Steve Cardenas

Stephen Antonio Cardenas was born on May 29, 1974, at Langley Air Force Base in Hampton, Virginia. He spent his early childhood as a military brat before his family settled in San Antonio, Texas. Cardenas began his martial arts journey at the age of 12, achieving a black belt in Taekwondo by the age of 16. This early dedication to martial arts laid the foundation for his future career, both on screen and as a professional martial arts instructor. He has accumulated over 30 years of experience in martial arts, holding a 5th-degree black belt in Taekwondo and a 3rd-degree black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.

At 20 years old, Cardenas moved to Los Angeles, California, embarking on an acting career that began with his role as Rocky DeSantos, the second Red Ranger, in the ‘Mighty Morphin Power Rangers’ television series in 1994. He continued this role in ‘Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: The Movie’ (1995) and later portrayed the Blue Zeo Ranger in ‘Power Rangers Zeo’ (1996), appearing in 50 episodes. He also acted in ‘Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: Alpha’s Magical Christmas’ (1994) and ‘Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: Ninja Quest’ (1995). His tenure with the Power Rangers franchise extended to ‘Power Rangers Turbo’ in 1997, where he portrayed Rocky DeSantos in three episodes, and ‘Turbo: A Power Rangers Movie’ (1997), where he also performed as a stunt double. He returned to the Power Rangers universe for the 25th anniversary episode of ‘Power Rangers Super Ninja Steel’ (2018) and the 30th anniversary Netflix special, ‘Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: Once & Always’ (2023).

Beyond his acting career, Cardenas has established himself as a prominent figure in the martial arts community. He owns and operates his own Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu studio, Force Balance BJJ, in Burbank, California, and previously ran martial arts studios in California and Texas. His expertise in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is highlighted by multiple awards, including two Silver Medals at Copa Pacifica (2009 and 2011), a Gold Medal at the 2009 American National Championship, a Gold Medal in the 2010 Jujitsu Pro Gear Open, and a Silver Medal in the 2010 No-Gi World Championships. He has also made numerous convention appearances since 2007, connecting with fans and sharing his experiences in both acting and martial arts.