Corey Tucker
Corey has always had an appreciation and love for
martial arts. He began training Tai Kwon Do at age 6 and
continued until he was 18. In 2003, he enlisted in the US Army and served as a Green Beret in Army Special Forces. He deployed multiple times to combat zones in Iraq, Afghanistan, Syria, and elsewhere, experiencing ground combat on numerous occasions. Corey spent 3 years assigned to the US Army Special Warfare Center and taught hundreds of Special Forces candidates. He retired from the Army after 20 years of service in 2024. Those experiences in combat have shaped how he views self-defense and Jiu Jitsu. After moving back to Tennessee
from Southern Pines, North Carolina in 2016, he continued his pursuit of martial arts in JiuJ Jitsu. While on assignment overseas in 2017, Corey had the opportunity to serve alongside Jim Kelly and began a lifelong friendship. Corey and his beautiful wife Angie often traveled to Cincinnati to visit family. Coincidentally, Jim grew up there as well and built his premier Jiu Jitsu academy, Gracie Cincinnati. Corey and Angie have been married for more than 15 years and have been blessed with 3 wonderful children. Angie started training Jiu Jitsu in 2023 to stay active and spend time with her kids. Based on his experience, Corey believes Jiu Jitsu provides his family, and others, with critical life skills which prepare them for the outside world as it is today. Since 2016, Corey has trained at Jiu-Jitsu academies all over the world. He has taught these skills to indigenous special operations personnel in Jordan, Uzbekistan, Iraq, and Syria. Now, under Jim Kelly and his team of instructors, Brody Hake and Kenny Bria, Corey’s mission is to bring his experience to Hendersonville, Tennessee.