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Abdul Hassan

“Hollywood”

Source: lwmag.co.za

Abdul “Hollywood” Hassan took a background in Novagen jiu-jitsu and training in Brazil into an EFC fighting career.

Biography

Abdul “Hollywood” Hassan's martial arts background connects Durban's Novagen jiu-jitsu community with professional mixed martial arts. In May 2003, IOL named him among Novagen's blue belts and reported that he had switched from kung fu to jiu-jitsu. He and Micah Atkinson had trained together since they were twelve. Novagen's historical school page places Hassan alongside Mark Armbruster, Ivan Brittain and Penny Thomas in its blue-belt group. It also describes the environment in which they trained: students were expected to rely on technique, with the school discouraging brute strength. Looking back in a July 2011 EFC interview, Hassan described spending nine months practicing judo in Zimbabwe. After returning to South Africa, he entered a jiu-jitsu tournament and relied on the holds and positioning he knew from judo. By that interview, he called himself a brown belt and reported training in Brazil with Gracie Barra, Feitosa and Tata Fight Team. He credited his brother and coach, Rhyne, with persuading him to enter EFC, and thanked sponsor Bad Boy for supporting his travel to Brazil. On his archived EFC fighter profile, Hassan placed the start of his MMA competition career in 2002, after training in Brazil. His account of preparation combined morning conditioning with evening jiu-jitsu and MMA. In July 2013, LW Mag interviewed him ahead of his challenge to Demarte Pena for the EFC featherweight title, identifying his training bases as GBH and Novagen. The promotion's record includes unanimous-decision wins over Francois Groenewald at EFC 10 and Martin de Beer at EFC 54, followed by losses to Sylvester Chipfumbu at EFC 58 and Bokang Masunyane at EFC 60. SlapBump's individual directory entry lists Hassan as a Novagen black belt.

Sources for this profile

  • Renelle Naidoo, IOL, May 30, 2003.(opens in a new tab)

    • In May 2003, IOL named Hassan among Novagen’s blue belts in Durban. He and Micah Atkinson had trained together since age twelve; Hassan had switched from kung fu to jiu-jitsu.

      Where in the source: Novagen membership and Hassan paragraphs.

      Accessed:

  • Novagen, historical academy page.(opens in a new tab)

    • Novagen’s historical school page places Hassan in its blue-belt group with Mark Armbruster, Ivan Brittain and Penny Thomas. It describes training that prioritised technique over brute strength.

      Where in the source: Ranked members and training-policy paragraphs.

      Accessed:

  • EFC, Hassan interview, July 15, 2011.(opens in a new tab)

    • Hassan recalled nine months of judo in Zimbabwe, then entering a jiu-jitsu tournament soon after returning to South Africa and relying on judo positioning.

      Where in the source: Introduction-to-BJJ answer.

      Accessed:

    • In 2011, Hassan described himself as a brown belt who had trained in Brazil with Gracie Barra, Feitosa and Tata Fight Team.

      Where in the source: Groenewald-opponent answer.

      Accessed:

    • Hassan credited his brother and coach Rhyne with encouraging his EFC entry, and sponsor Bad Boy with supporting his Brazil travel.

      Where in the source: Brother and closing-thanks answers.

      Accessed:

  • LW Mag, Hassan Q&A, July 24, 2013.(opens in a new tab)

    • LW Mag’s July 2013 interview identifies Durban’s Hassan as “Hollywood”, training with GBH and Novagen, and preparing to challenge Demarte Pena for the EFC featherweight title.

      Where in the source: Opening and fighter details.

      Accessed:

  • EFC, Hassan fighter profile.(opens in a new tab)

    • On his EFC profile, Hassan described starting MMA competition in 2002 after training in Brazil. His preparation combined morning conditioning with evening jiu-jitsu and MMA.

      Where in the source: Fighters Biography: preparation and starting MMA.

      Accessed:

    • EFC’s record lists Hassan’s wins over Francois Groenewald at EFC 10 and Martin de Beer at EFC 54 by unanimous decision, followed by losses to Sylvester Chipfumbu at EFC 58 and Bokang Masunyane at EFC 60.

      Where in the source: Pro Fight History, named opponent/event/result/method rows.

      Accessed:

  • SlapBump, Abdul Hassan profile.(opens in a new tab)

    • SlapBump’s individual profile lists Hassan as a black belt at Novagen.

      Where in the source: Named profile, rank and Gym.

      Accessed:

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