Model, lawyer, fighter. In a nutshell, that would be the best way to describe Lilian Dikmans.
The Melbourne, Australia-born Dikmans steps back inside the ring when she takes on Paris Rose at Domination Muay Thai 21. The event is set for October 27 from Perth, Western Australia.
For Dikmans, the road to combining being a model with fighting really took off in 2014 when she left her position as a corporate lawyer in Melbourne to start “Real Food Healthy Body,” a healthy living website. Two years later, Dikmans entered into her first Muay Thai fight and has compiled a 3-0 record since.
“It was never a decision or a plan, it just happened,” Dikmans told FightLine on her decision to mix modeling with fighting. “I started modeling when I was 18 years old after signing with an agency straight out of high school. It was a great way to earn a living while I studied law at university, and it allowed me to travel. At that time I had no idea what Muay Thai was.
“It was only in 2014 when I was looking for a way to get fit that I started doing Muay Thai classes at a fighter’s gym in Melbourne. I fell in love with the sport and trained consistently. Fighting was a natural progression. I started out doing sparring competitions, then had my first fight in Melbourne in 2016 and two more in 2017.”
As for explaining her intriguing careers, Dikmans said “It’s certainly an unusual combination. Different people take it in different ways, depending on the level of their knowledge of each industry. Personally, I enjoy doing both. Modelling is a job. Muay Thai is a sport: a martial art with a wealth of history and philosophy behind it.”
Stay calm and “just have fun with it”
Dikmans has been featured on both “Women’s health fitness” and “Fightmag” for cover stories, discussing her career, fitness and healthy living plans.
“Keeping your body in shape is the obvious prerequisite, but they both also involve mental preparation,” she said. “A photoshoot and a fight are both performances in a way. On a shoot, you have to appear confident to sell the clothes and deliver good shots, regardless of how you feel on the day. In a fight, you also need to appear confident and unfazed by your opponents strikes, even if they are hurting you.
“To make sure I’m mentally calm and relaxed in both cases, I take the mindset that the job or fight isn’t a big deal and just have fun with it. If you let the pressure get to you, you freeze up and can’t perform.
Dikmans has been preparing for her return to the ring by training in Perth at the Kao Sok Muay Thai gym with Sak Sangmorakot. She is also set to leave Australia for the first time as a fighter in 2019 and compete in South America.
“I leave the teaching up to the specialists and I do what I’m told. It’s challenging, but I’m focused on the task,” Dikmans said. “Competing overseas will be a new experience for me. I will be honored to represent Australia.
“I’ve also never been to South America so I hope to have some time to explore while I’m in Argentina and might also visit Brazil and Mexico.”
Growing her brand
Dikmans has maintained her foot-hold in the modeling world with campaigns for companies such as Lululemon and Russell Athletic. She has also been featured in national TV commercials for Pure Blonde and Kmart Australia.
You can stay up-to-date with Dikmans through Instagram, Facebook and her own personal webpage.