Willard Cephas II – A Martial Arts Innovator Unlike Any Other
What’s required for an individual to make a big difference? Regardless of the industry or field, it usually takes years of hard work, perseverance, creativity, and perspective. For Professor Soke Willard (Will) Cephas II, a significant part of life has revolved around the training, education, and perfection of martial arts, with an end goal of making a difference.
Starting in the 1970s, Cephas – owner of Eastvale martial arts academy Cephas Karate-Jujitsu Elite – spent around 25 years co-founding a martial arts system, creating a new system, traveling the world, and changing countless lives. All this work culminated in Cephas receiving the Masters Hall of Fame Pioneer Award in 2001.
This prestigious honor recognizes the lasting impact Willard has on martial arts and future generations.
“My pioneer award, that was really monumental for me.” Willard said. “I knew that I was treading on grounds that other people just weren’t doing… I was a confident person but I think that gave me the confidence to know that, ‘Hey, it’s okay to be out there, whether it’s on your own or whether you have people in your corner.’ so that award meant a lot to me.”
But his work wasn’t nearly complete. In the 25 years since earning the award, he’s continued his extraordinary journey thanks to a lifetime of hard work alongside the storied Cephas family.
Training with the Cephases
There are many members of the Cephas family who train in martial arts. It all started with Will’s father, Grandmaster Willard Cephas Sr. Described in his instruction bio as “The Most Interesting Martial Artist in the World!”, Willard Sr. has a resume few can rival, with many esteemed recognitions and countless accomplishments. His journey laid the groundwork for Will’s lifelong dedication and success in the martial arts world.
“He (Willard Sr) kind of was a pioneer. He got multiple black belts when it just wasn’t a thing. You weren’t supposed to do that. He had studied from a person who was in the military — he was actually another African-American. So that’s huge right there because, as far as educators in the market, they just weren’t heard of.”
Will is proud of his father’s achievements in martial arts. The perseverance he showed in the face of different stereotypes in martial arts meant the world to him.
“(African Americans in martial arts) were viewed as the fighters, not necessarily the educators, so he kind of broke that stereotype which is awesome. Those walls are starting to slowly get broken down. My family’s been educating for decades… I think people kind of sandbagged us. They didn’t necessarily give us the high enough rank to teach back in the day… I pride myself on breaking down stereotypes as an African-American. I want them to see me as a person and [see that] I’m giving back to my community.”
As Willard Sr. began breaking down walls in the martial arts world, he made sure his children followed his legacy at an early age. By the age of 3, Will was already fully immersed in his training.
Will was brought up with more ‘hardcore’ traditional training. The emphasis on discipline required Will to outwork his peers. This included Will staying a white belt for years even as he improved, with Willard Sr. prioritizing growth over belt ranks. Years of round robins, holding chairs and ‘basically just a ton of pushups’ set him up to offer his own major contributions on the mat alongside his family.
Cephas Karate Jujitsu Systems
In 1986, Willard Sr., Will, and his brother, Kaiso Shawn Cephas, co-founded Cephas Karate Jujitsu – a system built around Karate, shaped by Wadō ryū principles and Jujitsu, with supporting influences from Shorinji Kempo, Boxing, Wrestling, and Judo. This took years of education and practice. The father-son trio split their training to build a well-rounded, multi-faceted system unique in martial arts.
“We just took different roles. We went out and studied other things and collectively brought them together. In the beginning stages we taught individually — almost like the Shaolin temples in Kung Fu movies, how you go to one instructor to learn techniques and then rotate
class sessions so that our students get all the information.”
The blend of Will’s cross-training in ground work, Shawn’s standing joint manipulation, and Willard Sr’s. decades of knowledge created the special style of combat. The Cephases built a system incorporating standup, striking, and grappling all in one. But Will’s desire to develop the system didn’t stop there.
In 2000, a year before earning the Pioneer Award, the Cephas Karate Jujitsu co-founder expanded the built style to create Cephas Karate-Jujitsu Elite. Will saw this as the evolution of the original, eliminating katas and adding a larger Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu influence. CKJ Elite advances the original system through a structured curriculum, modern training methodology, and a dual-rank progression model integrating a Karate-based Striking Phase refined with boxing mechanics, a Judo/Jujitsu based clinch and throw Transition Phase, and a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Ground Phase. It doubled the information learned while shortening the time to earn a black belt and creating a path for students to navigate the curriculum with clarity.
“I realized if you have a curriculum — it’s like a map. If I told you to go from California to Florida with no map or GPS, it would take you months. So with [CKJ Elite], it’s just a map so you can get from point A to point Z in a short period of time.”
CKJ Elite became something special for students. Will has put in a great amount of work to make training seamless.
“I’ve had students say like, ‘the way that you teach, you kind of slip techniques in.
I didn’t think that there were three different [disciplines] in here.’
Because they’re getting Japanese Jujitsu, Karate striking, and
Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu with Judo throws [all at once].”
Even with everything he’s created, Will hasn’t settled one bit. In fact, he’s pushed full steam ahead! He constantly tweaks the curriculum to make it the best it can be. Every year he takes a look at CKJ Elite from the perspective of, “How can I make this better?”
“I see what’s functional and what’s not. If it’s not functional, then I’ll put something else in place and then remove that.”
Many factors went into the modifications made throughout the years. The world of martial arts is always changing, and Will’s always ready to adapt. Still, nothing has been more impactful than his adventures all throughout the world, traveling across oceans to perfect his craft.
Traveling to Train
Will’s time learning from other masters started with the initial creation of the Cephas Karate Jujitsu system. These learning opportunities have been a major influence in his martial arts journey and a rewarding experience for Will personally and professionally.
“Traveling is a beautiful thing. [After I set up training] I get dropped off in this little place. I don’t really know anyone and people just pull you in and then you train with them. I really soak up the culture. Different cultures are very prideful in their art form, which is really good because they show you the best of it.”
Each time Will leaves the country to train, he embarks on a whole new journey that few experience in martial arts. Each country, discipline, culture, and community he explores has drastic differences. He’s enjoyed his time around the world, particularly training Muay Thai in Thailand and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu in Europe, which included two-mile bike rides before and after class through ‘beautiful scenery’. Besides those two adventures, every time he’s left to train has provided him with a truly unique perspective.
“I’ve stayed in hotels, I’ve stayed in hostels – it’s just different. It’s humbling and I just feel that’s how martial arts should be. I think that’s how someone should do it at least once in their life, to experience it.”
All of his past, present, and future training, both at home and overseas, has allowed him to provide students with everything they need to succeed. The development of his students drives everything he does. He’s built an academy that encourages positivity, community, drilling, and flow-based actions focused on the ABCs – Angle, Block, Counterattack. Everyone who enters his academy follows this structure, including his two sons, Trajan and Kai.
Continuing Family Tradition
Maintaining the family legacy, Will has passed down his martial arts knowledge to his two sons. The journey Willard Sr. started has reached a third generation in the Cephas family.
When Will first began teaching his sons, he was ready for a seamless process. His brother warned him: ‘Teaching family is going to be the hardest thing you do.’ Will ignored him.
“[It] was like pulling out my hair! I had gray hairs! But on the flip side, it was one of the most gratifying experiences that I’ve ever had — I can’t explain it. If I see someone online that has a child they’re training, it just brings me joy.”
Nevertheless, that experience with his sons was unforgettable. Their development was truly special for him to contribute to and witness.
“I got to bring them [through] — almost like their rights of passage and help mold them into a man, not only through being their dad, but through The Martial Way. There’s no other experience like that.”
Even with all his accomplishments, the work he does with his family stands at the mountain top of his lifetime of training. He leads the academy alongside his father, two sons, and wife Shelly, creating what has become a home for everyone. Will has used a lifetime of martial arts training to change lives through a special dual-ranking system, countless different perspectives, and family values.
“I just love what I do.”
