Very experienced in fist-fighting, Mohamed El Dwansy no longer counts the trophies he won in international competitions of taekwondo, karate, kick-boxing and kung-fu. Now, at 40, the Egyptian has turned his attention to MMA, and is racking up victories before the deadline.

“In Egypt, most people who fight at a high level do it for the money. I do it because I’m passionate about it, and for the pure martial spirit.” It must be said that percussion sports have always been a part of Mohamed El Dwansy’s life: for the past three decades, the 40-year-old veteran has scoured the various continental foot-fist circuits and accumulated multiple medals. He has been crowned African champion in kung fu and kick-boxing, won the Egyptian karate championship several times, and finished fifth in the World Taekwondo Championships, his best performance to this day. “My goal is to distinguish myself in life as well as in martial arts. Of course, one goes with the other. In the combat sports academy I run, I focus as much on the athletic side as the moral side.”

“I have a lot of willpower”

In addition to being a dedicated framer, Mohamed El Dwansy remains a top fighter, especially in MMA, a sport he has been practicing since 2010. Mostly active in Africa and Asia, the Egyptian proves to be particularly spectacular in the cage, where he has finished 9 of his 10 wins before the time limit. “I’m a good striker, but I also have a lot of willpower. I remember once in a kickboxing fight I was badly injured after only 20 seconds. But I kept going, and I won at the end… That’s my mentality.” A mindset that will serve him well for his next fight, scheduled on the HEXAGONE MMA 8 main card. “This is a real step forward, I’ve never fought in Europe before. I’m really looking forward to testing myself on a big stage.”