The Truth About Fighting & Living in Thailand With Douglas Malagon

Doug Malagon, a certified strength and conditioning coach, commentator and former pro muay thai fighter, shares the biggest mistakes he made after years in Thailand from fighting and visas to gym culture, overtraining, and building a business in Muay Thai. We also discuss: ONE Championship Strength & conditioning Modern Muay Thai Dagestani Ninja Tawanchai Social media & coaching The future of fighting in Thailand   Want to learn more about the sport? Check out: Muay Thai The Complete Insider's Guide To Training Fighting And Business: https://a.co/d/iFTOOKH

Mark Pease has been building world champions in Australian Muay Thai since 1988. As head coach and promoter at Strikeforce Muay Thai on the Gold Coast, he's produced over a dozen world title holders including Chad Collins, who recently fought for the Rajadamnern Title. Pease and I sit down before the fight to talk about it all.

  Oli Jenkins is a British trainer based in Bangkok, working out of Silk Muay Thai. It is one of the most competitive Muay Thai gyms in the country. I n this conversation, we get into the reality of what it means to corner fighters at the highest level, including two recent losses (Saenpon at RWS and Gregor Thorm at ONE Championship), and why Oli still walks away believing in both performances. Along the way: the economics of staying in Thailand as a foreign trainer, why the injury nobody talks about is pad-holding elbow, the pottery study that explains why reps beat theory, and why One Championship fighters need to be "willing to die" — and what he actually means by that. This is a long-form conversation for people who take Muay Thai seriously. 0:00 The Responsiblilty of a trainer  5:40 The Confidence of a coach 9:58 Is The Damage Worth It 11:12 Fighting On ONE 13:46 Start As A Trainer 14:15 Holding Pads At Sitmonchai  20:48 Working As A Coach In The UK 24:01 Different Types of Fighters 26:24 Dealing With Failure 32:24 Media And Job Opportunities 36:30 What Is Success 38:24 The little battles 44:00 The Injuries of being a trainer 49:13 Attention 51:14 The Importance of a good defense 52:42 Contact Information Want to learn more about the sport? Check out: Muay Thai The Complete Insider's Guide To Training Fighting And Business: https://a.co/d/iFTOOKH

Why does a champion still need strength and conditioning? In this episode, Leroy breaks down the real purpose of S&C in Muay Thai and why it's not about replacing skill work, but supporting it. 0:00 Why Does Tawanchai Need Strength And Conditioning 2:11 How do you measure an athlete's progress 5:05 Running Is Your Engine 8:22 Soviet System vs Contrast Training 11:17 Strength basics 14:28 Skill Development vs S & C 16:46 The 4 Basic Movements 19:26 What Do High Level Exercises Do 20:57 Should S&C Look Like Fighting 22:34 Working With Different Athletes 24:44 Fight By Design 27:23 How Do Work With Fighters That Can Fight At Anytime 30:00 Reaction Drills 32:33 Biggest Misbeliefs About S&C For Fighters 35:29 Social Media Boost 39:01 Less Running 41:06 Contact Information Want to learn more about the sport? Check out: Muay Thai The Complete Insider's Guide To Training Fighting And Business: https://a.co/d/iFTOOKH

Muay Thai is more than fighting. It's history. Culture. Business. Politics. Opportunity.   In this 3-hour deep dive, I break down everything you need to understand about Muay Thai whether you're a fighter, coach, gym owner, or someone who simply wants to understand how the sport really works. From the origins of Muay Thai in Thailand… To how scoring actually works in stadium fights… To contracts, sponsorships, talent scouting, and building a career in the sport. 0:00 Intro 1:24 The History Of Muay Thai 30:38 Training In Thailand 56:08 Fight Preparation 1:07:54 Styles Of Muay Thai 1:28:37 Scoring And Judging Muay Thai 1:48:25 Fight Locations 2:04:24 Signs Of Damage 2:13:20 Tipping 2:31:06 Building A Career In Muay Thai 2:39:35 Talent Scouting 2:49:27 Contracts 3:02:44 The Business Of Seminars 3:16:05 How To Sell Tickets 3:22:27 Social Media For Muay Thai 3:32:15 Sponsorship 3:38:28 Gym Business 3:43:16 Conclusion

What does it really take to succeed as a combat sports photographer? In this episode, William Luu and I break down a practical, experience-based guide to working in combat sports photography, from local gyms and grassroots shows to UFC, ONE Championship, and international events. Between us, we have 25+ years of experience working across Muay Thai, boxing, kickboxing, MMA, and BJJ. We've shot ringside, backstage, and inside gyms across Thailand and Australia.   Want to learn more about the sport? Check out: Muay Thai The Complete Insider's Guide To Training Fighting And Business: https://a.co/d/iFTOOKH

This episode is my annual Muay Thai business review — looking back at 2025 and outlining where I'm heading in 2026.  I've been doing this as a written blog for years, but this is the first time I'm breaking it down fully on the podcast. This show sits at the intersection of: Muay Thai, Business, Media And building real careers in combat sports In this episode, I cover: Why I left Fairtex after 7 years What I learned working with top promotions and fighters Building a personal media brand in Muay Thai Writing Muay Thai: The Complete Insider's Guide to Training, Fighting & Business What content actually works (and what doesn't) My goals for 2026: newsletter, consulting, LLC, partnerships

Building a successful Muay Thai fight team looks very different in Thailand than it does in the United States. In this episode I sit down with Sean Madden, long-time Easton coach, Team USA IFMA coach, and veteran of both the American and Thai Muay Thai systems. Want to learn more about the sport? Check out: Muay Thai The Complete Insider's Guide To Training Fighting And Business: https://a.co/d/iFTOOKH

Becoming a professional Muay Thai fighter isn't about talent alone. It's about planning, money, health, opponents, visas, and survival. In this episode, Matt Lucas and Jonathan Pu'u break down what it actually takes to turn pro and how most fighters mess it up.  We cover: How many fights you really need Why money matters more than skill early on USA vs Thailand costs Selling tickets & building a following Health insurance, visas, and savings Why breaking even is the real first goal This is a long-form masterclass for fighters who are serious about longevity not just chasing a "pro" label.

In this episode I talk about why consistency matters more than virality. Living in Thailand for over 10 years. What fighters, creators and trainers get wrong. I've commentated 10,000 or more fights. I worked with Fairtex, WBC, MAX Muay Thai, Lumpinee, and documented thousands of fighters. Want to learn more about the sport? Check out: Muay Thai The Complete Insider's Guide To Training Fighting And Business: https://a.co/d/iFTOOKH