With the distinction of having trained Thailand’s first and only UFC fighter, George Hickman knows a thing or two about Thai MMA. Hickman came to Thailand in 2014 intending to make his way up the ranks as a professional fighter. He soon transitioned to coaching and hasn’t looked back since. As a co-owner at Bangtao and head MMA coach, the North Carolina native has a proven method and fresh strategy to globalize Thai MMA.
“I feel like I want to be a part of something that’s bigger than me, and we made history with Loma, so I want to do it again.”
With its state-of-the-art facility and a team of world-class coaches, Bangtao aims to make MMA mainstream in Thailand with Hickman at the helm.
In a country with such a deep-rooted culture of standup fighting, bringing fighters to the ground and into the cage is a considerable task, especially when having to overcome extreme poverty and cultural barriers. Still, Hickman feels that Bangtao has all the resources to get more Thais into the UFC.
Always looking to level up, the gym recently completed a massive expansion to include a full-size MMA cage and a fully matted air-conditioned space above the office. Bangtao also named renowned instructor Ajarn Wat to head its Muay Thai program and help scout fighters. Hickman feels that setting the intention to foster the Muay Thai team at Bangtao will naturally result in Thai fighters transitioning to MMA.
It’s a big undertaking but one that Hickman feels is definitely within reach.
“We can achieve all of these things through our team. We have a lot of great people who work with us that bring a lot to the table. It’s the teamwork of the people at the gym that will help make this happen.”
And the strategy to make this happen? Hickman says it’s simple: “To continue to give opportunities to Thais.”
Having a Muay Thai fighter transition to MMA isn’t without trial and error. Like anyone wanting to pursue a career in professional fighting, some have it, and others don’t. For Muay Thai, certain styles will lend themselves better to MMA, and certain fighters will adapt more quickly. Hickman says Muay femur or more technical fighters are the best for MMA.
Most Thai fighters will have had hundreds of Muay Thai fights before making the decision (or even getting the opportunity) to transition to MMA. While the unparalleled fight experience is a significant advantage, changing a style developed over decades can be difficult. Most Thais begin their careers as children, and fighting becomes second nature. Nonetheless, Hickman has a system figured out.
“The clinching in Muay Thai is very different from grappling and wrestling, but it also has a lot of similarities. You’re just standing up. So you need to get the fighters to understand that grabbing the legs is not a foul. Plus, Thai fighters have so much strength in the clinch from years and years of experience. It makes transitioning a lot easier when you already have that strength base.”
Adding, “We have to adapt their Muay Thai stance to MMA because of the different rules set.”
In one of the fastest transitions in MMA history, Hickman and his team got Loma Lookboonmee into the UFC in less than two years from her first day of MMA training. What’s more, under Hickman’s tutelage, Lookboonmee won her UFC debut and went on to achieve a 5-2 record.
Hickman feels that Thais transitioning from Muay Thai have such a strong fighting foundation, which makes it easy to build on. It’s more about finding the right fighters who are willing to learn and put in the work. Noting that,
“It’s their fight IQ and ring experience that helps them so much. They just understand fighting better than most.”
Hickman feels that beyond the facilities, Bangtao’s connections and coaching staff set it apart in Thai MMA. When it comes to raising fighters, it’s so much more than what goes on at the gym – it’s about giving them life skills and helping them understand the game on a deeper level.
“We want to help guide them. We can help manage their careers and get them the right fights at the right times. It’s very different from Muay Thai, where you are owned by the boss.”
Wanting to give back to the country that gave him so much, Hickman has his sights set on Thai MMA, and the future looks bright.
“We have some young up-and-comers who are still amateur, getting experience. We’ve also got a few Muay Thai fighters who I’d like to see transition to MMA. Thai MMA is still very young, but it’s growing. I think that we’ll see more Thais in the UFC in the near future.”