Bret Gordon wrote numerous lies about my back ground to attempt to defame and slander me. He accused me of having fake and non existent instructors. He belittled my instructors and admonished my instructors over the years for promoting me. He was involved with the online harassment of my student and his 13 year old daughter. He even reached out to one my instructors that he defamed and asked them to promote him to a nidan in judo.
The past months I have received numerous statements that Gordon defamed me to students in his school and over the phone to various people over the years. More and more people especially former students have reached out and all feel they were ripped off by Bret Gordon. Apparently Gordon has a habit of trying to intimidate people by threatening legal action.
Neither Bret Gordon or his instructor Steven Hatfield can offer a single shred proof regarding their own back grounds. Bret Gordon has faced significant scrutiny regarding his claims of affiliation with Daitō-ryū Aiki-jūjutsu, as of late. There are inconsistencies in his statements and this has questioned the legitimacy of his purported lineage.
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In 2018, Gordon publicly claimed to hold a dan rank in Daitō-ryū Aiki-jūjutsu. However, it was revealed that neither Hatfield or Gordon held no rank in or affiliation to Daitoryu. Gordon then stated the following in a 2022 blog article; "I have never claimed any rank in Daitō-ryū Aiki-jūjutsu," contradicting his earlier claim. Gordon had removed the rank claim in daitoryu from his website and then lied and tried to claim he never claimed such rank.
Hatfield, along with Gordon, has promoted a martial arts system called American Yoshinkan Aiki Jujutsu, which they claim was founded by a Japanese master named Yutashi Hasaka. According to their official website, American Yoshinkan Aiki Jujutsu was founded by Hasaka Yutashi, with Steven Hatfield inheriting the art in 2006. Bret Gordon later became a student of Hatfield and was appointed as the headmaster in 2020.
Gordon and Hatfield have presented varying and inconsistent narratives over the years regarding the existence and background of Hasaka Yutashi. These shifting accounts have raised significant skepticism within the martial arts community.
Evolution of the Hasaka Yutashi Narrative
Their Initial accounts describe Hasaka Yutashi as a Japanese
martial artist who began developing what would become American Yoshinkan Aiki
Jujutsu in 1957. He is said to have studied Yoshinkan Aikido under Gozo Shioda
and Daitō-ryū Aiki-jūjutsu under Kodo Horikawa, eventually moving to the United
States in the 1980s. The art was reportedly named "American Yoshinkan Aiki
Jujutsu" in 1999. However, critics have pointed out that there is no
verifiable evidence of Yutashi's existence, his contributions to martial arts
or training in aikido or daito ryu..
Earlier versions of Hatfield's martial arts background mention a Haska Yutasi. It was then claimed by Gordon that Hatfield had been mispronouncing and misspelling his own instructors name.
The shifting narratives from both Gordon and Hatfield and lack of concrete evidence point toward a constructed lineage aimed at establishing legitimacy for their own made up homemade martial arts system.
Bret Gordon then claimed to be in possession of photographs depicting Hasaka Yutashi, including one from the 25th Anniversary of the Kodokai. However, experts have debunked these claims, stating that the individuals in the photographs are not Yutashi and that the images have been misrepresented.
In response to the mounting criticism, Gordon later stated that the reason no records could be verified was because "Hasaka Yutashi" was an alias. Hasaka Yutashi, a supposed Japanese guy had changed his name to Japanese name that isn't a actual Japanese name. Gordon's story that Hasaka is an alias has further fueled skepticism and added to the lack of legitimacy and authenticity of their claims and the existence of Yutashi.
The existence of Hasaka and proof of their training has been requested to be presented by multiple judges to date. Gordon and Hatfield have both refused to offer a shred of proof to the courts. Yet a old Japanese group picture adorns their walls and their sites with the statement that Yusaka is somewhere in the picture.
The story, according to others, of Hasaka Yutashi has changed over the years too. Supposedly it was “someone” who taught Hatfield's step father William Sirbaugh then it was handed to Hatfield and then to Gordon. They had a supposed picture of Hatfield's step father training in Korea however that picture wasn't him. In actuality it was a picture of a Lawrence Sieberliech. They had misrepresented the picture to be of Sirbaugh. The pictured had been pilfered from the Moo Du Kwan website. Lawrence Sieberliech had trained extensively at the Moo Du Kwan in Korea.
Extensive research has failed to verify the existence of Hasaka, and linguistic analysis verifies the name is not consistent with Japanese naming conventions, indicating it's fabricated.
The martial arts community has raised serious concerns about
Steven Hatfield's and Gordon’s claims of any credentials in or lineage to Daitō-ryū
Aiki-jujutsu and other disciplines. The lack of proof of verifiable formal training,
verifiable evidence, associations with discredited individuals, and creation of
self-styled systems contribute to the perception that their claims are unfounded
and lack legitimacy.
Steven Hatfield's association with Renshinkan Daito-ryu
Aiki-jujutsu has been a subject of controversy and scrutiny within the martial
arts community. While Hatfield and his associate Bret Gordon have denied
claiming formal rank from Renshinkan Daito ryu Aikijujutsu their actions, implications and
representations were otherwise and led to disputes and clarifications from the Renshinkan Organization.
In a blog post, Bret Gordon addressed allegations regarding their association with Renshinkan, stating: "That is one hundred percent categorically false, and I challenge anyone to find a post or article where Steven Hatfield or myself claimed to have rank from the Renshinkan."
Gordon acknowledged that Hatfield had posted a video demonstrating Renshinkan techniques while wearing a midnight blue belt, and that others "mistakenly identified it as a black belt". He emphasized that no explicit claim of rank was made in the video. However, there is no blue belt rank of any shade of blue issued in Daito ryu nor did Hatfield hold any rank at all in Renshinkan Daitō-ryū Aikijujutsu.
Despite Gordon’s and Hatfield’s spin and denials, court dockets indicate that Renshinkan representatives took issue with Hatfield's misrepresentation, conducted their own research and, following a conversation with Hatfield, debunked his claims and alleged that Hatfield purposely misrepresented himself as being ranked within the Renshinkan. Also this discussion with the Renshinkan denotes another shift in Hatfield's and Gordon's ever changing narrative. This was the first mentions of Hasaka Yutashi being a family member of Hatfield's. Additionally, these references are in court docket files (130, 138, and 139) https://courtrecords.lakecounty.org/ Case Number 35-2020-CA-001851
Howard Popkin, a recognized Daitō-ryū practitioner, met Gordon in 2014 and observed his training. Popkin later in 2020 described Gordon as "a bold-faced liar" and concluded that Gordon was fabricating his martial arts background. This can also be found in court docket file 142, exhibit 14, page 6. Popkin has spoken out against Gordon's claims for years.
Donald Quintana, a senior instructor with the Daitō-ryū Aiki-jūjutsu Kodokai U.S. Hombu, has debunked Bret Gordon's claims regarding Daitō-ryū Aiki-jūjutsu. He publicly denounced Gordon's assertions of lineage and rank within Daitō-ryū Aiki-jūjutsu in 2020. This also seen in court docket files.
Most recently many Aikijujutsu practitioners that Gordon claims connections to in his book, have denied even knowing Gordon or training with him, much less being connected or affiliated to him. Others have stated that he grossly misrepresented their statements in his book in an effort to paint himself as a expert in Daito ryu aiki jujutsu and aiki arts.
Gordon and Hatfield have cited figures like Hasaka Yutashi, Shune Davis and a William Sirbaugh as foundational to their martial arts systems. However, Hasaka and Davis are not real individuals. There is no credible records supporting their existence much less any martial arts background. William Sirbaugh has no verifiable martial arts training which further cast doubt on their claimed lineages and affiliations.
Gordon and Hatfield have claimed high-ranking positions in
various martial arts. However, their affiliations often trace back to
organizations or individuals with questionable legitimacy. For example, Hatfield
claims to have received a 5th Dan in Judo under Jack "Papasan" Stern,
a figure convicted of Stolen Valor. Stern admitted in federal court that he
wasn’t a martial artist and had issued illegitimate martial arts ranks and
certifications in judo and Korean martial arts. This alone casts doubt on the
legitimacy of Hatfield’s credentials and showcase he and Gordon’s tendency to glum
onto and collect fake credentials and fake rank.
Gordon's early claims included earning black belts in multiple disciplines by the age of 16 and founding his own martial art system, San Budo Sogo Bugei. However, these assertions have been challenged by former instructors and lack credibility.
Conclusion
Gordon lists a variety of ranks in multiple arts (e.g., Aiki
Budo, Goju Ryu Karate, Taekwondo, Judo), these ranks often come from out of thin air just made up, or from lesser-known or self-styled organizations. There is no documentation, no pictures of him going through formal training or third-party confirmation from mainstream or internationally recognized martial
arts federations.
The figure of Hasaka Yutashi, claimed founder of American Yoshinkan Aiki Jujutsu, has been shown to be fabricated. Linguistic analysis reveals the name is not consistent with Japanese naming norms. Gordon's shifting stories and eventual admission that Yutashi was an “alias,” only occurred after significant external pressure and demand for proof.
Hatfield, who "passed down" American Yoshinkan to Gordon, is himself not recognized by legitimate Daitō-ryū or traditional Japanese martial arts organizations. Hatfield’s own rank claims and organizational affiliations have been widely discredited.
There is no endorsement or recognition from credible Daitō-ryū Aiki-jūjutsu organizations (such as Kodokai, Takumakai, or the mainline Hombu). Their claims to the Kodokai have been directly refuted and debunked. Any rank and recognition Gordon and Hatfield seek has been denied by those associated with that lineage.
Gordon’s own accounts have changed multiple times and shifted when his claims are debunked. Earlier writings do not mention key figures or claims he later introduced. Photographic "evidence" presented has not held up under scrutiny. They have tried to change and back date histories however that has only added more scrutiny.
After denying anyone access to their so called proof for years and even refusing to submit it to prove their back ground to the Kodokai and even multiple different judges in a court of law, Gordon put a picture of the man who was supposedly Yutashi in his book. After multiple iterations of Hasaka, he is supposedly Hatfield's family member. One accounting is a grand father another story is a he is a step grand father to Hatfield.
There are two very noticeable things about the picture:
1.) The person in the picture doesn't appear to be Japanese and 2.) the man in the picture in the book isn't shown in the old Japanese
photographs that Gordon posted, including the one from the 25th Anniversary of the Kodokai that Gordon’s claimed Yutashi was in.
Gordon now says that he cant offer proof, because he is under a non-disclosure agreement, but just buy his book because the proof is there.....yeah I cant make this shit up.
To be continued....
