Bangkok’s own Brazilian Jiu Jitsu master Adam Kayoom will compete in one of Asia’s most prestigious mixed martial arts contests next month – ONE Fighting Championship: Destiny of Warriors.
The longterm Bangkok expat and owner and head trainer of Q23 Academy at Emporium Suites will be fighting in his home country of Malaysia, at Kuala Lumpur’s Stadium Negara on June 23.
Kayoom is best known as a pioneer who introduced numerous students to the grappling art of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu (BJJ). He has black belts in Karate, Taekwondo and BJJ and is a former Muay Thai world champion but this time he will be competing in mixed martial arts (MMA). MMA combines a variety of martial arts and allows fighters to use techniques from boxing, kickboxing, wrestling, Judo and Jiu Jitsu.
The UFC MMA organization in the United States is one of the largest sports franchises in the world and ONE Fighting Championship, which holds events in cities all over the continent, is widely regarded as being its Asian equivalent. MMA fights were being held in Bangkok by the DARE organization until Thailand banned MMA in late March.
Kayoom has fought three times in the past, winning two and losing one, but has never appeared on an event of this magnitude.
Around 10,000 fans are expected at Stadium Negara for the event and the majority will be cheering for the Malaysian, who takes on Brazilian Gregor Gracie. The atmosphere is likely to be intense and will be very different from the calm which prevails during Kayoom’s classes at the Q23 Academy.
Kayoom’s fight is particularly significant because BJJ, the martial art he makes a living teaching, was invented in Brazil by the Gracie family and his opponent next month will be none other than Gregor Gracie, the latest in a long line of Gracies to try their hand at MMA.
Just as Kayoom will have plenty of pressure on his shoulders as the hometown hero, his opponent has to deal with the expectations which come from being a member of perhaps the most famous family in the entire world of martial arts.
“It’s an honour to be fighting against Gregor Gracie and to have this opportunity to fight in front of the fans in Malaysia. I know some of my students from Bangkok will be flying in to watch me and I hope I can put in a performance which will make them proud,” said Kayoom.
