WHO IS SAM GRECO?
SAM GRECO
K1 Fighter / World Champion /
Motivational Speaker / Actor
DOB: May 3, 1967
HEIGHT: 189cm
WEIGHT: 110kg
NATIONALITY: Australian/Italian
RESIDES: Melbourne, Australia
BIO:
At his core Sam Greco is a fighter. He will fight against injustice, complacency, physical limitations and mental pressure. For Sam, there is very little room for error. The only option is to be the best version of yourself you can be at any given time. Life is not about beating another person, and it isn’t about ‘keeping up with the Jones’”, but rather believing that being your own success will guarantee your success.
A former bare knuckle Karate champion and former 3 x WAKO undisputed world heavyweight Kickboxing champion and superstar of K-1, it is this mental fortitude coupled with his imposing 6”3 muscle bound frame that fostered Sam’s development and reputation as one of the world’s greatest fighters. He had carved an aura of invincibility in the fight world and a massive following as fans flocked to his fights to see him do what he does best – knock out opponents with sheer brute power.
His record speaks for itself: with 147 official fights he recorded 131 wins, 2 draws, 11 losses, and 2 no contest. Even more impressive than his win/loss ratio is that he was able to achieve this across a spectrum of styles including full contact karate, mixed martial arts and K1 over a career spanning 34 years.
This outstanding career was by no means an expected outcome for “the boy from Brunswick”. Born to Italian parents, Sam had a tough and modest upbringing, and was taught the value of hard work and discipline. Brunswick in the 70s was a very different place to today, and youths were exposed to very different things than they are now. The wrong path was only one small choice away, a choice that he was witness to causing many poor outcomes for his peers.
For Sam, his achievement inside the ropes was not attributable to any one factor, but rather the perfect synergy between his mental composition and the demands of the industry.
Fighters are required to exhibit strength physically and mentally, which can be overwhelming when one is sleeping on straw mats, sharing bathrooms, and eating blandly in foreign countries. These sacrifices and limitations only served to fuel Sam’s resolve to rise above mediocrity. Losing was never an option. He learned very early on that recruiting professionals and asking for advice was not a sign of weakness but a sign of wisdom. He surrounded himself with the best trainers, nutritionists, massage therapists and businessmen in order to build the brand that is Sam Greco. To this day he remains a household name in Japan, and t-shirts, figurines and dolls in his image are still sold.
Today, being Sam Greco remains about respecting his past and maintaining the character and skills that saw him achieve greatness. He uses the qualities of discipline, perseverance, and hard work to further his business interests, which include hospitality, corporate and personal training, motivational seminars, public speaking and social awareness campaigns. He firmly believes that the skills acquired over his career in the fight industry can be transferred to anyone regardless of age, social class or gender. His motivational and training seminars serve to highlight the transference of the ‘fighter’s ethic’ to the business world, personal achievements and overall quality of life of attendees. He is frequently sponsored by large corporations to provide such insight to employees, and runs a successful personal training program in which he can target achievements at a micro level. Currently, Sam trains not just aspiring athletes, but women and children looking for overall improvement in health and fitness.
One thing remains certain, even though Sam Greco has retired from professional fighting, he remains a fighter in all aspects of life, and shows no sign of slowing down or weakness. His passion in life remains to be the best he can be, and to foster this belief in those around him. Ultimately he sees the challenge to inspire people so he can change lives.
SAM GRECO
K1 Fighter / World Champion /
Motivational Speaker / Actor
DOB: May 3, 1967
HEIGHT: 189cm
WEIGHT: 110kg
NATIONALITY: Australian/Italian
RESIDES: Melbourne, Australia
BIO:
At his core Sam Greco is a fighter. He will fight against injustice, complacency, physical limitations and mental pressure. For Sam, there is very little room for error. The only option is to be the best version of yourself you can be at any given time. Life is not about beating another person, and it isn’t about ‘keeping up with the Jones’”, but rather believing that being your own success will guarantee your success.
A former bare knuckle Karate champion and former 3 x WAKO undisputed world heavyweight Kickboxing champion and superstar of K-1, it is this mental fortitude coupled with his imposing 6”3 muscle bound frame that fostered Sam’s development and reputation as one of the world’s greatest fighters. He had carved an aura of invincibility in the fight world and a massive following as fans flocked to his fights to see him do what he does best – knock out opponents with sheer brute power.
His record speaks for itself: with 147 official fights he recorded 131 wins, 2 draws, 11 losses, and 2 no contest. Even more impressive than his win/loss ratio is that he was able to achieve this across a spectrum of styles including full contact karate, mixed martial arts and K1 over a career spanning 34 years.
This outstanding career was by no means an expected outcome for “the boy from Brunswick”. Born to Italian parents, Sam had a tough and modest upbringing, and was taught the value of hard work and discipline. Brunswick in the 70s was a very different place to today, and youths were exposed to very different things than they are now. The wrong path was only one small choice away, a choice that he was witness to causing many poor outcomes for his peers.
For Sam, his achievement inside the ropes was not attributable to any one factor, but rather the perfect synergy between his mental composition and the demands of the industry.
Fighters are required to exhibit strength physically and mentally, which can be overwhelming when one is sleeping on straw mats, sharing bathrooms, and eating blandly in foreign countries. These sacrifices and limitations only served to fuel Sam’s resolve to rise above mediocrity. Losing was never an option. He learned very early on that recruiting professionals and asking for advice was not a sign of weakness but a sign of wisdom. He surrounded himself with the best trainers, nutritionists, massage therapists and businessmen in order to build the brand that is Sam Greco. To this day he remains a household name in Japan, and t-shirts, figurines and dolls in his image are still sold.
Today, being Sam Greco remains about respecting his past and maintaining the character and skills that saw him achieve greatness. He uses the qualities of discipline, perseverance, and hard work to further his business interests, which include hospitality, corporate and personal training, motivational seminars, public speaking and social awareness campaigns. He firmly believes that the skills acquired over his career in the fight industry can be transferred to anyone regardless of age, social class or gender. His motivational and training seminars serve to highlight the transference of the ‘fighter’s ethic’ to the business world, personal achievements and overall quality of life of attendees. He is frequently sponsored by large corporations to provide such insight to employees, and runs a successful personal training program in which he can target achievements at a micro level. Currently, Sam trains not just aspiring athletes, but women and children looking for overall improvement in health and fitness.
One thing remains certain, even though Sam Greco has retired from professional fighting, he remains a fighter in all aspects of life, and shows no sign of slowing down or weakness. His passion in life remains to be the best he can be, and to foster this belief in those around him. Ultimately he sees the challenge to inspire people so he can change lives.
FIGHT RECORD
147 fights – 131 wins – 11 loses – 3 draws – 2 no contest
The above fight record reflects all 3 disciplines
K1 Kickboxing, Full Contact Karate & MMA
3 x WAKO world kickboxing champion
World full contact Karate champion (Seidokaikan)
South Pacific kickboxing champion
6 x National Champion (Kyokushinkai)
6 x state full contact champion (Kyokushinkai)
Commonwealth Champion
Click here for photos and videos…
ACTING CAREER
After a decorated fight career, Greco retired from the ring to concentrate on his film career. His imposing physique, magnetic personality and charisma saw him secure several high-profile film roles:
• Ironfist (Richard Norton, Jane Badler) – feature role “Dave The Stealth Bomber”
• Scooby Doo The Movie (Sarah Michelle Gellar, Freddie Prinze Jnr) – lead villain role as Zarkos the Masked Mexican Wrestler
• The Condemned (Steve Austin, Vinnie Jones) – lead double for “Stone Cold” Steve Austin
• Fat Pizza the Movie (Paul Fenech, Analise Braakensiek) – feature role
• Fat Pizza TV Series – Feature role “Luigi”
• Underbelly – Underworld Gangland killings (13 part mini series)- Feature Role
• Bruno Berluzzi – Sin City Bouncer/Drug Dealer
• Rush – Episode 8 – Feature Role Character Name – Marcus Day
• Cornetto Ice Cream Ad 2008, 2009 & 2010 –“ Terry the Executioner “
• Swift and Shift (SBS TV Series 8 episodes) – Lead Role “Luigi”
• Japanese TV Commercial – “Incense”
• Play Station K1 Fight Games 1 through to 12 Editions – Sam Greco
• Two Fists One Heart – Feature Role “Mick The Mechanic” 2009
• Offspring TV Series Channel 10 – “The Butcher” 2011
• Killing Time Channel 7- Daryl “The Bikie” 2011
• Houso’s SBS Comedy – Lead “Luigi” 2011
• Underbelly “SQUIZZY” – Bunny Whiting 2013 Channel 9 TV Series
• Underbelly “Fat Tony & Co” – Tonys biggest fan 2014 Channel 9 TV Series
• Crownbet TV Commercial – Boxing Trainer 2015
• Wentworth – Thug man 2015
In addition to these acting roles, Greco is a darling of the Japanese talk and game show circuit, having made guest appearances and performed a variety of sketches on Japan’s highest-rating programmes. He has also appeared on a number of Japanese advertising campaigns.
ACTING APPEARANCES VIDEOS