MATT FIDDES
Matt Fiddes is one of the most respected experts in the international world of martial arts and fitness. Matt’s achievements have seen him honoured at the highest level, after being inducted into the UK Martial Arts Hall of Fame and presented with the prestigious ‘Martial Arts Superstar Award’.
He first discovered a talent for self-defense at seven after being bullied at school. Five years later he had already won his Black Belt with a determination and drive that was to mark him out as a special talent. Leaving school at sixteen with no qualifications he opened the first Matt Fiddes Martial Arts School in his hometown of Barnstaple, North Devon, with just £100.
Matt’s unique training programmes are designed for both children and adults and have proved to be a massive success with over 600 training schools across the UK and Europe including Ireland, Germany and Holland. His fame has even spread to Australia where he has now launched schools.
Matt, 36, who is a 7th Degree Black Belt Master in Tae Kwon Do and also holds Black Belts in Kickboxing and Kung Fu is now one of the most in-demand personal trainers thanks to front covers and interviews in newspapers and magazines worldwide. He has numerous celebrity clientele including actors, supermodels and singers. Undoubtedly Matt’s biggest client was superstar singer Michael Jackson. Introduced to Matt by his close friend Uri Geller, Matt was Michael’s personal UK bodyguard for over a decade before his tragic death in June 2009.
Professionally Matt sits on the board of advisors for the Worldwide Martial Arts Teachers Association (MATA) along with the industry’s most admired teachers. Matt is dedicated to building his martial arts schools where he can help improve the fitness and life skills of young people.
His 2007 launch of the NOBULL, an anti-bullying campaign received huge support across the UK and was praised by the media internationally. Matt also enjoys working with the disabled helping them improve their self-esteem, confidence and fitness.
One of Matt’s proudest moments came in 2012, when he was invited to the Headley Court rehabilitation centre in Surrey to work with injured servicemen and women who had lost limbs while on active service.
From those humble beginnings Matt has now developed a multi-million pound, world- beating international martial arts franchise.
He recently launched “MF Dance” www.mfdance.co.uk which offers Streetdance programmes for children and adults worldwide.
Matt was inducted into the UK Martial Arts Hall of honours in Munich in 2014 and was presented the highest-level award, the ‘Martial Arts Superstar Award’, for his on-going work and contribution to the martial arts industry worldwide. In 2015, Matt was inducted into the European Martial Arts Hall of Fame.
In 2012, Matt married South African singer Moniqe Foxx. The couple live in Wiltshire with their children. Matt also runs a successful property portfolio in Devon where he offers professional accommodation to 85 people.
