began his K-1 and MMA career shortly after graduating from Ray Sefo's Fight Academy. In the summer of 2006, he entered the K-1 Kings of Oceania, a qualifying tournament for the 2007 K-1 World Grand, at the Trusts Stadium on 24 June 2006. He lost to Jason Suttie in a 3rd-round decision in Round 1 and Peter Sampson via TKO in Round 2, however, he managed to score a second-round TKO over Simi Tai at Round 3 on 18 November 2006. At the 2007 K-1 Kings of Oceania, he suffered another 3rd-round decision loss to Jason Retti. On 27 October 2007, he fought to a split decision with Felise Leniu at Carnage in the Cage held at the ASB Stadium. He was also scheduled to face Sio Vitale and Alexei Ignashov during 2008, but took a break from professional fighting the next year. Return to strongman competition In January 2009, he and fellow New Zealand strongman Mick Cottrell represented the country at the 110th Browns Athletic Society's sporting carnival in competition against Australia's Craig Reid and Aaron Monks, and Scotland's Alastair Gunn and world champion caber tosser Malcolm Cleghorn. Sir Colin Earl Meads, a legendary rugby union lock forward for the All Blacks during the 1950s and 60s, was in attendance. The next month, de Jong was interviewed by the Howick and Pakuranga Times while training for the upcoming Highland Games on 1 March. He was specifically preparing for the farmer's walk, in which competitors attempt to walk as far as they can while carrying 125 kg weights in each hand, and stated his intention to break his own national record. He had previously set the national record in this event at 251.5m as well as holding the New Zealand record for stone lifting. On 24 July 2009, de Jong appeared on the first episode of NZ Smashes Guinness World Records where he broke the Guinness World Record for running through the most panes of glass (15) in under one minute. The record was previously held by Czech footballer Martin Latka who smashed through 11 panes of glass on German television earlier that year. Professional wrestling Impact Pro Wrestling NZ (2009-2011) After nine months of training, de Jong made his debut as a professional wrestler for one of the country's three major promotions Impact Pro Wrestling, debuting in a Rookie Battle Royal match at IPW Nightmare Before Xmas 09, winning