Pentagon MMA has brought a special honor home to Arlington from the birthplace of Muay Thai.
The Arlington Muay Thai and Jiu Jitsu Academy is now officially a certified and registered Muay Thai Gym Partner through the Sports Authority of Thailand and the Ministry of Tourism and Sports of Thailand, making Pentagon MMA the only Muay Thai academy on the East Coast to have earned this distinction.
Only a select number of martial arts academies outside of Thailand have received the certification, making the recognition especially meaningful for Pentagon MMA, which has been part of the Arlington community since 2012.
“We are incredibly honored to bring this recognition home to Arlington,” said Pentagon MMA co-owner and head instructor Kru Vivek Nakarmi. “Muay Thai is deeply rooted in Thai culture, history and tradition. We have always felt a responsibility not just to teach the techniques, but to respect and preserve the art and the culture behind it. To receive this recognition in Thailand means a tremendous amount to us.”
Bringing Authentic Muay Thai to Arlington
Known as the “Art of Eight Limbs,” Muay Thai is Thailand’s national sport and a martial art that utilizes punches, kicks, knees and elbows. Pentagon MMA has maintained strong ties to Thailand throughout its history, with its instructors regularly traveling there to train, teach, officiate and continue their own martial arts education.
That connection to Thailand is also reflected in the experience of Pentagon MMA’s Muay Thai instructors.
Ajarn Jom Kitti, Pentagon MMA’s lead Muay Thai and Muay Boran instructor, is a highly decorated and seasoned Thai fighter with more than 400 fights over the course of his career. A native of Nakhon Si Thammarat, Thailand, Ajarn Jom Kitti began fighting at just 7 years old and has spent much of his life immersed in Muay Thai.
A relentless competitor, Ajarn Jom has represented Thailand on the international stage, including at youth games in Malaysia. Today, he brings decades of firsthand fighting and training experience to students in Arlington and Northern Virginia, sharing not only the techniques of Muay Thai but also the traditions, discipline and culture surrounding the art.
For Pentagon MMA, having an instructor with such deep roots in Thailand is an important part of providing students with an authentic Muay Thai education. The academy’s new certification further recognizes its commitment to maintaining that connection to the birthplace of the sport.
Muay Thai for Everyone, From Beginners to Fighters
Despite Pentagon MMA’s high-level credentials, students don’t need any martial arts experience, or aspirations to compete, to train there.
The academy’s adult Muay Thai program welcomes everyone from complete beginners looking for a new way to get fit to experienced martial artists and competitive amateur and professional fighters. Students learn proper Muay Thai fundamentals and technique while improving cardiovascular fitness, strength, coordination, balance and confidence.
Adult students train at the Pentagon MMA Performance Center, a dedicated adult martial arts facility featuring two large training rooms, a full-size ring, heavy bags, strength and conditioning equipment, locker rooms, showers and recovery amenities.
Pentagon MMA also offers Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ) for adults, along with boxing, wrestling, strength and conditioning, and other training opportunities.
Building Confident Kids Through Martial Arts
Just a short distance from the Performance Center, Pentagon MMA operates a separate Youth Center dedicated to children and teens.
Youth students train in age-appropriate Muay Thai, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and mixed martial arts classes, with programs designed to develop much more than physical skills.
Character development is an integral part of the youth curriculum and centers around Pentagon MMA’s five “Pentagon Powers:” Courage, Respect, Honesty, Discipline and Empathy.
Through martial arts, students learn how to set goals, listen and focus, overcome challenges, build confidence, work with others and develop resilience. The Youth Center also houses Pentagon MMA’s after-school program and school-break, spring, and summer camps.
Like the adult programs, the youth martial arts classes welcome beginners as well as students interested in taking their training to a competitive level.
One Martial Arts Community, Two Arlington Facilities
Pentagon MMA was founded in Arlington in 2012 with a mission to create a martial arts school where top-level instruction and serious training could coexist with a welcoming, supportive community.
That community has grown significantly over the past 14 years.
Today, Pentagon MMA operates two dedicated Arlington facilities: its adult-focused Performance Center and its Youth Center for children and teens. Together, the two locations offer Muay Thai, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, MMA, boxing and other martial arts and fitness programs, along with after-school care and camps.
While the facilities and programs have grown, Pentagon MMA says its focus remains the same: providing exceptional martial arts instruction while creating a community where students of all backgrounds and experience levels feel welcome and supported.
A Recognition That Belongs to the Community
For the Pentagon MMA team, the plaque brought home from Thailand represents far more than an organizational certification.
It represents the students who have stepped onto the mats for the first time, the coaches who have spent countless hours helping them improve, the parents who have trusted Pentagon MMA with their children, and the community that has supported the Arlington business for more than a decade.
“This belongs to our entire community,” Kru Vivek said. “Every student who has walked through our doors, every coach who has invested in our students, and every family that has trusted and supported us has helped build Pentagon MMA into what it is today.”
Now, that Arlington community has another distinction to celebrate.
Pentagon MMA is proud to represent Arlington as the only Muay Thai academy on the East Coast to earn this official Thai certification.
Arlington and Northern Virginia residents interested in experiencing Pentagon MMA can learn more about its adult Muay Thai and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu programs, kids martial arts classes, after-school program, camps and other training options at Pentagon MMA.