First of all congratulations on getting your black belt!
Thanks. In Holland it’s rather unique that somebody receives a black belt. I believe I’m the 7th person in Holland that has a black belt and I’m the only one that is still competing . For me personally it’s a new start.
What does it mean to receive a black belt?
It means a lot to me. I have trained hard for it and put a lot of time in Grappling and BJJ. I fought a lot of competition and learned from many teachers. Receiving the black belt means that you know the principals of jiu jitsu and how to overcome different positions in a ground fight.
How long did you train before getting the black belt and did you expect it?
I’ve been training BJJ for about 7 years now. For 4 or 5 times a week. I got my first belt, the blue belt pretty fast. This is because I have been doing other martial arts like judo and karate since I was 8 years old. So I got the feeling of jiu jitsu pretty fast. And I was and still am very motivated in training.
I did not expect getting my black belt, it came as a good surprise. Although I have had my brown belt for about 3 years so it was about time.
Who gave you the black belt?
It was given to me by Marcos Barbosa. He is one of the more known teachers in brazil.
We know you as a MMA fighter, how much did your BJJ game help you in a MMA fight?
In MMA jiu jitsu gives you control and confidence in a fight. I can say that I feel very comfortable once a fight goes to the ground. But the last years I had been neglecting my standup game , so I am picking that up again and I must say that I am already starting to feel confident in that again too. People might not know, but before BJJ I was active as a stand-up fighter for about 10 years. I was already a 3-time European Champion in Kyokushin Karate before is started jiu jitsu.
Your last fight was again Rob Broughton, a very tough fighter who fought big names, you won the fight can you tell us something about the fight?
I was happy to get a fight witht someone like Rob Broughton and win. But in that fight I didn’t show what I am capable of and I am not pleased with my performance. I played safe too much in that fight. Therefore it became kind of a boring fight to watch. And I don’t’ like boring fights , I am not used to delivering boring fights either. So in my next fights I will show my own attitude again and that is movement, attacking , good techniques, and the will to finish the fight early.
Is there anything lined up in the future for you?
I am training hard as ever and now also working together with a boxing trainer. This man is helping me out a lot with boxing , proper techniques and footwork. He is bringing my game up a few levels. I can’t wait to step into the ring again. I definitely want to fight 2 more times this year and enter the top heavyweights in the world next year.
Beside fighting what do you like to do in your personal life?
Besides fighting , I like training or spending time with friends, reading books, listening to music, going out for diner, going to movies a lot, I just turned 30 years old, and I want to be fighting for another 7 or 8 years. In those years I want to fight in the biggest shows and fight the best fighters while earning some decent money doing it.
What are your goals in the sport and what are your goals in life?
After my fighting career I would like to teach BJJ classes. I really enjoy teaching jiu jitsu and seeing motivated people doing the techniques they have learned with success. It’s pretty hard work you know being a fighter and life has much more to offer. My goal is still to have a loving family and see my future children growing up. I think being in a loving relationship for both men and women gives one more strength, well-being and a positive attitude.
