Christiaan "Chris" Dolman (born February 17, 1945) is a

Dutch Dutch commonly refers to: * Something of, from, or related to the Netherlands * Dutch people () * Dutch language () Dutch may also refer to: Places * Dutch, West Virginia, a community in the United States * Pennsylvania Dutch Country People E ...

retired

judoka is an unarmed modern Japanese martial art, Olympic sport (since 1964), and the most prominent form of jacket wrestling competed internationally.『日本大百科全書』電子版【柔道】(CD-ROM version of Encyclopedia Nipponica, "Judo"). ...

, sambo player and

wrestler Wrestling is a series of combat sports involving grappling-type techniques such as clinch fighting, throws and takedowns, joint locks, pins and other grappling holds. Wrestling techniques have been incorporated into martial arts, combat sport ...

. He won a silver medal at the European championship in

judo is an unarmed gendai budō, modern Japanese martial art, Olympic sport (since 1964), and the most prominent form of jacket wrestling competed internationally.『日本大百科全書』電子版【柔道】(CD-ROM version of Encyclopedia Nipponi ...

and a gold at the world championship in

sambo , aka = Sombo (in English-speaking countries) , focus = Hybrid , country = Soviet Union , pioneers = Viktor Spiridonov, Vasili Oshchepkov, Anatoly Kharlampiev , famous_pract = List of Practitioners , oly ...

, counting as the first non-Russian sambo world champion,J. Dick Schilder, ''From Russia with Love: Dutchman Steals Sambo Crown'', Black Belt Magazine, February 1970 and has over 40 national and 10 international championships. He is known for his career in Fighting Network Rings and for his role training several Dutch

Mixed Martial Artist Mixed martial arts (MMA), sometimes referred to as cage fighting, no holds barred (NHB), and ultimate fighting, and originally referred to as Vale Tudo is a full-contact combat sport based on striking, grappling and ground fighting, incorp ...

s and

Kickboxer Kickboxing is a combat sport focused on kicking and punching. The combat takes place in a boxing ring, normally with boxing gloves, mouthguards, shorts, and bare feet to favour the use of kicks. Kickboxing is practiced for self-defense, general ...

s, among them

Bas Rutten Sebastiaan "Bas" Rutten (; born 24 February 1965) is a Dutch-American actor, former mixed martial artist, kickboxer and professional wrestler. He was a UFC Heavyweight Champion, a three-time King of Pancrase world champion, and finished his car ...

Alistair Alistair is a masculine given name. It is an Anglicised form of the Scottish Gaelic '' Alasdair''. The latter is most likely a Scottish Gaelic variant of the Norman French Alexandre or Latin Alexander, which was incorporated into English in the s ...

and

Valentijn Overeem Valentijn Overeem (; born 17 August 1976) is a retired Dutch professional mixed martial artist and kickboxer currently signed with United Glory. A professional competitor since 1996, he has previously fought for the PRIDE Fighting Championships, ...

Gilbert Yvel Gilbert Ramon Yvel (born 30 June 1976) is a Dutch professional mixed martial artist. A professional competitor since 1997, Yvel competed in the PRIDE Fighting Championships, Affliction, the UFC, Road FC, the RFA, RINGS, M-1 Challenge, Cage Rage ...

and

Gegard Mousasi Gegard Mousasi (born 1 August 1985), is a Dutch mixed martial artist and former kickboxer, currently competing in Bellator MMA, where he is the former two-time Bellator Middleweight Champion. As of December 13, 2022, he is #10 in the Bellator MMA ...

Career

Dolman started training

under

Jon Bluming Johannes Cornelius Bluming (6 February 1933 – 17 December 2018) was a Dutch martial artist, instructor and actor. Known as a pioneer in variety of martial arts, Bluming held 9th dan in Judo, 10th dan in Karate and 10th dan in Hapkido. He was a ...

at the Tung-Yen dojo while in college. He became a professional competitor shortly after. In 1970, he extended his competition to

by taking part in an international tournament in

Moscow Moscow ( , US chiefly ; rus, links=no, Москва, r=Moskva, p=mɐskˈva, a=Москва.ogg) is the capital and largest city of Russia. The city stands on the Moskva River in Central Russia, with a population estimated at 13.0 million ...

. Reportedly, Dolman had no sambo experience, having watched his first practice session of the art two days before the event, and still he dominated the tournament with just his judo and wrestling training. His first visit to the Japanese rings was in 1976, backing Willem Ruska during his

professional wrestling Professional wrestling is a form of theater that revolves around staged wrestling matches. The mock combat is performed in a ring similar to the kind used in boxing, and the dramatic aspects of pro wrestling may be performed both in the ring o ...

match against

Antonio Inoki Muhammad Hussain Inoki (born ; February 20, 1943 – October 1, 2022) was a Japanese professional wrestler, martial artist, politician, and promoter of professional wrestling and mixed martial arts. He was best known by the ring name , a homag ...

New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) is a Japanese professional wrestling promotion based in Nakano, Tokyo. Founded on January 13, 1972, by Antonio Inoki, the promotion was sold to Yuke's, who later sold it to Bushiroad in 2012. TV Asahi and Amuse, Inc. own minority shares ...

. Inspired by this kind of competition, he celebrated a tournament of modern

pankration Pankration (; el, παγκράτιον) was a sporting event introduced into the Greek Olympic Games in 648 BC, which was an empty-hand submission sport with few rules. The athletes used boxing and wrestling techniques but also others, such as ...

in Holland in 1981. In 1984, Dolman had his own professional wrestling debut in Universal Wrestling Federation, wrestling

Kazuo Yamazaki is a Japanese retired professional wrestler, wrestling instructor and commentator who is known for his work in New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW), and shoot-style promotions Universal Wrestling Federation (UWF) and UWF International (UWFi). He curr ...

in a different style fight which Dolman won by armbar. After UWF's demise, Dolman was contacted by

Akira Maeda (born Go Il-myeong (Hangul: 고일명, Hanja: 高日明), January 24, 1959) is a Japanese mixed martial arts promoter, writer and retired professional wrestler and mixed martial artist of Korean descent. Maeda was also known by the ring name K ...

for his Fighting Network Rings promotion. Leading a stable of Dutch apprentices, which included

Dick Vrij Dick Vrij is a retired Dutch professional wrestler and mixed martial artist. A professional competitor from 1995 until 2003, he competed in the Heavyweight division for RINGS and It's Showtime. Professional wrestling career A former bodybuilder ...

and other names, Dolman became Maeda's first rival in Rings. He would win the inaugural Rings Mega Battle Tournament in 1993 defeating Maeda in the finals, although the Japanese got revenge on him eliminating him from the 1993 edition. After being eliminated by Yoshihisa Yamamoto the next year, Dolman would stop competing in the tournament, dedicating himself fully to his stablemaster role. His final in-ring match was in 1995, defeating his underling

Joop Kasteel Joop Kasteel, also known as "de zwarte parel" ("the black pearl", born 27 August 1964), is a Dutch former mixed martial artist. He made his mixed martial arts debut on 15 June 1996. He is a veteran of the RINGS promotion and as he has fought th ...

. According to Jon Bluming, Dolman challenged the

Gracie family The Gracie Family () are a prominent martial arts family originally from Belém, state of Pará, Brazil whose ancestors came from Paisley, Scotland. They are known for creating the self-defense martial arts system of Gracie Jiu-Jitsu, also kn ...

several times during his stint in Rings, but they never answered his letters. He currently teaches at the Chakuriki/Pancration Gym along with

Thom Harinck Thom Harinck (born 22 December 1943) is a Dutch kickboxer and kickboxing trainer and founder of the Chakuriki Gym in Amsterdam. He is married to Marjan Olfers, former member of the board of Ajax and from 1 May 2012 professor in sports law. Bio ...

and leads the RINGS Holland promotion.

Championships and accomplishments

Greco-Roman/Freestyle Wrestling

* 1966 Benelux Championship * 1967 Benelux Championship * 1968 Benelux Championship * 1969 Benelux Championship

Judo

* 1974 European Judo Championship 93 kg class silver medalist * 1966 European Youth Judo Championship * 1965 Netherlands Youth Judo Championship * Eight times Netherlands Judo Championship

Professional Wrestling

* Fighting Network Rings ** Mega Battle Tournament (1992)

Sambo

* 1969 World Sambo Championship gold medalist * 1985 World Sambo Championship gold medalist *

World Games 1985 The 1985 World Games, commonly known as London 1985, were the second edition of the World Games, an international multi-sport event held in London, England. Three main venues were used, the main one being the Crystal Palace National Sports Centre ...

Sambo Championship 100 kg class gold medalist * National A.A.U. Sambo Championship (1978)

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Dolman, Chris 1945 births Living people Dutch male judoka Dutch male karateka Dutch male kickboxers Dutch sambo practitioners Kyokushin kaikan practitioners Mixed martial arts referees Mixed martial arts trainers Sportspeople from Amsterdam World Games gold medalists Competitors at the 1985 World Games