Lolo Heimuli: Part 1, Humble beginnings, humble faith, & a legacy of World Champions

We have the immense privilege of hosting a true titan in the realm of combat sports: Lolo Heimuli. With a career spanning over four decades, Lolo has indelibly shaped the global fight scene, with his reputation as a "Trainer of Champions." Lolo's journey in combat sports began with his own pursuits in Muay Thai and amateur boxing before transitioning to coaching in the late 1980s, when he established Auckland’s Balmoral Lee Gar gym. Under his mentorship, the gym has produced numerous champions across boxing, kickboxing, and MMA. Lolo has trained world-renowned fighters like Ray Sefo, Jason Suttie, Jayson Vemoa, and Shane Cameron, all achieving global success. His fighters now train their own champions, with Eugene and Doug Vinney shaping talents like Israel Adesanya.Beyond individual coaching, Lolo has contributed widely to combat sports, coaching national teams and representing Tonga at the Commonwealth Games, where his athletes earned multiple medals. His influence is deep and enduring, fostering young talent and instilling the values of discipline and respect. His dedication to the sport and his fighters has left an indelible mark on the industry. His unwavering commitment to excellence and his fighters' success has solidified his legacy as one of the most revered coaches in combat sports history.

In Part One of our conversation, Lolo shares stories from the early days, his own journey into combat sports, and the experiences that have shaped his legacy as a coach looking to develop and promote his fighters in what was an emerging sport in Australia and New Zealand at the time. He shares the miracle story that birthed his first Gym and offers more behind-the-scenes insight into the early days of his journey into making champions.

EPISODE TRANSCRIPT

Shannon (00:00)

Hey guys, this is Fight Scene with F-16. Today I'm really excited to introduce our interviewee today. Got the pleasure of having Lolo Heimuli on the show today. I might not look it, but I'm pretty excited. Amazing man, done amazing things in the sport. it's like he's, he's the veins that carry the blood through this country, with kickboxing Muay Thai and boxing. yeah. remember hearing something that, never put your heroes up on pedestals because you just work out that they just human beings as well. but yeah, it's hard not to put Lolo up on a pedestal. So I hope you enjoy guys.

Lolo (00:52)

I'm sixty-four.

Shannon F16 Forrester (00:53)

64, wow, yeah. But you're still involved in the kickboxing or boxing.

Lolo (00:56)

Old bugger. Yep, still going bro.

But now it's slowly teaching our guys, as well as my young guys, to get involved more, you know. have a little bit more time for myself.

Shannon (01:14)

 man, you've done some amazing things with the sport. You've produced many, champions. But not just that. Like I know you care about the person and the heart and I think you've touched many human beings' lives through this sport.

Lolo (01:20)

Thank you. Thanks Shannon

Shannon (01:33)

I do know it takes a big toll, it takes a lot of time and energy and sacrifice for your own personal life. it's good that you're taking time out for yourself and for your family. Yeah. So I've done bit of an introduction before, Lolo, but... just for people that don't know who you are and I don't know half the things you've done because I'm a, I'm an Aussie, but, you know, I was lucky enough to come over here in, the year 2000 and I fought over here and, and then I met you and a lot of us fighters we're like that. we can get very enclosed in our minds, but then there's, you know you meet other people doing amazing things. so some of the people that I looked up to in the 1990s, you know, were like the Briggs family and the Briggs brothers and their father, Dave.

You came over to Australia. What year did you come over?

Lolo (02:37)

The team I took over to Australia was one of Dave Briggs' promotions in 1992. Or 1990,

Shannon (02:47)

Ninety-two. Yeah, who fought who fought on that show? Do you remember?

Lolo (02:52)

I brought in Ray Sefo. He couldn't get a fight. I brought in my young brother Tom, John Conway, guy called Owen Arapai and Jayson Vemoa yeah.

Lolo (03:09)

It was some of those guys' first tour through Australia. When you talk about half of the thing you don't know about me, I actually got recognized more in Australia than here. The recent Blitz magazines and Australasian Fighting Arts was writing good stories. And then I got a...

Shannon (03:14)

Yep. really? yeah.

Lolo (03:32)

You know, they got an award in the national kickboxing magazines. Only the social media here, we get recognized for little things that we do around the gym and the community. But I think we got recognized, even Lucy Tui with the WKBF you know.

Lolo (03:55)

I got a South Pacific Coach Man of the Year one time. I think it was 1998. I've never really had a major recognition here. At the time, was about 80 % of them in Australia.

I mean, it was nice, but you it was nice to get recognition and we love doing anyway, so yeah.

Shannon (04:15)

Yeah, yeah. you know, like you developed, you've developed so many champions. you know, I rattle off a few names that I know of. So Ray John Conway, Doug Vinnie, the Waikato Warrior, George Castro.

Lolo (04:34)

The time when with Jacob Faraney had a really good fight with Paul Briggs that one. Yeah. That was, yeah.

Shannon (04:40)

Oh right. all right. And, you know, we'll talk about, about Ray for a little bit. Like, he's like a superstar in Japan, you know? and does he still live in Japan?

Lolo (04:50)

Yeah. No, it's actually Ray's over the US now. He was the president of PFL, Professional Fighting League. They just bought Bellator and probably the number two to UFC MMA in America or probably around the world.

Shannon F16 Forrester (05:10)

Do you remember the date, the year that you went over to the K1 with Ray?

Lolo (05:15)

Yes, yes. We send a lot of stuff to Japan when we hear about the K-1. And of course Ray was only a cruiserweight, know, fights cruiserweight, light heavyweight, know, he'd starve and dehydrate to even make light heavyweight, Ongoing fight promotion in Hong Kong organized by my coach, Sifu Philip Lam So we were lucky that he's got that connection that we have a regular shows at Hong Kong where we get to fight some of the Thais and often some Dutch fighters and then sort of, you know, develop the experience because those guys, were way ahead of us, you know.

So yeah, Ray and the boys were getting a lot of fights. then 1996, after he fight Kirkwood Walker, he was the WKA world champion and Ray beat him. After he beat Andre Menard. So this time we got the interest of the K-1 because they want us to be the recognized name.

We got flown to Japan by Mr. Ishii. We went into Osaka and attended a fight there, one of the K-1 big events. And it just so happened that Jason Suttie who trained with us, he's got friends in Japan and he was... He was fighting on the other card, he was Ivan Hippolyte in 1996 at Tokyo, at Osaka Dome And Jason beat him. There was an upset because nobody knows who the hell Jason is. Ivan Hippolyte was, he was the man.

In Holland, apart from Thailand, Holland was the number two Muay Thai nation in the world. They had the experience. They'd been fighting in Thailand or fighting against the Thai's since the early 70s. And us here would just slowly put our foot in there in that training Thai and learn about the art of Eight Weapons. So yeah.

it was a shock to the system for me because even though we went to Hong Kong and fights there regularly, you know, the biggest stadium there is 8,000 people, and then we walk into Japan and the dome, would have 60,000 people in there. And it was packed, and we were walking there. They had all the sound system that you only get to see in Michael Jackson's concert. everything we walk in there, you feel the goosebumps you know. But Mr. Ishi asked in the front seat, right next to the ring, and we were yelling instructions to Jason Suttie while he was fighting. So yeah, that was the first time. And then of course,

After that, following year, we come back and we all agreed to all the terms. Mr. Ishi got the lady called Stacey Kim. She was an interpreter. After negotiation, we agreed on that. All of a sudden, Mr. Ishi can speak in English. He was speaking English. He knew how to speak English the whole time, he got interpreter. in case he said something wrong, I guess.

So yeah, it was it was a different ball game for us. I was a I was just a young trainer and coach You know just tried to promote the fighters because no one else was promoting them, you know, So going down and sitting down and then talk big money for these people is something very very new to me so We didn't do the money in the first place, but all of a sudden we get flown around the world, you know a bonus. But yeah, was a good meeting and we came back and Ray never looked back.

Shannon (09:32)

So where did it all start for you Lolo? Tell us a bit about your personal life, your upbringing, what got you into combat sports?

Lolo (09:44)

Both my family and my father's side and my mother's side, they were both boxing families. So I grew up in a boxing family. I don't think my Mum really liked us to box because my Grandad was a very, good coach. And she would have seen a lot of people get, you know, get head-sparring and I don't want my kids to go through that. But whenever we...

You run into grandpa, he'll make a punching bag out of rice sack and then fill it up and then start teaching me and my brothers. But yes, I grew up in that, of course, the Bruce Lee era during the 70s. I listened to your podcast with Terry. It's very similar story.

So, I used to make my own little nunchuckers from litter. Use litter to change the cadence screw. I think I hurt myself more than trying to be quite truthful

So yeah, but you know, like everybody played rugby in the island. You know, we came back here in 1974. You know, like we still watch the karate movie. My brother, Albert would always buy magazines of, like Black Belt magazines. Magazine at the time, Karate Illustrated. And you know, there was, he would have kept up with the,

You know, it's the latest one and we get to watch it and we read about guys like Betty the Jet and like Don Wilson and you know, we see these guys on the magazines and you know, just fire up some of their stories and you know, so, but it wasn't until, until 1978, yeah, yeah, 1978.

I broke my collarbone from playing rugby at school. And even though my collarbone healed up, wasn't healed enough to play because you still had to tackle. And I was working, I was playing part time. I had two things in mind. I wanted to be either a musician or playing rugby.

I was playing and I got 50 bucks paid for the gig that I was playing at. It was a lot of money back in the days. I remember I couldn't play rugby because my shoulder's not strong enough to play. I was just walking along Albert Street and I saw a City Lee Gar Gym there. I decided to go and check it out.

And I walk in and I had the bell bottom pants on me. It was the last one before we had the dress in 1968. And you know, jeans and I walk in there. I saw all these people sweeping and kicking and punching and all around that little hall. I watched there for about five minutes and I talked to the instructor, his name is Sifu Philip Lam And he said, $25 joining and $25 a month. So, I gave my 50 bucks and I walk home after. I trained straight away, yeah. And I would walk home. After it was about an hour to walk back home, it's a long, long way to go. But yeah, I never regretted that decision.

Shannon (13:03)

Them movies and magazines have got a lot to answer for, eh Lolo?

Lolo (13:08)

Yes, I listened, Terry to your podcast with Terry. I mean, Terry is probably the most rounded martial artist. This is, you know, like when you start to know guys like Terry in the 80s. Terry was already doing everything. He was doing boxing, wrestling, jiu-jitsu, karate, kickboxing, muay thai. He was the only one who was actually doing it. You know, and he would save his money to go to China for more learning. He was the, he's the true martial artist ok, He tried everything that most of us don't really. You know? So, yeah, when you told me that you talked with Terry I had to listen and couldn't get enough of him.

Shannon (13:59)

Yeah, I think the, what was it? The International Kickboxer, when they done, done articles on you Lolo and, so we'll talk a little bit about another reason why you had an impact on me, personally is like, you know, they, the photos that they had in the International kickboxing magazine.

And all your fighters had C I O S on their shorts. And I met a, another bro that I trained and lived with for a while, Ngakau Spain. And I said, Ngakau what's, what's that on their shorts? And he's like, that stands for Christ Is Our Saviour. I'm like, so I wasn't a Christian at that time. but my Mum, my Mum was, she tried to get me to go to church and.

And, yeah, I'm like, nah, nah, But then I seen like, all these champions and everything in they're, they got Christ Is Our Saviour on their, on their shorts. Yeah. It sort of, blew my mind. and then later on my own journey, I come to a faith in Christ. but yeah, I think you're, you're a bit of a, bit of an innovator.

Lolo (15:01)

Thank you .

Shannon (15:14)

Lolo. Yeah. And I also know, like, you've got a heart for people and you're also an innovator, like with the community. Like, tell us about some stuff now. We spoke when I came to New Zealand a couple of years ago, we spoke a little bit about what you're doing and can you tell us more about what you're doing in the community with the kids

Lolo (15:14)

Thank you. Yeah, I'll tell you how the gym started. I was looking for a place, and some place either too far away or too expensive or too small or too big. And I ran out of ideas, and I haven't been to a church for a long time. So I drove past Balmoral and I saw the Church Hall doors open so I went in there. I just went in there for have a little bit of a prayer. I said, God, help me I've run out of ideas I don't know. Help me find a gym. I used to work with this guy. His name is John Merrick. God bless his soul. He just passed recently. I came out and we were both working in a place called Ridge Rubber and he was in a running club. Marathon running club, but I go run with them during lunchtime to prepare me for my fights, you know.

So, when I came back and the place shut down, and this was a few years later, and when I was praying and I came out, the first thing I saw was John. said, hey, John, hi, mate. So, yeah, you still doing your Bruce Lee stuff? Because I would run with their marathon team, like they had a social running club, and I was running with them for my fight. They were running to compete at running.

Yes, yes, am, John, I am. I am, and I'm looking for a place. And he paused for a while and said, look, would you come and have a look at this place? So, yes, of course. So we walk around the church hall and then went downstairs, and we walk into this place. It was only about 100 square meters, but it was less than 100 square meters.

They're all sort of rubbish in there, like mattresses and old furniture. It's a place where the parishoners take all their junk to donate to the church but it was been there for so long. It's old, you know? And he said, if you can clean this up, you can have it. I'll talk to Father Ward and we can make arrangements for some sort of Koha or rent to the church And I said, okay.

So I ring up my friend Tojo. He was one of the managers at the place I was working at to borrow the company truck. So we came back and we get a, we were just friends and family. We put all the junk in there on a truck and took it to the dump

What amazingly after Shannon, when we finished, they already had bolts in the corner for boxing ropes, boxing ring. It was already a boxing gym, a fighting gym. Back in the days, the Marist Brothers Catholic school, they had boxing as part of the of sports option in all the Catholic schools. It was already a boxing gym. I asked God for many things and He forget it. I asked for gym and I got it. off It was a gym.

So after we cleaned up, we found it was a gym. They had a toilet, female, and men, which is very unusual because back in the days, they don't have women boxing, but they already had a female toilet and a male toilet. It was perfect. It was pretty much handed to us. God gave it to us. And this was on the 19th October, 1987.

Shannon (18:48)

Change room. Yeah. Wow.

Lolo (19:04)

Okay? In 1987, Godfather wanted to bless the gym, we opened it on following Monday, which is 26th of October. Okay? But this was on a Monday earlier. Okay? anyway, so 37 years later, you know, we are at a different place now because, There's an earthquake, you know. It's too dangerous to use it for, you know. But anyway, that's how it is. My wife and I, been married for nearly 14 years. We didn't have any children. Then we have Lolo Jr. you know, with the grace of God, we now got two boys. And guess what, Lolo was born on the 19th of October, 2004. There was a day that... Yeah. So how's that for a coincidence?

Shannon (19:52)

Wow, Yeah.

Tell us a bit about the program that you do with young ones.

Lolo (20:01)

Yes, we run a lot of programs at the moment. now we're running a kids program.

I take the kids class personally myself So, but we also do anti-bullies drilling and leadership, little practical life skills, you know, that's my baby. That's the program that I want to share, you know, to everyone or different region, you know, because I'm too old flying in camp in Thailand for months or camp in, I don't want to do that anymore. I'll help a professional. I get asked all the time to work for pro-fighters, I still do, but going overseas and all the long-term stuff, I can't do that anymore.

Shannon (20:57)

Lolo, tell you a funny story. when I came over, Jason Suttie bought me over. I can't remember what year it was. up in Auckland.

Lolo (21:09)

Yes, I saw your fight there. The St. James Theatre, right? It's Queen Street. Yeah. I was impressed bro.

Shannon (21:11)

Yeah, yeah. I wasn't.

Lolo (21:20)

Yeah, I really appreciate how tough you are. You never take a backwards step.

Shannon (21:25)

Yeah. I was pretty, you know, I was upset. I trained hard and, but I lost fair and square and that's the fight game. but it was funny. My Dad flew over to come and watch that fight. He used to work overseas in the mines up in Indonesia. me and my brothers, he didn't spend much time with us. But he did he come and watched that fight. So I was very, I was happy

But yeah, I remember and my Dad's a, he's a typical, I shouldn't say typical Aussie, but, you know, the Aussie New Zealand rivalry thing, you know, like I grew up in Papua New Guinea as a kid and, when the big rugby games are on and they're mostly like, cause my, you know, my Dad's Aussie and they're mostly Aussie families and a lot of alcohol going around and

Shannon (22:19)

I used to hate it, you know, to like, to just like, nah, like try and get away from it. that, that rival rivalry thing. But anyway, my Dad came over and, he was, he was walking, you know, walking in the auditorium and full of big Maori boys. Hey, I'm like, it's all right, Dad. It's all right. Come on, come with me. And then I remember you were standing up on the door and you had.

Lolo (22:43)

Yeah, it was, it would have been Hori and Hiriwa Te Rangi.

Shannon (22:45)

Two big boys, two big boys next to you. I don't know who they were, And Dad was like, hey, hey. I'm like, nah, it's all right, Dad. Hey, Lolo. I like sung out to you, you know. Yeah, so a bit of a funny story. Yeah.

Lolo (23:00)

Ha!

Shannon (23:04)

So how long have you been married for, Lolo?

Lolo (23:07)

now it's about 34 years now.

Shannon (23:12)

And two children. Yep.

Lolo (23:11)

34 years, and 2 children. Like it took us nearly 14 years. But I've never been pressured. knew that when God's timing is right, we're going to have children. I've never been pressured that I won't have any. I've always believed that. And sure enough, that's what happened. But until then, I had to settle for know, for Ray Sefo and Filemu and all those guys as my children at the gym. I had 150 at the gym.

Shannon (23:34)

And that's it. Lolo. Like, like I said in the intro before, I said, you're like, I think you're like the veins and arteries through the kickboxing in New Zealand. You know, I see on social media, like, people just have got so much respect for you and love, love for you. Like you've touched a lot of people's lives.

And I'm sure it, it goes further than, people that are still in the sport. It goes a lot further than that, you know, like, cause not everyone's going to be a champion and not everyone's going to stay in, the kickboxing game. You know, they're going to go off and do other things in life. but yeah, that's. Yeah.

Lolo (24:15)

Yeah. We've made a lot of friends in this sport, Shannon. And, you know, it's funny, a lot of people, they tap as the fight game. It's a brutal sport. I've met some of the best people in the world in the sport, you know.

END PART 1