Fight Coach & Founder of Zando Fight Club

I had the idea to build a free platform called Bali Top Fighter, for fighters and martial artists who cannot afford to train in big, international gyms
Tell us your story – how did you get here?
I moved to Bali at 16, and I started working at a second-hand market in Tabanan. After one year, a regular client and his mum invited me for dinner, and his mum started taking care of me and got me to enrol in school. I got a scholarship to go to university, but I decided to decline it and I moved to Kuta instead, where I joined a hip-hop dance community. I then started working in a club, where I met a French fire dancer who taught the art. At that time, there weren’t many fire dancers around, and I managed to get gigs to perform with fire. I met a girl from Denmark who took me to her country, where I got to introduce my skills in hip-hop and fire dance.
I came back to Indonesia in 2010, and I decided to enter the “Indonesia’s Got Talent” competition. I got to the finals, and it changed my life! I reunited with my family, and I brought them back to Bali in 2011. Since then, I started my own TV show which aired for over three years, I’ve starred in action movies, and choreographed movie fight scenes. From 2012 to 2016, I travelled back and forth between Indonesia and the Netherlands, where I had the opportunity to teach Bali-style kickboxing. From there, I had the idea to coach fighting and support the people around me.
In the beginning, it was difficult to build my career. As a local living in a tourist area in Bali, I was underestimated, which led to millions of rejections. I finally snagged a job as a coaching assistant in a gym in Canggu, where I got paid less compared to foreigners. But, that motivated me even more! I taught a local kid to compete in fighting, and after winning a few matches, people started knowing my name.
When Covid hit, I had the idea to build a free platform called Bali Top Fighter, for fighters and martial artists who cannot afford to train in big, international gyms like Bali MMA or SOMA. As the community continued to grow, I started hosting sparring competitions, and now we’re hosting Uluwatu Fight Night inspired by Bali MMA. Of course, I wouldn’t have been where I am today without the support of Bali’s fighting communities, like SOMA and coach Mike, Fight Right Denpasar, Ubud Muay Thai, Jimbaran Warrior, and SO many other gyms and communities who have been here since day one.
What accomplishment are you most proud of?
I am proud that I can speak English and connect with a lot of people!
What impact have you made in Bali?
I’m working together with a couple of organisations for orphans and the homeless all over Indonesia. If there’s an underprivileged, young, aspiring fighter (aged 14 – 25 years-old), who wants to improve their skills, I will teach them and make their dreams come true. I want to help as many people as possible, so that when I die, my body may be gone but people will remember me forever.
What does the future look like for you?
I want to help make Bali more beautiful and inspire others to respect the culture. Bali is growing more and more in tourism, and foreigners are starting their own businesses too – but local people will be here forever, so I want to help them thrive and not become a tourist in our own land.
What do you love most about Bali?
What I love the most about Bali is the culture, the people, the beach and the food… So everything I guess!
If you could excel at any other sport, what would it be and why?
I want to try surfing, because I don’t know how!
Who is your Local Legend and why?
My Local Legend is myself… because you have to love yourself before you can love someone else!