Head Instructor of Twin City Martial Arts Napier. Awarded 28th October 2022.

Shayne Thomas Cox is the head instructor at Twin City Martial Arts, Napier, teaching Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and Bujinkan Budo Taijutsu. Shayne was born in Napier on the 4th May 1964 on Hospital Hill. Shayne's influences on his martial arts career started with the iconic Bruce Lee and the TV series Kung Fu staring David Carradine, and like many his martial art journey started in the 1970's in the art of Karate. Sensei Cox's first true martial arts teacher was Sensei Michael J Gent, who taught Sensei Cox the art of Ninjitsu and Brazilian Jiu Jitsu.

His Ninjitsu studies started in 1987 when Sensei Gent brought the Bujinkan art to this country from Australia after Michael had earned his shodan in Togakure Ryu Ninjutsu. Sensei Gent taught Sensei cox for over 18 years, before his untimely death in 2006 at 48 years old and grade of 7th dan. He was Shayne's visionary, his leader, and the one that always strove to get the best out of Shayne. The art of Ninjitsu is Shayne’s ultimate passion and in October 2019 Sensei Cox had the privilege to travel to Japan and train with Soke Masaaki Hatsumi himself at the Bujinkan dojo in Chiba, Japan. Sensei Cox currently holds the grade of 8th Dan in Bujinkan Budo Taijutsu awarded in November 2019. Shayne throughout his martial journey has also trained in Judo under Maurie Staples, kung fu and wing chung and has also earned a taekwondo black belt.

Sensei Gent pivotally introduced Sensei Cox to Professor John B Will and Will/Machado Brazilian Ju Jitsu in 1996 when sensei Gent introduced the art of BJJ into the Ninjitsu Schools Syllabus and created the Maai Hyoshi Dojo system. However, it wasn't until Sensei Cox introduced BJJ and John B Will to the Hawkes Bay in March of the year 2000, when he held the first John Will seminar, that Shayne's journey into coaching Brazilian Ju Jitsu really started. After Sensei Gents passing in 2006, Sensei Cox took to following Professor Wills methods and way of teaching on a problem solving basis. In 2004 sensei Cox had the pleasure of training with Royce Gracie at a National Brazilian Ju Jitsu seminar held in Wellington at Capital Gymnastics, this event was attended by the majority of the New Zealand pioneers in BJJ like Lindolfo Collor, Brian Morris, Pina Simpson, Geoff Grant and Geoff Aitken. Shayne was awarded his Brazilian Ju Jitsu black belt by John Will in 2009, and his 2nd Degree in 2016. In 2022 Shayne was awarded his 3rd Degree in Brazilian Ju Jitsu from professor Rigan Machado and John B Will.

Shayne was a massive supporter of the original SJJNZ tournament circuit, not only with his students but competing himself, in fact winning the men's u100Kg grappling in 2004 in Hastings. He was also integral to the founding of the NZJJF, as he was one of the nine supporting instructors at the NZJJF founding meeting in 2003. He taught at the National Seminar in Hastings in 2004 and a Masterclass on the Butterfly guard in 2016.

Sensei Cox has contributed to the Hawkes Bay Martial Arts Community for over 30 years, with an open-door policy for accessing his marital arts knowledge and wisdom. Sensei Cox has had a predominant hand in the development of every competitive BJJ school in the Hawkes Bay and the instructors and students of this art are his ongoing legacy. Sensei Cox's love for his family extends to those he taught.

Shayne was tragically diagnosed with a terminal brain tumor on the 21st August 2022 and after a brief battle with his cancer passed on the 7th November 2022 at the young age of 58 years old.