Amazing session with Richmond at Bloodline Gym

Amazing session yesterday with Richmond at @bloodlinegym in London fields. 💥

Richmond was my first ever Muay Thai coach; I had my first session with him back in 2011.

I first met Richmond in around 2009; he was working on the door as security for one of our Urban Nerds events at the MacBeth in Hoxton.

I used to spend quite a lot of time outside the venues, doing entry, tickets, guest list, waiting for artists etc, and would always end up chatting to security.

What always struck me with Richmond was how calm and in control he was; he wasn’t a lump, or didn’t have cauliflower ears; I was always curious about this.

I asked him at one event “What’s your special move then?”

He was like “Muay Thai” showing some head movement and a shadow box jab, cross, elbow move.

He was like, “You should come train”

I was like “Yeah yeah, i’ll come next week” 😂

It took me about 2 years to finally go for my first session up at KO in Bethnal Green where he was teaching at the time.

We have trained a few times over the years and sometimes with my boy @mumdance 💥 🥊 both at KO and at the old Bloodline gym in Clapton, but we lost touch more recently.

I used to weigh 16.5 stone (104kg) then and pretty much had a 2L Strongbow bottle surgically attached at most times on the weekend so training wasn’t my priority like it is today.

Richmond planted a seed by inviting me to train that I’m very grateful for today.

Fast forward to 2026 and we reconnected; I told him about what I’ve been up to, and yesterday he gifted me a free lesson at his new teaching space in London Fields at @bloodlinegym to say well done.

Really enjoyed the session, felt good to hit pads for the first time in 2 months due to injury.

The @bloodlinegym is an amazing, fresh space with weights, heavy bags, BJJ mats, MMA classes, regular Muay Thai classes AND a sauna.

Defo going to have to be going back soon.