Joseph Karim took his first BJJ steps with Nic Ruben Nikolaisen in Drammen before moving to Frontline Academy Oslo, where he has trained under Eduardo 'Teta' Rios. His Norwegian path runs through two of the most influential coaches in the country, and his results have followed: European Open champion at purple belt and London Open champion at brown belt.
Off the mat, he is a co-founder of the Oslo Submission Series — a Norwegian professional-style grappling event that has helped give the country its own platform rather than relying entirely on travelling to Europe.
He has since transitioned from competition grappling into professional MMA, building a 4-0 amateur record with all four wins by submission before turning pro — a translation that reflects the kind of strangler he has always been on the mats.