From the Ring to the Simulator

Zurich native Daniel Rodriguez is the reigning Rajadamnern World Champion and visited the Racing Unleashed Lounge in Zurich City around three weeks before his next big fight. On September 26, he will face Petchmorakot in Bern – an opponent he already defeated in Bangkok in December 2025. Another victory would make him a Rajadamnern champion in two weight classes.

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Between training and fight week, he took some time for a brief break from combat sports: a lounge tour, a photo and video shoot – followed by a few fast laps in the simulator. Same intensity, different arena. After his first sim session, he sat down with us to talk openly about instinct, high-pressure situations and the surprising parallels between the ring and the racetrack.

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You’re fighting for the Rajadamnern title in Bern on September 26 – what does your very last minute before stepping into the ring look like?

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In that very last minute before the fight, I just go over my game plan one more time. I’m incredibly focused and try to picture how the fight will unfold and how I can win it. I visualise the victory – usually the referee raising my hand at the end.

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How did you get into Muay Thai in the first place?

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It happened by chance. I went to school with a friend who did martial arts. At the time, I hadn’t found a sport I really enjoyed as a hobby or something I wanted to do after school. Eventually, I went to the gym with him – and I’ve been in love with the sport ever since.

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When did you realise: “This is my sport – I’m going to stick with it”?

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That came pretty early on. Actually, during my first fight, which I had after 10 months of training. But it had already clicked from the start – at first, I didn’t really know what I was doing, but the people at the gym showed me things that I was able to put into practice straight away.

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What does a typical training day look like three weeks before a title fight?

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It’s actually almost the same as usual – the daily routine stays the same: get up, go for a run, get ready for the first training session, train, eat, sleep and prepare for the second session. Then a new day begins. The main difference is the intensity and the more precise preparation. I also adjust my diet around a month before the fight, so there are no cheat meals during this phase.

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How much of fighting is instinct, and how much is calculated decision-making?

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I’d say about 80 percent is instinct. You prepare specifically for your opponent, watch how they fight and try to read their patterns – but on fight day itself, everything is usually different. Opponents often change small things to make themselves less predictable. It almost never plays out exactly the way you imagined beforehand.

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What goes through your mind in that half-second before you react to your opponent’s move?

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I don’t know. I just react instinctively.

Is there a setback or a fight that has shaped you the most as a fighter?

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My first six months in Thailand had a particularly big impact on me. It was the first time I really trained there and saw what Muay Thai is all about and how intensely people train – how far you can push yourself when you truly give 100 percent in training. Above all, I came away with more discipline, greater perseverance and the ability to keep going no matter how tough it gets.

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Muay Thai and sim racing seem completely different – where do you still see the parallels?

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Mainly in repetition and routine. Someone who has driven countless laps on a track is clearly going to be better than someone driving it for the first time. It’s exactly the same in Muay Thai – someone who has practised a combination countless times will always have an advantage over someone who has just walked into the gym for the first time.

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And then there are the reflexes. They become extremely sharp because you know exactly when to turn in and when to brake – and in the ring, it’s no different.

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What surprised you behind the wheel today?

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How strongly you’re pulled forward under braking. It feels just like the real thing. The only thing missing was the wind in your face – but that’s what the fan in the sim is for (laughs).

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Fastest lap or hardest punch – which requires more control?

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Definitely the fastest lap. A lap is much more complex than a single punch, and it requires a lot more concentration.

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What mental habit from the ring would you take with you into a race car?

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Visualisation. I’d do exactly what I do in my head before a fight to get ready. Before a race, I’d mentally go through the track and visualise the moment of victory as well.

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What advice would you give to someone who wants to make it big in sim racing – based on what has helped you progress in your own career?

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Patience. A lot of patience. And perseverance. Even when it doesn’t look like things are going to work out, just keep going. Never give up.

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We’d like to thank Daniel Rodriguez for visiting us and for speaking so openly with us – and we’re rooting for him in his title fight on September 26 in Bern. If you’d like to be there in person, keep an eye on our social media channels, where we’ll soon be giving away tickets to the fight.