Danny Higgins is the number 1 fighter and head MMA trainer of the Integrated Martial Arts Team who are in a position to lay claim to being Australia’s number 1 MMA team, boasting 3 current Australian Champions. Under his tutelage he leads from the front fighting regularly at the top level in the USA. Recognised as a leading contender as Australia number 1 MMA fighter, Dan trains under the watchful eye of his mentor Greg Jackson of Jacksons Submission Fighting when in the USA. A wrestler of world-class ability Dan is truly a freak in the submission-wrestling arena. With incredible strength and physical conditioning second to none Dan is a truly a remarkable athlete.

At the age of 8 Dan Higgins began his martial arts training in Shotokan Karate. In the years to follow Dan went on to win 8 state and 4 national Karate Titles. His huge success in the sport of Karate brought him to New Orleans in the USA where he won a silver and bronze medal in the World Full Contact Karate Titles. Dan Higgins love for the martial arts and his hunger for challenging himself saw him win State Titles in Judo and Karate in the same year.

Whilst traveling overseas in the Army Dan watched the Ultimate Fighting Championships on television and decided that Mixed Martial Arts was a sport that invited the most exciting challenge yet in his chosen sport of Martial Arts. This sport where fighters integrate all skills of Martial Arts into a full contact reality fighting arena appealed to both his love for both the striking and grappling aspects of Martial Arts.

In pursuit of Mixed Martial Arts expertise Dan turned to Chris Haseman and Bill Turner and began training him specifically for MMA. To this day Dan and his Integrated Martial Arts Team still have the highest regard for his original MMA trainers and continue to be affiliated with them.

Dan Higgins is a classic example of the rewards that hard work and determination can bring to a person not only in their chosen sport but also in everyday life. Dan began work at Steve Irwin’s Australia Zoo as a cleaner. Happy enough to be working in his peaceful surroundings after years of bouncing at nightclubs Dan diligently went about his mundane daily duties his martial arts expertise unnoticed or so he thought.

One afternoon the World Famous Steve Irwin road his little trail bike that he uses to get around the zoo into the toilet block where Dan was busy cleaning after closing and offered Dan a position on his security team.  The rest is past history and Dan is now currently employed as Security Director of Australia Zoo and Personal Self Defence trainer for the Irwin Family now entrusted amongst many other duties with ensuring the safety of Steve, Terry and family.

Dan thanks his sponsors and teammates for their support. Without them he says his goals would be a lot more difficult to attain. Thanks to Integrated Martial Arts, Greg Jackson and his team, Fairtex, Redbak Supplements, Go Fast Sports and the crew at Australia Zoo.