At the age of 24, Nabil Haryouli is a budding martial arts star. On the Internet, videos of his fights rack up millions of views, and even though he lives in the Netherlands, his popularity extends far beyond the country’s borders. Introduced to kickboxing by his older brother, who is also a professional, Nabil Haryouli has made a name for himself with a string of spectacular wins and an almost perfect 30-1 record in the ring. “I think people like me because I put on a show. I win almost all the time by knockout, and that’s what the public wants. What’s more, kickboxing is particularly established in Dutch sporting culture, so I’ve got a big community behind me.” Yet, despite his success, the young man of Moroccan origin chose to redirect his focus towards MMA. “I needed new goals and I could see MMA getting bigger and bigger, so three years ago I went for it.”

“I don’t want to climb too high too fast”

Still undefeated in the cage, Nabil Haryouli has perfectly converted his kickboxing style to mixed martial arts and currently counts 100% victories by K-O. He affirms: “Standing up, I know I’m the best!” However, the Dutchman is not getting carried away. “I don’t want to move up too quickly. Right now, I’m looking to progress in all areas, to become a complete fighter. But I’ve already come a long way! A hard worker, Nabil Haryouli also assigns part of his success to his understanding with Halim, his older brother. “He’s my brother, but he’s also my head coach and mentor. We’re very close and have a very powerful connection. When I fight, I don’t hear the crowd, I only hear his voice.”