Jadin makes Muay Thai look easy.

It’s not the cocky, larger than life confidence you see from big fighters like Tyson Fury and Connor McGregor when they take to the microphone to sell PPVs. To Jadin, his skills in the ring are simply a fact and facts are unmovable.

“In my head, I already know I am the best. I am the best 155 in the nation.” Jadin told me back in 2021 when I decided to interview him for a small video.

I think the first time I took photos of him back in 2019, I picked up on this confidence.

There are maybe a few photos where Jadin looks a little tired. I’ve never seen him lose and up until 2021, Jadin’s opponents lasted maybe two rounds. The only time Jadin really looked like he’s in pain is when after a fight, Mario helps him roll out his shins to get rid of some of the bruises

Now after all this buildup, I want you to ask yourself; what kind of walk out song would he pick for his pro fight in California?

Snoop Dog?

Eminem?

Nipsey Hussel?

Kanye?

No.

I Want it That Way by The Backstreet Boys.

I officially have no shame in editing all his fight photos while listening to Taylor Swift.

Not the first time I’ve been surprised when covering Muay Thai events.

Actually, at this point, I should assume that something isn’t going to go right like the event starting on time or a ring breaking in the middle of the main event. Fighting sports are more unpredictable than most in my opinion.

Let’s rewind a bit before jumping into the ‘good bits’.

Before the Fight

 I wasn’t sure I was going to be allowed to take photos of Jadin’s fight. At amateur events, gyms can’t afford photographers so a photographer willing to do it for free is great.

 (I’m still working on my portfolio and if you know anything about Muay Thai, there’s not a lot of money in the sport. I’ll expand into other fighting sports at some point so to all of my photo friends who tell me I need to demand payment, it’s not my biggest concern right now and I appreciate the fighters liking my work more than anything. I might get into why this is a thing for me at some point, but yeah, I’m not an idiot. If you really want to help me, share my work and tag me if you post photos I’ve taken of you).

Freedom Fighter Promotions ran the show for tonight. They hire a whole media team for their events. The setup is similar to stuff I’ve seen in big news events with a lot of JVC cameras for video, bright lights promising blindness, cables promising to get tangled before the night is over, and still photographers running around getting photos. A lot of money goes into these events so I wouldn’t blame them if saying, “I’m the team photographer,” didn’t work.

The prompter picked a community center for the show. Or at least it looked like it. It was the sort of place I’ve been to a million times when I was a TV photog and there was some big community event going on for one reason or another. The glitz and glam of the pro event didn’t really click until you go in.

As soon as we got in, Jadin, Mario, Coach got ushered to a different room. I went up to the event crew and a guy who looked like the main team leader with a bright green yellow shirt that read, ‘STAFF’ and said, “I’m the team photographer.”

I’m prepared for push back. In this case, I had no TV station to back me up or newspaper where an editor would have my back. I also wanted to be careful about not stepping on anyone’s toes for Jadin’s sake.

I pulled out the camera before going up to him.

He saw the camera and grabbed my wrist where a bright red wrist band was and wrote, “MEDIA” in black letters.

“You can go anywhere you need to.”

I doubt I got this much access when I was a TV photog at some events.

Immediately, I ran up to where Mario and Coach were and said, “IT WORKED!”

So my gamble might pay off! I was allowed into the back of the room with fighters.

I’m not sure what I expected with a pro event, but it felt familiar once I started shooting. A bunch of fighters crammed into a small area where the first group of fighters began wrapping their hands. Some began shadow boxing and Jadin put on his headphones to get into whatever headspace he needed to get into.

The big difference for a pro event is the show. Before anyone really settled, they changed into shirts that ready, “FREEDOM PROMOTIONS” and lined up. The promotion wanted to show off the fighters before the show began.

The whole event consisted of 19 fights. 38 fighters lined up and waited for the announcer. Colorful lights and loud ‘I am the Champ’ kind of music played. The announcer’s voice boomed over the speakers and I get the feeling this must be a small taste of what events like the UFC are like. People yell and scream out names of friends and loved ones with nervous excitement.

Rami stepped out in the glitz and glam that I’ve seen big fighters with big names wear when they know they’re the best and don’t have to prove it. That’s not a criticism by the way, it’s just something I’ve noticed. From my understanding, Rami is one of the few Muay Thai fighters from the United States that made it BIG. In Muay Thai and especially Muay Thai in the United States, that’s an impressive feat.

I do grab a photo of Rami, but here’s the thing, I don’t get really impressed by the theatrical flare fighters like to wear from time to time. It’s fun for the camera, I’ll admit, but it’s not really the essence of the sport. I get it though. It’s a way to show you made it and every fighter, no matter who they are, has a right to be prideful about making it.

Rami introduces fighters into the ring before the show starts in 2022 January

After the introduction of fighters and the event, fighters are escorted to the back room again except the two fighters who are supposed to begin the fight.

And the waiting begins.

 Fight photography and news photography have one big thing in common. It’s either, “HURRY UP!” or “Wait!”

Jadin was the 17th fight out of 19.

For me, this can be a good thing because I’ve noticed that people LOVE the action shots, but they don’t take much pause in noticing the quiet moments. That’s my thing photography wise because it helps with painting a story.

Jadin didn’t look nervous even as he leaned his back on a flimsy wall.

I bite down on the sudden urge to say something comforting and supportive. I’m guilty of acting like a nervous mother with the guys on the team even if they’re grown ass men. I care and worry about the team and I try not to be a pest about it so I usually bite my tongue.

But the silence was really starting to get to me.

“You’re living your dreams,” Mario said to Jadin. He wore a relaxed smile. “I’m really proud of you.”

Mario talking to Jadin while he’s waiting. January 2022

 Mario is the best voice in these moments. He’s slightly older than the rest of the team (not including Coach). He carries a wisdom that I suspect comes from being in the military when he was younger, but he always knows what to say.

I take a photo of this quiet moment.

Coach wraps Jadin’s hands like normal. I try to find clever ways to shoot this because I’ve shot this a hundred times. Who knew something that has been done a million times would be such a headache.

Why? Because Jadin’s fight is a pro fight. That means different rules.

Like having to work with California State Commission.   

One of these guys, dressed in black with the face of a former fighter, looked over at Jadin’s hands and said, “did someone sign off on them?”

No one knew what they were talking about.

“You needed to have one of us watch you.”

No one said a damn thing to us about this and I felt my temper flare a bit.

“But no one told us-” I heard myself and I quickly clamped a hand over my mouth. I took a deep breath and tried to relax. They repeated themselves and I almost said something, but I bit my tongue.

I’m going to point out that I honestly thought no one heard me since my voice is soft and I was wearing a mask. Mario actually ended up hearing me later and he teased me about it since I don’t really lose my temper that much, but once I let it go, it can be fierce.

“Rami was recording it!” Coach said. I totally didn’t see this, but luckily, Rami had recorded Jadin’s hands getting wrapped to put on Instagram. Coach pulled out his phone and showed Rami’s stories. After a long silence, they nodded and one of the guys signed off on Jadin’s hands being wrapped.

Thank you, Rami!

More waiting and I keep going to check the ring to make sure I had the right settings. The rest of the team watched the show even though they wanted to be with Jadin to show support. It did feel a bit weird not having the rest of the team in the back, but the commissioners wanted only coaches and corners. I got away with it because of the camera.

I go back. I get photos of Jadin warming up with Mario and coach. It feels fast and slow when I look back on it.

Hours of waiting, watching fighters go out and then come back in with new bruises they wear with pride.

The crowning of the Mongkol on Jadin’s head felt familiar because I’ve shot it quite a bit over the last few years and unnerving in this environment. Especially with the California State Commission looking over at us.

It didn’t help when we learned that Jadin wouldn’t be able to preform his Wai Kru.

Jadin prays as Coach puts on the mongkol. January 2022

After this shot, I ran out to the ring to get Jadin walking in. I decided it was too dark and waited for music to start.

Backstreet Boys started playing. Jadin’s going to be in first. The crowd didn’t make a noise which is so abnormal that it made me anxious. Oh god, people, I wanted to say, this is a fight not a movie theater. You’re allowed to get excited.

Jadin stepped into the ring and does a quick bow to each corner. No Wai Kru to warm him up.  That’s part of his mindset and helps get into the flow.

Burying anxiety, I stand in a corner, hiding and squatting to make sure I’m not in the way.

When I’m behind the camera, my brain is only focused on getting a good shot. I’ve gotten better at being present so I don’t get hurt. (IE ropes being weak and fighters falling on top of me has been a possibility). I couldn’t write about this fight without looking back at the footage.

So the next part of this is a mixture of memory and looking back at the fight to write about it.

Ref lets the fighters know they can fight. January 2022

The Fight

Round One, in my memory, felt slow, but looking back on it, it looked rather comfortable and fast. Both Jadin and Lucas tried to figure out the other with teeps and kicks. Not even a few seconds in and after a solid kick from Jadin, Lucas’s ribcage started to look red, promising a nasty bruise.

The smack of shins hitting against one another sounds nauseating if you’re not used to it, but my world is quiet behind the camera. Two fighters are figuring out this dance together. Jadin doesn’t look tired and the round ends with both fighters looking comfortable. The only real noise from the crowd is coming from our team, yelling out suggestions and yelling the traditional, “Oye!”

I can usually pick up on how a fight is going to go pretty quickly. With Jadin, most opponents look exhausted with heavy breathing and pained expressions on their face. Lucas looked…fine and composed. I was pretty impressed with that.

Jadin sits in the corner between rounds. January 2022

Round two, in an instant Jadin became much more aggressive and I can hear Andy screaming from somewhere, “LET IT GO, JADIN!”

Lucas returned the heat and pressure, but he steps back every time he lands a hit. Jadin moves toward into the ropes before clinching where knees go flying. Jadin plants a clean elbow onto Lucas’s cheek.

Lucas gets away from the ropes, but he still looks composed. Jadin follows him and lands a couple of body shots where red welts are already growing brighter. 

As they get to the middle of the ring, Lucas gets into the clinch with him. He pushes Jadin into the ropes and for a second, I think that Jadin might lose his footing, but with his stance, Jadin is rooted to the ground.

Round three begins and more pressure and more heat is added by both fighters.

Andy’s yell sounds more urgent with another, “LET IT GO, JADIN!”

Jadin teeps and Lucas returns it. Looking back at the footage, Lucas’s footing starts to look off during certain movements.

Lucas lands two leg kicks, both ending with the smack of bone on bone. Not phased, Jadin throws a hook with Lucas throwing a jab in response, but Jadin swings out of reach. 

There’s another clinch and with the same ease I’ve seen him have in class, Jadin sweeps Lucas off his feet. The ref steps in between them as Lucas gets back to his feet.

Round three is when Jadin’s face starts flushing red.

Round four has an immediate fury of kicks. Both fighters get how the other one works now and they’re not wasting anymore time. The two clinch and I can hear coach somewhere yelling, “BE CAREFUL OF HIS ELBOW!” Jadin throws a big elbow that gets a response from the crowd.

Lucas returned with an elbow of his own. Both fighters let go and Lucas eats another elbow to the temple. I wouldn’t notice the blood until the next round. Jadin almost trips Lucas, but Lucas is just as rooted to the ground and stance as Jadin.

Lucas hits Jadin with an elbow. January 2022

Round five and most of my anxiety has settled even as Coach screams, “Relax! Relax!” Jadin always looks relaxed in the ring. Between rounds four and five, Lucas’s corner stuffs the cut on Lucas’s temple so he can fight.

More clinching and both struggle to break free, throw an elbow, and land a solid knee on the other. The ref breaks it up after a moment.

After the clinch, Jadin pulled away and I saw blood on his chest. Anxiety jumped from my stomach to my throat. For a second, I put down the camera to get a good look at Jadin’s face. It only took about half a second looking at his face to realize it was not Jadin’s blood, but Lucas’s. 

Jadin actually looks haggard, tired, and bright red.

The bell rings and the fight is over.

I run to the other side of the ring to get the exhaustion on his face. I’m not sure who won because Lucas look like he held his own, but after a moment, the announcer says, “IN THE BLUE CORNER!”

After the fight, coach cools off Jadin with Andy’s help. January 2022

 I worried I was going to cry so I buried myself in the camera. I’m dying to look through the photos, but holy crap, my friend is okay and he showed off his beautiful Muay Thai.

A long time ago, I gave up on covering the team like I would when I was a photojournalist.

Afterward

If I had been a good journalist, I should be able to come up with some clever saying to wrap up this experience into a sentence, but I always kind of hated that.

And life doesn’t really wrap up nicely.

It’s beautiful just like Muay Thai. It can be messy as someone’s eyebrow bleeding, getting blood all over the ring.

I’m proud of the shots I got that night. However, I know that these photos don’t capture everything. It’s a moment in time. I’ll post the photos on instagram and it’ll look cool.

But that’s not the real story. It’s just a moment. A second. A lot of work went into that second. No one saw the team sweating out a couple of pounds, the dieting, the running, rolling out of bruises on shins, and constant training after long days at work.