At 29, Christina Theodonna decided she wasn’t done with fighting. She booked a flight to Thailand, trained through monsoon heat, ran 8k mornings, and stepped into the ring with zero notice. In this episode, we dig into her journey from childhood martial arts to becoming “Muay Panda”, and her mission to expand women’s weight classes so more fighters get the recognition they deserve.

If you’ve ever thought it was “too late” to start or felt like you didn’t fit the mould, Christina’s story proves otherwise.

What you’ll learn in this episode:

• The brutal but beautiful reality of training Muay Thai in Thailand
• Why stepping into the ring is life-changing — even if you lose
• The fight for women’s weight classes & fair recognition in Muay Thai
• How martial arts builds confidence, resilience, and mental health
• Why “If you can put gloves on, you can do anything” applies far beyond the ring

Chapters

00:00 Christina’s comeback: deciding to fight again at 29

02:15 From karate kid to Muay Thai fighter

07:00 Thailand training camp: runs, heat, and culture shock

12:10 Surprise fight in Hua Hin & lessons from losing

19:30 Motorbike crashes, Thai culture, and staying safe abroad

23:20 From bullying to confidence: why martial arts matters for girls

29:50 Muay Thai as moving meditation & mental health benefits

36:00 Fighting for change: women’s weight classes and rankings

44:50 The story behind “Muay Panda” & what’s next

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.