AKA Thailand has made its name through the impeccable reputation of its founder, former UFC welterweight and middleweight fighter Mike “Quick” Swick.

 

While the remainder of the sponsored roster is comprised primarily of male fighters, two standouts on the squad are Genah Fabian and Gemma "The Bull" Pike.

 

With women now increasingly present and respected in martial arts, Genah Fabian and Gemma Pike are riding the wave and doing whatever it takes to leave their mark in a very competitive environment.

Hailing from New Zealand and a former professional rower with Olympic aspirations, Genah Fabian began training and fighting muay thai in Thailand in 2012 and hasn’t looked back since.

 

Starting her career at Tiger Muay Thai, Genah joined the team at AKA Thailand nearly a year ago as one of their sponsored fighters. She also functions as a strength and conditioning coach, a role she excels at thanks to her extensive background in fitness as a cross fit trainer.

 

With her intimidating height and physique, finding suitable opponents for Genah Fabian hasn’t been easy. However the patience and hard work has paid off: Genah Fabian will finally be making her long-awaited MMA debut on August 22, a sport she has truly only been practicing in all its complexity since the beginning of the year.

Her friend and training partner Gemma Pike has had an equally impressive journey. A proud Australian from New South Wales, Gemma also has a versatile athletic background, excelling at track and field, gymnastics and cross country racing before trying her hand at muay thai back in 2010 in Melbourne.

 

After 4 amateur fights, Gemma made her pro muay thai debut in September of 2013 and since January 2014 has been training and fighting full time in Thailand, compiling a solid record of 13-6.

 

Having also tried her hand at MMA, Gemma Pike is firmly intent on becoming a force in muay thai and sought out sponsorship from AKA Thailand for the high quality of the management, facilities and great training partners.

 

Join us for this great conversation with Genah Fabian and Gemma Pike, both incredible competitors and inspirations for the next wave of women hoping to leave their impression in the world of martial arts!

Genah Fabian can be followed at the following links on social media:

 

Facebook and Instagram

 

Gemma “The Bull” Pike can be followed at the following links on social media:

 

Facebook and Instagram

 

Photography courtesy of Mitch Visquez.