An Ōpōtiki man has been hailed as “a rising star” after achieving an impressive six undefeated victories in martial arts – a remarkable feat considering he has been training for just over two years.

Jesse King, who has already gained television exposure by appearing on the Mixed Martial Arts reality show Relentless, is quickly making a name for himself.

Originally from Taupō, King moved to Ōpōtiki as a child and has spent much of his life there.

“I work part-time as a builder, but I’ve also done sheep shearing in Taumarunui, Tauranga, and other places,” he said.

Despite his relatively brief martial arts training, King has a solid background in rugby, a sport he’s played since childhood and to a high level.

“I started playing rugby when I was five, and I was a big kid,” he said.

Upon moving to Ōpōtiki at age 10, King’s skills flourished, thanks to the town’s rich rugby tradition.

“I’ve played at all levels, up to premier,” he said.

In addition to rugby, King enjoyed riding dirt bikes as a child and continues to have a passion for biking.

He said he had always been interested in trying martial arts, but never pursued it until recently.

“I went to Brad Kora’s gym in Whakatāne, where I got a hiding from an older guy who weighed only 65kg –and I fell in love with it,” he said.

This humbling experience of being “smoked” at his first outing motivated him to learn more and improve his skills.

“I realised I had to learn the game, so I just kept showing up.”

It wasn’t long before King began competing at his own skill level, and he has maintained his undefeated streak.

“I love it; it’s the purest form of competition,” he said.

He has won all six of his official fights in kickboxing, MMA, and Muay Thai – one by decision and the others by knockout, with three knockouts occurring in the first round.

King has also participated in six or seven Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu grappling tournaments, each consisting of four to five fights, and he remains undefeated in those competitions as well.

Last year, King applied for a scholarship at City Kick Boxing in Auckland, one of the top gyms led by renowned coach, Eugene Bareman.

He was selected for an intense, live-in training programme that included all expenses paid.

“They flew me up, and we lived in a beautiful house in Birkenhead,” he said.

“We had healthy food, intense training, and sparred with professional fighters.”

The experience was filmed for a television series, Relentless, available on the TVNZ+ channel.

“It was tough being away from my family for eight weeks,” King said.

He and his wife, Samadhi, have a five-year-old daughter and another child on the way.

His wife is a chartered accountant, who works from home.

“We have an amazing lifestyle for our family,” he said.

On July 27, King fought at Auckland’s Eventfinda Arena in the Shuriken MMA series, with the match broadcast on the MMA fighting channel, UFC Live.

He won his fight by knockout in the first round, further solidifying his reputation as a rising star in the martial arts world.