The Asylum Fight Team is run by Phil Dunlap a former fighter who for over 25 years ran a school / fight team The Asylum Fight Gym in the NY metro area training countless fighters who competed in Mixed Martial Arts, Submission Grappling, and Thai Boxing prior to having to close the school due to severe health issues. Phil moved out to Vegas in 2014 and as his health came back he missed training and teaching so he decided to open AFS The Asylum Fight Team. Phil believes finances should not be the major roadblock to training and doing something you love so he runs free classes for the general public.
Phil is the recognized lineage holder in the Kachin arts from Northern Burma. He was trained in the Kachin Fighting Systems by his grandfather William "Wild Bill" O'Shaunessy, who received the lineage from his instructor Duwa Thein Naw (in what is now the area known as Jagun in the Kachin State) while living and fighting side by side with the Jinghpaw people prior to and during WW2. His actions and deeds through these years led him to be proclaimed Jinghpaw. After his passing Phil became designated lineage holder.
Phil having been raised in this tradition was expected to fight from an early age. He has fought all over Burma (Myanmar), Thailand, Laos, Cambodia Japan and the United States. Between Lethwei (Burmese Boxing), Thai Boxing and Thaing(Mixed Martial Art) matches he is a veteran an of 119 Professional fights,
Phil was a very active professional fighter between the ages of 16 and almost 26 fighting constantly until breaking his neck in a terrible car accident just before his 26th birthday. After being told he would never do anything physical again he rehabbed his body and started The Asylum to pass on the Kachin Systems of fighting. While training others to fight he decided to prove the doctors wrong and fight again.
At the age of 36 he received medical clearence and took his first fight back at GSO 3 held in Atlanta, It a Main Event Super Fight against Pride 2 and Reality Superfighting Veteran Juan Mott and competed a number of other times before deciding to retire and focus on training other fighters.
After battling cancer and with his health back in February of 2015 at the age of 53 he started competing in No Gi Submission grappling and BJJ tournaments again. Usually the oldest competitor there he competed in a number of weight classes. According to Phil he feels he has been lucky enough to have 3 separate careers coming back twice after doctors had written him off. Phil has had over 250 matches since turning 53 competing in professional shows and winning over 60 gold and silver medals tournaments..
Phil is a master of Lethwei (Burmese Boxing) Naban (Burmese Grappling) and a 1st Degree BJJ Black Belt under Ricardo Cavalcanti and has trained in other in other grappling and striking styles,,,