Progression's Coaching Team

Known in fight circles as 'The Duke of Canberra' Duke is the head coach of Progression MMA and is Canberra's most successful and experienced mixed martial artist. 

With over 25 years high level martial arts experience Duke has a wealth of knowledge to share with his students. 

Holding black belts in both BJJ and Judo, Duke has competed on every continent in the world with the exception of Antartica - but isn't ruling out a fight there either! 

In addition to his role as head coach at Progression MMA, Duke is also signed to international fight promotion ONE FC with a professional record of 8-2. 

in 2017 Duke captured the BRACE Australian Light Heavyweight MMA Champion in the main event at the AIS Arena.

His achievements in grappling  include winning the 2022 IBJJF Pan Pacific No Gi Black Belt Absolute Open and the ADCC National Champion. 

On top of the MMA and BJJ, during Duke's judo career he represented Australia at the Commonwealth Games and was an alternate for the Rio 2016 Olympic team. 

In addition to his competitive accomplishments, Duke has also served as head MMA coaches at Complete MMA, Renegade MMA & Hill Sports Academy along with coaching various workshops and sessions at 10th Planet South Melbourne, Control BJJ, Resilience Training Centre and Combat1 MMA. 

Duke was also a cornerman for Jimmy Crute at UFC 261 in Jacksonville, Florida. 

Under his leadership, Progression MMA is sure to thrive and produce skilled and successful martial artists. 

Callum is the head Strength and Fitness Coach at Progression MMA. Callum will be building the program and running the majority of the group fitness classes. 

He holds a Bachelors Degree of Exercise Science and Sports Coaching from the University of Canberra and has been a personal trainer for 6 years. 

Callum has previously worked for Peak Performance Personal Trainers and currently has his own PT business. He was also the head trainer at F45 Barton for 5 years. 

Callum is passionate about helping people of all fitness levels reach their health and fitness goals, and he creates a fun and motivating environment for his clients. He places a strong emphasis on perfect technique to safely maximise results. 

In addition to his fitness experience, Callum is also a highly accomplished athlete. He played Rugby Union for 18 years, representing the Tuggeranong Vikings, Brumbies City South team, Brumbies under 20s and also the Australian Barbarians at the under 20s level. He has played over 125 games for the Vikings and has won two John I Dent Cups. 

Under Callum's leadership, the fitness program at Progression MMA is sure to thrive and produce results.

Beau "Mumma's Boy" Hartas is  one Canberra's most popular boxers with a wealth of experience in the boxing world. 

He began fighting in 2006 at Erindale PCYC, and since then he has travelled around Australia competing and attending Aussie titles. 

Beau has multiple amateur state championship titles under his belt and has helped the Commonwealth and Olympic teams spar and train at AIS before they head abroad. In 2017, Beau turned professional and won the NSW state title in his first three fights. He has fought, sparred, and helped numerous Australian fighters, including Aussie champions and world title challengers. 

Beau's professional record stands at 7-2, and he has also competed in modified kickboxing, with a record of 1-1. 

Currently, Beau is running the boxing program at Progression MMA and is dedicated to helping his students succeed and reach their full potential as fighters.

With over 6 years of experience in running BJJ programs for both adults and kids, Suwit has produced champions at both the Pan-Pacific and National levels.

Suwit boasts an impressive competition record, with numerous medals at both national and international levels, including winning both the Pan Pacific Championships and Australian Nationals mutiple times. 

He has also competed at the IBJJF Worlds and Brazilian Nationals.

Don’t miss out on the opportunity to train with Suwit who is taking Progression’s Jiu Jitsu program to all new heights!

 Coach Robin Vlieger leads our new kickboxing program with sessions on Mondays at 5:30pm and Saturdays at 10am.

Robin brings nearly 30 years of experience and a rich background in striking martial arts to our team. 

His martial arts journey began at the age of 5 at his father Wim Vlieger’s renowned gym, Thanigul Gym, in Holland. Starting with Taekwondo, Robin achieved a 3rd degree black belt and won the Dutch Open in ITF Taekwondo as a junior.

At 10 years old, Robin ventured into kickboxing and had his first professional fight at 18, compiling an impressive 14-7 record. He has competed under both Muay Thai and K-1 rules, showcasing his versatility in the sport.

Robin's extensive experience includes teaching and coaching fighters of all levels, from children to professionals. His commitment to helping each student reach their full potential makes him an invaluable addition to our team.

In addition to his martial arts expertise, Robin holds a PhD in Computer Science, specializing in diagnostic machine learning models for neurological conditions.