Head instructor · Red Dawn Combat Club
With over 25 years on the mat and credentials spanning three martial arts disciplines, Michael Botier is the heart of Red Dawn Combat Club — a martial artist, coach, and community figure in Fresh Meadows, Queens who has dedicated his career to making martial arts accessible, approachable, and transformative for students of every level.
Michael's credentials aren't just titles — they represent decades of consistent practice, competition, and teaching across disciplines that few coaches combine.
Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is a ground-based martial art that emphasizes leverage, technique, and positional control — allowing a smaller, skilled practitioner to neutralize a larger opponent. Michael has been training since the early 2000s, a period when BJJ was still taking root in New York and long before it became mainstream through the UFC. That foundation gives him a depth of technical knowledge that only comes with time on the mat.
In BJJ, earning a black belt alone typically takes 10–15 years of consistent training — making it one of the most demanding belts in any martial art. Degrees above black belt are awarded by the IBJJF (International Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Federation) based on years of continued training and contribution to the art: a 1st degree requires a minimum of 3 years at black belt, a 2nd degree 3 more, and a 3rd degree an additional 5 years beyond that.
Michael’s 3rd degree black belt places him among a small group of practitioners in the United States who have not only mastered the technical curriculum but have spent the better part of their lives growing as martial artists, coaches, and mentors.
Kyokushin is widely regarded as one of the most physically demanding styles of karate in the world. Founded by Masutatsu Oyama, it emphasizes full-contact sparring with no protective gear — a demanding test of both technique and conditioning. Unlike point-based karate systems, Kyokushin fighters must break through an opponent’s guard and score with power. A 2nd degree black belt (Nidan) represents years of continued practice beyond the initial black belt, demonstrating both technical refinement and commitment to the discipline.
Michael has competed across three disciplines — Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Judo, and Karate — bringing him the kind of well-rounded competitive perspective that shapes a great coach. Having tested his skills under pressure at the tournament level, he understands what it takes to perform when it counts, and how to help students build that same mental and physical readiness.
Before founding Red Dawn Combat Club, Michael built his coaching career working at multiple gyms across New York City — first as a personal trainer and then as a kickboxing coach. That experience taught him how to structure progressive training for students with no martial arts background, how to manage a room of mixed skill levels, and how to communicate technique clearly to people who learn in different ways. The result is a coaching style that is patient, structured, and effective at every level.
Credentials tell you what Michael knows. His approach to teaching tells you who he is.
At Red Dawn Combat Club, the goal has never been to produce competitors who hit a specific benchmark — it’s to help every student, young or adult, discover what they’re capable of when they show up consistently and give their best. Michael creates an environment where asking questions is normal, progress happens at your pace, and nobody feels like they have to earn their place on the mat.
“For newcomers we first try to get them comfortable with the idea of training Jiu-Jitsu, which can be overwhelming for some. We explain that there is no pressure to perform well — we only want people to try and leave the results to us.”
— Michael Botier
For younger students, Michael is equally clear about his priorities: results follow effort, not the other way around.
“We always try to encourage kids to just try and participate. We don't expect kids to perform to any specific standards. We only encourage them to just try their best — and as long as they make an effort, we show them that results will always follow from that.”
— Michael Botier
That philosophy — high standards, met with patience and encouragement — shows up in how students talk about training at Red Dawn.
You can feel that he genuinely cares for his students. He is very knowledgeable with a lifetime worth of experience.
Mike has established an environment where people can learn and feel safe asking questions.
He really listens to you and takes the time to make sure you're learning and improving.