Philip De Fries had to hit rock bottom before he could claim KSW’s heavyweight crown.
When he was cut by the UFC in 2013 after a 2-3 run with the promotion, “F-11” ventured to Japan before finding his way back to the U.K., where he rebuilt himself on the regional scene.
He’s currently on a three-fight win streak, the last of which saw him derail Polish heavyweight prospect, Michal Andryszak, to claim the KSW heavyweight title.
The stunned Polish fans in attendance fell silent as the towering Brit emotionally embraced the title. Little did they know that the Sunderland native had to overcome crippling anxiety to climb to the top of the European heavyweight ladder.