Jerry “Bokodian Warrior” Olsim is one of the most tenacious, exciting and up-and-coming talents in the ONE Warrior Series roster today, but his path towards The Home of Martial Arts banner was far from easy.
Just like many of the inspirational life stories in martial arts today, Olsim has his own tale to share.
The Team Lakay stalwart’s life was far from easy – growing up in Baguio City. His parents struggled to put food on their table on a daily, and it’s something that pretty much haunted Olsim in his childhood.
“I grew up with a poor family. My father had sideline jobs as a carpenter while my mother also does her share to try and feed us. I’ve seen them fight because of our struggles. We really struggled making ends meet,” said Olsim.
“I was taking jobs at a young age. I was collecting scraps so I can sell it, I sell bread, I deliver water and sometimes I join my father when he has a job as a carpenter.”
Without the finances needed to accommodate him and his sister Jenelyn, his parents decided to send him to his grandparents so he can study.
Things started picking up for Olsim as, though he still needs to work part-time, his grandparents are there to help him out.
“It’s my grandparents who helped me in my studies. I also worked on the side – I fished in the nearby river, I deliver rocks and sand when I don’t have classes.”
But it wasn’t the end for Olsim’s challenges.
While financially he’s started to get by, the worldly struggles started to kick-in for him during his life in college.
“In my college, I learned vices. I started drinking, got involved with bad company and I got hooked in gambling as well,” shared Olsim.
It wasn’t until he tried his hands in martial arts where he finally got his life straight.
Around the same time, when he reached his third year as a criminology student he was introduced to the Filipino martial arts by his sister Jenelyn. Jerry gave it a try and it started to affect his life in positive ways.
“When I was in third year college, I found out my sister was training MMA. She asked me to join her, at first I was reluctant but then eventually I joined her and that’s when my life changed,” shared Olsim.
“I saw the positives of MMA. I was 20 years old back then. I fell in love with it and now I am here because of it.”
Olsim shared how martial arts turned his life completely upside down, as he now looks at life with tons of positivity.
“In martial arts, I forgot about all my vices and I saw the importance of discipline and respect. If I haven’t discovered martial arts, maybe I wouldn’t be where I am today. Maybe I’m still into cockfights and card games,” said Olsim.
Three years have passed, he is now recognized as one of the most promising martial arts talents in the country today, and for the “Bokodian Warrior” he doesn’t have any plans of relapsing.
“I’ve already experienced the worst and I have no plans of getting back there. I am already practicing martial arts and that’s where I see myself.”