Gaston Joya, affectionately known as Coach Gas in the mixed martial arts (MMA) community, proves that age is just a number as he goes back to his first love—martial arts—and fearlessly explores new horizons, including extreme sport like bungee jumping.
A seasoned martial arts buff, Joya has been an integral part of the combat sports scene since his high school days at the University of the Philippines Integrated School in Diliman, Quezon City.
“I was weak, short, and thin even during high school. I was being bullied by one classmate. Another classmate, Ben Bongolan, took pity on me and enrolled me under his Sensei, in my first formal Karate class,” recalls Joya in an interview via messenger.
Unbeknownst to Joya, Bongolan was already a black belter at that time, setting the stage for his journey into the world of martial arts.
Joya was on his way to Bohol for a bungee jump adventure during this interview. Coach Gas remained undeterred by concerns voiced by college buddies.
Joya’s friends, including retired Philippine Airlines flight steward Ramon Eduardo Santiago and former presidential speechwriter Ric Fernandez, express worry about potential bone fractures during his daring exploits.
In his college days, Coach Gas was known for his cool yet short-tempered persona. Santiago fondly reminisces about an almost bar fight in 1983 near Port Area, Manila, where Joya showcased remarkable restraint.
“Coach Kuya Gas kept his cool when we stopped him,” recalls Santiago. Describing Joya as a Robert Downey Jr. look-alike, Santiago humorously envisioned a movie scene resembling a Jacky Chan-Robert Downey Jr. collaboration had the potential melee not been prevented.
Joya took a B.S. in Industrial Engineering, but financial constraints led him to pursue a career as a martial arts coach instead, eventually earning the title of Sensei.
Fernandez, his college friend and founder of UPMAC (UP Martial Arts Circle), highlights Joya’s resilience, especially during a time when martial arts, excluding Arnis, faced a ban at UPLB due to a tragic boxing incident in the early 1970s.
RETURN TO FIGHT ARENA
After more than four decades, Joya re-entered the fight arena, this time inside the modern MMA cage.
Competing at the age of 63, he engaged in three kickboxing matches against fellow masters, drawing twice and losing once on a split decision.
Joya described the experience as fostering brotherhood among legends. “It was respect among fighters and a sense of accomplishment.”
Beyond the cage, Joya continues to inspire with his resilience, proving that age is no barrier to new adventures and achievements.