Progression: Canberra MMA fighter Duke Didier takes the next step

Yeah, this must be the place.

It's your first visit to Duke Didier's new mixed martial arts gym in Tuggeranong, finally catching a glimpse of the final product after being sent a year's worth of snaps of the build in progress.

"My dad built this place. He built the ring," Didier says.

"With my design and dad's handiwork, this place is definitely a family affair. Our family put our heart and souls into this place."

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The eyes of the MMA world are on Australia as we speak. On Sunday, Alexander Volkanovski mounts a case to be regarded as one of the greatest fighters of all time when the UFC's featherweight kingpin challenges Islam Makhachev for the lightweight crown in Perth.

Come Monday, Didier - another Australian already fighting on an international stage with Asia's One Championship - opens the doors to Progression MMA and Fitness little more than a stone's throw from his childhood home.

Success in such a demanding sport does not come overnight. Few can attest to that like Didier, whose career was as good as over not so long ago.

Today, though, he is far from done.

Tucked in the corner of the gym is an array of medals - most of them gold, for those keeping score - earned in judo and Brazilian jiu-jitsu. Among them are Pan Pacific and Oceania championships.

There's a Commonwealth Games gi, back patches from representing Australia, and the Brace MMA light heavyweight title Didier won at the AIS.

For so long it was all tucked away in a box. Now it's a reminder of where he has been, and where another generation can go.

"The best part of that wall there is I'm still adding to it and I've got no signs of slowing down. With everything going well, we'll double that by the end of my career," Didier says.

"It's pretty special to be able to actually put them all together in one spot.

"Every medal there represents a win or a loss. Every medal represents I've beaten someone, or someone has beaten me.

"The best thing about a lot of those medals is some of the biggest stuff I won was actually in Canberra. I'm not the only one that has memories of those moments.

"I was the first Canberran to win an Australian title in MMA at the AIS. They're not running shows there at the AIS Arena anymore, so that's a pretty special one.

"It's a walk down memory lane. I've been doing this for over 25 years, across judo, mixed martial arts, and jiu-jitsu."

But again, his story is not over.

Didier wants in on a One Championship card in April or May. He has been waiting patiently for another opportunity in the cage, vowing to bounce back from a split decision defeat in Singapore last year.

Before that comes a professional grappling match against Josh Saunders on Fusion Fighting Championship in Melbourne next month.

Now take a second to imagine how Didier will feel when the gym is heaving and he is preparing for an international heavyweight showdown. Imagine the hype.

Feels like something out of a movie script.

"Mate, I've been having sleepless nights. I've never been so motivated and excited. I've sprung out of bed every day," Didier says.

"I can't wait until this place is full of people with the same mindset as myself, and I know it will be. Everyone is on the same mission. I'm just going to lead the ship, but it's going to be about the whole team. It's always going to be about the team.

"I look forward to being a coach who leads by example, especially in a competition arena. Too many coaches, in my opinion, don't back up what they say.

"The fact I'm in the prime of my career means I'll be able to go out and show people what I teach. I'll be able to lead by example."

Which he has done already.

Didier has been the main attraction at fight shows in Canberra. He headlined Endouro Fight Series' first event last year, winning despite a bulging disc in his neck, torn triceps and a case of COVID-19 within weeks of fight night.

Aside from providing reams of interesting copy in which he jokingly declared himself Canberra's favourite fighting son and made no secret of his ambition to fight at the elite level, he even fine-tuned this reporter's ground game.

It all led him to this.

"I'm literally pinching myself," Didier says.

"I didn't realise my whole life was building up towards this moment, opening my own facility.

"Everything I've done, and not just in martial arts, all the experiences I've had in my life seem to have all come to a head. This is the result.

"First and foremost, Progression MMA is going to be about building a strong culture. I want this to be a place that everyone is welcome, and people come in of all experience levels, of all backgrounds, and come in to - as the name states - progress and get better.

"They'll walk out the door better than they walked in.

"If they can do that, my job is done."

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