Daniel A. Webre is a martial arts instructor based out of New Orleans. He was born on December 10th, 1970, and is the star of a self-defense instructional video called "Filthy Jailhouse Fighting Secrets", produced and promoted by online retailer TRSDirect.com[1988]. He is the founder of Outlaw Fighting Systems (Internet Archive versions of the OFS webpage - [1989]).

Background

According to the promotional literature for Dan's TRS video series, "Filthy Jailhouse Fighting Secrets[1990]," Dan Webre spent "years in a federal penitentiary on a major felony count," a claim presumably meant to bolster his authority in promoting his video and its "field-tested" techniques. By contrast, in his interview in The Martialist web 'zine run by Phil Elmore [1991], he indicates that he has a background in Wing Tsun and street fighting and distances himself from the "jailhouse" TRS marketing.

"I do not teach a jailhouse fighting system. There really isn't any such animal," he says in the interview. "Yes, I went to prison once, but not for long enough to bitch about.As for TRS, marketing is just that... [but the] TRS tape shows some techniques that are effective and that I do use."

Video Series

"Filthy Jailhouse Fighting Secrets" is marketed by TRSDirect.com, an online producer and retailer of self-defense videos. It is a series comprised of two videos and an audiocassette intended to teach people how to brutally and effectively defend themselves using techniques that Webre allegedly used while incarcerated.

In six total reviews of the material, members of Bullshido.net have disparaged the overall quality and efficacy of the material in "FJFS," including reviews by a correctionals officer and a professional fighter. [1992] [1993] By contrast, martial arts author and commentator Phil Elmore, who has reviewed dozens of similar programs and products, had more positive things to say, based on a "pre-production video" allegedly sent to him by Webre. "[In the tape, Dan] explored several ideas from the curriculum he teaches or is contemplating teaching," stated Elmore. "One of these was knife disarms, in which Dan calmly performed a couple...using a perfectly live SOG Flash II. Now, this is so dangerous I don't know where to begin, but it certainly demonstrated to me that Dan is earnest about what he does and is not kidding around. If anybody is curious, Dan's overall approach looks to me like "combatives meets Wing Chun with lots of swearing."[1994]

Controversy over credentials and history

Besides his biography on TRSDirect.com, Dan Webre has provided details of his alleged combative ability on various websites [citations]. At one point, Webre claimed that he committed a justifiable homicide while incarcerated in a federal prison [1995]

In an article labeled by the site the martial arts website Bullshido.net an "investigation," Dan Webre's TRS video and his published qualifications were called into question by several forum members who claimed that Webre and his video were "bullshido[1996]." Research allegedly conducted over many months by these forum members resulted in the following pieces of information.

The TRSDirect advertisement for Webre's video said that he was "sent to a federal penitentiary on a major felony count,"[1997] Webre's court records indicated that he was jailed in Fort Worth, Texas for perjury, a non-violent offense. This detail was corroborated by Webre's probation officer. This is, in fact, a felony count. Whether the TRS marketing copy implies a violent crime conviction is thus arguable.

Webre was released from prison early for good behavior. By contrast, the TRS marketing copy claims he used his "nasty fighting techniques ...every day... to save his life... to protect his pals... and to gain the respect necessary to survive."[1998]

Bullshido forum members were unable to obtain verification of Webre's job history concerning the security and bodyguard work in which he has publicly claimed to have been engaged (a failure Webre has dismissed as the result of working under a pseudonym while so employed[1999]. Forum members were, however, able verify that Webre worked as a mortgage originator for at least 4 different companies in the 7-year period from 1996-2003.

During the period of Webre's imprisonment in Fort Worth, no prisoners were reported killed, apparently contradicting his claim of having committed a justifiable homicide (seen here in screen capture - [2000])

References

Interview in "The Martialist" Webzine

TRSDirect.com advertisement for "FJFS"

Martialist interview with Webre in June 2003

Bullshido.net investigation of Webre, including copies of his Bureau of Prison's record.