Den svenska MMA-veteranen David Bielkheden meddelar att han officiellt pensionerar sig från MMA.
David Bielkheden går i pension
Den svenska welterviktsveteranen David Bielkheden meddelar att han pensionerar sig från MMA. Detta efter en 20 år lång karriär som proffs inom MMA. Valet att pensionera sig meddelades via en serie inlägg på instagram där Bielkheden bland annat skriver att han inte känner att han har varken motivationen eller tiden att få in den mängd träning som krävs för att syssla med MMA på professionell nivå.
Today my career that stretches over 20 years has come to an end. I am both sad and happy to announce my retirement from the sport of MMA. The journey has been a real rollercoaster with both ups and downs but it has shaped me to the fighter and person I am today. I don’t have the motivation anymore neither the time to invest in the training that this sport demands to be at a professional level. In life we all go through different phases, I think this phase of me being a professional MMA fighter is done and it’s time to move on to the next one. Mohammed Ali said, “If your life looks the same when you’re 50 as it did when you were 25 you have failed life.”
In my career I’ve felt rock bottom and the glory to be on top. Maybe I was never the best fighter in the world but I’ve fought at all the big events around the world and many big names, both in MMA and in grappling. I’ve got so many good memories and so many tough memories such as: winning in the UFC or loosing in Pride FC, cutting weight when there was not a gram of fat left on my body, having a cucumber and a glass of cold water for dinner, to eating pasta and peanut butter until you vomit. I’ve learned a lot while living abroad in Brazil and Miami about different cultures and it has also given me a new language. I’ve met so many nice people and have won so many good friends all over the world cause of this sport. There is so many people I would like to thank that I don’t know where to start but I’m going to mention the ones that I hold close to my heart or held close to my heart during my career.
Tackar tränare och vänner såväl som fans och familj
I de efterföljande inläggen vill Bielkheden även dela med sig av ett flertal tack, till såväl vänner och tränare som sin familj och sina fans.
Rikard Anderson you are the one that made me take this path in the first place. You have given me the best basics in BJJ that I could have ever have asked for. You were my role model and a good friend.
@marko_leisten you took me on Team Scandinavia and became my first manager. You helped me a lot in the beginning of my career with training camps and booked my first fight in Japan 2004. You played a very important part in my career and you also made the NHB event Finn fight that was without any rules. I fought there a few times and became champion twice. ADCC 2005: you made it possible for me to compete there because I was the first European champion in professional Shooto. And lucky me, I got to fight @ronaldojacare in my first fight, hahah!
@weija1900 you were the one that got me to start training boxing again and improved my GNP. You opened up my eyes for a different type of training to prepare for MMA. At that time when no one knew what the fuck you should do to prepare yourself. Haha! We also have so many nice memories from Brazil, US, Japan, Holland, Finland, ah you name it.
@murilobusta you took me in under your wing and I’ve learned so much from you both in MMA and about life as a fighter. I learned what it took as a person, what preparations you needed to go through and what sacrifices you needed to make to become a member of one of the best MMA teams in the world and as the only gringo at the time. You took me into Pride FC which was THE biggest event of MMA in the world by far and I got to fight a top 3 ranked fighter at that time. That is a memory that I will never forget and I will take with me to my grave. After that you got me into the UFC and there I fought 3 times, all top ranked fighters. You promoted my black belt in BJJ and I have always been welcome to your house to eat food at the table with your family.
@selmanberisha you’ve been my best friend and have always supported me both in and outside of the mat, ring or cage. If I needed guidance about anything in life you were the person I always asked. We share so many fantastic memories together under so many years. One of my favourite memories is when you flew from Sweden to meet me in Japan before I fought in Pride FC because I asked you to come. You walked right past me in the lobby not even recognizing it was me because I was so skinny. Ha ha ha! Being serious here though, without you I would have given up a long time ago but you always motivated me and gave me the strength to move forward.
@babakashti and @superiorchallenge we have a long relationship together as well and you’ve always taken good care of me as a fighter and as a friend. My last 10 fights or so have been in your organisation. I think Superior Challenge is one of the best organisations in Europe. You have had amazing fighters on your fight cards and which has been the main gate for Swedish MMA fighters to go to the UFC.
I would also like to thank some coaches and friends that have help me immensely with my preparations for my fights:
@rezamaddog
@tomghas
@joakim71karlsson
@andreasthegeneral
@alanfinfoujj
@maximusbjj
Mattias Ewald
@boris.kuzmic
@fernando_gonzalez
@majdishammas
@mariosperry
@pimentelperformance
@gholar_gholar
@minotouromma
@vitorpimenta_
All my old friends from @hiltibjj , @bttlagoa and @allstarsgymsweden its just too many of you out there.
My sponsors @betteryousverige and @badboybrands @badboynordics
To my family and to all my fans
❤️❤️❤️
Thank you all from the bottom of my heart! Your sincerely
David “Buster” Bielkheden
En svensk MMA-pionjär
Det är en pionjär inom svensk MMA som nu väljer att lämna sporten då Bielkheden meddelar att han går i pension. Bielkheden väljer att lämna sporten efter fler än 30 matcher och stod senast som welterviktsmästare i den svenska organisationen “Superior Challenge”.
Bland svenska fighters var Bielkheden tidig med att nå ut på den internationella scenen där han bland annat lyckades bli den andra svensken någonsin att ta hem en seger i organisationen UFC, vilket han lyckades med då han besegrade Jess Liaudin via ett enhälligt domslut. Under sin debutmatch i UFC ställdes även Bielkheden mot veteranen Diego Sanchez. Bielkheden är även den enda svenska fighter som tävlat för både UFC och den japanska organisationen PRIDE FC. Sammanlagt avslutar Bielkheden nu karriären med ett matchfacit på 26-13 där 10 av vinsterna tillkommit via knockout, 10 via domslut och 6 via submission.
Fram tills nu var tanken att Bielkheden skulle försvara sin titel i Superior Challenge mot den norska utmanaren Håkon Foss, i och med Bielkhedens pension kommer dock matchen inte att bli av.
