Today we’d like to introduce you to Pong Janjira.
Hi Pong, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
My Muay Thai journey is only possible because of my father, Saekson Janjira. He’s a living legend, 6x World Champion Muay Thai Fighter with over 200+ fights, & when he stopped fighting, he moved his focus on coaching & creating new champions in the Muay Thai & MMA Scene. So as a kid till now I grew up in this type of environment & got to see first-hand all the ins and outs of this lifestyle. Being a coach wasn’t always what I wanted but thanks to watching my dad, & paying attention to all the details he focuses on in his teaching, I was able to successfully open my own gym & create champions of my own as well.
What got me to pull the trigger & become the Coach I am today was because of best friend JP (Ivan “JP” Cole) he was like family to me and my dad, I’ call him my older brother, my dad would always say he loves him like a son. JP would always talk to me about opening up a gym & all he wanted me to do is just make fighters & he would handle the rest. He knew I would be good at it but I just didn’t see the interest because I have been in this lifestyle for so long already, I felt burnt out but I’d always just say “yea, maybe one day.” In 2016 JP passed away from suicide, probably the most traumatic experience of my life. After mourning his death, my dad wanted to take a step back from making fighters & I made the decision to step up to continue the legacy & see what JP saw in me. I tried teaching at other gyms and co-owning gym with other people but it didn’t feel right. One about a year after JP passed, I decided to take a leap of faith & leave my old security job (XTC) & opened my own gym all by myself, Because of the decision I made many people wanted to support & I got a gift from a close family friend Sarah Jay, she created my logo from an old picture of JP & I. Once I saw the logo, I knew what I was going to be doing for the rest of my life that will keep me at peace, carry the family Name & honor my best friend.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle-free, but so far would you say the journey has been a fairly smooth road?
Although I had faith in who I was and what value I could provide in my Muay Thai gym it has not been an easy road. I took a leap of faith opening this business and leaving the stable income from my security job. Especially perusing the life of being a young coach instead of a fighter, I put everything I had into growing my Muay Thai gym, and just like with fighting had to adapt to survive. One example is being the owner of a gym when Covid-19 happened & the world was trying to shut us down but I did what I had to do to keep my students & gain more. By doing that during that hard time not old was I able to keep my gym alive I was actually able to upgrade and move my gym to a bigger location!
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
Muay Thai is more than just fighting, it’s considered & an art specifically is known as “the Art of 8 limbs.” I am most proud of following in my father’s footsteps and introducing authentic Muay Thai to those who are willing to learn. What sets my gym apart from others is that I am teaching what my dad taught me growing up. It’s undeniable that Saekson Janjira is a library of Muay Thai knowledge especially since my father was born & raised being a Thai Fighter in Thailand & brining that fighting & art style to America! I got to witness my father build fighters firsthand and I am continuing that tradition with my Muay Thai gym. In other words, you are learning a martial art that originates from the source itself! Me being able to learn to teach Muay Thai from Thailand from someone who is Thai so it doesn’t get more authentic than that & the fact it’s my dad, his style is the only art style I know.
We love surprises, fun facts, and unexpected stories. Is there something you can share that might surprise us?
When I am not coaching at my Muay Thai gym, I enjoy watching anime, playing video games, hanging with my down, working on my clothing line (Royalty Street), a figuring out what other business I can handle on my plate. I like to be active & doing something that gives me peace or growth.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.janjiramuaythai.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/janjiramuaythai/?hl=en
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JanjiraMuayThai
