The Source

Grand Tuhon Supremo Leopold Tortal Gaje Jr. 

Grand Tuhon Supremo Leo Tortal Gaje Jr., the Supreme Grandmaster and Guardian of the Pekiti-Tirsia Kali System, was a three-time Hall of Fame inductee and an internationally renowned Weapons Master Instructor. Beginning in the 1970s, he graced the covers of numerous martial arts publications and continued to be recognized for his contributions to the martial arts throughout his distinguished career. Among his many honors, he was named Man of the Year 2018 by Black Belt Magazine and, in 2019, received the Lifetime Achievement Award at the Martial Arts Supershow.

In 1972, Grand Tuhon Supremo introduced Pekiti-Tirsia to the United States and, over the decades that followed, expanded the reach of his family's legacy to more than 25 countries. His contributions to Close Quarters Combat and the global Filipino Martial Arts (FMA) community left a lasting mark on the development and international recognition of Filipino martial arts.

Renowned for its strategic use of weaponry and blade tactics, Pekiti-Tirsia has been adopted by military and law enforcement units around the world. It stands as a Filipino combat system employed by the Armed Forces of the Philippines, as well as by military and special operations personnel in the United States, India, Austria, and other countries.

Residing in the Philippines, Grand Tuhon Supremo was the sole Authorized Source of Pekiti-Tirsia Kali. Throughout his life, he traveled the world, preserving and teaching the indigenous blade technology that evolved from ancient warfare into modern-day combat, and dedicated himself to ensuring the survival and continued transmission of this powerful Filipino martial tradition.