However, he got disillusioned after failing to use it in self-defense, when a bully blocked his hip throw by pulling his hair and forced Erik to strike him in order to win.
[2] Many years after, he moved to California and became a student under Dan Inosanto, Gene Lebell, and Benny Urquidez, learning styles like Kickboxing, Jeet Kune Do, Savate, Kali, Kung Fu, Sambo, Muay Thai, Chin Na, Dumog, Panantukan, and Silat.
[1] Later, in 1995, Paulson took part in an MMA tournament similar to UFC, World Combat Championships, which divided its participants in "strikers" and "grapplers" in order to pit them against each other in the finals.
His first match, against Muay Thai exponent Sean McCully, evidenced both disadvantages, with Paulson having to endure hair pulling and a significant punishment in order to finish him by ground and pound.
[1] Paulson still competed in Shooto, being sent as a representative to the Vale Tudo Japan event, where he was submitted in 0:41 by Canadian grappler Carlos Newton.
He trained Djimon Hounsou in Shoot Wrestling for his role of Mixed Martial Arts instructor Jean Roqua in the 2008 action drama Never Back Down.