Bangtao Muay Thai & MMA
Phuket-based gym co-founded by former Tiger Muay Thai coaches.
Bangtao Muay Thai & MMA is a Muay Thai and mixed martial arts gym located in Phuket, Thailand. It was founded in 2021 by brothers George and Frank Hickman, who had previously coached at Tiger Muay Thai. The gym gained early attention when UFC light heavyweight champion Jiří Procházka and strawweight contender Zhang Weili trained there for their UFC 275 bouts.
Quick Facts
- Founded
- 2021
- Location
- Phuket, Thailand
- Founders
- George Hickman and Frank Hickman
- Co-founding members
- Alex Schild (BJJ coach) and Andrew Wood (strength and conditioning coach)
- Notable fighters trained
- Jiří Procházka, Zhang Weili
- Grand opening
- April 2022
- Seminar guests
- Tyson Fury
- Georges St-Pierre
- Anderson Silva
- Jon Jones
Facts from the source article.
Background
Bangtao Muay Thai & MMA was founded in 2021 by brothers George and Frank Hickman after they left their coaching positions at Tiger Muay Thai. Both brothers had competed in collegiate wrestling at Bloomsburg University before entering the MMA world. During the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, Tiger Muay Thai temporarily shut down, prompting the Hickmans to consider opening their own gym. BJJ coach Alex Schild and strength and conditioning coach Andrew Wood, also former coaches at Tiger Muay Thai, joined as co-founding members.
The gym officially opened in April 2022 after some delay, with Volkanovski and number one pound-for-pound kickboxer Superbon Singha Mawynn conducting seminars during the grand opening. Bangtao first received media attention when Jiří Procházka trained there for his UFC Light Heavyweight Championship fight against Glover Teixeira at UFC 275, while Zhang Weili also trained at the gym for her bout against Joanna Jędrzejczyk at the same event. Both Procházka and Zhang won their fights.
Zhang Weili later selected the gym to prepare for her title challenge against Carla Esparza at UFC 281. The gym invites fighters such as Tyson Fury, Georges St-Pierre, Anderson Silva, and Jon Jones to give seminars.
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