Rob Ingram, the creator of the popular McDojolife channel known for exposing fraudulent practices and misconduct in martial arts, has revealed he is currently facing a lawsuit from Gary “Snap” Ferguson, a convicted s*x offender whom Ingram had previously investigated and exposed.
The lawsuit stems from Ingram’s investigation into Ferguson’s involvement at a martial arts facility operated by Brian Antak. According to Ingram’s reporting, which was backed by substantial evidence, Ferguson was working at the facility despite being a registered SO. More troublingly, evidence suggested that Antak was aware of Ferguson’s status but continued to allow him access to the facility.
Text messages and statements obtained during the investigation revealed that Antak had been informed about Ferguson’s background as a SO approximately three years before taking any action. The situation became even more concerning when, a year after Antak claimed to have removed Ferguson from the facility, a parent provided concrete evidence contradicting this claim. The evidence included a timestamped and location-tagged iPhone photo showing Ferguson was still being permitted on the premises.
The legal proceedings have already seen partial resolution, with two out of three causes of action being dismissed, including the defamation claim. During the proceedings, Ferguson attempted to bring in character witnesses to testify about his good character, but Ingram maintains that all his reporting on Ferguson was truthful and accurate, supported by evidence including Ferguson’s registered SO status.
As Ingram pointed out in appearance on The Casuals MMA podcast, “You do not need a background check, you do not need any certification or credential whatsoever. No one’s going to come check on you to make sure you’re legitimate – none of that exists.”
“He knew when he posted that what was going down. I have text messages where he admits to knowing. I got contacted recently by someone who was a parent who had their child in his facility, and she was like, ‘I knew back three years before. He’s admitted to knowing. I confronted him.’ She showed me a screenshot of Gary on the S.O. list. She showed me the time and date.”
“And then, even worse, is a year after Brian says he removed the S.O. from his facility, a parent showed me a photo. In that photo, it’s timestamped and location-stamped because it’s from an iPhone. A year later, he’s still allowing him in the facility after admitting he knew.”
“Right now, the dude owes me $20-something thousand because, by trade, I’m a reporter. We have the anti-SLAPP laws and stuff like that. Two out of the three causes of action that he sued me for, he lost. Defamation is off the table, so I can talk about that part because it’s done.”
“There was no defamation—you did do these things. Now he’s trying to convince people that’s not true. —”
“And if you Google the case, you can see in the records that he brought in bunch of people to give testimonies about what a good guy he is, and I’m like, ‘Are you kidding me?’ Like, he knew. He knew. He still knows. And now he’s still trying to lie to people, and it’s incredible”
The situation underscores the critical importance of proper screening and regulation within martial arts facilities, particularly given the vulnerable nature of many students, including children, who may be at risk from individuals exploiting positions of trust and authority. Ingram’s work through McDojolife continues to expose such issues, advocating for better oversight and safety measures within the martial arts community.
