Ty Pilgrim

Coach Ty Pilgrim – Founder of Thunder Muay Thai

Born and raised in Germany, Coach Ty Pilgrim’s journey through martial arts spans continents, decades, and disciplines. He began his combat sports path in 1972, boxing at PSV Bochum before incorporating Tae Kwon Do at Budokan Bochum. In the 1980s, during time spent in Thailand, he discovered Muay Thai—a discovery that would become his lifelong passion.

After a successful military career as a Non-Commissioned Officer, Coach Ty relocated to Oklahoma in 2008, bringing with him a wealth of experience and dedication to the martial arts. Prior to that move, he had already established his first gym in the 1990s and opened the original Thunder Muay Thai in West Palm Beach, Florida, in 2000.

Recognizing the rapid growth of MMA, Coach Ty expanded his curriculum in 2006 by integrating grappling. He aligned with Marcelo Ribero of Gracie Barra for Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and Andreas “Andyconda” Schmidt for Luta Livre. His striking expertise earned him a coaching position with the renowned Renovaçao Fight Team (RFT), where he helped shape fighters at the elite level. During this time, he earned his Luta Livre black belt in 2012 under Marcio “Cromado” Barbosa. Many of RFT’s Bellator athletes trained under him while staying at his home base in Muskogee, Oklahoma.

Throughout his career, Coach Ty has developed countless champions—both amateur and professional—across Muay Thai, Kickboxing, and MMA.

Today, he continues to live and breathe the art of Muay Thai, dedicating his full attention to training the next generation at Thunder Muay Thai in Tahlequah, Oklahoma. His legacy is one of discipline, evolution, and unwavering passion for the art of Eight Limbs.