Dick Vrij

Career

A former bodybuilder and club bouncer, Vrij started training martial arts at the Chris Dolman gym. He had his debut to a worldwide audience when he wrestled a special match in Japanese pro wrestling promotion UWF Newborn, facing Yoshiaki Fujiwara in a losing effort. He would return to defeat Yoji Anjo and lose again to Fujiwara. When the promotion closed, Dolman and Vrij followed UWF member Akira Maeda to his Fighting Network RINGS promotion in 1990, becoming full time wrestlers for it. Vrij took part in RING's first main event, wrestling Maeda himself.

Vrij competed both in pro wrestling and shoot matches, having the first of them at the event RINGS Mega Battle IV, where he knocked out Mitsuya Nagai with a palm strike. He would defeat him in a rematch in RINGS Holland, knocking Nagai several times before winning by knee strike. They faced again in a rubber match in RINGS Maelstrom 6, but an improved Nagai capitalized on Vrij's lack of grappling skill and submitted him with a heel hook. Vrij would have another fight in Holland in 1997 against Pedro Palm, but the bout went to no contest due to Vrij landing an illegal kick while Palm was downed.

In February 1998, Vrij took on Ultimate Fighting Championship fighter Paul Varelans in a vale tudo rules match for his return to RINGS Holland. Dick fought in bad health and under heavy ephedrine medication for a foot injury gained in a wrestling match with Valentijn Overeem, but he did not back down from the event. The subsequent match was controversial, as Dick was able to knock Varelans down in the first round and landed several unanswered punches, but then the referee pushed Vrij apart and restarted the bout standing instead of stopping it altogether. At the second round, Vrij felt the effects of his health, and Varelans capitalized to land a right punch and knock him out, winning the match. Vrij bounced back from the loss at the next Holland event, defeating another UFC alumnus in the form of Zane Frazier.