From local basketball champion to national kickboxing champion, Zion Bailey is a Southern Pines native and Pinecrest alum.
Zion graduated from Pinecrest High in 2019 and was a standout athlete long before stepping into a kickboxing ring. After graduation, he continued his basketball career at Sandhills Community College, where he spent two seasons and helped his team capture the 2020 NJCAA Men’s National Championship.
When his basketball career came to an end, he wasn’t ready to leave competition behind.
“I wanted to continue doing something athletic,” Zion said. “I knew I wanted to continue to be an athlete.”
That search for a new challenge led him to combat sports. Through a connection with a roommate, he was introduced to local boxing coach Dale “Sunshine” Fry. What started as a small group training on a driveway quickly turned into a passion.
“We would meet every Monday and train with Dale. We started with boxing and eventually got into kickboxing,” said Zion.
From 2021 until the summer of 2024, he trained under Frye while developing the skills that would eventually help him compete at a high level.
After moving to Raleigh and joining a gym in Apex, his career took off.
Since 2024, he has captured four titles, beginning with the North Carolina Championship in December 2024. Just two months later, he added the North Carolina-South Carolina Interstate Championship. Later in 2025, he won the IKF Unified U.S. Welterweight Championship before earning the Modified East Coast Championship earlier this year.
Today, he remains the reigning IKF Unified U.S. Welterweight Champion.
While building his own fighting resume, he has also become a coach and personal trainer in Apex. He works with everyone from beginner kickboxers to youth athletes and competitive fighters.
His success in the sport has opened new opportunities, but he knows there is still plenty of work ahead.
Zion is scheduled to fight again on June 27 as he experiments with moving up to the 155-pound weight class. At the same time, he plans to continue defending his U.S. title at 147 pounds while pursuing bigger goals.
One of those goals is earning a shot at a world championship.
“In fighting, you’ve got to keep winning,” Zion said. “You have to stack wins together to continue earning opportunities.”
As his career continues to grow, Zion hopes younger athletes understand the importance of finding their own path. The advice he shares comes from a lesson that has stayed with him throughout his journey.
“Don’t be a cook. Be a chef,” he said.
For a Moore County athlete who has gone from championship basketball teams to national kickboxing titles, it’s a daily motivation that has helped Zion create his own recipe for success.
Feature photo of Zion Bailey by trickicpro.
~Article by Curtis Self, a Sandhills Sentinel reporter and owner of Moore Daily Sports. Follow them on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.
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