Muay Thai – The most exciting combat sport?

Muay Thai is known as “The Art of Eight Limbs,” and is the national sport of Thailand. Both brutal and beautiful – this martial art combines striking techniques, clinching, and the use of eight limbs for devastating attacks. Although lesser known than kickboxing. Similar… but it has proven to be much more effective. Today we will explore Muay Thai, its origins, and impact to the martial arts world.

Origins of Muay Thai

Like many martial arts, pinning the origin to an exact time is difficult. However, it is widely accepted that the sport originated in the medieval period in Thailand, when conflicts and territorial disputes were just a normal part of life. Not as ancient as the sport of Dambe but still a historical martial art.

Muay Thai held great importance as a crucial skill taught to soldiers for combat and self-defence purposes. Recognised for its effectiveness on the battlefield, the art underwent continuous development and refinement throughout the years. Passed down from one generation to another, the techniques of Muay Thai were preserved and honed through training sessions held in temples, military camps, and local communities.

Shout out to Muay Thai Referees

In this clip from Fightingdad YouTube you see the amazing reflexes from the referee to save the fighter from hitting the canvas following a brutal knockout blow.

Culture

Muay Thai is ingrained in the culture of Thailand similar to the way Lethwei is in Burma (Myanmar) It is not uncommon for children from the age of 6 to begin training within the sport. Often, children and young adults aim to provide for their family through fighting and earn equivalent to only $200-$500 per fight. Which if you look at the risks of the sport it is clear that many people feel they have no other option with the average monthly salary in Thailand ranging between $700 – $1000 per month they feel they can fight against poverty by simply fighting.

Most famous Muay Thai fighters

Buakaw Banchamek

Buakaw is probably the most famous fighter of all time within Muay Thai. He has competed in over 260 Kickboxing/+ Muay Thai competitions and has won multiple world titles, and still fights today. He is considered a national hero within Thailand – He fly’s the flag for the country and does it in a very positive way.

Samart Payakaroon

Samart is known by many as the best fighter of all time within Muay thai. He started training at the age of only 7 years old. He was a four-division Lumpinee Stadium champion and even won the prestigious WBC belt within the Bantamweight division in boxing. He earned the nickname “The Boxing Computer” for his unbelievable technical abilities.

Suphachai Saepong – Saenchai

Has had over 350 Muay thai/+ kickboxing contests. Since 2010 he has fought in 15 different countries over 80 times, he is one of the most active fighters within the whole of combat sports. Muaythaigym Saenchai is known for his incredible agility, technique, and showmanship in the ring and is considered by many to be one of the best of all time. He has won multiple Lumpinee Stadium titles. At 8 years old and after only 1 week of training he made his debut, he won by decision and only earned $1 for winning.

Why is Muay Thai better than kickboxing?

Although some may argue, the general belief is that Muay Thai is more effective than kickboxing, here are a few reasons why.

• Use of elbows and knees: Muay Thai allows the use of elbows and knees, unlike many other kickboxing organisations. In kickboxing, the use of elbows is typically considered an illegal blow, and knee strikes are often limited. The inclusion of elbows and knees in Muay Thai provides additional options for close-range attacks, making it more useful in certain scenarios.
• Clinch work: Muay Thai places a strong emphasis on clinching, which involves grabbing and controlling an opponent’s neck or body. The clinch allows for devastating knee strikes, sweeps, and throws, giving Thai fighters an advantage in close-quarters. Kickboxing, on the other hand, usually focuses more on striking from a distance.
• Brutal style: Often Thai fighters are encouraged to win via KO or TKO and strike to hurt not score points. Western kickboxing does consider this but isn’t the main objective in most competitions.

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