VIDEO TRANSCRIPT: Bulletproof Combat Builds strength and resilience in the Syracuse community
Gabriela Peniston: Boxing, jiu-jitsu and wrestling are all sports that are widely recognized and practiced around the world. And here in Syracuse it’s no different. Shane Manley is one of many who found his passion within the ring. As a local athlete who grew up with his skills in combat sports, Manley was used to the amount of blows he received, but a different type of blow outside of the ring changed him forever.
Shane Manley: You know, I was working and shot in the stomach.
Peniston: Years ago, Manley’s life changed in an instant—when he was shot in the abdomen while working at the Orange Crate Bar in Syracuse. But instead of letting that moment define him, he decided that his fight was not over. After recovering, he got back on his feet and won a competition four months later.
Manley: So maybe like a, I think it was a few months recovery time and I was back training and stuff like that. Had to work my way back up but then four months later I won a major jiu-jitsu tournament and then six months later I won like the world championship.
Peniston: Now, Manley teaches others everything he knows at his studio, Bulletproof Combat. From the physical fight, to the mental, Manley’s students are now overcoming obstacles just the way he did. Bulletproof Combat gives the opportunity to these athletes to learn self-defense in a secure and safe area, and it also gives them the opportunity to fight professionally. For some athletes here, like Belizaire Bassette, training at Bulletproof Combat helps with his journey toward reaching his professional goals. Just last week, Bassette won a competition with the skills he’s developed under Shane Mansley’s guidance.
Belizaire Bassette: It benefits me everywhere like physically, mentally, spiritually, because it teaches me discipline. I want to do it as long as I can.
Peniston: Bulletproof Combat has become more than just a gym; it’s a place where resilience is built, both inside and outside the ring. Something that Shane Manley hopes his students will keep doing forever. Reporting for NCC News, I’m Gabriela Peniston.
SYRACUSE, N.Y. (NCC News) — Boxing, jiu-jitsu and wrestling are all sports known for building strength and discipline. In Syracuse, Bulletproof Combat is a place where athletes learn all of those skills—and much more.
Shane Manley, the owner and head coach, knows what it means to fight through life’s toughest moments.
“You know, I was working and shot in the stomach,” Manley said.
Years ago, Manley was working at the Orange Crate Bar in Syracuse when he was shot in the abdomen. It was a life-changing moment.
But instead of giving up, Manley pushed forward. After months of recovery, he was back in the ring—and winning.
“I think it was a few months recovery time and I was back training and stuff like that. Had to work my way back up, but then four months later, I won a major jiu-jitsu tournament and then six months later, I won like the world championship,” Manley said.
Now, Manley uses his experience to help others. At Bulletproof Combat, he teaches students to face challenges head-on, just as he did.
One of those students is Belizaire Bassette, who recently won a competition using the skills he learned from Manley.
“It benefits me everywhere like physically, mentally, spiritually because it teaches me discipline” Bassette said. “I want to do it as long as I can.”
At Bulletproof Combat, the lessons go beyond the ring. It’s about turning struggles into strengths and inspiring others to do the same. Through his own story of perseverance, Manley inspires his students to push their limits and believe in themselves, making Bulletproof Combat a place where strength, discipline and determination thrive.