Originally from Millstadt, IL. James is a lifelong martial artist (TKD, Judo, Sambo, Aikido) and competitive grappler since 1989.
"In the art of Brazilian jiu-jitsu, I've discovered that progress flows from the heart of dedication and the bonds we forge on the mat." - Professor James Markle
Markle played soccer and also trained in judo and wrestling before being introduced to Brazilian jiu-jitsu in 1999. After a whirlwind tour around the globe… Working as an engineer and training with various schools along the way, James found his way to the great state of Texas, ending up in Houston, TX in 2005 where he settled down at Miletich Fighting Systems earning his blue belt in 2010 under former UFC Fighter Sam Hoger. It didn’t take too long training in the gi to make it apparent that more mat time was necessary and after being introduced by a mutual friend to Jorge “Macaco” Patino , Markle began cross training at Macaco Gold Team.