SG Pro – Fight Community brings to you the first ever local interview with a World Champion from the legendary Sityodtong Gym in Thailand, Yoddecha Sityodtong! A little about Yoddecha; He is a Muay Thai World Champion with a fight record of 145-37 and is known as a big knockout artist with the rare ability to knock people out with one shot with any of the 8 weapons (punches, elbows, knees, and kicks) of Muay Thai! Yoddecha is a certified Muay Thai instructor under the legendary Kru Yodtong of the Sityodtong Gym in Thailand and is currently teaching the Art of Eight Limbs to locals at Evolve MMA! A fearless competitor, he is willing to fight anyone in the world in his weight class in any country. Now coupled with whatever little information we have bout Yoddecha, lets venture into the world of the Muay Thai Champion, Yoddecha Sityodyong!

SG Pro: Sawadee krup!

Yoddecha: Sawadee krup. Thank you for having me on SG Pro. Please excuse my English. My Thai translator will help me if that is ok…

Muay Thai World Champion, Yoddecha Sityodtong.

SG Pro: Yoddecha, from the Evolve website, we know that you are currently a World Champion in Muay Thai and have won many titles in Thailand and around the world. Tell us, how did you get into Muay Thai?

Yoddecha: At age 7, I became an orphan. I lived on the streets with nothing. Every day, I had to figure out how to find food so that I would not starve. I used to get beat up by gangs a lot and was eventually forced into child slavery by one gang.  After a few years of living on the streets as a child slave forced to work for a mafia gang, my luck turned when a Sityodtong fighter rescued me and brought me to Kru Yodtong Senanan, the head of Sityodtong Gym. Kru Yodtong has always treated me like a son and I owe him everything in my life. I never dreamed of becoming a professional Muay Thai fighter until that lucky day. Chatri Sityodtong and I started Muay Thai around the same time.

SG Pro: How has Muay Thai changed your life besides the attention that came with being a World Champion?

Yoddecha:  I can tell you that Muay Thai has given me everything. It gave me a purpose in life. Without it, I had nothing to live for. It taught me to become a man and to live a life with honor. Of course, Muay Thai allowed me to make a living too.  It has allowed me to see the world… I have fought all over the world… Italy, Croatia, Australia, France, Japan, and many other places… Muay Thai gave me a life. Before Muay Thai, I had nothing.

SG Pro: Sounds like Muay Thai IS your life. Who was your last fight against and how tough was it?

Yoddecha: My last fight was not that tough, but I was given only 1 week notice before it. So I was not fit and I was not mentally or physically prepared. I got lucky and won by KO.

SG Pro: You had almost 200 fights in your career thus far, so which fight was your favorite?

Yoddecha: The fight that I am most proud of is my fight with Satdam, a ferocious Thai fighter with big KO power. It is by far my most memorable fight and it was not even for a world title. Before the fight at Theprasit Stadium, I was expected to win the fight with 3-2 odds. Satdam is a very dangerous fighter though. He smashed me with elbows and punches and gave me 3 very deep cuts on my head and face during the fight. Satdam was winning all rounds by the 5th and final round. I was bleeding badly. I was hurt and exhausted. At the start of the 5th round, the oddsmakers had changed the odds to 100-1 in favor of Satdam. My only chance to win the fight was by KO. I had to dig deep into my heart. With only 1 minute left in the final round, I found a small opening and kicked him in the head with my left leg. I eventually knocked him out with 30 seconds left in the fight with many punches and kicks. It is my favorite fight because it is represents everything that Muay Thai has taught me in my whole life…the warrior spirit.

SG Pro: If you can have just one more fight before you hang up those gloves for good, who will it be against and why?

Yoddecha: I am willing to fight anyone in the world. Anywhere, anytime. I would love to fight someone in Singapore, but there is no one at the elite level yet in Singapore.  I have another big fight coming up though.

SG Pro: You have been featured on the Muay Thai episode of “The Human Weapon” on the History Channel, introducing fans all over the world to Muay Thai and fighting against Jason Chambers, obviously Chambers was no match for you but how was the experience like?

Yoddecha: It was fun. I enjoyed it very much. Jason Chambers is a nice guy. He is still relatively new to Muay Thai, but he is excellent at MMA from what I understand. We gave a light sparring demonstration for the TV show.

SG Pro: With The Contender Asia, Muay Thai is definitely getting more mainstream attention, so do you feel that Singapore has the potential to grow in terms of the fight community?

Yoddecha: I would love to fight in the Contender Asia! Yes, Singaporeans have the potential to become great at Muay Thai in the future. Right now, it is still a new sport here. So the talent pool and instruction is still very underdeveloped compared to Thailand. But the potential is great because Singaporeans are talented and tough!

SG Pro: Yoddecha, you are currently teaching the Art of Muay Thai to the locals at Evolve MMA, so tell us, how is teaching the locals like? Also is there any potential for locals to become Muay Thai World Champions?

Yoddecha: (Smiling) World Champions? Muay Thai is a new sport in Singapore. It is not realistic to expect a World Champion so soon. It might be possible in 10-15 years.  But right now, the level in Singapore is very low by Thai standards. Of course, the future potential is great because Singaporeans are talented and tough! I love teaching in Singapore because everyone has an amazing attitude. At Evolve, the level of Muay Thai is progressing very quickly. We have many good students who will become great in the future. We have one student who is extraordinarily special. He has only been doing Muay Thai for 1 month, but his potential is enormous. His name is Oliver and his talent is unbelievable. Of course, he is still a beginner.

SG Pro: In your fight against Shannon Forrester, after knocking him out, you showed class by checking out your opponent. Adding to that, you gave internet fans all over the world a glimpse of your dancing skills! So what do you like to do during your spare time? Dance?

Yoddecha: (Laughing and smiling) Dancing? No, no… I do not know how to dance.  In my spare time, I like to hang out with my good friends like Nuengpichit and Chatri Sityodtong. I have known them for more than 20 years. We go to eat dinner, go out at night to Clarke Quay and other places. I also like to play video games!

SG Pro: How do you find Singapore thus far?

Yoddecha: I love Singapore! It is an amazing country. It is my favorite country besides Thailand. I’ve been everywhere, but Singapore is great. The people are so nice, the weather is perfect, and the food is tasty!

SG Pro: If you are stranded on an island, what are the three things you will bring along with you?

Yoddecha: I am not very good at questions like this one. Uhhh… a knife for food? I can’t imagine living alone on an island. What would I do? I don’t have a good answer to this question… My apologies..

SG Pro: Not a problem, Yoddecha! You are known to be a fearless fighter, we read somewhere that a few years ago, you were in a tough fight with an excellent opponent.  During the third round, you threw a right kick and your knee came completely out from its socket! You did not quit and fought on, eventually winning by KO! How did you do that? How did you find the strength to finish the fight?

Yoddecha: Yes, that is true. I was fighting the European Muay Thai Champion. I threw a right roundhouse kick in the 3rd round and my knee got completely dislocated. It was very painful. (Later, the doctor told me that I ripped my ACL and MCL completely and also tore my meniscus. I later had surgery to reconstruct my knee). But it was only the 3rd round of the fight and I could not quit. So I kept fighting. Also, the adrenaline of the fight helped me to ignore the pain. Mental strength is something that comes with doing Muay Thai. You learn to overcome exhaustion and pain. Luckily, I won the fight!

SG Pro: Students who have seen you in person describe you as a gentle and friendly man. Clips of your matches on youtube however show otherwise, once the bell rings, you transformed into a fighting machine and of course once the match ends, you turn back into that gentle and friendly man again! Is it something which is transplanted in all Muay Thai fighters from a young age or do you guys actually have a switch hidden somewhere?

Yoddecha:  We are all taught to control our emotions… this is an essential part of becoming a Muay Thai warrior, especially at Sityodtong Gym. When I enter the ring, I fight for my teacher, Kru Yodtong and for my gym, the Sityodtong Gym. There is no emotion. People ask me if I ever get angry in the ring. The answer is never. I have no emotion in the ring. No fear, no anger, nothing. I empty my mind, heart, and body. The biggest enemy in a fight is yourself. But yes, I am a very different person in the ring versus outside of the ring.

SG Pro: And it’s time for our little word association again! This is how it works, i’ll name someone and you will have to describe that person in just seven words or less. Here goes nothing, Shannon Forrester.

Yoddecha: Nice gentleman with a warrior heart.

SG Pro: Jason Chambers (The guy from The Human Weapon).

Yoddecha: Friendly and gentle.

SG Pro: Kru Yodtong Senanan.

Yoddecha: The greatest teacher in history

SG Pro: Kru Toy Sityodtong.

Yoddecha: Phenomenal trainer. Great man.

SG Pro: Daorung Sityodtong.

Yoddecha: Heart of gold. Wealth of experience.

SG Pro: Nuengpichit Sityodtong.

Yoddecha: Intelligent fighter. Great human being.

SG Pro: Chatri Sityodtong.

Yoddecha: Very powerful fighter. Generous and humble friend.

SG Pro: Samart Payakaroon.

Yoddecha: The greatest fighter that ever lived.

SG Pro: Yodsanan 3K Battery Sor Nanthachai Sityodtong.

Yoddecha: Little Mike Tyson, unbelievable power.

SG Pro: And of course last but not least, Yoddecha Sityodtong.

Yoddecha: A lucky orphan.

SG Pro: Some really good word association there, Yoddecha! Your life and career have been an inspiration to all aspiring fighters out there. What advice would you give to them?

Yoddecha: It is very hard to find a truly great teacher and a great gym. If you are lucky to find one, give your life to the teacher and gym. Loyalty is the path to knowledge.  If you find a wonderful gym like Sityodtong or Evolve, it will become your family in good and bad times. The truth is that you become a World Champion through the support of other people. I did not become World Champion alone. I became World Champion because of Kru Yodtong and every member of the Sityodtong Gym. They all gave me the love, the knowledge, the support, and the drive to become great.

SG Pro: Any parting words for our readers?

Yoddecha: Life is a lot about luck. But it is also what you do with that luck.

SG Pro: khorb khun krub, Yoddecha!

Yoddecha: Thank you, SG-Pro.

*SG Pro – Fight Community would like to thank Yoddecha Sityodtong for finding time to do this interview with us. Special thanks goes out to Mr Trisiripisal for helping with the translation, without his help, this interview would not have been possible.

Do continuing visiting SG Pro – Fight Community for more MMA goodness!

SG Pro – Fight Community sits down with the Manager of Zeal FightGear, Gabriel Huang for a face to face interview. First off, a little on Zeal FightGear, established in 2005, Zeal FightGear is an up and coming martial arts equipment supplier and online martial arts store in the local scene for customers seeking quality and value for money in searching for affordable martial arts gear. Their parent company Zeal Sports was founded by sports and martial arts enthusiasts who were dissatisfied at the low quality yet high priced martial arts and sports equipment sold in Singapore and set out to produce their own quality yet affordable martial arts equipment.

SG Pro: Hi Gabriel, thanks for taking the time to do this interview with us.

Gabriel: No problem, its my pleasure to talk to you guys anytime!

SG Pro: So Gabriel, tell us how you came about to become the Manager of Zeal FightGear?

Gabriel: It all started back in 2005 when I was training and found it incredibly hard to find quality fightgear for reasonable prices. All the fightgear sold in the shops out there were basically cheap stuff that were marked up and sold at ridiculous prices. One day a friend was complaining about how a judo gi he bought from one of the big shops here tore just after 2 training sessions and so I suggested that we bring in our own equipment, and thats it all started. I happened to be the one who had some background in business studies and so naturally I took over the managerial position.That said, we still make major decisions as a team.

SG Pro: Gabriel, tell us about yourself. Obviously you would be training in some sort of martial arts to have such an interest in fight gears?

Gabriel: I was introduced to martial arts (taekwondo) in 2003 when I was about 16, at that time I was living with my grandfather who did TKD when he was younger. He was in his 60s then but was still very flexible and could still do full splits at his age! I later started training formally at a club my friend taught at. A year later I started training in Japanese Jujitsu at Gentlelife Sports Studio alongside TKD which I dropped out from, when a friend introduced me to Jun Fan Jeet Kune Do (Sifu Mark Stewart) which I still think is the most brilliant striking-based art i’ve been exposed to. In 2005, I founded the Republic Polytechnic Judo Interest Group and started training in Judo under Sensei Faizal and Sensei Koseki. The guys from Jujitsu had also been sparring after class under MMA rules for some time now due to the influence of the UFC and we realised the need for good MMA equipment. We later rented a room at Toa Payoh SAFRA to continue what we loved doing and had Setsuma come in to teach us BJJ. Later on when I graduated, I started focusing on JKD and competed in  amateur boxing and muaythai under Combat academy (Now known as Fightworks Asia). I have also trained in various other martial arts along the way such as BJJ (Setsuma Takeda), Savate (Peter Straub), Boxing (Sascha Soliano, David Alexis), Muay Thai (Kadir, Zamri Salleh, Aaron Fisher). Right now I am focusing my training on Freestyle wrestling (WFS) and JKD (FWA) and all these while having great training equipment and fightgear has played a big role.

SG Pro: Has it ever cross your mind that Zeal FightGear will last this long? Afterall, most budding entrepreneurs barely lasted a year?

Gabriel: We have never thought of doing this as a money reaping business and although we are now starting to get serious in producing solid fightgear for the athletes, I guess what’s keeping us going all these time is our zeal for combat sports and our interest in making the sport grow locally and in the SEA region.

SG Pro: What is your take on the rise of MMA in Singapore in recent years given that you and Zeal FightGear are considered to be the first local fightgear supplier?

Gabriel: Just about two years back, practically nobody ever heard of MMA except for the few who were into combat sports and those who had trained at FightG. With the birth of more MMA gyms and gyms going into MMA, such as Fightworks Asia, Evolve MMA and Kreation Jiu-jitsu and also Singaporeans being IT-Savvy, I believe that MMA and combat sports in general will continue to rise as more and more Singaporeans look for a practical Martial Art that encompasses all aspects of the fight game ( Striking, takedowns, groundfighting).

SG Pro: Zeal FightGear sponsored several MMA and BJJ tournaments and events in the past, how did this sponsoring deal started?

Gabriel: Well as always, we’re here to support growth of the sport here and we felt it was the natural thing to do and of course its also a good way of getting the word out there that there actually is Quality Equipment worth paying for available here in Singapore.

SG Pro: There are plenty of aspiring MMA fighters out there, what do they have to do if they want to be sponsored by Zeal and what kind of credentials should they have?

Gabriel: Well the most important thing that we look for is the individual’s zeal for the sport, the effort they put into training and their goals. Just shoot us an e-mail with their details, fight record, future goals and we’ll look into it.

SG Pro: Tell us about how you derive the name, Zeal.

Gabriel: Many people don’t know this, but Zeal was derived from the Greek God Zelus who was the personification of dedication and emulation. He was also one of the brothers of Nike and Kratos. In the English language, Zeal is used to express utmost dedication and devotion. It is also used to express passion, spirit and drive and that is what we feel about the sport and with that, the production of quality equipment and apparel.

SG Pro: What is next for Zeal FightGear? What should we be expecting from Zeal?

Gabriel: We will be sponsoring the Thailand Open BJJ tournament which is the biggest Grappling tournament in South East Asia. Also look out for more quality equipment and training gear coming your way soon!

SG Pro: Who’s your favourite fighter and why?

Gabriel: I am actually a great fan of a number of fighters like Lyoto Machida, Marcus Davis, Clay Guida and GSP, but if it has to be only one, that will be Norifumi ‘Kid’ Yamamoto. The amount of zeal he has for MMA is just so incredible that you can actually see that passion burning intensely in his eyes whenever he fights.

SG Pro: If Zeal FightGear can sponsor one UFC fighter, who would it be?

Gabriel: Lyoto Machida.

SG Pro: Do you think there’s room for another fightgear company in Singapore? How will the competition affect Zeal FightGear?

Gabriel: I do think that the market for fightgear here is actually quite small and it wouldnt make much business sense. But if they do start anyway, it wouldnt affect us much at all because as i’ve always said we are in this industry first and foremost to support the growth of the sport and everything else is secondary! So I’ll have to wish them good luck in staying alive!

SG Pro: And now it’s time for our favourite word association time! Now this is how it goes, i throw out a name and you will have to describe it in just seven words or less. So here we go, Singapore Wrestling Federation.

Gabriel: Hiring the Best specially to groom Singaporeans.

SG Pro: FightG.

Gabriel: Promoting MMA to the masses.

SG Pro: Fight Works Asia.

Gabriel: The biggest Martial Arts Facility in Singapore.

SG Pro: Evolve MMA.

Gabriel: Having the most champion instructors in Asia.

SG Pro: mma.sg

Gabriel: Underused MMA forum and dying community.

SG Pro: fightsg.com

Gabriel: Great community, Shortlived enthusiasm. Rest in Peace.

SG Pro: sg-pro.com

Gabriel: Great articles, the next big MMA community.

SG Pro: muaythai.sg

Gabriel: Best Muaythai resource in Singapore.

SG Pro: UFC

Gabriel: Here to stay for good.

SG Pro: Affliction

Gabriel: Great shows but over-shadowed by Dana White.

SG Pro: Strikeforce

Gabriel: Done if not for Gina Carano…

SG Pro: And last but not least, Zeal FightGear.

Gabriel: Quality Equipment at Best Value as always!

SG Pro: Gabriel, thanks for spending time to do this interview with us, we wish you nothing but the best in your career and hope to see more of Zeal FightGear!

Gabriel: Thanks alot for arranging this. We like what you’re doing and will help get your website out there to the masses. We hope to be able to work with you more in the future!

*SG Pro – Fight Community would like to thank Gabriel for finding time to do this interview with us. Do continuing visiting SG Pro – Fight Community for more MMA goodness!

SG Pro – Fight Community brings to you the first of a series of interviews with the who’s who of the Singapore and Malaysia Mixed Martial Arts scene! For our inaugural interview, We talks to the man behind Evolve MMA, Chatri Sityodtong. First of all a little information on Evolve MMA; Based in Singapore, Evolve MMA is the number one MMA gym in Asia with world-class instructors, state-of-the-art facilities, and one of the largest selections of courses and times. Evolve MMA is the first and only MMA gym in Asia with accreditation from two of the most elite academies globally in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and Muay Thai. Evolve is also an official Renzo Gracie Affiliate Academy. Evolve is also the largest overseas branch of the legendary Sityodtong Gym, the most respected Muay Thai gym in Thailand.

SG Pro: Chatri, first of all i would like to thank you for finding time out of your busy schedule to do this interview with SG Pro – Fight Community.

Chatri:  It is my pleasure, guys.

SG Pro: First of all, Chatri, tell us how did the idea of Evolve MMA come about? Did you just suddenly wake up one day and decide, “Hey! I am going to start an MMA gym!”?

Chatri: Martial arts has been my greatest passion in life for as long as I can remember.  I love training, fighting, and teaching. 12 years ago, I wrote my dreams in life on a piece of paper.  One of those dreams was to start a Muay Thai gym one day since I am from Thailand from the Sityodtong Gym.  As you may or may not know, Sityodtong Gym has produced the most World Champions in the history of Muay Thai.  So, as a fighter and instructor from Sityodtong Gym, I have always wanted to spread the beautiful art of Muay Thai.  As fortune would have it, I started training Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu for fun (I am terrible at it, by the way.  But I hold a Blue Belt under Renzo Gracie) to complement my Muay Thai background.  I even competed in a couple BJJ tournaments for fun while also fighting in Muay Thai and MMA.  My passion for martial arts is what inspired me to start Evolve Mixed Martial Arts.  I truly believe in the power of martial arts to change people’s lives in a positive and meaningful way.

SG Pro: No other MMA gyms in Singapore had had the same amount of publicity that Evolve did. Look at the amount of media publicity that Evolve received; Evolve was mentioned on ESPN Sports, Channel NewsAsia, 938live Radio and Class95 Radio. Evolve was also mentioned in the Straits Times, TODAY, My Paper and many other magazines. Do you own a genie or something and she does everything for you?

Chatri: It is better to be lucky than smart as the saying goes!  I can assure you that I am not smart…

SG Pro: It’s no secret that all the media coverage of Evolve MMA has lead to a surge in the interest in Muay Thai, Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and MMA in Singapore. There are already a couple of MMA gyms in Singapore before the emergence of Evolve MMA, however the level of interest back then wasn’t that huge. So what are your views on the current state of MMA in Singapore?

Chatri: MMA will continue to grow as a sport in Singapore and the rest of the world.  First, it is absolutely fun.  Second, it is a fantastic workout and you can burn over 500 calories an hour doing it.  Third, it is perfect for self-defense.  Clearly, the UFC has had a lot to do with the success of MMA around the world.  The events are always electrifying.  From what I have seen so far, Singapore has a lot of potential talent for MMA!

SG Pro: Evolve MMA is the only MMA gym in Singapore to have the largest pool of world class instructors from the legendary Sityodtong Gym and the Renzo Gracie Academy. How difficult is it for you personally when people question the authenticity of the level of training at Evolve?

Chatri: Hmmm, the good news is that no one has ever questioned the authenticity of the Evolve Instructor Team or the level of training at Evolve.  I’m not sure why anyone would. You can see the bios of the Evolve Instructor Team at www.evolve-mma.com. Evolve has the largest instructor team in Asia with the most experience at over 300 years of elite world-class experience in Muay Thai, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, MMA, and more.  Actually, Evolve is the only MMA gym in the world with multiple World Champions in Muay Thai and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.  At Evolve Brazil, we have professional fighters who compete in the UFC too.  For example, one of our students in Brazil, Rafael dos Anjos, just lost a very close fight to Tyson Griffin at the UFC.  As for our students in Singapore, Evolve is only 6 months old.  With time, I believe that Evolve Singapore will produce some outstanding students in the future. Every member of the Evolve Instructor Team has learned, trained, and taught at some of the top academies in the world. The talent in Singapore is unbelievable.  I would not be surprised to see a Singaporean on the world stage one day.  Nevertheless, Evolve provides excellent instruction for everyone – from a total beginner to a World Champion.  In fact, some big superstars in Muay Thai, BJJ, and MMA from around the world are planning to come train at Evolve to upgrade their skills in the near future.

Chatri (3rd from left) with the Sityodtong family at Evolve MMA.

SG Pro: What can we expect from Evolve MMA down the road? You have already brought in World Champions and legends like Samart Payakaroon, Rafael “Gordinho” Correa, Mauricio “Tinguinha” Mariano and the list just goes on and on.

Chatri: Well, there are a lot of great things in store for Evolve.  I can’t talk about them right now.  Let’s just say that the best is yet to come.  We have some major – and I mean, major BJJ, Muay Thai, and MMA superstars – that have expressed a desire to come to Evolve to train.  You will have to wait and see!

SG Pro: Obviously, if you talk about Evolve, the name is synonymous with MMA in Singapore. So What are the plans you have for the Evolve brand name?

Chatri: Again, I can’t talk about things just yet.  I don’t mean to be rude, but it is just that Evolve has a lot of things in the pipeline.  Our staff is unbelievable.  They are as passionate about Evolve as I am.  Many of them work all day and night!

SG Pro: I am sure that we can expect alot of other surprises from Evolve. Now let’s talk abit about you, Chatri. We know that you are the man behind Evolve MMA, that you are the one keeping things running and that you fought in over 30 fights across different disciplines (Muay Thai, Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, and MMA). Tell us more bout yourself and what makes you tick.

Chatri: My greatest passion in life is the martial arts.  I truly believe in how it can change lives for the better.  In fact, this is how I came up with the name, “Evolve” in the first place.  The technical definition of the word evolve is “to undergo continuous change, development, and progress.”  Martial arts can help a person evolve into everything he/she wants to be.  For me, martial arts is about the continuous improvement of the self – physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually.  If you don’t evolve as a person, you wither away.

SG Pro: You’ve rubbed shoulders with some of the best in the business, names like Renzo Gracie, Rafael “Gordinho” Correa, Antonio Braga Neto Teixeira, Samart Payakaroon, the likes. Do you have anything to share with our readers about what you learnt from these World Champions and legends?

Chatri: Yes, I’ve been lucky to have all those guys as good friends and training partners.  Hmmm, what have I learned from them?  The biggest lesson that I have learned from all those legends and World Champions is that their standards of excellence are different from the average person.  They all have the craziest and most intense desire to win.  Their love for the game is unparalleled.  They train 6-8 hours a day, but think about martial arts the rest of the hours of the day.  I love martial arts, but they live it every minute of every day.  The other interesting thing about all these guys is their humility and kindness.  You would think that they would be arrogant or something.  But they are actually all very humble.  Yes, humble…

SG Pro: And now for a little words association, I’ll name someone from Evolve MMA and you will have to describe that person in just seven words or less. Here goes nothing, Kru Yodtong Senanan.

Chatri: THE Greatest Teacher of Muay Thai.

SG Pro: Nuengpichit Sityodtong.

Chatri: Charismatic, Funny, and TECHNICAL.

SG Pro: Yoddecha Sityodtong.

Chatri: Monster KO power.

SG Pro: Daorung Sityodtong.

Chatri: Wisdom, patience, and kindness.

SG Pro: Mitch Chilson.

Chatri: Cardio machine.

SG Pro: Leandro Thomas Issa da Silva.

Chatri:  Flying Triangle.

SG Pro: Renzo Gracie.

Chatri: Original, Fearless, Generous.

SG Pro: Rafael “Gordinho” Correa de Lima.

Chatri:  Friendly, intense, perfectionist.

SG Pro: Antonio Braga Neto Teixeira.

Chatri:  Future legend.

SG Pro: Setsuma Takeda.

Chatri:  Triangle choke.

SG Pro: And last but not least, Chatri Sityodtong.

Chatri:  Still evolving…

SG Pro: That was some pretty interesting words association there. Chatri, what advice would you give to all the aspiring MMA fighters out there in Singapore and Malaysia?

Chatri: Surround yourself with good people – good friends, good training partners, and good teachers.  Never be content.  Keep learning and growing as a martial artist and as a human being.  Keep EVOLVING for the rest of your life!

SG Pro: Any parting words for our readers?

Chatri: I will leave everyone with one of my favorite quotes by Confucius, “Our greatest glory is not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall.”  So dream big.  Love what you do.  Believe in yourself.  And may all of you be blessed with health, happiness, and success.

SG Pro: Thank you for your time, Chatri and we look forward to seeing the evolution of Mixed Martial Arts in Singapore!

*SG Pro – Fight Community would like to thank Chatri for finding time to do this interview with us. Do continuing visiting SG Pro – Fight Community for more MMA goodness!