Nick Cerio's International
Martial Arts Association
(NCIMAA)
The Nick Cerio's International Martial Arts Association (NCIMAA) was formed by Professor Cerio in 1988. His intention for forming the Association was to join all Martial Arts together without predjudice or agenda. For a while Professor Cerio was largely successful in joining Japanese, Chinese, Korean, and Okiwan Martial Arts under the NCIMAA umbrella. However, a fatal flaw in the organization of the NCIMAA was to be it's downfall.
When a person became a member of the NCIMAA, they submitted proof of rank to Professor Cerio for their present grade and style. Once Professor Cerio was satisfied that their rank was authentic, he would then issue a NCIMAA diploma of the same rank to the member, of course, with his signature on the diploma. Please remember that the member did not test for this diploma. It became quickly apparent to Professor Cerio that people were only joining the NCIMAA for the diploma with his signature. Many people then went on to say that they were an actual student of Professor Cerio, having a diploma with his signature to prove it. This blatent misuse of the NCIMAA diploma forced Professor Cerio to stop issuing the diplomas in 1995. Predictably, hardly anyone renewed their membership and in June 1997 Professor Cerio was forced to disband the NCIMAA. However, the NCIMAA magazine, State of the Arts, continued until 1998, shortly before Professor Cerio passed away. To this day, members of the NCIMAA still wear the NCIMAA patch on their ghi as a sign of rememberance and respect to Professor Cerio.
