Diego Paez Finds Motivation Through Training With Nine-Year-Old Son

Colombian-American striker Diego Paez opened up about how fatherhood and training alongside his nine-year-old son Elias have shaped his martial arts path. He now prepares to battle Thailand’s Black Panther in a flyweight Muay Thai showdown at ONE Fight Night 40: Buntan vs. Hemetsberger II on Friday, February 13, at Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand.

The 32-year-old, who trains at the famed Classic Fight Team in Southern California, discussed his devotion to his only child and the viral social media videos documenting their training sessions together. Paez splits custody with Elias’ mother following their separation around five years ago.

The California-based striker made his ONE Championship debut in February 2025 with a close split-decision loss to Sean Climaco before rebounding with a hard-fought split-decision victory over teenage phenom Johan Ghazali.

Paez Credits Fatherhood for Personal Growth

Discussing his relationship with Elias, Paez detailed his complete dedication to his son’s development and presence in every aspect of his life. The Colombian-American star revealed how becoming a father transformed him as both a person and athlete.

“This is my only child, but I’m fully devoted to him, his development, and everything for him. I’m always there, no matter what. I never miss anything when it comes to him, and I love it. I’m grateful to have him. It made me a better man,” Paez stated.

The 32-year-old balances his fighting career with parenting responsibilities. Paez’s commitment to being present for his son shows how fighters navigate personal obligations alongside professional competition at the sport’s highest levels.

Striker Introduces Son to Martial Arts Before Birth

Paez explained how his son experienced training environments even before being born. The Colombian-American described holding pads for Elias’ mother during pregnancy, creating early connections between his child and combat sports.

“It happened when he was in the womb. I used to hold pads for his baby mama. He’s always been in the environment, as soon as he was born,” Paez said.

Soon after Elias was born, Paez would often bring his son to the gym while he coached classes at Classic Fight Team or when he was training in preparation for a fight. The youngster would be in a car seat watching his dad handle business.

Training Videos Inspire Global Audience on Social Media

Discussing the social media response to his training content with Elias, Paez expressed gratitude for the positive reactions and widespread inspiration their videos generate. The 32-year-old fighter revealed one particular video documenting their progress received significant attention.

“I posted one of like how we started and where we’re at, and it’s gotten so much traction. It’s super cool to see how many people we truly inspire and how many people are touched by our videos. It’s really rewarding,” Paez said.

Several of those videos have done millions of views. As a result of that, Paez and his son launched Empower earlier this year, an online academy that offers instruction for Muay Thai and advice to parents on how to keep their children engaged.

Be sure to catch Paez at ONE Fight Night 40, which airs live on Prime Video on Friday, February 13. The action begins at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT. The event is free for all Amazon Prime subscribers in the U.S. and Canada.