The material in the school that most greatly interested Dean was Bobby Taboada’s (Balintawak Arnis Escrima) and Remy Amador Presas’s (December 19, 1936 – August 28, 2001) system of Modern Arnis.

While studying for a Chiropractic Degree at RMIT University in Melbourne in 1999 he met Mr. Rod Harris a consummate practitioner of Praying Mantis Kung Fu whom instructed him regarding techniques and attributes to better his skill set.

After graduation and moving to Bunbury Western Australia in 2008 he flew to the Philippines to directly train with Filipino Masters of the Doce Pares Multi Style System.  He studied under Supreme Grandmaster Dionesio A. Canete and many other talented Masters. By 2016 he had earned a third-degree black belt in the Doce Pares International System.

Dean is currently a student of GM Glen Gardiner and instructor affiliated with GM Glen Gardiners Combined Martial Arts Association and Academies.