On The Road: The Chaos of Phuket
A Hit-and-Run Week at Bangtao – Thailand
Fresh off the Auckland trip in January, we hit the road again in February with what felt like no time at all at home. This wasn’t actually true as we managed to squeeze in UFC Sydney where the one and only Colby “Slickness” Thickness finally made his UFC debut!.
This time we headed out to the fight capital of Southeast Asia, Phuket, for a short but intense stint at Bangtao Muay Thai & MMA. A true “hit-and-run” mission, I landed Tuesday night and was back out on the red-eye Saturday, squeezing every ounce out of my time in camp.
The crew for this one? Alex, Joe, and Jake, along for the ride as we doubled to and from training in the absolute chaos of Phuket traffic, Volk weaving us through the madness like it was all part of the session.
Bangtao: A Fight Factory in Full Swing
Bangtao is (reportedly – by Frank) the brainchild of the Hickman brothers, George and Frank, along with Woody and Alex Schild—and to say the place is thriving would be an understatement. At one point, I think I counted over 800 people inside the facility at the same time. Fighters, coaches, weekend warriors—it’s a melting pot of talent, and the energy is unreal.
Twice a day, Alex hit the mats, sharing space with some of the biggest names in the game. Craig Jones was in town, bringing his social media aura, and I guess his next-level jiu-jitsu, and luckily for us his good mate Seth from CJI & The B-Team. Aljamain Sterling was there as well, providing Volk with some high-quality rounds, and we had the chance to meet Hasbulla the walking meme.
Training at this level isn’t just about the sessions—it’s about the people you share them with. The camaraderie, the problem-solving, the little moments in between where you realise you’re surrounded by some of the best in the world, all pushing towards the same goal.
The Chaos of Phuket
Outside of training, Phuket doesn’t stop. Every ride to and from Bangtao was a mission in itself, Volk at the wheel, dodging scooters, tuk-tuks, and whatever else the streets threw our way. There’s no cruising here—just full throttle, in and out of training, much like the way Volk approaches the fight game.
As quick as I landed, I was back in the air, heading home after an intense four-day stretch. No wasted time, no wasted effort. Just work, laughs, and another week in the bank.
Bangtao is absolutely humming—big credit to the team running the show there. Until next time!
