Residents earn Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belts

From left are new black belts Mike Shields, Dallas Mabry, Mike Kubes, and Charles Hallman.

Four Houston area residents have earned their Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belts from Elite MMA, in Westchase.

The four are Charles Hallman, a 52-year-old cardiovascular surgeon at the Texas Heart Institute; Mike Kubes, a 47-year-old resident of Sugarland, and an executive at BMC; Michael Shields, a 37-year-old resident of Sienna Plantation, in Missouri City; and Dallas Mabry, of  Westchase, Dallas.

According to a press release, a black belt means recipients finished a martial arts journey that tests people mentally and physically. Achieving black belt status in Brazilian jiu-jitsu can take eight to 15 years to achieve.

For more information, visit www.elite-mma.com.