Greg Thompson - Fight Coach

Greg “GT” Thompson was born in Eugene, Oregon on June 25, 1974. Greg learned the principals of hard work and the importance family growing up in a family-owned business run by his father, aunt, uncle and grandmother. Greg is fourth generation Japanese and spent many summer hours studying meditation and Japanese culture with his grandfather Ben Tsukamaki.

Greg graduated from South Eugene High School and begun studying Criminal Justice at Lane County Community College. Greg was hired by the Lane County Sheriff’s Office in 1998 and later graduated from the University of Oregon.

In 1999, a close friend invited Greg to come work out at a gym in Eugene. Thinking this would be a great tool for his law enforcement career, Greg joined him ant the gym. Once a week, Greg began training Jeet Kune Do, Brazilian Ju-Jitsu and Philipino Kali and knife fighting. With his Japanese heritage and a love of the warrior spirit, Greg was hooked.

During this time, Greg began body building and won both the Bill Pearl Classic Novice Heavyweight title in 2000 and the 2001 Capital City Open Heavyweight title. Greg also tried his hand at amateur fighting in 2002 with a TKO win over Ricco Porres in the Desert Brawl.

In 2003, Greg moved from Eugene to Portland and was hired by the Washington County Sheriff’s Office. Taking advantage of the move to Portland, Greg enrolled in classes at Team Quest. With the hectic schedule of training at Team Quest, working full time at the Sheriff’s office and teaching survival skills to law enforcement personnel at the Oregon Department of Public Safety Standards and Training academy, Greg needed to make a choice.

With the support of his wife, Greg quit the Sheriff’s office and began training at Team Quest full time. In April of 2006, Greg completed the Team Quest Instructor’s Course and is a full time coach for Team Quest. Greg has also begun an amateur fight career and is currently 4-1-0. In 2007 Greg moved his coaching program to Portland's SportsLab and created a mixed martial arts program for the gym.

Greg attributes much of his success thus far to the tutelage and training he has received under such fight greats as Randy “The Natural” Couture, Matt “The Law” Lindland and Dan Henderson as well as Team Quest coaches Robert Follis and Chris Wilson. Greg relies on his current training partners Josh “Bring the Pain” Haynes, Nate “The Rock” Quarry and Chael Sonnen to help push him to the next level of fighting.