WORCESTER, Mass. — Professional world-class Muay Thai fighter Aaron Ortiz from Worcester is preparing to represent Team USA at the Olympic Games in Paris this summer.
What You Need To Know
- The martial art of Muay Thai will be a side exhibition event at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, France. The International Federation of Muaythai Associations is working to make Muay Thai to an official Olympic sport one day
- USA Muaythai is set to bring one male athlete, one female athlete and one head coach
- Five-time world champion Aaron Ortiz has been selected as the male athlete. He fights out of Team Link Muay Thai in Worcester
- Ortiz will compete for a medal from the Olympic committee which would not count toward the 2024 USA Olympic medal count
“Muay Thai has taught me if you just keep working at the things that you want to accomplish, that they'll come to you," Ortiz said. "You just have to put in the work.”
For Ortiz, putting in the work now means preparing to represent Team USA. The 25-year-old from Worcester was chosen as the U.S.’ only male Muay Thai fighter. The sport is being featured as a side event at the Paris Olympic Games.
“I've always wanted to compete at the world level since I first started," Ortiz said, "and I just kind of kept working at it.”
Ortiz began training at Team Link Muay Thai in Worcester at a young age.
“I started Muay Thai when I was 11 years old, I was being bullied in school and I just kept working," Ortiz said. "And once I turned 18, I started fighting.”
“From when he started to train, if you take 10 kids and you put them all together," Ibere Reis said, "he will be the last pick that you would have, from the coordination to the power from every single thing that he's got.”
Coach Ibere Reis said he is proud of how far Ortiz has come, noting his work ethic has led to historic accomplishments in Muay Thai.
“He is the most accomplished male fighter in United States," Reis said. "He’s made history in the sport itself for every single thing that he is achieving.”
Ortiz calls Muay Thai a brutal sport, but says he loves it.
It’s a full contact martial art where fighters use fists, elbows, knees and feet to strike opponents and score points; oftentimes competing through injuries.
“I've broken my hand in the first round of a fight, continued to fight and got the win," Ortiz said. "I fought in Dubai and fractured both my shins to come back, to go to Colorado, to fight a tournament two weeks later with two badly injured shins.”
And he won in Colorado through injuries as well. He currently holds a record of 58 wins and nine losses according to his coach.
Now the humble champion said he’s ready to compete, and hopefully win, in Paris and help introduce the world to the sport he loves.
“It would mean everything to me to put on a show," Ortiz said. "I'm going to go in there and I'm going to give it everything I have. I'm excited to represent my gym and my country well.”