From The Circle To The Clouds: Inside Johan Ghazali’s Passion For Aviation
Over the last three years, Johan “Jojo” Ghazali has spread his wings on martial arts’ grandest stage. Now, the Malaysian-American teenage knockout machine is quite literally soaring much higher.
Late last year, the 19-year-old phenom enrolled in a Private Pilot Licence (PPL) program at the Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah Airport in Subang, Malaysia, momentarily swapping the intensity of fight camps for the technical demands of flight training.
For someone who has built a reputation on keeping both feet firmly planted while unleashing eight-limb fury, the decision to pursue aviation might seem like an unexpected departure.
But for the striking specialist, it seems natural. He views this as another challenge to conquer, another skill to master, and another way to prove that the confidence Muay Thai instilled in him extends far beyond the ropes.
If anything, it’s just another way for “Jojo” to rise, in every sense of the word:
“It’s good. It’s so much fun being up there behind the control wheel. And, honestly, it’s not as complicated as I thought it would be. I thought it would be a lot harder, but it’s not that crazy hard. It’s a pretty cool experience.”
The 12-month course is no casual hobby, and demands approximately 50 hours of flight time, including 40 hours of dual flight training with an instructor and 10 hours of solo flight experience, all before sitting for the final test.
Add in the ground school modules covering air law, meteorology, and aircraft systems, and it’s clear this is a massive undertaking. Serious commitments are nothing new for him, however.
He’s been grinding at his family-owned gym since he was a kid. Flying, he’s discovered, taps into that same part of him — the part that thrives on learning, improving, and overcoming new challenges.
Ghazali told onefc.com:
“I’m still very new. I just started, honestly. But I’m picking up the skills fast, I’d say. You know, when there’s a passion for it, just like Muay Thai or something, I tend to learn at a better rate.
“There’s so much more to learn, but that makes it more exciting for me. It’s like fighting. I guess the learning curve never stops with flying, too, because there are a lot of other factors involved than just being able to fly.”
Though he hasn’t logged enough hours yet to take to the skies on his own, “Jojo” is working steadily toward that milestone. Every flight brings new lessons, new sensations, and new respect for the precision required to command an aircraft.
Still, no amount of preparation could have fully readied him for the reality of sitting in the pilot’s seat for the first time. The controls, the instruments, the sheer responsibility of it all — it was a rush unlike anything he’d experienced in the gym or the Circle.
He recalled:
“Being behind the wheel for the first time…it was scary, honestly. Scary because I didn’t know what to expect. And I didn’t know a whole lot of things, too. But after a few minutes, I got the hang of it.
“Up in the air, it’s all smooth. But I’d say the landing bit was the scariest because when it’s your first time, it’s a bit hard. After all, you don’t know what to expect. But it’s just normal first-time issues.”
How Muay Thai Gave Ghazali The Confidence To Fly
The fear was real, but so was the exhilaration. And in those moments of uncertainty, Johan Ghazali tapped on the same mental toughness that’s carried him through countless fights.
It’s a testament to how deeply Muay Thai has shaped him, not just as a fighter, but as a person willing to step outside his comfort zone and pursue passions that others might consider too daunting or too far removed from their primary focus.
The Rentap Muaythai Gym and Superbon Training Camp athlete said:
“Muay Thai helped me with so much in my life. I’m able to do other things that people take years to do.
“Whether it’s golf, flying a plane, or even speaking in front of a crowd, you know, Muay Thai gives me that confidence. It gives me that mental clarity. That mindset helps me build strength, so nothing can really faze me.”
That mindset is what allows the 19-year-old to approach flying with the same fearlessness he brings to the global stage. It’s what lets him strap into a cockpit for the first time and trust that he’ll figure it out, just as he’s figured out everything else.
As he continues logging hours and refining his skills, the ONE athlete, who’s ready to scale to greater heights in 2026, already has a destination in mind for his first solo journey once he earns his wings.
“Jojo” added:
“My dream destination to fly solo would be somewhere in Europe, probably Switzerland. The Swiss Alps would be a nice place to fly above, or any other place that offers me a breathtaking view from the top.”
Whether it’s in the Circle or in the clouds, “Jojo” is proving that the sky isn’t the limit. It’s just another thing to conquer.
His dream to soar above the Swiss Alps matches the scale of his ambition — bold, beautiful, and just beyond the horizon.
For now, he’s still in the early stages of his aviation journey, but if his tenure in ONE has taught us anything, it’s that when Ghazali sets his sights on something, he conquers it.
