Dear Friend!

Thank you for visiting my web site. It means a lot to me.

My fighting story reaches back to 1987 and Malmö, Sweden - my hometown...........

When I grew up, it was important to be able to defend yourself. This eventually urged me to start training Tae Kwon Do. Finding myself disqualified in numerous semi-contact competitions, I reached out to find a fighting sport that could cater to my aggressive style, instead of oppressing it - kickboxing.

My black belt graduation in 1992 was an incredible day. I had been training for over five years when one of the ultimate rewards for a martial artist was awarded me - the black belt.

The W.A.K.O. graduation was performed before a panel of judges and consisted of:

1. An hour to show your technique.

2. Showing the ability to instruct.

3. 25 rounds x 2 min of sparring against different opponents.

Yeah.... I was tired! Not all the guys made it that day - but I did. I was awarded the black belt.

Five years later, I'd find my next challenge: to try to qualify for K-1 Team Andy Hug - by fighting the man himself at the Seidokaikan gym in Tokyo - Hug.

Andy was surprised when I came back to the gym after that day. Andy said: "Fredrik, I'm so happy you keep on coming back. Most fighters - all champions - always say that they are going to show up, and then they never do. If they do, the train once and then I never see them again."

Andy liked to show the fighters the "Kyokushin-way" - or the hard way - and so he did. I did come back though - after plenty of ice packs all night after our so-called "training session", which reminded more of a "real" fight than anything else.

Injuries always kept me from fighting as much as I had preferred in Japan. At the point when I broke my rib, I was just coming back from several serious injuries, and among others, I had my thigh muscle cut by Andy's low kicks in training camp in Okinawa where we helped him to prepare for the K-1 final '98, and could barely walk for about 6 weeks.

Two weeks after I broke my rib, I had the other thigh muscle cut again, with the same severity. This was when I decided to move on from Team Andy in Tokyo to Los Angeles, USA, to continue fighting, pass on my fighting knowledge to a few, selected students and to pursue an acting career.

Three years later I fought out of K-1 Team SHARKTANK, L.A., California and captured the United World Muay Thai Association U.S. title, super heavy weight. This was a good day. To Andy's honor, wearing the championship belt, I held the "Andy-shorts" he gave me in Tokyo, high above my head as I received the salute of the audience paying the great Andy Hug their respect. (See "Andy Hug pictures.)

My advice:

"Fighting sports are really just a metaphor of life. You learn how to deal with hardship, pain and defeat.

Take your dream and make it an ambition. If you don't make it this time and maybe not even next, you will win and achieve your goal later on. No question about it. It's all about statistics and persistence - just as long as you try hard and long enough - you will be a winner and a champion in your field too, whether it is fighting sports, business or family. Never, ever give up."

Osu,

Fredrik Hjelm, August 2002