Kavanagh’s early years Martial arts has been part of John Kavanagh’s life almost since he was born. At 4 years old, John started learning Kenpo karate at the encouragement of his father and would train throughout his childhood. At 12 years old, he earned his karate black and would continually train until he finished school. While living on his own, John started studying medical engineering at the Technological University of Dublin. He continued to study striking martial arts while studying in college. The main person he would study was Geoff Thompson, who was known for his knowledge of street fighting techniques.