Duke “The Duke of Canberra” Didier

Australian MMA standout Duke Didier knows exactly what it takes to succeed at the elite level of sports. 

The Canberra native’s father, Geoff Didier, represented Australia in rugby union and it was this pathway that ultimately led his son into judo. In a bid to improve his tackling game, Didier took up the sport as a teenager and soon became one of the best judokas in the Oceania region.  

While claiming numerous titles in judo and narrowly missing out on the 2016 Olympic Games, Didier was bitten by the MMA bug during his cross-training time in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. 

Now a BJJ black belt, the Progression MMA owner and head coach went on a tear through the Australian regional scene. 

In 2020, however, it almost came crashing down when doctors told him that he would never fight again due to a blood clotting condition in his legs. 

Undeterred by the crushing hammer blow, Didier refused to take the news laying down and made a remarkable recovery after multiple surgeries.