Tiger Muay Thai

The Tiger Muay Thai gym is a Thai mixed martial arts and muay thai training facility located in Phuket, Thailand. It has several prominent competitors such as UFC champions Petr Yan, Alexander Volkanovski and Valentina Shevchenko.

Tiger Muay Thai
Est.2003[1]
Founded byWilliam McNamara[2]
Primary trainersPhet Chaimanee (muay thai)
George Hickman (MMA head coach)
Alex Schild (BJJ)
Rafael Fiziev (striking)
Current titleholdersPetr Yan (UFC Bantamweight Champion)
Alexander Volkanovski (UFC Featherweight Champion)[3]
Valentina Shevchenko (UFC Women's Flyweight Champion)
Prominent fightersAlexey Kunchenko
Rafael Fiziev
Loma Lookboonmee
Shannon Wiratchai
Roger Huerta
Timofey Nastyukhin
Dave Leduc
Kai Kara-France
Antonina Shevchenko
HeadquartersPhuket, Thailand
Address7 35 Soi Ta-iad, Chalong
LocationPhuket, Thailand
Training facilitiesPhuket, Thailand
San Sai District, Chiang Mai, Thailand
WebsiteTiger Muay Thai

History

William McNamara – an American teaching English in Darasamuth Catholic School – had previously owned a gym in Phuket consisting of only one ring to serve his muay thai training purposes.[4][5] The gym gained popularity, so with help from investors he founded Tiger Muay Thai in remarkably larger premises in 2003.[4][5] Subsequently, mixed martial arts program was added to the repertoire by McNamara.[6]

Since 2013, the gym has been arranging annual Fight Team tryouts where the best applicants receive scholarships to mixed martial arts and muay thai programs.[7] Among the tryout winners are the gym's MMA head coach-to-be George Hickman, Kai Kara-France, Dan Hooker and Loma Lookboonmee.

In 2015, the gym was sold to Thai businessmen and one of them – Viwat Sakulrat – became the managing director of the gym.[4][6] It has continued to grow and is one of the world's most prominent muay thai gyms.[6]

Gyms

While the original Tiger Muay Thai in Chalong, Phuket remains the headquarters, they opened a new facility to San Sai District, Chiang Mai in 2013.[8]

In 2019, they opened Tiger Muay Thai Beachside in Chalong.[9]

Notable fighters

References
  1. "Kru Phet - Tiger Muay Thai Trainer". tigermuaythai.com. Retrieved December 12, 2020.
  2. Rob Cox (November 14, 2020). "Tiger Muay Thai: the Phuket powerhouse that became a global fitness destination". asianmma.com.
  3. "Team TMT Fighter Alex Volkanovski gets his shot in the UFC". tigermuaythai.com. Retrieved 2020-12-12.
  4. "Tiger Muay Thai Review". muaythaicitizen.com. September 18, 2020.
  5. "The History & Evolution of Tiger Muay Thai". tigermuaythai.com.
  6. Frances Watthanaya (April 26, 2020). "Tiger Muay Thai's Rise From Humble Gym To Global Juggernaut". ONE Championship.
  7. "Calling All Fighters! Apply for 2014 Fight Team Tryouts now!". tigermuaythai.com. February 4, 2014.
  8. Wannakorn Moolkam (October 18, 2012). "Tiger Muay Thai – massive Muay Thai gym to open in Chiang Mai". chiangmaicitylife.com.
  9. "Tiger Muay Thai Beachside, our beautiful 2nd Gym located next to Chalong Beach, is opening on the 1st of February 2019!". tigermuaythai.com. January 9, 2019.
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