott studied Aikido for several years while simultaneously studying a similar style of Japanese Jiu-Jitsu. Always seeking to be a more well rounded Martial Artist, he was determined to improve his striking skills which he felt had been neglected by limiting his training to Aikido and Jiu-Jitsu. Wanting to train in more combat oriented arts he began to train at a Muay Thai and Jeet Kune Do gym and a Ninjutsu Academy on his other nights. One day in 1993 a good friend and former training partner told him of a "new" martial art he had just begun training in a few months back. It was called "Gracie Jiu-Jitsu". Always willing to try out new things Scott traveled to the nearest Gracie Jiu-Jitsu Academy, an hour and a half away. There he was choked, twisted and controlled as if he had never trained in his life. His eyes were opened and he was hooked. He had been told that this was the most effective Martial Art in the world but he had previously heard that from many students and instructors of other Martial Arts in describing whatever discipline they were studying or teaching.

A few weeks later the first Ultimate Fighting Championship took place on Pay Per View. The UFC was a No Holds Barred competition pitting different disciplines against one another to show which styles were the most effective. The smallest competitor in the event was a skinny Brazilian named Royce Gracie representing his family's art of Gracie Jiu-Jitsu. He easily defeated all the competition even though he was by far the smallest and weakest. After seeing this Scott needed no more convincing that this was the style to learn.

Soon after he moved to California to train with the masters of what today has been termed Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. Scott has trained extensively with Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu legends such as Rigan Machado, Royce Gracie and Rickson Gracie and MMA fighters Fabiano Iha, Chris Brennan, Jeremy Williams and Eric Paulson. Scott eventually went on to earn his black belt from World Renowned Jiu-Jitsu practitioner and instructor Rigan Machado. Over the years he has competed in several No Hold Barred and Sanctioned events in which he holds an amateur record of 8-0 and Professional record of 11-2.

Scott continues to have the same philosophy as Rigan of constantly modernizing and updating his Jiu-Jitsu by incorporating wrestling, Judo and Sambo into his arsenal. Today Scott holds a 2nd degree black belt and is one of five Internationally Certified black belt instructors in Arizona.

Instructor Lineage
Sr. Mitsuyo "Count Koma" Maeda → Carlos Gracie Sr. → Carlos "Carlinhos" Gracie Jr.  → Rigan Machado