I'm from the Syracuse New York area.  A harbor city called Oswego. Since I could remember I've dreamed of being a professional athlete.

I started wrestling around the age of five, following in my older brother and father's foot steps.  My father ran the city youth wrestling program, and was also an amateur boxer in my youth.  I was also lucky to have an uncle that was also a professional boxer in the 1950's.  So at a very young age I was able to learn the fundamentals of boxing.  At age 8 I studied Tae Kwon Do for three years under my grandfather who was a third degree black belt and ran a local martial arts school.

I continued with my wrestling career, qualifying for the N.Y.S sec.3 wrestling tournament my sophomore year with a record of 29-4. My junior year I broke all the high school records that were formally held by my older brother finishing with a record of 30-3.  My senior year I re-broke all the school records placing 3rd in the N.Y.S sec.3 wrestling tournament with two broken ribs and finishing with a 36-2 record. 

During my wrestling career was able practice wrestling under Oswego State wrestling coach Mike Howard, Hall of Fame coach Elmer Ackley, 3 time world cup champion, 1980 U.S. Olympian and voted the "Athlete of the Year" by the US Olympic Committee, Gene Mills, and world cup champion, world grand prix champ, pan-american games champion, Rob Koll.

At age 22, I moved to Cincinnati OH, and was able to put all the skills together when I meant UFC fighter Josh Rafferty at Neal Rowe's Sacan Martial Arts. It was there I  met professional MMA fighter Rod Housely who took a great interest in me.  Since then I've been training full time under Housely and have never looked back.

Dustin is currently 5-0 in his pro MMA career.