Mike started training freestyle wrestling in Iran in a club and under the tutelage of the head coach one of the countries most decorated wrestlers, 4xWorld champion Ebrahim Javadi, at the age of 5. Mike’s father was also a wrestler and since Mike started school at the young age, he was smaller then everyone else and his father thought that he would be able to defend himself if he knew how to wrestle.

Mike moved to Sweden in his early teens and continued training but this time in Judo, again the reason being mostly for self defence reasons being a minority in Sweden in eighties he was always under physical threat and Judo helped him to have the self confidence to stand up for himself, however very quickly Judo became a passion and sport which he excelled at and he was quickly one of the top ranked fighters competing nationally and internationally.

Mike was actively competing in Judo between 1988-1993 and finally due to injuries he stopped and worked as Judo coach, he also started training in other martial arts, Shorinji Kempo is one of the arts he also holds black belt. Mike’s stopped his active martial arts training between 2000-2010, during those 10 years due to busy business schedule he just trained in boxing casually, and finally he came in contact with Nic and tried BJJ, which started the fire for martial arts training all over again. This time the reason is more for health and personal development as well as being able to introduce his own son soon to BJJ.