Informative Issue No.

119
2014
Maestro Danilo Rossi Lajolo Di Cossan Maestro Danilo Rossi Lajolo Di Cossan
Maestro Alan Saitta Maestro Alan Saitta
Host By: Master Lee Lollio
Introduction
Brief History of Italian Martial Arts
Training with Maestro Danilo and Maestro Alan
A Final Word
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Host Lee Lollio with his wife Elisa Miranda Lollio
and Maestro Danilo and Maestro Alan
The Author: Lee Lollio is a Filipino martial arts practitioner and teacher,
International certifed 4th and 5th degree blackbelt, a senior instructor and
disciple under founder Grandmaster Leo Fong in Wei Kuen Do, Chi Fung
and LF Modern Escrima, Lajolo Knife Fencing System USA, California
representative, Certifed MMA striking and boxing coach and also Found-
er of his own methodology Bo Jin Tao (Way of Modern Kombat).
To contact Maestro Danilo visit his websites: www.calixworld.com or www.lajolosports.com
The FMA Informative is fortunate to have Lee Lollio who is a Filipino martial arts practitioner and teacher host
Maestro Danilo Rossi Lajolo Di Cossano Founder of Lajolo Knife Fencing System and his Chief Instructor
Maestro Alan Saitta both from Italy and provide the FMA Informative with the information in this issue.
The FMA Informative was fortunate in the past to publish a article about Maestro Danilo in the FMA
Informative newspaper Interview Maestro DArmi Danilo Rossi Lajolo di Cossano by the FMA Informative,
(Issue Vol2 No.10 - 2013 - Click Here)
As stated by Mr. Lollio: What I really respected about Danilo and Alan were their humility and integrity, which
seems to always follow a true fghter that I have experienced. The frst day I met up with Danilo and Alan later
that day we went to the martial arts school where I teach at and both Danilo and Alan sparred full contact with
me and my students for hours with no ego whatsoever and was more than willing to mix it up with great skill,
which is a rarity for some Masters in the arts.
The FMA Informative highly suggests when Maestro Danilo returns to the United States be sure to
attend his seminars or workshops. In fact this is suggested anyway throughout the world that Maestro Danilo
maybe having a workshop.
The FMA Informative is hoping that it will be able to provide more information on Maestro Danilo in a
future issue.
Introduction
I had the opportunity to
host Maestro Danilo Rossi Lajolo
Di Cossano Founder of Lajolo
Knife Fencing System and his
Chief Instructor Maestro Alan
Saitta both from Italy who came
over from there to America for the
frst time arriving in California.
Prior, I have corresponded with
Danilo for a couple of years on the
internet and email sharing pleas-
antries and cross sharing period-
ically our philosophies in sharp
edge Kombatives in our chosen
arts and methodologies.
I have always had a pas-
sion and deep interest besides
martial arts in knives since I can
remember and was taught how to
care and respect a knife at an early
age.
Later on when I start-
ed studying the Filipino martial
arts seriously in several Escrima
systems and reality based weapon
combatives, I married into a proud
Filipino family who my wifes
father knew how to wield a blade
also. His grandfather where he
grew up was a known Escrimador
and Master of the cane/stick and
tabak, which functions in the same
manner as a machete in the Philip-
pines and I was taught his family
tradition of the blade/Tabak.
Over the years training
and sparring with some of the best
Punong Guros and instructor train-
ing partners in the Filipino martial
arts for whom I am very grateful
for in stick and knife that has con-
sumed me, my passion has grown,
especially for the blade, more
so then the stick, which is more
cumbersome and less practical in
modern society. What drew my
initial interest in Danilo besides
our mutual passion for martial arts
and sharp edge combatives and
of course his obvious high level
skill set from his various training
and sparring videos I gleaned
from was our same nationality we
shared.
My ancestral home, which
is in part in Palermo Sicily in the
south and Genoa and Bergamo
Italy in the far north and myself
being a long time martial artist
who predominately studied the
Asian arts in between competi-
tive western boxing, which I also
consider an art form and science
for now thirty plus years, I have
always wanted to study in depth
my ancestral martial arts of Italy
and Sicily. Besides just the basics
of how to respect a knife and care
for one from several family mem-
bers and being schooled in the art
of boxing from my one uncle who
was an accomplished boxer in the
ring and known feared street fght-
er in Detroit where thirty years
later I had the honor and good for-
tune of training under my uncles
head boxing trainer like some of
my other brothers, I had no serious
training in Italian martial arts. I
didnt realize the gravity of Italian
martial arts, its great tradition, and
extensive history that demands
respect that can rival any time in
history by any other nation or tra-
dition.
Only after partaking an
in depth research study in Ital-
ian martial arts preparing for my
friend Danilos arrival in the USA
from Italy who is a legitimate
Maestro in Italian martial arts who
I will write more about later, that I
discovered the great and expansive
history of Italian martial arts and
the blade. Prior to that, I have just
read glimpses of its history after
years of studying the Pinoy, Malay
and Indo China history of the blade
and cultures and marrying into
one.
Brief History of Italian Martial Arts
To touch on and give a
brief introduction of the history of
Italian martial arts, specifcally the
blade, a lot of people dont know
that to this day Italy has one of
the strongest knife cultures in the
world, besides being one of the
best knife makers. A history of the
blade and martial arts that only the
Greeks have a more ancient histo-
ry dating all the way back to the
Romans through the great Italian
fencers who inspired the world in
modern fencing with the renais-
sance and the baroque era. Soldier
of fortune, Master Fiore dei Liberi
wrote a manual Flos Duellatorum
or the Flower of Battle in 1410,
illustrating a repertoire of tech-
niques for many different weapons
and for unarmed combat that is
one of the oldest books ever writ-
ten on martial arts that still exist.
The Italian Arditi Assault
Storm Troopers formed from 1917
to 1920 of World War I are of leg-
end how they stormed the trenches
with only their short daggers on
various missions and the Germans
who were their enemys in the frst
world war still to this day write
about their exploits of courage and
expert specialized fghting prow-
ess with a knife. Knife duels that
ended up in death too frequently
were performed
in the early 1900s
in Italy and Sicily
and were carried
over by the co-
morra the Ital-
ian mafa to the
United States in
secret Even to
this present day
with the environ-
ment of Italy with
strict anti-gun laws
whatsoever for
the Italian citizen,
the knife is still after thousands of
years the weapon of choice and rul-
ing provider for the Italian man for
self-defense, handling disputes or
unfortunately committing violent
crimes.
Familys in Sicily and
Italy have had their own tradi-
tional knife/stick fghting
and martial art systems
very similar to the Filipino
family martial arts systems
in the Philippines for gener-
ations over centuries that the
Comorra the Italian mafa
have practiced for their own
beneft and exploitation.
Only the last twenty
years or so that the Ital-
ian knife family fghting
systems have been
more openly taught
to the general pub-
lic and accepted by
them, because of the
taboo and negative
reputation that the
Italian knife fghting
systems had with the
criminal underbelly
and specifcally the
comorra and was
kept very close to
the families and
not generally wel-
come to outsiders.
Maestro Danilo is
leading the way
with other Italian
knife Maestros
and families to
share their beloved
Italian martial arts
and the blade that
is traditional and
very progressive
in functionality for
the modern times
Young Italian Comorra street
Mafa member in the early 1900s
Italian Arditi Assault Storm Troopers
Training with Maestro Danilo and Maestro Alan
Training with Maestro
Danilo and Maestro Alan for a
week was an amazing experience
I will never forget in brotherhood
of the arts. I was honored that they
would care so much to share their
beloved art of the blade of Italian
martial arts with myself over a
weeks time before and after the
seminar where they taught my
students and fellow colleagues.
Maestro Danilo is a twenty second
family generation practitioner of
the Knife and one of the leading
authorities of expert sharp edge
combatives in Europe. Besides
his own rich family knife fghting
system Lajolo history he has stud-
ied with all the major family knife
fghting systems all over Italy and
Sicily and is the only one to have
permission from all the families
to teach their beloved family knife
fghting systems to the general
public. Maestro Danilo also makes
frequent trips on a monthly basis
to war torn Eastern European
countries and Russia to teach
their special forces and has
schools in some of the most
violent areas in the world.
Maestro Danilo who is for-
mer military is also one of
the most demanded personal
protection agent body guards
in Europe who has protected
some of wealthiest people in
Europe and also the whos
who of A list actors
from Hollywood
while in Europe.
Maestro Danilo besides
being the founder if the
Lajolo Knife fghting
system is the President of
the Italian International
Short Fencing Association
where people from all over
the world come to com-
pete in full contact fencing
tournaments using offcial
Lajolo sparring quality gear
that is some of the best in
the world in his events
with a culmination of
the Championship hailed
at different locations
throughout Europe and
Australia where Maestro
Danilo has affliate Lajo-
lo Knife Fighting Fenc-
ing schools. I hope in the
very near future to have
a Lajolo Knife Fencing
tournament in the USA,
specifcally in California
where I reside. Maestro
the Spanish conquistadors
who had great fencing skills
that later infuenced Filipino
martial arts. This article will
not explore the debate on how
much infuence the Spanish
had on the Filipino martial
arts that has been written and
debated many times now, but
theres no doubt even with the
name escrima that is Spanish
derived, that it obviously had
an infuence, how big or small
I will leave that for others
to debate. Thats why I think the
Filipino martial arts are so rich in
history and depth with its martial
arts from all of its infuences from
the various colonialists and settlers
like the Chinese and Malays for an
example. I also feel with the great
history of Italian fencing that a lot
of the Spanish settlers in the Philip-
pines were quite possibly been in-
Italians in 1960 working on knife drills
fuenced by the Italian fencers. The
Italian Combat and Fencing book
one of the oldest still in existence
by Italian Master Fiore dei Liberi
Flos Duellatorum or the Flower of
Battle in 1410 predates the Span-
ish famous Fencing book Treatise
on Arms was written by Diego de
Valera between 1458 and 1471 by
ffty years or so. Also by the 18th
century the Italians were the great
modern fencers with the French in
the renaissance era and later with
the Spanish schools all but pretty
much nonexistent and faded in
history. It would be foolish to think
that the Spanish settlers over the
centuries in the Philippines were
not in some way by some capacity
infuenced by the Italians in fenc-
ing with no difference with their
infuence all over the world.
Italian fencer performing a similar roof block
that you would see in the Filipino martial
arts in the Italian renaissance
Alan is an accomplished Champi-
on Muay Thai Fighter who speaks
Thai with over ffty professional
fghts and has trained and fought
in Thailand and Europe and also is
a Muay Boran instructor who later
Maestro Danilo protecting Nicholas Cage
to the world at large. I myself am
happy to be a part of this great pro-
gressive movement of my culture
in Italian Martial arts and the blade
and support Maestro Danilo and
Lajolo KFS and also be interna-
tional partners with them to the
best of my ability with honor.
Ferdinand Magellan land-
ed in the Philippines in 1521 with
Maestro Danilo protecting Ewan Mcgregor
Maestro Danilo protecting Johnny Depp
Maestro Danilo protecting Ethan Hawke
this year will be honored in Thai-
land by his Kru Master from the
Muay Thai University for his acco-
lades and study ship over the years
in Thailand. With great respect for
Maestro Danilo, Maestro Alan a
Master in his own right became a
direct student of his and years later
became his chief instructor in Lajo-
lo Knife Fencing System, which is
the ultimate respect.
What I quickly noticed in
Italian knife fghting, especially
Maestro Danilos Lajolo Knife
Maestro Alan in one of his full rules
professional Muay Thai bouts
Italians who have no awareness of Fil-
ipino martial arts in 1960 performing a
drill that is similar to tapi tapi
Maestro Danilos Russian Lajolo KFS affliate School in Russia
Fencing System like some of the
corto Filipino martial arts Escri-
ma and knife systems are the very
tight close quarters knife thrusts
and slashes, that for an example
like the slashes are just a few
inches vertical or lateral with level
changes from the legs with the
knife hand elbow in and tight stay-
ing in a non telegraphic position
almost like Wing Chuns immov-
able elbow not faring out at all
from both sides. The reason why is
that Italy and Sicily is very urban
and congested like the Philippines
and the methodology is based on
the urban environment with prac-
ticality and survival at its utmost
importance. There are ten strikes
and counters to the Lajolo Knife
Fencing System and low kicks
are utilized also for destruction or
distraction. Lajolo Knife Fencers
pride themselves being profcient
with both hands and trickery and
sleight of hand movements are
taught and encouraged. Foot work
and distancing is also important
with the right timing to close the
gap at the right time. Maestro
Danilo has some noticeable scars
on his body from his line of work
in the protection industry and also
real live blade challenge knife
duels that is very common in Italy
and Sicily. If agreed upon between
both parties before the knife duel
the frst person to be cut wins and
keeps the others knife and lets just
say Maestro Danilo has a nice trea-
sure collection of knives (LoL)
Maestro Danilos Lajolo KFS affliate Australian School headed by Master John Martini
Maestro Danilo showing Boris Fritz with Anthony Tesoro
behind them the Lajolo non telegraphic elbow that creates
short economy of motion strikes
Maestro Danilo working with Anthony Tesoro with his back to the camera
Maestro Danilo performing a low line kick on Koki Wong
while Boris Fritz is watching on
Maestro Alan performing a
modifed 2 handed ripost
Maestro Danilo defending against a low forward thrust with a fnishing downward stab and slash
Maestro Danilo defends against low forward thrust from Maestro Alan Maestro Danilo defending the high line forward thrust with a fnishing modifed high line ripost
Maestro Danilo defending against a number one strike with a mid level fnishing modifed ripost
A Final Word
What I really respected
about Danilo and Alan were their
humility and integrity, which
seems to always follow a true
fghter that I have experienced.
The frst day I met up with
Danilo and Alan later that day we
went to the martial arts school
where I teach at and both Danilo
and Alan sparred full contact with
me and my students for hours
with no ego whatsoever and was
more than willing to mix it up
with great skill, which is a rarity
for some Masters in the arts. From
my exceptional experience train-
ing and sparring for a week with
Maestro Danilo and Maestro Alan
I was asked to be their frst US
representative and I was honored to
accept and also be a direct stu-
dent of Maestro Danilo to further
my education in the Italian knife
fghting and also the Italian martial
arts culture. I was taken back and
blown away by a gift given to me
by Maestro Danilo from
one martial artist to anoth-
er with respect when he
gave me one of his limited
designed fxed knives by
the world renown knife
maker Frank Beltrame one
of the fnest gifts I have
ever received by anyone
and will cherish it for the
rest of my life and make
sure I leave it to someone
worthy with honor when
my day comes. This expe-
rience will be a memory that will
last a lifetime and I am grateful for
everything from Maestro Danilo
and Maestro Alan, but most impor-
tantly I feel I have two brothers
in the arts that our brotherhood
will endure forever and the value
to our international partnership
is priceless. I plan to visit Italy
in the near future to study with
Maestro Danilo and Maestro Alan
and other Maestros of the Italian
1st USA, California Chapter newly appointed
representative and host Lee Lollio
knife fghting families and to visit
my own family where I have a
lot of cousins who I stay in con-
tact with and do some of my own
extensive family research into the
Italian martial arts and nobility I
belong to, but know nothing about
it in depth at this time besides my
own Lollio family coat of arms and
a family villa my great grandfather
built in the early 1900s where his
picture still resides in.
Maestro Danilo and the host Lee Lollios friend
Kenny with Danilo holding his new Bowie American
replica knife he received from Lee as a token of respect
The host Lee Lollio handing Maestro Danilo a gift
of a replica America Jim Bowie knife
Having lunch and exchanging gifts with the host Lee Lollio, Maestro Danilo,
Grandmaster Leo Fong and Maestro Alan
Having diner after the seminar
If interested in training in Lajolo Knife Fencing System in the USA Maestro Danilo and Maestro Alan will be
back October of 2014 for more workshops in the Los Angeles, California area where Lee Lollio resides and rep-
resents Lajolo Knife Fencing System Chapter as a dynamic supplement to his other fghting methods of choice
and also in Las Vegas, Nevada where Anthony Tesoro currently represents a chapter at his school.
For more information on Training or Hosting a Lajolo KFS workshop in the United States you can contact Lee
Lollio at: Email: LeeL210@yahoo.com or his Website: bjtonline.vpweb.com
To contact Maestro Danilo visit his websites: www.calixworld.com or www.lajolosports.com
The Host Lee Lollio, Maestro Alan Saitta, Grandmaster Leo Fong, Founder Maestro Danilo Rossi Lajolo Di Cossan
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