Representing Rentap Muaythai Gym, teenage sensation Johan “Jojo” Ghazali was born for Muay Thai, quite literally.

The Malaysian-American’s mother and father were both Muay Thai fighters, so some of his earliest memories revolve around learning the martial art from his parents.

Although Ghazali was born in Sarawak, Malaysia, his mother and father met while training Muay Thai in the United States – his mother being American and his father a mix of Malay, Indonesian, and Japanese.

Growing up in Malaysia, he had a fairly normal life, but his family was always deeply embedded in Muay Thai. That led him to try his hand at the sport when he was 10 years old.

Ghazali found some early success in Malaysia but dropped his first five Muay Thai fights when he started to cross the border to compete in Thailand.

Then, his sixth fight in the country redirected his life. He won and has never looked back, eventually getting a chance to compete at ONE Friday Fights, the promotion’s weekly Asia primetime event series.

He dominated the competition, claiming four consecutive victories to earn a coveted US$100,000 contract with the world’s largest martial arts organization.

Ghazali has captivated fans with his relentless fighting style and unwavering confidence. From the moment the bell rings, he launches himself into the fray, inviting foes to engage in a battle of skill and will.