I started training Shotokan Karate at the tender age of 4 in 1989 in Heidelberg, South Africa, but stopped at blue belt in 1995. Wanting something more dynamic and realistic, I tried out various styles of Karate and also Ninpo. After moving to Pretoria in 1999 and further tying out various styles, I was eventually introduced to Kawaishi Ryu Ju-Jitsu 2001. I loved the live sparring and hard rounds so much that I was immediately hooked. Later I got involved in competitions and competed both nationally and internationally. At this stage BJJ was not well known in South Africa and my first exposure to BJJ was at the Cape of Storms Nationals in Cape Town in 2007, where Japanese Ju-Jitsu practitioners also competed against BJJ practitioners. In 2008 I transitioned to MMA, while also training some Kickboxing and Muay Thai on the side. In 2010 a friend of mine who was a BJJ blue belt from Ireland, started training with us. Shortly afterwards I decided to lay down my 2nd Dan Ju-Jitsu black belt and put on a white belt again, to properly learn BJJ, which I found more practical for MMA and supplemented my Japanese Ju-Jitsu understanding greatly. We formally started a BJJ academy in Pretoria under Jurgen Putter, affiliated with Rio Grappling Club. Together with Jurgen, we introduced more clubs to BJJ and I received my Brown Belt from Jurgen in 2020. Due to work, my wife and I move to the USA in February 2021 and I started training at Four Seasons Martial Arts in Lexington, Kentucky, shortly thereafter. Being surrounded by high level BJJ practitioners and wrestlers, I immediately felt at home, although I only switched my official affiliation to the Carlson Gracie Team at the end of 2021. Being awarded my Black belt by Mike O'Donnell and Tony Dismukes, was a huge honour for me. Tony remains a very good friend to this day. In 2023 we moved to Germany, where I quickly found a new home at Train BJJ in Dresden. Horst Chlupka became a friend and a terrifying training partner (in a very good way).