I’ve decided to exclude the full details of the situation as I don’t feel discussing them to be useful.  I have no ill will towards the gym or the people who brought me to Japan.  I’m considering it another situation to learn from.  Nonetheless, as I had started writing a traditional week by week blog about my experiences there, I feel the need to conclude.

My time in Japan brought up a lot of questions – I didn’t understand what was going on regarding my treatment and I didn’t feel it to be personal.  If I had to summarize, it wasn’t so much as I was being excluded from anything; it was more as though no one even thought to include me – in training, in social events, etc.  If anything, I was politely ignored.  And this provoked a lot of introspection on my part.

I looked for some sort of context; I compared my treatment to the treatment of the Italian nak muays and I paid attention to media and my surroundings trying to understand the place of women in Japanese society.  The following questions arose:  Is it sexism?  Is it racism?   Is it sexism compounded by racism, racism compounded by sexism…or was my treatment just the extension of someone who is only interested in what benefits them directly?  Is it all of it?  None of it?

I began to ask other gym owners about women training – there didn’t seem to be many.  And then I got an interesting answer from a Thai owner.  We had finished the interview, the camera was off and we continued talking.  I asked about women at his gym – he said, “They always cause problems”.  What?  What followed was, what I felt, an honest explanation of his opinion.  He explained that previously he hadn’t allowed women to train.  Once he did, he realized they were coming to the gym to meet the boxers, not to train.  And this created problems.  They would take photos, try to talk to the guys and not train.  He said trying to train them was difficult, it wasn’t like Thailand.  Eventually, he decided to separate the training hours, meaning women had to be out of the gym by a certain hour.  I understand what prompted this decision, but I found this really weird.  Not what he’s done but why, although I can’t say I’d want to train at his gym and have to be out within a short window of time due to the actions of others…then I remembered a Japanese female who I believe flew in on three separate occasions in one year to stay at one of the gyms I was at, not to train, but to watch and photograph one of the nak muay for her own personal collection…

So where does this leave me?  Really confused.

I know a number of you MMT members have trained and are still training in Japan….does any of this make sense?  Are any of you women?  What’s going on over there?

Either way, one week back to training in Thailand and I’m paying for the absence.  My conditioning is down.  Really down.  I’ve already declined two possible fights.  Despite having barely trained in Japan, when I did train, training was a lot softer, meaning emphasis was on speed at the expense of power to accommodate the Japanese scoring system and I trained for three three minute rounds.  Returning to full five minute rounds (I can’t do five yet) where I’m expected to give my blood in the ring…..it’s humbling, but it’s good to be back.  Really good.

I’m definitely going to think twice and research online before I accept any offer to train outside of Thailand again.

In regards to what I was exposed to in Japan, in the following weeks be prepared for interviews, gym breakdowns and whatever else I feel is relevant.  I hope they will assist those of you who are looking for training in the Tokyo area.

More about Laura

I’m a Canadian who decided to quit my job, sell most of what I own, pack a suitcase, and skip continents to pursue a martial art I’m not particularly efficient in. A minimalist. A modern nomad. A kid who just likes having a good time.

My attraction to muay thai is that it’s an art with no wasted motion. It has been the greatest vehicle for my continual education. It’s incredibly challenging to me – both the physical and the mental game. The latter probably more so than the former.

Currently I’m in Bangkok training muay thai fulltime. The plan is to be here for a few years, but realistically, I have no idea where this path is leading, or what the timeline is. I like change and pushing my comfort zone. A lot. Nevertheless, muay thai will be the constant among the variables.

Be prepared for updates, rambling, video content and anything I’ve learned that I think may of use to you.

This hasn’t been easy, but so far, its been a pretty sick ride.

I managed to make myself presentable enough and headed down to Moonstar Studios in Ladprao. Outside the studio there were fancy food stands offering everything from spicy papaya salad (som tam) to coffee and cakes. Inside there were legendary Thai fighters going back through the generations mingling with some of the heaviest hitters you can think of in Muay Thai – Songchai Ratanasuban, Fairtex owner Philip Wong, all the Lumpinee bosses and promoters and many more.

Among them were notable nak muays from France, Australia, Korea, China, England and 12 other countries, including Thailand. On my way through the door I was introduced to Liam Harrison, Fabio Pinca and up and coming fighter Youssef Boughanem. I was mildly surprised to see Petmangkon Petchfergus (or Petfocus as they transcribed his name for the event) representing Thailand – having just met him at Lumpinee a month ago when he fought Saenchai and won on points (see link).

Anyway there was perhaps all the talent and money you could imagine in Muay Thai there in one room and a turnout of over 2000 people. A myriad TV cameras and photographers were there in force – among them the ubiquitous Rob Cox. I have to say I always look forward to seeing Rob at these events – he has a totally authentic and approachable nature and during the opening formalities he gave me a who’s who of all the faces I didn’t already know.

The production value of the event was highly impressive and included a karaoke number of a very spirited new pop song about Muay Thai (Rak Chaat, Rak Muay Thai) which was sung with much jark jai by all the nak muay greats. To me this was the best part of the event – seeing Diesel Noi and Arpidaej Sithirun holding hands and singing along with Samart Paryark Aroon on one end with Yod, Buakaw, Saenchai and Anuwat busting moves on the other. I have to say I got more than a little moved by the performance – as good fun as it was meant to be. If you don’t recognize them all in the video, here’s a list of them from left to right:

Arpidaej Sithirun, Diesel Noi, brothers Samart Paryark Aroon and Gong Thoranee Paryark Aroon, twin brothers Kaosai and Kaokor, Phud Lorlek, Pudphadnoi Worravud, “Goldchin”, Kaowpong Sitpaphom, Somjit Jong Johor (who also MC’d the event with much humour), Saengtian Noi, Samrantong Kiatebanchong, Yodsanklai Fairtex, Buakaw Por.Pramuk, Saenchai Sor.Kingstar and Anuwat Kaewsamrit.

Anyway – after all the fireworks and speeches and singing we moved on to the business at hand. As most of you know, “Thai Fight” is the new 16 man Muay Thai tournament and reality show that will begin next month, with matches taking place at Hua Mak’s Rajamangala National Stadium. The show will be televised on Thailand’s Channel 3 and as of yet I am unclear if this show will be broadcast to the rest of the world. I hope it will, otherwise it seems to me that point of it might be defeated – i.e, to promote MT internationally.

In any event, the main part of the press conference was the introduction of the international nak muays along with a live draw to determine who would fight who. The official draw for the first round robin knockout resulted in the following:

1. Jason Lea (Australia) vs Youssef Boughanem (Belgium)
2. Liam Harrison (England) vs Behzan Rafighdoust (Iran)
3. Sharos Huyer (Italy) vs Pinca Fabio (France)
4. Fikri Arican (Turkey) vs Soichiro Miyakoshi (Japan)
5. Farnam Mirzai (Sweden) vs Anthony Kane (Netherlands)
6. Vitaly Hurkou (Russia) vs Jong hyun ko (Korea)
7. Bartosz Koscielniak (Germany) vs Rafi Zouheir (Spain)
8. Petchmonkong Petchfocus (Thailand) vs Zhou hongzhang (China)

I am told the contest will be 3 times 3 minute rounds with a 2 minute break. Full Thai rules apply. The first group of fights will take place on August 29^th, with the next round scheduled for October 25^th and the finals will be held on the 6 of December – a day after the King’s birthday.  Top prize will be 2,000,000 THB (about US$62,500), runner up wins 1,000,000 THB (US$31,250), 3^rd place gets 300,000 THB (US$9,375) while the nak muay who comes in 4^th will get 200,000 THB (US$6250).

More about Abs

About a year and a half ago on a very fateful Saturday morning I walked into a sweaty little Muay Thai gym in San Francisco’s SOMA district to do an intro MT class with Neungsiam Samphusri and Bunkerd Faphimai at Fight and Fitness. I’ve always loved martial arts, in particular Shaolin gong fu, san shou and qi gong, but there was something that registered with me that August morning and MT has been a main feature in my life since.

After a few months training with Neungsiam I came to Thailand and -through a similar series of providential encounters — have been here since. I started training at Ingram gym in 2008 and now train with the Doctor at 13 Coins. I also continue to study muay boran with Pii Ta and cultivate my internal energy practices that I first learned with my Shaolin teacher, Shifu Shi Yanzi. I’ve taken a couple of extended trips back to San Francisco to train with Jongsanan at Fairtex, who has been my most inspiring and demanding teacher to date.

I guess I could say that Muay Thai has been the needle in my compass for the past several months and I am both suprised and grateful for all the challenges, experiences and opportunities it has provided me. It’s been quite a journey so far.

I found this interesting because it reminded me about the way I felt about Muay Thai when I first came to Thailand as a martial artist. I had respect for the sport, especially the fitness level and the weight of the combat, but there was something about it that didn’t appeal to me on a deeper level.

I’ve heard and seen this from other martial artists as well – it’s just a sport, there’s no depth to it, no tradition, making out that your average nag muay is just a thug wanting to bash something (which is kind of understandable when you look at the amount of blind bashing of pads goes on in the average gym).  No tradition? No depth?

So when I see the same argument being echoed about MMA by nag muays, it got me thinking. Is there truth behind this? Where is the tradition in Muay Thai? Why is this use of tradition as validation important?

Let’s look at the traditions used in Muay Thai. You have the wai kru /ram muay before the fight, the mongkok/phra jiabs, the traditional fighting music, wai kru day (how many nag muays actually pay respects to their teachers this way?). In contrast look at how Muay Thai has become a source of corruption, gambling, and sex (just look at the new Bangla Stadium in Phuket which hosts a full set of girl bars bellow the stadium on the second floor) where does this leave the image of the art?

Yes, I said art. As I’m sure you know, I study and teach Muay Thai chaiya which is often referred to as ‘traditional Muay Thai’.  Saying that though, I can’t think of many more traditions used in this style. There’s the Keurn Kru ceremony (which, after 2 years of teaching, I haven’t done for any of my students yet), then there’s kad cheuak (learning to make rope and bind fists) and phra jiab see saa (traditional mongkon) and phra jiab ken (the same as the arm straps in modern Muay Thai). The final examples that come to mind is that all of the techniques are taught using the old Thai diction (instead of ‘yab’ ‘cross’ ‘hook’ ‘kick’ in modern gyms) and Graab Loob Ajarn – bowing to the pictures of respected teachers at the beginning and end of lessons. These final two can be found in other martial arts.

Let us compare this with modern (westernised) martial arts such as Judo, Karate, Taekwondo, Chinese boxing etc. There are the classical gi’s that are worn, bowing to respected teachers when commencing and ending training, the use of the original language for names of techniques and running of a class, and an air of formality or discipline when running a class, the diligent practice of katas to perfect techniques and clearly distinguished grading and hierarchy of levels. Beyond this, I can’t think of many more. Obviously different styles may have small differences, but I am using my own recollection of these styles as a comparison, highlighting common practices across them all.

So in fact, it seems that modern martial arts have the same if not less traditional aspects than even modern Muay Thai.

What about MMA then? Well, as far as I’m concerned, there are two types of MMA fighter. The old school and new (or should that be old schools?). The old school MMA practitioners have learnt at least two forms of martial art in the traditional sense, and so in fact have learnt and experienced the traditions of these arts also. Whereas the new school learn a more refined combination of striking and grappling arts which are more specialised for the sport, but this teaching (in general) carries much less of the traditional aspects of the contributing arts.

So depending one the type of MMA fighter (old or new school) the difference in knowledge and practice of traditions can vary greatly.

Where does this all lead us? Well, in my mind that the style snobbery (which I also had) that lead me to write this is pretty unfounded. Each of the styles listed carry traditions in some form, but also suffer (?) from commercialisation that brings down (in my mind) the standards of the arts. Usually this is for the same purpose – to wow Joe Public. I think this is often the target of snobbery for martial art (all of the above) purists.

But all said and done, what is the point of this tradition? What gives the ‘purists’ the right to feel superior?

If we look back to the origins of most martial arts we find a spiritual base, whether it’s religious or not, it’s something that takes us beyond just learning how to punch, kick and how to hurt people. It is about learning to become better people, carrying the lessons we learn as martial ARTISTS through to our everyday lives. Being examples to Joe Public, especially in the modern age of commercialism and materialistic practices, where thuggary is rife and helping people in trouble is discouraged due to concern for oneself (retribution by gangs or the law). Where greed is rewarded and quite often, the nice guy comes in last.

With great power comes great responsibility (thanks Uncle Ben) and when we are held in high regard (as fighters/ martial artists), don’t we have a responsibility to be good examples to the people especially when other forms of celebrity quite often fall short?

Primarily it’s a teacher’s responsibility to not only regurgitate a bunch of lessons, but engage and challenge students to expand and think past their opinions of their limits of ability and self. I know I’ve been lucky enough to come across a great many teachers who have inspired me, and I try and do the same for my students.

I don’t want to sound preachy, because I know that I’m far from perfect, but I like to set myself high standards and I try to reach them. I know that my goals may not be yours, and you have your own motives for doing what you do.

But without the meaning, the purpose, the soul behind these traditions that we cling to, what good are they anyway?

More about Nathan

Starting with Judo at the early age of 7, Nathan Brown was a student martial arts (Taekwondo, Kung Fu, Chinese Boxing, Tai Chi, Jeet June Do) and eastern philosophy long before moving to Thailand in 2002, looking for a life more attuned to the Taoist philosophies that he had come to love.

The first meeting with Ajarn Lek made a great impression, especially after sparring with Tae for the first time and seeing the beauty in simplicity which is Muay Thai Chaiya. Seeing the practicality in defense, and efficiency and directness of attack, he also saw many similarities with the more advanced concepts of fighting that he’d learnt from studying the Jeet Kune Do concepts of Bruce Lee. Kru Nathan has learnt Muay Thai Chaiya for over 7 years from Ajarn Lek, who refuses to teach the fancy superfluous moves which now seem to be the trademark of Muay Boran, instead teaching the style in it’s practical, useful form.

Kru Nathan has spent over two years teaching the style in Thailand (teaching in both Thai and English), and 8 years after coming to Thailand Kru Nathan is now looking to take Muay Thai Chaiya international, starting workshops and private tuition.

Check out his websites (www.mymuaychaiya.com, www.learnmuaythaichaiya.com ) and his youtube channel for more information on learning Muay Thai Chaiya.

With all of the violence and chaos that was happening in Bangkok, it was proving to be a logistical nightmare dealing with passports and visas.  It was all quite tense…

It was all very last minute but Buakaw, Rob and entourage all made it on to the plan.

I know that the Por.Pramuk camp in particular Mr. Pramuk is very strict with media access in interviews.

I was hoping for much, a couple of snaps would have been fine.   An hour or so before the event kicks off, I see the crew roll into the arena.   I was presently surprised to see that Mr. Pramuk’s son and daughter have accompanied Buakaw.

Everyone get’s settled in and we start chatting about things to do and see around London and who the hell I am.  The usual stuff…

I’ve been looking forward to this meeting since 2004…  at my old gym in San Francisco, Fight and Fitness they would always have a video of old fights running in the back ground.  The one that caught my eye was the 2004 footage of the K1 Max finals.  I didn’t think I would ever have the chance to meet him… so it was a big moment for me.

Immediately I was sort of taken back by how soft spoken he was.  He does have quite a cocky air about him; he definitely knows he’s headlining the event.  It’s quite different from the top Nak Muay’s I’ve had the privilege of spending time with. Sanchai and Yodsanklai are tops , but they still have a certain shyness, reserve about them.

Don’t get me wrong, he’s still quite reserved as far as western standards go…  but with all the media attention that has been lavished on him, he knows he’s the star.

I was also a little surprised by their whole stance on autographs.  There were a few moments where he had come out to watch the fights.  On a few occasions his management kindly declined signing autographs.  When I asked then about it, they said that he would get mobbed and he would have to move.  Ok fair enough… I’m sure in Japan it would get out of hand, but I don’t think it would have been a situation at the Excel.  Ok… he’s used to being mobbed, I just couldn’t image Yod or Sanchai doing the same.

As you can see I did eventually get an interview with him.  That dark hooded figure is BPP I swear.  I was prepared to use my camera, which has HD video, but when I tried getting Mr. Pramuk’s daughter to film for me it proved too complicated a task.  I had a back up video camera, but as you can see the sound and image quality isn’t the greatest.  Eventually I’ll get a bit more professional…  Took me ages to get these subtitles in… hopefully I won’t have to do that too often.

The interview sort of ends abruptly… I had planned on a longer interview but the camera crew needed him for some stock footage.  In the pictures above you’ll see that there is a shot of us walking.  That’s going to be the intro for SKY… he didn’t want to walk alone so we’re pretending to be shooting the shit.

I had a good time meeting him.  It was sort of bittersweet experience actually.  When I started MMT, I had no idea I’d have the chance to meet so many of my favorite fighters.  As I had mentioned… I’d waited six years to meet him and now it’s done.

Oh well such is life.  Have any of you had the chance to meet him?  Thoughts? Impressions?

The show was well attended despite some major ticketing snafus.  Apparently their ticket sales and distribution partner had been telling people that the show was sold out weeks prior to the show when it wasn’t.

That night I sat with representatives from the Thai Embassy and the Thai Tourism Authority.  Most of you who know me, know I can get fairly vocal at fights.  It took a lot of restraint not to break out some Oiy’s! during the fights.

Notable fights

There were a total of 11 fights that night.  They were all great fights with the exception of Daniel Sam vs. Alessio Valentini, that ended approximately 20 seconds after the opening bell.  I’m guessing Velentini was a last min. replacement.

The 3 notable fights for me were Anna Zuchelli, Greg Wooton and Buakaw and Jordon.

Yes I train with both Anna and Greg at KO, so I’m going to be slightly biased.  Anna fought Bernise Alldis from Keddles.  I know Anna took the fight under very short notice (a couple of days).  I think the story goes that Denis’s original opponent arrived. but was denied entry to the Uk for not having the proper paperwork.

Anna who is always training, jumped in and made the most of it.  Anna is great in the clinch, and has some really sharp knees.  Anna fought a beautiful match, and at the end of 5 rounds came away with a new World Championship belt.  Big congrats to Anna.

Matthew Tieu vs. Danny McAskill (Tieu o Points)

Tieu was all over McAskill, basically dominated most of the match.   McAskill never looked comfortable, and wasn’t able to get anything going.

Kyle Nicol v Mike Egan (Egan via KO)

I think most people who saw this fight would agree with me when I say Nicol was winning the fight.  Egan caught McAskill with a spinning elbow that put him in a very deep slumber.

Olley Watson v Marc Sargeant (Sargent Points)

Ruth Ashdown v Soraya Bucherie (Buchaerie on points)

It was a fairly close match. Ashdown was pushing the action, but seemed to rely mostly on her hands.  Soraya employed a good all around counter fighting strategy and was dominant in the clinch.

Chris Knowles v Glen Crosthwaite (Knowles, points)

This fight started off fairly evenly matched.   Crosthwaite who’s recently just returned to needs some more conditioning work.  By the 2^nd round Crosthwaite, gassed and was unable to answer.  Knowles on the other hand no issues picking his shots, as Crosthwaite was essentially a walking punching bag.  It was actually frustrating to see how lackluster Knowles knees were.  There were several times where Knowles had the perfect opportunity to tee off, but just lacked the power.

Greg Wootton v Panicos Yusuf (Wootton on Points)

Both of these fighters have been on winning streak, and it was one of the more anticipated fights in the UK.  As the match wore on, Wootton stepped his game up.  Greg was dominant in the clinch…  Greg might disagree with me, but since getting back from Thailand, the one area of his game that’s improved significantly is his clinching skills.  By the 3^rd round Greg was consistently switching between orthodox and southpaw stances and varying his attacks.

Michael Wakeling v Errol Koning  (Wakeling)

I missed most of this fight, Koning looked like he hurt his leg and was unable to continue.

Tim Thomas v Yodyut Kiatyongyut (Thomas ref. Stoppage 4^th round)

This was another exciting bout… Yodyut appeared to get a slow start.  I’m not sure if it’s how he typically fights or if he was having issues getting going.   By the second round Yodyut came out properly motivated and was far more aggressive.   It was clear that Thomas was going to have a lot of success with his hands.  Yodyut figured that out fairly quickly and clinched Thomas up.  By the third round the fight was beginning to swing back into Yodyuts direction.  He was consistently clinch and dumping Thomas at will.   I don’t remember the round possibly 4^th? Thomas caught Yodyut with two possibly three rights and Yodyut was looking rather wobbly.  Within a minute Yodyut was in trouble again from a barrage of hands from Thomas, the ref gave him his 2^nd eight count.  Thomas pushed again… this time it honestly looked to me that Yodyut had his wits about him and was fighting back, when Tony Meyers stopped the bout.   Personally I think they should have let it go, but safety is paramount.

Like a home town hero.

Buakaw vs. Jordan Watson

I can’t wait for us to get some footage of this fight, looking forward to watching it again.   Buakaw’s entrance was amazing… you would have thought Buakaw was born and raised in East London based on the reception that he received.

Buakaw received a standing ovation, and lots of love from the fans.  I’ve not seen him fight before so I’m not sure how the reception is in Holland or Japan.

Watson received the same sort of love… the ram muay was beautiful. The crowd thoroughly enjoyed the interaction between Buakaw and Watson , everyone was fired up.

I’d have to say after Saturday’s fight I’m a big Jordan Watson fan.  I like his poise and aggression… He had nothing to lose and everything to gain, and it showed.  Both fighters had a nice feel out round.  Watson delivered a couple of nice well-timed leg kicks that unbalanced Buakaw a couple of times.  I think it surprised a lot of people to see Buakaw picking himself up off the canvas so early in the bout.

Photo Credit Michael Howarth MSA

You could tell from Buakaw grin, that he was slightly embarrassed by it, and he really began to focus.  The two had some beautiful exchanges but as the fight wore on Buakaw began to apply more pressure.  Watson answered with a couple of flying knees but both just barely missed their mark.   I’m so used to watching Buakaw in K-1 that I forget Buakaw is nasty in the clinch.  There were several occasions where Buakaw nearly connected with his knees as he was throwing Watson to the ground.

In the fourth, Buakaw was in his rhythm and was able to back Watson up into the corner.  They had an exchange and Buakaw landed a nice left hook to body.  (liver shot) and Watson hesitated for a second and then double over.

That was pretty much it.  I think Buakaw needed that bit of room to breath and relax.  It seemed like he was enjoying himself as he looked like his former aggressive self.

No write up I can do will do this fight justice, hopefully I’ll get a hold of a clip soon.   Well done to Watson, after Saturday’s performance I would be very surprised if we didn’t see Watson on a lot of the upcoming international shows.  I’m sure he would do well in MAX.

The MSA team is putting on another show at the NEC in Birmingham in September.  I can’t wait,  I was having a think about who could be on their next show…  The only fighter I can think of to headline would be Yodsanklai.  Yodsanklai vs Wakeling anyone?

Hats off to the MSA team, many thanks to FuiMee, Dan Green and Swee Lip for inviting and hosting me.

As you’ll find out from the interview, Phil was top ranked at Omnoi, WMC, and an impressive no.3 ranking at Rajadamnern Stadium. It’s impressive and inspirational… dropping everything, to follow your dreams.  I know I don’t have balls to do it… I just feel fortunate that I get to meet people like Phil.

The interview is done in typical MMT fashion… on the cheap and off the cuff.  The pained look on my face is heat… it was about 36 or 37 that day (98F).   You can also check out Phil’s fight with Samkor here.

If you’re interested in training with Phil you can find him at Motion House in Hong Kong.

On a murderously hot day just before the Thai New Year Songkran festival , I set off with muay Chaiya master Luang Pii Ta and his 63 year old mother for a 12 hour drive to the town of Mae Sod on the Burmese border. Our tiny car packed with five kilos of Isaan rice, a large rice cooker (obligatory) and a few changes of clothes and monk robes, we drove solid through winding mountain roads until we reached the small border town, which is a main gateway to Myanmar. Mae Sod is known for its population of Burmese migrants and refugees and — to muay enthusiasts — for its annual Muay Kaad Chuek event (gloveless boxing tournament).

Since I met Luang Pii Ta last year he’s been training his two newest students, Tee and Aae, to fight at the event. Because of his monk status, Luang Pii hasn’t been able to fight in the ring, so he teaches them with a dedication that I’ve never seen before, as if he were fighting vicariously through them. I had been training with Luang Pii, Tee and Aae and watching them spar for months now, but I still had little idea what to expect from the kaad chuek fights . Luang Pii told me beforehand that they were quite different to regulated MT bouts. I was also told by one of his older students that they would be very quick and violent.

We arrived late in the afternoon and went immediately to the muay sanam (boxing competition grounds) to register. A modest affair, the tarp-covered venue was comprised of a gravel field, a boxing ring, several plastic chairs and a massive PA system. The grounds were full of Burmese men, women and children when we arrived. Tee and Aae sat beside me in the front row and we started watching the fights. Like me, they had never seen muay kaad chuek, and we sat quietly sipping our Pepsi’s and taking it all in.

The first few fights were muay dtekor child boxers. There was one little guy in particular that stood out to me — a Burmese kid, maybe 10 or 11 years old wearing dirty ripped cotton boxers and no hand wraps. He was fearless – just kept going out and wildly using all his weapons at once. I had to laugh a little because he was so intense and it all seemed just so crazy. Then the big guys came out. Same deal – this kind of feral intensity that I hadn’t expected to see in the ring. Muay Thai fights are so graceful, rhythmic and technical by comparison.

In this first match between the older guys I noticed that one of the fighters kept dropping to the ground in a kind of submissive gesture – getting on his hands and knees and covering his head for protection. The ref would then come and break up the fight momentarily and it would continue like this every 30 to 40 seconds. Then I saw it happening in other matches. I turned to one of LP’s older students, who has been every year, and asked him what the deal was. He looked at me, paused to consider, and then pushed his glasses back on his nose. “Burma technique” he said with no trace of sarcasm.

It’s worth mentioning here for people that don’t know that there is a long history of unease between Thailand and Burma (or Myanmar as it’s known now). There is plenty of information to be found online, but it can be said that these fights are borne out of a long tradition of conflict between the two countries that predates the Ayutthaya period. Interestingly, however, this year LP’s students were amongst the only Thais there to fight – so most of the matches were Burma against Burma.

Anyway I came to see how the dropping for cover was a necessary move at times in these fights. LP had previously explained to me the kaad chuek matches just continue until there’s a knock out – there’s no judging of individual rounds. There are also so few rules that it’s ridiculously dangerous, and the fighters will use any tactic they can to get some leverage in the ring. The first guy I saw doing that was being dominated by the other fighter and I thought for sure he’d lose, but he ended up knocking out his opponent in the second round with a kick to the head. And by knock out I mean cold – like eyes rolling back in the head, timber falling . . . a few minutes unconscious. It was like watching a car crash or something – serious damage. Sure, you see that in MT fights from time to time, but this kind of KO was happening in almost ever other match.

When the afternoon fights were winding down, Tee and Aae were called into the ring so they could find their opponents for the fights the next day. This is achieved by the announcer inviting challengers into the ring from the watching crowds. There were about six or eight challengers in total, and LP signaled to each of them from the corner of the field which one they should agree to fight.

That night we all checked into a motel down the road and ate the yummy Yasothorn rice that LP’s mom, Tiw, prepared for us. She then patiently sewed all their special amulets into his students’ shorts and prajit (arm bands) while LP gave gamlang jai (the power of his heart) to them. I was beginning to feel some sisterly concern for the two kids having seen the fights that day, but I knew they were ready for this.

One of LP’s older students filmed the fights. I apologize for the quality of the video in these clips– he was too caught up watching the fight to pay attention to the camerawork. It might be hard to make out any of the technique because of this. Also it was a first fight for both of them, so Tee and Aae said they were challenged to practically apply everything they’ve learned.

You can however see Tee using a Korat style punch called wiang kwai to knock out his opponent around 2.28. This punch is aimed at the temple using the inside of the fist (where the thumbmeets the closed fingers) and it will mess you up. It’s one of LP’s favorites – he says practicing this punch will open your liver meridian and make all your punches more powerful.

Both Tee and Aae won their fights and are planning on fighting again next year.

About LP:

When he’s not teaching, he is often training to come up with new techniques and is committed to seeing Muay Chaiya and Muay boran in general evolve. He’s told me often that he is saddened that many people now think of Muay boran as an art form rather than the deadly combat sport that it is. It’s true that many of his techniques can be used in modern Muay Thai fights and a lot of the applications can be especially useful to MMA fighters.

On another note, Luang Pii Ta officially disrobed this week after 14 years as a Thai forest monk. He will concentrate now on teaching and living a secular life. He will also be fighting at the Kaad Chuek tournament in 2011. To find out more about training with him, you can email abigailmccullough@gmail.com

More about Abs

About a year and a half ago on a very fateful Saturday morning I walked into a sweaty little Muay Thai gym in San Francisco’s SOMA district to do an intro MT class with Neungsiam Samphusri and Bunkerd Faphimai at Fight and Fitness. I’ve always loved martial arts, in particular Shaolin gong fu, san shou and qi gong, but there was something that registered with me that August morning and MT has been a main feature in my life since.

After a few months training with Neungsiam I came to Thailand and -through a similar series of providential encounters — have been here since. I started training at Ingram gym in 2008 and now train with the Doctor at 13 Coins. I also continue to study muay boran with Pii Ta and cultivate my internal energy practices that I first learned with my Shaolin teacher, Shifu Shi Yanzi. I’ve taken a couple of extended trips back to San Francisco to train with Jongsanan at Fairtex, who has been my most inspiring and demanding teacher to date.

I guess I could say that Muay Thai has been the needle in my compass for the past several months and I am both suprised and grateful for all the challenges, experiences and opportunities it has provided me. It’s been quite a journey so far.

What made you choose Muay Thai and kickboxing?
I just loved the feeling that the sport gave me. Because of martial arts I became more focused in life as well and a much more positive person.

You had been training in Holland now with Team Calamaro gym. How
has the move to Holland and Calmaro effect your training?

Well over there I became a much smarter fighter. They have taught me how to control my anger during a fight and use this in a positive way. Now I train at Siam gym, where the teach me to use my experience as well during the fight.

A lot of American readers may not know of your high flying knee
attacks how do you train to use these in fights?
To be honest, I use it purely on feeling and instinct. Only the last 2 years, when I realized how exceptional it is to bring the knees as high as I can did I start training it. Now I am even thinking how I can improve my knee techniques and extend it. On May 29^th at the It’s Showtime event in the Amsterdam Arena I will demonstrate my latest knee technique which we are training on right now.

You are also known for delivering punch combinations in 5-6 punches
at a time. Is this something you specifically train for?
Yes indeed. I am a pretty tall fighter for 154 lbs and my punches still are short of absolute power if you compare it to my competitors. They are mostly smaller and much more powerful than I am. So what I try to do is make combinations as fast I can with my hands and finish it with a kick or a knee!

You’ve fought and beat among the best in Holland at 70kg do you
feel your efforts are getting the attention it deserves?

Well in Holland everybody knows who I am, and the attention is good also. This is more because the last few years I have competed much more in Holland then anywhere else. Only outside of Holland do the people still have to guess who I am. Like 1 month ago in Italy! The crowd were staring and pointing their fingers and they weren’t sure if it really was me.

You’re often faced with large crowds on the Its Showtime fights how
do you cope with all the attention and noise?
The first time it effected my skills on a negative way. Especially in the ring. But now it’s just normal. It doesn’t bother me and I like the attention I receive. Every noise for me or against me motivates me when I’m in the ring!

How did you recover from the Joeri Mes defeat to continue
challenging Holland’s best fighters?
To be honest, the loss didn’t effect me at all. After viewing the video I was pretty happy with my performance until the punch came. Joeri Mes is a very experienced fighter and he has beaten many big fighters on KO.I remember seeing him on TV when I just started practicing Muay Thai. My first impression was wow, “this guy is great”. For me it was an opportunity for a bigger stage and it was too bad I lost. My next fight after Joeri Mes was against Marco Pique and Dennis Schneidmiller (K-1 fighter.) All these fights I have won were with conviction. The loss against Joeri only motivated me and made me hungry for more!

What so far has been your most memorable fight?
I will have to say one of my latest fights against Chahid Oulad (K-1 fighter). Chahid is feared for his powerful hands which he has KO’ed many fighters as Gago Drago and Murat Direkci. I won this fight when almost nobody believed I could do it, except for my trainer who had predicted the KO. The first round I gave him a knock down by landing a huge knee on his jaw. This fight can also be viewed on youtube.

It seems more interest is growing in full rules Muay Thai in
Holland with Slamm and other events. Would you like to fight under
full Thai rules?

I would love to. It has been a long time ago since I fought with full Muay Thai rules. Since the K-1 became popular in Holland and on It’s Showtime many things are different. The clinching is gone, the fights only last 3×3 rounds instead of 5×3 rounds. Which I prefer because my condition has always been one of my secret weapons as well. But I have talked to England’s biggest promoter Dan Green. On his next event he will match me against a Thai fighter with full Muay Thai rules.

You recently had a birthday. Congratulations and what would you
like most to achieve in your new year?
I’d like to finish my school and have my bachelor degree so afterwards I can enjoy my life as a fulltime professional kickboxer. It’s pretty hard to combine both, because it demands  much effort and concentration.

Who are some of your early heroes in kickboxing and Muay Thai?

My all time favorite fighter and now one of my closest friends, Rayen “trubala” Simson. I just love his style and his fights against the Thai fighters and the fight against Ramon Dekker are also my favorite fights to watch. I love Ernesto Hoost and Rob Kaman and their styles as well. Very complete and smart way of fighting!

Rayen has a gym in Suriname and one of his fighters will be facing me on May 29^th in the Amsterdam Arena. He hates it because he doesn’t want this, but it’s part of the game!

How does your training change leading up to a fight?
The first 2 weeks I work a lot on condition and technique. This means running and two times a day working on pads. The next 2 weeks is more sparring and technique and the last two weeks is mostly technique applied to my opponent and I build the training down easily.

Would you like to train in Thailand to fight?
Well I never trained in Thailand. I have a contract with It’s Showtime and they have a training camp on Koh Samui. Next year I am certainly going there for training and I also would like to fight there against a Thai. It’s a privilege to beat a Thai fighter on his own rules.

Who of any of your past opponents would you rematch if given the chance?
Only Joeri Mes and not because he has beaten me. But because I am 100% sure I can beat him. And I would like to show everybody that he only won because of a lucky punch. In our last fight he lost two rounds, there was no way he could have win the fight without the KO. In the fight I was too motivated and made a mistake.

Thanks for your time and do you have any words for your fans or
American readers?
I would like to thank my trainer Mekki Benazzouz, the guys from Siam gym Holland, my sister Gracia Ngimbi, my girlfriend Shangla and my fans all over the world for their support. I would also like to thank my friends in Richmond (VA), Brian Crenshaw of the WKA. He was the first to give me a chance to fight in America which brought me more reputation in the world. Further I would like to say hello to my friends in America Amir Sadollah, Jeff Curran, Brian Butler and all the other guys from Team Combat Sport Center.

Mike L NG is the editor and writer for http://thescienceof8limbs.com

More about Mike L NG

I like Muay Thai. I am biased. I know what I like and I know what I dislike. My intent is to spread the word on lesser known nak muay and fighters I believe deserve more attention be it past or present. My name is Mike LeNg and and my journey in Muay Thai began more than a decade ago when my love for the sport was first started.  In that time I have had many different experiences under many different trainers each adding a wrinkle to my experience and deepening my appreciation of the sport.

I also use this blog to deliver truth about the sport by letting you witness it with your own eyes with a minimum of commentary supplemented by videos. This blog will always be free from the voice of the paper kru, master and arjan. Made up titles in the west are becoming increasingly loved and not coincidentally have nearly nothing to do with authenticity or legitimacy. I’m also ugly due to being punched in the head multiple times.

In my previous post, In Search of a Kru, I wrote about the challenge of finding the training I was looking for – one that I responded to internally.  Again, I will reiterate, what constitutes great training for me, may not be what constitutes great training for anyone else – we’re all different.  We all have varying aspirations, needs and learning styles.  I try to balance instinct, experience and my heart when making most decisions.  However, sometimes while navigating this country, particularly when dealing with people who have had little to no contact with Foreigners, instinct takes precedence.  I feel that’s all I have.  Not only in the gyms, but in daily life.

In my previous post I mentioned investigating personal training options.  I followed that route and have been training with one person, at his home, after he works his manual labour job.  Friends in Bangkok warned me about this approach.  I was told it was dangerous to be a Falang woman alone with a man at his home. I listened and agreed with them.  From everything that I’ve experienced in this country, I will say, their argument is valid.  However, I balanced what I knew with what I felt when I first met my kru, when I looked into his eyes and what has transpired over time knowing him. I had met others before him, others that have more experience, more contacts, more clout and that were more enthusiastic about training me, but when I looked into their eyes, instinct, experience and heart told me to keep walking.

I could say that I was blessed to have found the trainer that I was searching for.  I could even go further to say that I was blessed to find the trainer who is more than what I was searching for, but I’m going to say, I’ve found two.

One day, an old schooler showed up to my training.  He had heard that there was a Falang training in Buriram. A female.  And she had come alone.  He couldn’t believe it and wanted to see what she was about.  Ironically, that was the day that I showed up and couldn’t train.  I had been taking medication that ripped my stomach apart; so alternatively, he brought me to his home.  I spent that evening and the following day with he and his family.  The proceeding week, he trained me in the early morning while my kru was off building something.  We trained on a mountain and the next day, we trained at his home.

The amount I’ve learned here in Buriram far exceeds any expectation I could have had.  Perhaps what I’ve learned most is, I have a lot to learn, the education is continual.  Working with two different people, with two very different styles but united in their passion has solidified this sentiment within me.  This brings me back to a trainer I met in Bangkok.  On my first day working with him, he held pads and told me, ‘Muay thai is easy. In six months, I knew all there is to know’.  My instinct before that statement was made was to be wary of him.  In retrospect, I realize, his approach is different than mine.  He, in my opinion, is concerned with scoring points, winning fights, and making money.  For me, my concern is to learn the art.  To internalize it.  To grow.  Status never attracted me – it was never my motivation, for anything.

For some of you, your primary goal is to win, to advance within the current system – to become a champion.  That is part of my motivation, but I see fighting as more of a playing ground. Of working out what I’m being taught.  Of being challenged.  A test.  For me, winning or losing in some ways is the same, I benefit from both.  I’ve been told by many that this sentiment will keep me from becoming a champion.  Currently I’m okay with that.  I want to train like I’m training to become one, to put every bit of my blood into it, but for me, finding the right promoter with the right contacts, fighting the right people, etc.  I’m just not there.  At least not now.

So we’ll see how this translates in a new culture, in Japan.  I’m interested in the training methods I’ll be exposed to as well as the culture of the art within the gyms, within the promotions, and within Japan at large.  I have no idea what to expect, and quite honestly, I don’t want to form an opinion.  I just want to step in and see what life throws at me.

As a child, this was my dream, to live and train a martial art in Japan.  When scouting and dropping into various martial arts facilities, determining what suited me best, it was muay thai that I responded to, not a Japanese art.  Little did I know that a Thai martial art would be the vehicle of my dream becoming a reality in Japan.  It’s amazing what unfolds when you just listen to that within you.

Let’s see what the future brings.

More about Laura

I’m a Canadian who decided to quit my job, sell most of what I own, pack a suitcase, and skip continents to pursue a martial art I’m not particularly efficient in. A minimalist. A modern nomad. A kid who just likes having a good time.

My attraction to muay thai is that it’s an art with no wasted motion. It has been the greatest vehicle for my continual education. It’s incredibly challenging to me – both the physical and the mental game. The latter probably more so than the former.

Currently I’m in Bangkok training muay thai fulltime. The plan is to be here for a few years, but realistically, I have no idea where this path is leading, or what the timeline is. I like change and pushing my comfort zone. A lot. Nevertheless, muay thai will be the constant among the variables.

Be prepared for updates, rambling, video content and anything I’ve learned that I think may of use to you.

This hasn’t been easy, but so far, its been a pretty sick ride.

The reflection in the window looked like me. I recognized the mouth, the freckled skin, the blue eyes, the chin. My fingers ran along my brow and dove into the dent in my forehead then pushed against my crooked nose. My nose was skewed to the side making me look like a mangled cartoon character. The broken upper orbital on the left portion of my face wasn’t as glaring, it cast an odd inward shadow into my head, but was other wise visually copacetic. Behind the glass was the urban landscape of Oakland. Its bricolage of new and old buildings denoted the city’s honesty about its economic status.

pics by lee hunter

“You talkin’ to me?” I said to the dark image in my bedroom. I flexed my muscles, they hadn’t seen regular activity in a few days but that hadn’t dulled their toned edges. My arms jumped out firing a series of blows to an imagined opponent. “You talkin’ to me?” I repeated. The murky reflection fell silent, its arms fell to its side and the reflection took on a silent stolid look of salience. The smoothness of my skin was interrupted by the caved in section of bone
in my skull.  As my fingers probed the broken bone I wondered how it had gotten there. Was it my first fight, or my last, I thought to myself. Was it my first fight or my last, I thought again. I worried that I’d slipped into a punch drunk demise already. My reflection faded away and all I could see was the city before me.

I remembered with poignancy the first interclub fights I ever saw. Held at a small gym in north oakland the bouts were short and sloppy, but here it was, the fights. Three months later I had stepped into the ring myself for a smoker. I was determined to fight if for no other reason than to test my mettle. I can’t imagine I executed everything with grace, but for the first time in my life I felt like I wasn’t made of glass.

There’s a vulnerability of being in the world. Danger lurks everywhere. Our lives can come to cataclysmic ends in mere seconds. There are not only the physical hazards, but the fair more  terrifying social ones. Living in the precarious position of proletariat means that I’m always a paycheck from ruin. If I lose my job, there goes my house, there goes my food, there goes my life. I’ll be suckling on the tit of shitty substandard state services, living a sham semblance of life.

Entering the ring, fighting, training, showed me that I could at least take the physical blows of others. With that bodily fortitude came an emotional strength as well. Nothing could be as hard as training for a fight, I thought. The constant pain put on the body, the fatigue, the emotional turmoil of being yelled at in comparison losing my job, losing my girlfriend, losing my house, well it was nothing. Training for a bout was putting me in life’s military school, and whatever didn’t
kill me was only making me stronger.

When I walked into the ring for my last fight the Norweigan pop group, The Knife, was playing one of their hit numbers, “Heartbeats.”

pics by lee hunter

“One Night to be confused, One night to speed up truth,” the duo sang as I hopped over the ropes that my trainer, Mike Regnier held down. The black robe that I wore felt comfortable, its satin fell on my shoulders and draped me in the reciprocal royal loyalty of my relationship with my gym. I’d played this scene out a million times in my head, and now I was just reenacting it in the present. I sealed the ring and made a polite bow to the crowd.

The first round of my bout against Quncy Shammom went well. I felt relaxed, I felt explosive, and most of all I felt the gelling of time and space. During a fight time slows incredibly, as if you are swimming through a stream of time. Your body moves instinctively, but at a snail’s pace. Every movement is alive, yet within that stream is a raging water. The rounds are only two minutes but they last an eternity, a never ending slow motion of a fast forwarded life. The sands of time are tiny particles and paradoxically titanic boulders dropping falling through an hour glass. Within the action there are fragments of thought that blast through the mind like a gatling gun: block, kick back, breathe, punch, cross, grunt, hook, leg kick, position the feet. The mind becomes simplistic, it is only commands, the body it is only commanded at best. When I fight I think not only about my opponent but also of the clock which is both an adversary and ally. Two rounds to go to complete my win, one more, I’ve thought.  Each second that passes is both an opportunity and a potential let down. I felt the moments on my body.

The second and third round I attempted to hunt Shammom down like an immigrant working for the American dream, with the same amount of success, which is to say none. He fought backwards as I marched forward. As my steps took me along the terrain of the ring he put out punches which I effectively blocked…with my head.

At the beginning of the fourth round we were in his corner. He threw a right cross and I slipped, or I got a flash knock out, or, well something happened. I had my eyes closed when his knee impacted my head. I fell to the ground and got to my feet. The referee was counting three when I realized that he was in fact counting. “Three already,” I thought to myself. He put out his fingers with each count to eight as I thought of sand of the past blowing away. I let go of what had just happened. There was an ache in my head but it didn’t matter, what was important was the bout, the moment.

“Are you okay to fight,” the referee asked me.

I nodded and said yes through my mouthpiece. He allowed us to fight for a moment longer and then called off the bout when he saw my wobbly legs, or my dented in forehead.

When the fight was called to a halt I was sat down for a few minutes then was took out of the ring. The doctor, a stork of a man, asked me to follow a pen light with my eyes. I focused on the light, as adrenaline surged through my body and I attempted to map out exactly what had happened to me.

“What’s today’s date,” the doctor asked me. Mike, my trainer, stood looking nervously at me, his concern apparent.

“Uh, the fifth,” I replied.

“What month is it,” the doctor asked.

“March,” I said. My face skewed with thought.

“Who is the president,” the doctor asked.

“Uh…” I said. Who cares about presidents I thought, its not like they’ve ever done me any good. Why can’t he ask me something more important, like the name of the first girl I kissed, or the last book I read, shit. “Uh… well I don’t think its Bush, but to be honest I don’t really follow politics.”

“Okay,” the doctor said. “You definitely need to go to the hospital. You have a concussion.”

Mike got me to the local hospital. En route he informed me of national politics, stating that Obama was president. I wondered if it mattered, and if the president would make me feel any better. At the center for care I was given a cat scan, a prescription for pain killers, and the advice to see a plastic surgeon A.S.A.P.

Never having gotten plastic surgery before, my face was naturally beautiful, I did the only logical thing there was to do, I googled that shit. On Monday morning (the fight was Saturday) I went to see my surgeon, David Chang, at a hospital on the border of the Castro district of San Francisco. The tall and slender asian man looked at my face, and the cat scans and then began to talk.

“It looks like you’ve fragmented your upper orbital along with your sinuses. We’ll want to do surgery as soon as possible that way your nose/sinuses don’t heal crookedly. We will make an incision behind your hairline and pull your forehead forward and off that way we can deal with the broken bones. We’ll try to keep the large sections of bone, but we’ll take out the smaller pieces and we’ll put in a plate.”

I began to laugh as he described the details of the surgery. Who the fuck tells someone that they’re going to cut off their face and pull out their facial bones? The absurdity of the situation was too much for me.

“I’m glad to see that you’re taking this so well,” Doctor Chang said to me.

I nodded. “Its an ‘occupational hazard,’  a rite of passage or something. Its not like you can fight and go unscathed. Fighting is far more about being hurt than it is about hurting,” I said stoically. My face ached, a sharp pain above my eye. It wasn’t terrible but it was there. What lesson was I learning?

Four days later I was in the hospital again. Great friends brought me to the surgery. I was put in a gown and whisked away at nine in the morning to the operating room for a four hour surgery. I was  under anesthesia for the operation. I remember being told to breathe into an oxygen mask and then I remember waking up. When I woke from my sedated slumber I felt raw, my face, and my dick hole burned. They’d put a catheter in my pee hole while I was in, which is pretty fucking annoying.

“I have to go to the bathroom,” I said to the next nurse I saw, hoping somehow that they’d give me a urinal or take the god damn tube out of my irritated urethra.

“Just go to the bathroom,” the nurse said. “You have a catheter.”

“That’s the problem,” I replied. I groaned and shut my eyes. Just a few more hours, and they’d take it out. I just had to muster up and deal with the discomfort of the catheter.

I only spent the night at the hospital. I was done with the surgery in the afternoon on Friday, and was out Saturday morning. My hours in the clinic were boring, and tiring. I slept, woke, looked out the window at the urban skyline and wondered what life would be like. Staring at the clock was a perpetual countdown to health, just eight more hours, just five more hours, just two more hours until I could go home.

Chang came to see me before letting me go from the prison of health. He wrapped my head in gauze and made sure the gauze and tubes stuck in my nose were in snug. The latter was especially irritating, and made me gain more venom for “mouth breathers.” The restructuring of my nose had my nostrils stuffed and prevented breathing except for inefficient whistles. My mouth was a breeding ground for halitosis and it remained so for five days when the tubes were removed. There was a constant film in my mouth, and a taste of filth. It was as if someone had taken a shit in my mouth, and then stuffed shit in my nose out of pure venom.

My friends picked me up and drove me to their home. I stayed with them during the duration of my recovery. The importance of people, and relationships is highlighted in times of need. For three days I was unable to do little more than sleep for hours, get up for fifteen minutes, use the bathroom and eat the food that was made for me. Luckily I had devoted friends to take care of me. My face was swollen and sickly when Mike came to visit me. He dropped off a care package, but within ten minutes of his arrival I was nodding off in my seat.

The first step towards health was on Wednesday, a full five days after surgery. Going to see Chang was exciting. I had counted down the hours to see him like a crushed out girl waiting for her prom date. He took off my awful head gauze, which made my head feel constantly overheated, and my nose tubes. The nose tubes were painful to remove. My nostril membranes were dry and the tubes were larger than my nostrils. When he yanked them out though, I felt as if I was a new born babe drinking in her first breath of air, I had a moment of fear and then joy.

A week later I was back at the office. Chang took out the row of staples that kept my forehead attached to my skull. He picked out about 30 staples, which piled in his hand as he took them out one by one. He cut through a dozen stitches and took off my nose cast. The cast was kept on my nose that way my snooze won’t heal crooked. He asked me how I looked when I peered at my reflection.

“It’s straighter,” I said. My nose was slightly crooked before the fight, and my forehead had more wrinkles. I’d gotten a nose job and a face lift.

“Don’t exercise for a month, and then after a month or two you can start sparring again,” he said.

I looked at him blankly. I could fight again. I finished some paperwork. There’s an endless stream in these events. While the insurance for the event covered my medical costs there were and still are papers to sign and forms to fill out.

I walked out of the office without anything on my face. The sun hit my skin. My forehead felt numb. The nerves hadn’t fully reconnected yet. I could still feel the scar that ran along my head. I looked out at
the skyline of the city.

There is a myth about fighters, that the truly great, that a true fighter, ignores the pain and supersedes that pain. They go beyond the pain to achieve something. In the stories of Rocky the underdog wins. People want to believe in the triumph of the will perhaps because we live in such a rigged world. You’re born and you die in an economic class. You wake up poor and you’re going to die poor. You’re born rich but you don’t have the emotional connections that you desire, the material around you stifles you. The idea that somehow you might escape these situations is a reason to go on.

As the sun of San Francisco hit my face I thought of a pane of glass. My pane had broken. I was fragile once again. I’d fought to feel like I wasn’t fragile anymore, yet here I was, tragically vulnerable. If I fought again would it just shatter the pieces further or would it somehow recreate me?

Everyday life has always been extremely important to me. It is where I live. I don’t live in some sort of mystical future or the dustbin of history but I live now. What fighting had done for me was to give me someone who was happier in their everyday life. I woke up in the mornings and saw myself in the mirror, and I was glad to see that reflection, I was the man that I wanted to be, and was becoming.

As the sun shone down on me I walked down the street, thinking of the hours, the days, the weeks, the obstacles, the adversaries, until I would become a total person.

More about Matt Lucas

Born to a working class family in rural New York I grew up working like a dog and drinking Natural light in the woods. After a brief stint attempting to escape the poverty of employment via university I gave up on escaping the grind and moved to sunny California where the burritos are as generous as the weather. I work in the service industry slinging booze and food.

I got into Muay Thai as a recreational activity. I saw an interclub fight and decided to try it out, everyone has to test their mettle somehow. A few fights and a year later I was in Thailand training, and fighting. I haven’t quit stepping into the ring since. I currently live in East Oakland and balance my time blocking punches with my head with attempting to prevent brain deterioration through writing, studying Thai; language, culture and history, and going to wild dance parties with my friends.

]]> http://www.mymuaythai.com/archives/broken-glass/feed/ 20 http://www.mymuaythai.com/archives/introducing-khun-songchai-ratanasuban-of-onesongchai-promotions/ http://www.mymuaythai.com/archives/introducing-khun-songchai-ratanasuban-of-onesongchai-promotions/#comments Tue, 13 Apr 2010 07:00:37 +0000 ldf http://www.mymuaythai.com/?p=2948 Songchai Ratanasuban is the largest muay thai promoter in Thailand.  OneSongchai Promotions include but are not limited to the King’s Cup, Queen’s Cup, the weekly fights at MBK, the Thailand vs Challenger series, fights at Rajadamnern Stadium, Lumpinee Stadium, Baan Klang Stadium…the list goes on.  I suspect a number of you have fought under his promotions.

I was fortunate enough to be welcomed by his office in Bangkok.  I want to thank his son Siraphop for interpreting during the interview.

LDF:  What is your opinion of the current state of muay thai in Thailand?

Khun Songchai:  Twenty-two years ago I went overseas, in France, in England….now all over the world, the development of muay thai is good. In the past, muay thai was not a business, but now it is a profession.  Muay thai is growing in many countries overseas now.  In Thailand, muay thai used to be at its peak twenty years ago but now it’s going to its lowest.  Before, two hundred and fifty tourists from Japan would come to see muay thai, every promotion, but now in Japan, they have many muay thai promoters there, so they just watch muay thai in Japan.  They don’t have to come to Thailand now.  So now, muay thai in Thailand doesn’t grow.  It is not the same as it was in the past.

LDF:  How would you like to see it grow?  What changes to be made?

Khun Songchai:  I would like to see Thailand’s government to come support muay thai.  To make international promotions/relationships.   To make it a foreign relationship affair.

LDF:  Like a cultural heritage…?

Khun Songchai:  Yes.

LDF:  Do you think because it’s a predominately working class sport, that it is held back within the country?

Khun Songchai:  Yes.

LDF:  Where do you think the future of muay thai is?

Khun Songchai:  As muay thai grows, I think it will not be Thais fighting with Thais anymore.  The leader of muay thai must have the vision to grow.  Muay thai has to work more internationally, with many countries.

LDF:  I think there is a large misunderstanding, particularly in North America about what muay thai is.  Coming from Canada, it was almost impossible to fight in my province.  Currently there are no fights, even at the amateur level.  Do you have an opinion on why muay thai may not be growing at the same rate in North America as opposed to other parts of the world?

Khun Songchai:  Why does the Canadian government not allow fights even at the amateur level?

LDF:  I believe it’s because they misunderstand what it is.  It’s difficult for Thai trainers to immigrate, to be able to work there.  My opinion too, is that I think in Canada and in the U.S., because MMA is becoming so large…if I can use it … the heart of it is different, so I think there is a misunderstanding of what muay thai is, and that it’s just a brutal sport.  Less of an art and more of a street fight…and unlike the U.S., Canada just doesn’t have a lot of Thai trainers.

If muay thai continues to grow internationally, and the business aspect grows, and there are more opportunities in foreign markets, would it affect what happens in Thailand, in respect to the lighter fighters…I’m asking because, my favourite fighters are around 50 to 52 kg, and it’s very small for a Western market. Do you think that would have an impact in Thailand?  For opportunities for lower weight classes?

Khun Songchai:  Because Thai boxers start training when they are very young, because they start fighting very young, they lose weight.  That is why their weight cannot go up.  When they grow up, they already have had too many fights.  Losing weight. Losing weight.  When they grow up, they don’t grow taller.

LDF:  So you think there would still be opportunities in Thailand…my question is, that, will the money affect opportunity due to size?

Khun Songchai:  Right now most of the audience in Thailand are gamblers.  They like the smaller weight.

LDF:  With muay thai growing internationally, with more business people coming into it, do you think this may affect the integrity and tradition of the art of muay thai…I know there are a lot of people who might want to get rid of the wai kru, and the ram muay to make it more accessible. To make more money.

Khun Songchai:  Twenty-five years ago, when a Thai boxer lost to a Foreigner, Thai people didn’t like it.  They didn’t like me at the time, but now they understand more.  It is the sport.  It’s not necessary for the Thai boxer to win, so I agreed to make muay thai spread all over the world.  It’s okay to change.  I was the pioneer to invite Ramon Dekkers.  Many audiences didn’t like Ramon Dekkers because he beat Thai boxers.  I agree and support foreigner boxers to become good, to be strong, so it can be magnetic.  Masato, in Japan, if he comes to learn muay thai in Thailand, if he becomes champion in Thailand, he will make muay thai in Japan famous.  Same as the King’s Birthday, this is a big event and the best boxers from all over the world come to fight in the promotion.  So I support the foreigners.

More about Laura

I’m a Canadian who decided to quit my job, sell most of what I own, pack a suitcase, and skip continents to pursue a martial art I’m not particularly efficient in. A minimalist. A modern nomad. A kid who just likes having a good time.

My attraction to muay thai is that it’s an art with no wasted motion. It has been the greatest vehicle for my continual education. It’s incredibly challenging to me – both the physical and the mental game. The latter probably more so than the former.

Currently I’m in Bangkok training muay thai fulltime. The plan is to be here for a few years, but realistically, I have no idea where this path is leading, or what the timeline is. I like change and pushing my comfort zone. A lot. Nevertheless, muay thai will be the constant among the variables.

Be prepared for updates, rambling, video content and anything I’ve learned that I think may of use to you.

This hasn’t been easy, but so far, its been a pretty sick ride.

Event Poster

MUAY THAI IN AMERICA EVENT • April 3rd, 2010 • Santa Monica, California Last Saturday, the Muay Thai in America event took place in Los Angeles, California. The full Muay Thai rules competition was presented by the IMTF and Atma’sphere Entertainment. It was also the launch for a search for contenders in their upcoming reality TV show of the same name, involving  Ajarn Chai Sirisute and legendary martial arts pioneer and Bruce Lee student, Dan Inosanto (here’s an interesting interview with Dan about his Muay Thai experience).  Many thanks to event promoter Don McDaniels and Bryan Dobler for arranging our press passes.

Event Main Room

• THE EVENT • This was by far the best Muay Thai production any of our team had attended in the US.  It was an authentic, exciting and classy tribute to Muay Thai overall, a well-crafted introduction for Americans accustomed to MMA’s harder culture.  The venue was the impressively converted Barker Airport Hangar. Though seating seemed to reach capacity, the well-spaced layout and two giant video screens gave everyone a clear view of the action. To help educate the audience, the show featured informative videos about the sport, including this one demonstrating Muay Thai’s basic techniques:

The show also featured a variety of inspiring Thai martial arts and dance performances.  Organization was exceptional and the organizers were friendly and professional.  A top-notch TV crew filmed the entire event, and each match was preceded by inspiring video interviews of the upcoming nak muay. The matches themselves were accompanied by live Thai musicians, while the ring girls wore fine traditional garments. A lavish VIP area greeted high-rolling guests with elegant Thai art, furniture and textiles.  The lounge’s exit was through a waterfall of mist onto which  the event’s promo video was continuously projected. The fighters were well-treated, the fans were enthusiastic and the overall mood was energetic and positive.  The event lasted over 5hrs, which seemed long to some – especially certain fighters who didn’t pack no snacks.