shah franco

Biography

Shah Franco’s lifelong commitment to martial arts began at the age of 9, as he was trained by his older brothers in Shotokan Karate, who were accomplished black belts. Wanting to pursue karate at a higher level, he began training at Japan Martial Arts Center in 1977. Always interested in all martial arts, he started training judo with Sensei Bill Innes, and won his first Judo tournament at the Japanese Cultural Center in the Novice division.
By the age of 17, he was the youngest member of Team Karate Ontario (Adult division)
His competitive accolades include multi Ontario provincial championships, team captain, and provincial coach titles. He repeated this on a national level, by winning the Canadian Karate Championships, and being the Canadian Team Captain at the World Championships in Sun City, South Africa.
His International competitive achievements include International Karate Association World Championship World Title (1984, Los Angeles), North American Karate Champion title (WUKO WKF, Mexico 1991), and a top-eight finish at the IOC World Games (Den Hauge Holland, 1992).
His competitive career has earned him honors from Ontario Sport Ministry’s International Achievement Award in Amateur Sport.
While competing at a Karate tournament in Los Angeles in 1994, Shah was invited to participate in a class at the original Gracie Academy in Torrance, CA. It was taught by Royce Gracie, who had just won the first UFC, and so began his journey into Braziliian Jiu Jitsu.

Shah Franco Martial Arts was founded in 1992, originally a base for Olympic Sport karate, later evolved into a dojo that integrated Karate, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, and Mixed Martial Arts. SFMA would become the first Brazilian Jiu Jitsu academy in Toronto, and one of the first Canadian super gyms for Mixed Martial Arts.
During this period, he came to be known as Canada's First Supercoach of MMA. Shah coached and managed elite professional MMA athletes, preparing them for competition in global promotions such as Shooto (Japan), Ring of Fire (USA), UCC/TKO (Canada) and UFC. Alongside technical coaching, he managed high-stakes negotiations, matchmaking, and logistical planning with cultural and regulatory expertise.
He was also the cofounder of the Franco Behring Association, helping to pioneer and popularize Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu throughout Canada. As the second Canadian to receive a Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Black Belt, his leadership facilitated the growth of the art from one training center to more than 30 dojos nationwide.

Today, Shah continues to teach private lessons, group seminars, and serve as a technical and business consultant to numerous dojos and their instructors.
Serves as Program Director at Shah Franco Martial Arts, where he continues to mentor students and build systems for longevity in martial arts education.
He is the creator of The Old Guard Academy, an app-based curriculum designed to promote safety, pedagogy, and longevity in the martial arts. He is also the author of Arte Suave, a Brazilian Jiu Jitsu self-defense book. Shah’s vision is rooted in athlete development, legacy preservation, and cultivating discipline through innovative, accessible martial arts education.