VanDaBry LLC is a company dedicated to bringing you the finest in entertainment at a level that has you fully immersed in each performance or event and we consider each event a failure if you don’t leave having fully enjoyed yourself and are not continuing to talk about what you’ve seen late into the evening and forward into the days to come. From Mixed Martial Arts to Book Signings, Talent Competitions, and other events spanning from live performances, radio, web series’ and all other forms of media, we strive to bring you the very best for your investment.
We refuse to be pigeonholed into one form of entertainment, unless those pigeonholes are smiles , laughs, amazement, satisfaction and joy. If you’re not coming to enjoy yourself, stay home, nobody likes that. If you’re ready to have a good time, come on, we’re here to bring it to you!
VanDaBry : Origins
Earlier in my Ringside Physician career at the Battle for the Nation’s Capitol MMA event at the DC Armory (yes,Jon’s event) , fellow Howard University Alumn Attorney James Cook, who just so happened to be the Muay Thai fighter who’s fight provided one of the most entertaining bouts of the evening, noticed how well I got along with people and remarked that ” Man, you know everybody, you should do this!” encouraging me to promote fights..James helped spark that passion, a vision that was not limited to but definitely inclusive of Mixed Martial Arts and other forms of entertainment . I filed this away in the old coconut, but the fire never dimmed.
Through my experiences as a Physician, DC Native , Howard University student, initiate at The Xi Chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity Incorporated and others I’ve been blessed to encounter a large group of very talented and intelligent individuals in all walks of life. Many, including my own Uncle and Fraternity Brother Max Julien, creator of The Mack , Cleopatra Jones and Thomasine and Bushrod, (THE first Black Western) , April Harris, lead singer of the Superstar group Seduction, Sean Combs about whom nothing else need be said, Superstar Promoter the late Gerald “Todd” Johnson and fast-rising songstress Kendra, just to name a few, have blazed their own paths to success, but many will be called to pick up the baton and we here at VanDaBry would like to play a role in bringing that to you. For the name, I needed only to look as far as my heart and inspiration, my sons Evander Damien and Bryan. They are all much bigger Champions than the world may ever know.
In order to make this endeavor successful , I hand-selected a group of highly intelligent , talented and motivated individuals, known as Team VanDaBry.
TEAM VANDABRY
Greg Banks, MD
Native Washingtonian and multiple graduate of Howard University Greg Banks, MD President and Founder of VanDaBry LLC, is a Family Practice Physician, Ringside Physician , Business Owner and Acupuncturist who recently completed his first Marathon, the Marine Corps Marathon, with the injury you see has been surgically corrected above, sustained two months before the race ; needless to say he’s “Goal-Oriented”. Trained in Tae Kwon Do and Boxing, Greg vows to bring more high quality entertainment to the Nation’s Capitol.
Vincent Hayes, MD
Vincent Hayes, MD is a Native Washingtonian , graduate of Howard University , Business Owner, World Traveler, Emergency Medicine Physician and Martial Arts enthusiast and handles patronage and funding for VanDaBry LLC. Vince swam with Sharks in the Pacific, trekked across Glaciers in Iceland, Ran with the Bulls, (not the team, the actual Bulls) in Spain and challenges you to try to keep up in this his latest venture.
John Townsend
John Townsend has been following mixed martial arts since its inception in 1993. He has a background in Wrestling, Judo, and Tae Kwon Do. He wrestled in high school and college. His martial arts base is primarily judo; He’s been a judoka since he was a teenager. He has a purple belt in Judo and a brown belt in Tae Kwon Do. Growing up, he was a huge boxing and pro wrestling fan. Both of these sports transfer well into mixed martial arts. He’s written articles on the state of mixed martial arts and by trade he’s an English teacher writes proposals for grants. John Townsend got his B.A. in English and M.A. in Education at Howard University.
Byron Franklin
Byron Zulu Franklin handles our beats and legal matters. “The DJ with a JD” as he is affectionately called, hails from the gritty streets of Southside Jamaica, Queens in New York City where it was definitely not cool to be a “brainiac”, thus, Zulu made a name for himself early on as a tenacious street fighter, out of necessity. His love for martial arts as a child led to his career as a professional break dancer in the group “One Step Beyond” in his teen years, and he has remained an avid wrestling, boxing and MMA fan ever since.
Marvin Lytle “The Facilitator”
The oil that keeps the engine running…SMOOTHLY.
Marvin Lytle is active in the automobile racing community and owns several Mustangs including a 1967 coupe that he races at every opportunity. He also loves karting and has raced on tracks here in the USA and in Europe. While in college Marvin was given the nickname ‘Sugar Ray’ by his fellow students after a fight his sophomore year. He developed an interest in MMA and he traveled as far as Sweden to meet with competitive fighters. Marvin’s motto is ‘Don’t Let The Smooth Taste Fool Ya’.