Combat sports are an ever-changing landscape of fighters, with new names popping up constantly. All fighters have heart, and all fighters have talent, yet of all the fighters who have stepped up over the years, there are some who stick in our minds, who changed the way we think about the sports we love, and who are truly inspirational to today’s generation of martial artists.
In this series we wanted to take a moment to appreciate some of the true legends of fighting, looking at some of the most inspirational, most influential, and the most fearsome fighters out there. You can find the whole of the series here. Give us a shout in the comments section at the end of this article to let us know which fighter is an inspiration for you.
So who is Damien Trainor?
There are certain fighters that almost every aspiring nak muay is inspired by; Saenchai and Ramon Dekkers are both stand out examples. When it comes to British fighters it can only be Damien Trainor.
Trainor started training Muay Thai at 14, and was British champion by 18. He moved to Thailand, fighting across Asia and picking up the Hong Kong title. On his return to England he continued facing top competition, including a number of top Thai fighters, and would go on to become a two time world champion before retiring and starting his own gym, with a career record of 62 wins, 21 losses and 2 draws.
Trainor the Trainer
Since retirement Damien Trainor has cemented his legacy even further by putting his gym on the map as one of the best in the country. He coaches fighters from the UFC, Bellator, Glory, Lion Fight, MTGP and other top level organisations, and travels across the world coaching seminars – he’s worked closely with a number of fighters at CSA gym in California, including Henry ‘Triple C’ Cejudo. His tutorial videos online get thousands of views, and for good reason as they’re packed with easy to incorporate tips that make a massive difference to your game – nine times out of ten backed up with footage of Trainor using the techniques in the ring.