American Millennial Left the US to Be a Muay Thai Fighter in Thailand

Maxwell Wolfe had never traveled outside the US — until he flew to Thailand in 2019 for a Muay Thai fight on the island of Koh Samui.

He lasted two minutes in the ring, took an elbow above his right eye, which left a scar, and then lost. But instead of flying home feeling defeated, Wolfe was hooked.

Wolfe grew up in northern Virginia and had started practicing martial arts in his early 20s, when he was at a crossroads in his life. As someone with ADHD, he always found it hard to conform to conventional societal expectations.

“I never really fit the mold, and martial arts is one of the very few things in my life besides music and art that made sense to me,” Wolfe, now 34, told Business Insider.

That match in Samui lit a fire in him, and he hoped to return to Thailand sooner to continue pursuing the sport. But the pandemic threw a wrench in his plans, and he continued training in the US instead.

But life wasn’t easy. With the rising cost of living, he had to juggle IT jobs, work in nightclubs, and deliver Uber Eats to pay his rent.

In late 2023, things came to a head when he lost both of his IT jobs. Feeling stuck both personally and professionally, Wolfe decided to return to Samui in search of a reset.

Starting afresh in Samui

Once he arrived in Samui, he signed up for training at Lamai Muay Thai, a local gym.

The training routine he followed gave his days structure and a sense of purpose that he quickly grew to appreciate. But as a foreigner, he realized his time in Thailand was limited.

“One day, I went up to Ralph and said, ‘How do I live a life like this?'” Wolfe said, referring to the owner of Lamai Muay Thai, Ralph Beale.

That’s when Beale told him about the Destination Thailand Visa, or DTV. Introduced last year, it can be used by digital nomads, remote workers, and those interested in participating in cultural or wellness activities — including Muay Thai.

Beale told BI that the training center welcomes foreigners of all experience levels to its classes and currently has around 12 fighters training under the DTV.

Wolfe’s original plan was to stay for just one year. Enough time, he thought, to rebuild himself through Muay Thai. But with the visa valid for five years, the possibility of staying longer began to take shape.

Eat, sleep, train, repeat

Wolfe represents Lamai Muay Thai in local matches.

“They get a small fight purse when they compete, which can start as low as a few thousand baht,” Beale said.

Most foreign fighters aren’t in it for the money, but rather for the chance to compete in Thailand. Those who prove themselves in smaller arenas often earn opportunities on bigger stages, like those in Bangkok, he added.

Wolfe’s lifestyle on Samui is far from the relaxed and idyllic island dream one might expect.

His day starts at 5 a.m. After washing up, he takes his supplements and has a light breakfast — typically a piece of fruit, like a banana. Then, it’s time for training.

“I usually reach the gym when the sun’s still coming up, stretch a little bit, and then I run 8 to 10 kilometers in the morning,” Wolfe said. After cooling down, he moves on to padwork or a CrossFit session.

After morning training, Wolfe heads home and spends the afternoon on online IT courses. By 4 p.m., he’s back at the gym — and ready to do it all over again.

He lives in a house just five minutes away from his gym with several other fighters.

One of the biggest challenges he faced was adapting to the strict discipline required by his new life. Getting into the habit of waking up early was tough, and staying mindful of his diet proved equally challenging.

“I couldn’t be eating all this processed crap. I couldn’t have much seasoning on it,” he said. “There’s also temptation — I’m not even a big drinker, but alcohol is ridiculously cheap here.”

Adapting to a simpler life

If there’s anything he misses about the US, it’s the sense of familiarity.

“This is straight up jungle life,” he said. “You’ve got to make sure you have a charger. Going to this spot means that you have no communication. Going to that spot means you’ll encounter wild dogs.”

“It’s one thing to be street smart back where I’m from, but being jungle smart is a completely different thing,” he added.

The Muay Thai gym has become a place where Wolfe has made some real friends. He finds that people in Samui are generally more open and accepting.

Wolfe says he’s slowly trying to learn the Thai language to get along better with the locals, including some of his trainers.

Apart from training, competing, and representing the gym, Wolfe’s life in Samui gave him the breathing space to grow his IT career.

The lower cost of living in Samui has relieved a lot of financial pressure, allowing him to focus on upskilling himself and running his remote cybersecurity and IT consulting business. On the side, he’s also building an AI app to help martial arts athletes track progress and improve performance.

“Muay Thai is my main focus right now, and I’m fully committed to it. But I know fighting isn’t forever,” he said.

Compared to the rat race, he prefers the simplicity of his life in Samui.

“Despite the pain and discipline, it’s so much better. I may not be working toward a luxurious apartment, which I’ll never pay off in my lifetime, but I could see myself having a little house here, and I’d be happier than most people who are making six figures as a lawyer in New York,” he said.

In May, Wolfe fought his first Muay Thai match since receiving the visa. He walked away with a win.

Do you have a story to share about relocating to a new country? Contact this reporter at agoh@businessinsider.com.