It looks like the Thailand vs. Challenger series decided to go viral and started producing some clips with some alright production quality. For those of you who are new to MuayThai… there are two main stadiums in which fighters strive to become top of the food chain. There is Lumpini and Rajadomnern, this is the later.
I came across this clip the other day… It’s a bit of a misnomer as the vid doesn’t actually tell you how to gamble. I’ve spent some time with Rob Cox trying to decode some of the gamblers sign language. I was surprised to find, that we wasn’t fluent in gambler sign language. If you get to the end of the clip Rob makes a guest appearance. I’m not much of a gambler… but I’m curious to learn what the hell all of the waving is about.
Rajadomnern is insane, if and when you get to Thailand, it’s just something you’ve got to go and see. If your there on a big night, you’ll most likely see a lot of famous nak muay’s just hanging out. The first time I ever visited the fighters area was when I accompanied some of the IngramGym fighters. I prefer going to Rajadomnern over Lumpini… I find Lumpini a bit claustrophobic. How about you guys? Anybody ever get in on the action? Lose or make some coin?
November 12, 2010 at 10:03 pm
I like gambling, almost as much as I like fighting. In fighting as in gambling there seems to be a love of fate (amor fati) . Fate and chance seems almost uncontrollable, but the two games do have a strong sense of agency. The gambler makes his wagers, just as the fighter chooses his course of action. Yet the gambler and the fighter are under the sway of forces beyond their control. In gambling you almost have to let go of your wager when it is spent just as in fighting you have to not think too much of the blows landed on you, or the blows you land.
Anyways I’ve done a little betting in thailand. I lost 500 baht to a thai guy in pattaya. I lost the majority of my night’s purse on this rather trim looking french dude who fought a chubby thai guy. Of course the chubby thai guy won teaching me two important lessons; 1) never ever bet on the french, the original farang 2) never ever bet with a thai man.
That said in local bouts I usually like to bet a couple dollars on the fights. It makes it more exciting. A lot of the time I don’t have a personal connection to the fighters and my attention will waver but when money is on the line I’m more likely to identify with a fighter and pay closer attention. His victory or loss is my own.
When I went and saw Chaz Mulkey fight in Primm the bouts were on the sports book. That was rad.
There’s some fights this weekend actually that fairtex is throwing on, I’ll put a wager of $5 on my thug Malia Spanyol, and $10 on my homie Coke if anyone is willing to accept the wagers!!!
matt lucas
November 13, 2010 at 1:02 am
I prefered Raja over Lumpini as well!
November 14, 2010 at 12:40 am
Nice video on gambling at Raja. Correct me if I’m wrong but is that Pak of Rompo Gym in the video? It’s been like 4 years since I was at Rompo Gym only spoke with Pak like once, he was too busy playing Thai Chess or whatever he was playing at the gym. lol.
November 14, 2010 at 3:25 pm
Very cool video, thanks for sharing. I would love to go there someday.
As far as the gambling goes, I would certainly place some trash cash wagers when I was there over an evening just to do it. I can’t believe that people place $30,000 bets there – I would be too afraid that the fix was in.
November 14, 2010 at 6:13 pm
I would rather recommend to go to TV7 sunday afternoon.
Atmosphere for me is better than radja or lumpinee, and it’s free!
Be there at 11.30am, if police ask you for money to get better seat, don’t give anything because you will get a nice seat anyway, falang always enter firsts.
To get there, just ask any Taxi driver, you can also eat on the shops in front before to go in.
About gambling, many gamblers stoped to go to radja because the judging is “strange” sometimes, and gamblers hates that. TV7 is more”normal” judging.
Thats what Thai said to me…
Hope this can help someone.
November 14, 2010 at 7:47 pm
i hate to be the turd in the punchbowl, but i’d like to get the 14 mins of my life i wasted watching that back…
was i the only one who thought that host annoying ? inarticulate, nervous and ill-informed, it was obvious he was more of a fight buff than pro tv person, which is fine,,,but surely they could’ve used a script or at least someone more comfortable in front of the camera ?
” a rare glimpse into the dressing room ” ? hell, if that’s your thing, go across town to lumpini,,,you can order from the drinks stand while the fighters get prepped right next to you…
and stop making the damn gambling such a mystery ! mr. pak was fun, but if they really wanted to explore it, there were no english-speaking thais who wouldn’t get down in the cheap seats or an expat like hellfighter around to clearly explain things ?
and the 600-lb gorilla in the room is still :w/ all the gambling abound, what is the possibilty of (as dan mentioned) there being fixed fights ?
nice to see rob cox though, living the dream :)
November 15, 2010 at 6:42 am
“rare glimpse into the dressing room” ummmm everyone and anyone can go in there from my knowledge. I’ve never been stopped.
@celtic yes i find the host extremely annoying.
November 15, 2010 at 7:47 pm
Hey matt: Know the results of Saturday’s War of Heroes?
November 15, 2010 at 8:12 pm
Celctic… nice visual… I agree the guy does get on my nerves… I was aware of that.
That being said, do like the fact that the Thailand vs. Challenger crew is put some budget around getting muay thai out there.
Mike… true last I checked there wasn’t a door man at locker room!
November 20, 2010 at 4:13 am
@muaythaimex
http://thescienceof8limbs.com/2010/11/18/coke-chunawat-bryan-petro-win-at-woth-8-bryan/
There’s a brief write up on the bout over at the science of 8 limbs. Its not totally accurate. Coke won a split decision against Jose Palacios. The fight was actually pretty entertaining as Coke started off much faster than usual. He took the third to fifth round with Jose taking the first two, although the second was up in the air. Jose’s punching was clean but lacked power however to his credit he dumped Coke a number of times in the clinch, I suppose it was the san shou background. Coke beat up Jose’s lead leg with leg kicks making Jose switch stances in the latter rounds. It turned purple at the end of the fight. I don’t think there’s a need for a rematch as it was clear that the Thai won.
Bryan Petro won his bout with a tko.
Ryan Castille beat out Eric Alignay from FnF in a close and good bout between the two.
TJ Archangel from team usa won by tko over brett something from Cheetah muay thai.
Sadly Malia Spanyol, and Germaine didn’t fight.
The fights were surprisingly good and the show went smoothly. I won a raffle but was too busy getting french fries to claim my prize: a fairtex t-shirt. Bummer!?
matt lucas