The bio of Mr. Yarbrough and his credentials. 
in thirty years of training and dedication of three decades, and being a leader in the martial arts community.

Ryan is known has former Boxing & Kickboxer and a tough competitor in Karate & Jiu Jitsu earned him the nickname Rhino over two decades ago . 

Ryan "Rhino" Yarbrough is a North Carolina-based freestyle fighter and self defense martial artist -a7th Degree  Master ranked instructor and also has a sport athlete competitive side . known for competing in numerous martial arts styles, including boxing, kickboxing, karate, Muay Thai, Bare Knuckle Karate , Gi , No Gi , Sport JuJitsu (MMA) , Combat Jiu Jitsu in cage and BJJ super fights in the cage .  He started learning MMA in 1995 . Focus on HapKiDo , JuJitsu , & Karate and started American NinJutsu in 2003 under Sensei Tim & Frank Ross and Brazilian Jiu Jitsu in 2007 under his Hapkido student Felix Boggan , Ryan loved the BJJ and joined a local MMA school Evolution Fighting Academy and later Gracie Jiu Jitsu schools and finially in 2025 earned black belt in Gracie Jiu Jitsu under the tutelage of Professor Danny Lane . Grand Master Danny Lane is a Martial arts legend and HoF pioneer... Ryan , founded Yarbrough Martial Arts Academy in 2005 and is recognized for his extensive experience in various combat sports tournaments . over a period of more than two decades since he started competing in boxing 2001 . Ryan worked martial arts tournaments since 2001 and started arbitrating sport Jiu Jitsu tournaments in 2013 . 

• Early Pioneer for bringing submission  grappling division to Traditional Karate tournaments in North & South Carolina.
• In 2007 Sensei Ryan was asked to help work the Karate tournaments thru out NC . Ryan started with time & score keeper and in time and moving up in rank to judge and center judge and a referee too ring coordinator and than to arbitrator. 
  
  
• 2013 - 2019 Ryan became an arbitrator for Gi and No Gi submission grappling twice a year for the Kuro Bushi Martial Arts Organization (KBMA) . 
  also helped out with Karate promoter Corey Waiters Karate Nationals & Union County NC 
• Larry Dillingham - Foothills Karate Classic - Salisbury & Spencer NC 
• Tarron Coalson Central Carolina martial arts open in Clemmons NC 
• War Eagle Karate championship in Mocksville NC - Travis Hines 
• The Beast of South Carolina- Terry Gore 
• Fighting career: Yarbrough has a professional background in various martial arts disciplines, including boxing, karate, kickboxing, Muay Thai, and JuJitsu winning small amounts in Toughman contest , karate , kickboxing, and Jujitsu . Ryan is known for accepting the trophy and giving the check back to the promoter telling him to put the money towards the tournament for next year . 
  
  
• Fight record: Ryan has a freestyle fight record of 113 fights, with 76 wins and 37 losses. Won over 60% of his fights.  
• Notable accomplishments:
• 2001 - 2005 Fought has a boxer in Toughman contest and Boxing matches thru out the state of NC 
• Tri state area - black belt division in Karate & Taekwondo tournaments.2006 - 2023 Started competing in Karate tournaments - empty hand Kata / weapon kata and Ryan went undefeated in self defense division 
• well known for fighting in point karate & Continous Karate fighting 
• won 9 National Karate titles @ National events
• 2006 - 2008 won American Kickboxing Championships in light weight, middle weight undefeated 
• Muay Thai at Master Sums 3 wins 3 losses in Thai Boxing competition in cruiser weight / light heavyweight 
• 2007 first title fight in MuayThai Kickboxing 
• IKF Muay Thai NC State title fight against Dominque Simmons of Fl Charelotte NC 
• 2009 Won Title and $500 in Ultimate Karate / Sport JuJitsu promoted by Master Abdul Malik Karate in Greensboro NC 
• 2014 - Bare Knuckle Karate world championship title fights under Hanshi Ernest Dukes old school karate national - Greensboro NC
• 2014 KBMA BJJ World title fights I placed 2nd in Charlotte NC promotions by Hanshi E Dukes 
• 2015 Ryan won KBMA BJJ world title hosted by E Dukes 
• 2019 KBMA BJJ world title fights placed 2nd 
• 2020 started competing in NAGA open BJJ tournaments in No Gi and Gi 
• 2023 won Naga Title belt 
  
• 2024 Won title belt in No Gi BJJ first of the tournament and fought main event for Gi Jiu Jitsu at the end lost to Scotty Hammonds 
• 2020 - 2025 cage fighter in combat Jiu Jitsu and super matches in BJJ 
• won boxing matches 
• karate nationals
• fought for kickboxing NC state title
• fought for Karate world title 
• fought for 7 title belts in Jiu Jitsu 
• Coached many students to state , nationals, and world titles . 
• Tradional Martial Arts Background 

1995 - 2025 black belt in Korean Hapkido & TaeKwondo under Derman Hodge whom trained under his father Master Hodge and Grand Master Kim from South Korea . 

1995 - 2017  black belt in Karate under Grand Master Robert Shook Chinese Dragon Kempo than switched to Kenpo Karate under Grand Master Sam Albright 

2018 1st Degree black belt in Moo Sul Kwan TangSooDo Korean Karate also known has MooDuk Kwan Taekwondo under WMKF under GM Derman Hodge

1995 - 2025 black belt in JuJitsu under Soke Kirk Simmons to Hanshi Chris MacDonald . to Grand Master Derman Hodge under Sokura Tanaka from Japan 

2003 - 2018 black belt American Ninjutsu & outdoor survival under Sensei Tim Ross 

2003 - 2025 black belt  American Kickboxing under 1990 middle weight world champion Kickboxer and Karate Hanshi Ernest Dukes 

2007 - 2025 black belt Gracie  Jiu Jitsu under Professor Danny Lane  

Ryan is nationally known for teaching the self defense art of Korean Hapkido .

In 2005 When Ryan started Yarbrough Martial Arts Academy he only taught Hapkido but he added to his teachers art of Hapkido . 
1. Ryan being a fighter believed the art needed better sparring . 
So he trained students for point karate , kickboxing , and ground grappling submission tournaments influenced by what he learned in the other styles of martial arts . 

2. He added more weaponry to Hapkido from his Ninjutsu and Kenpo Karate background.

3. Ground defense turned into more JuJitsu .

So Ryan didn't invent the wheel . He simply added to it and opened his own association calling it : 

The Elite Freestyle Hapkido Association 

for well rounded mixed martial artist that believes in modern day style vs traditional ways. 
Christian based values and modern martial arts 

Ryan put this idea on dvd and got a contract to sell it at The store of martial arts .
By 2012 Ryan Tri state annual martial arts camps grew to a nationwide event . 
Ryan had the honor of certifying HapkidoKa/ or Hapkidoist east to west coast . In Mossuri , Kansas , Texas , Oregon , Wisconsin, Ohio , NC , SC , TN , Fl , NY , and Connecticut. 
Since 2005 Ryan has promoted a little over 50 black belts hands on . He prides himself on the low numbers . Says it's more meaningful to make people earn it hands on ! Having top talented self defense martial artist come from all over the nation to train hands on with Ryan on the mat is the highest highlight of his career and truly a God answered prayer and blessing .