Albuquerque fighter eyes WBC Muay Thai title after Thailand stint
If you’re already good at Muay Thai fighting but want to get better, what do you do and where do you go? Nick Gjelaj, a New York native and an Albuquerque resident, made an impressive pro debut on a Coalition Muay Thai card at Expo New Mexico on Jan. 25, 2025 with a victory by unanimous decision over Texan Bob Mozisek. He wanted more. Much more. So, he packed his bags and boarded a plane ...
Nick Gjelaj, a New York native and Albuquerque resident, made an impressive pro debut on a Coalition Muay Thai card in New Mexico on January 25, 2025. With a unanimous decision victory over Bob Mozisek, Gjelaj knew he wanted more. He traveled to Thailand, the birthplace and hub of Muay Thai, for a 10-month stint that included nine fights.
Upon his return to Albuquerque, Gjelaj had an 8-2 record, valuable experience, and a heightened reputation in the sport he now calls his own. The payoff so far is a fight against Hawaii's Noa Moniz on an upcoming Coalition card in Houston for the WBC Muay Thai U.S. featherweight title. With Gjelaj at No. 3 and Moniz as the ranked No. 1 contender, the matchup promises to be a thrilling contest.
Moniz, like Gjelaj, has made the pilgrimage to Thailand for training, though Moniz's Muay Thai record is less clear. Gjelaj expressed respect for Moniz and looks forward to the fight, which he hopes will help grow Muay Thai's popularity in the United States. The Coalition Muay Thai organization has already staged four cards in Texas since its debut in January 2025.
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