Hello Everyone,

I'm going to present this article titled Muay Thai The Belt is in the Ring. It's an old article written by a Thai detailing history and culture of Muay Thai and most importantly why it's so effective and efficient.
To all Kung Fu San Soo guys who are so naive to think San Soo "fighters" fought Muay Thai fighters and to the San Soo "fighters" who think they have the skills to go against a striking style recommended on this blog then I got news for you which is this...you are idiots and you will learn the hard way if you should come across a person that studies a fighting style recommended on this blog!"

Muay Thai or Thai Boxing is a self-defense technique that was developed and tested in battle by the ancient warriors of Thailand. Today, the Thai military as well as the U.S. SEAL teams and members of the CIA continue to use its effective striking techniques. In addition, it is also the National Sport of Thailand. There are four major components to Thai Boxing: (1) Punches, (2) Knees, (3) Elbows, and (4) Kicks. Thai boxers do not earn belt colors typical of Karate and Tae Kwon Do schools. Instead, Muay Thai practitioners test their skills in the ring. In fact, the only belts Thai boxers are concerned with are the Lumphini Stadium and the Ratchadamnoen Stadium Championship belts. Most Thai males will at one time or another acquire the skills of Muay Thai. My father gave me my first Muay Thai training, which he learned in the Royal Thai Army. Most professional fighters begin their careers as early as six or seven years of age, and will fight in major stadiums early in their teens. This intensive training have allowed Thai boxers to dominate the world in full contact bouts. Holland is a close second. The skills of Thai Boxing is also superior to other striking systems. Only grapplers who practice Brazilian Jiu-Jit-Su andVale Tudo stylists (who combine Muay Thai techniques with grappling) have been more successful in individual confrontations. Indeed, combining Muay Thai with grappling and weapon systems have given me a defense system that is simple enough to work in most modern situations. Remember that before devoting precious time to incorporate an art, one must ask oneself: "Is that particular art effective for the average size individual?" It is too often that we see gigantic men perform successfully in confrontations, but when the average size individual tries to apply the same techniques, it simply doesn't work! I like both Muay Thai and Brazilian Jiu-Jit-Su because a small person can learn to apply it effectively in a short period of time. Not all of us have 30 years to learn how to protect ourselves.
Muay Thai did not develop a ground grappling component because it was developed in the ancient battle fields where there were multiple assailants, who were very adept in the art of sword fighting. With swords, spears, sticks, and hard strikes flying from a multitude of directions, the ground was the last place that you'd want to end up. Strikes and slashes had to be quick, hard, and decisive. In such conditions, Muay Thai was used with Krabi-Krabong - a very fast Thai weapon system. Muay Thai then became a ring sport before grappling components could be perfected. As a striking art, most people who have fought against Muay Thai boxers have converted to the system. This is testimonial to it's effectiveness. As a good example, an American Kickboxer by the name of Peter "Sugarfoot" Cunningham, who trained with Benny "The Jet" Urquidez in Full-Contact Karate, turned around and became one of the most avid promoters of Muay Thai. Click here to see the article he co-authored with Fredia Gibbs about the street applications of Muay Thai. Most critics of the system have never been in the ring against a Thai boxer. Powerful strikes may not look as impressive as flying kicks to observers. However, if you get kicked, kneed, or elbowed by a Thai boxer, you will respect the art!
How does Muay Thai differ from other forms of kickboxing? For one, there is an effective use of knees and elbows. These arsenals are the objects of fear for other kickboxers around the world. Matter-of-fact, famous fighters like Benny "The Jet" Urquidez have totally avoided any confrontation with a Thai Boxer in Bangkok under the rules which would permit the use of knees and elbows. He knows that he would not have a chance. It has nothing to do with the Thai Race. The Dutch fighter Ramon Dekker have beaten many Thai Champions in bouts with knees and elbows. And even when he loses, he continues to fight according to Thai rules. He deserves much more respect than "The Jet". However, due to the physical stature of Thai fighters, good fighters are rarely over 150 pounds. This is the reason why the Heavyweight Champions have not been Thai. Not surprisingly, the Dutch have also been successful at the higher weight class.
Another major difference between Muay Thai and other kickboxing styles is the Thai Roundhouse kick. It is a rear leg kick, drawing power from the hips, and striking it's target with the shins. Conditioning the shins is no fun task, but once the nerves have been conditioned for impact, the shins can be used like a club. You have to experience it to realize the power and the superiority of the Thai kicks to the roundhouse kicks of other systems, which are usually frontal-leg snaps with the instep employed as the striking surface. The Thai kick is so effective that it is the only kick really used by Thai boxers in full-contact bouts. Watching two experienced Thai boxers fight may not seem like much, because they are so adept at defending against each other's tactics. However, what looks like a simple knee clinch requires a high level of skills. Karate fighters who first observed Thai Boxing matches thought that they would have a chance at beating a Thai Boxer. On Tuesday, September 6, 1977 at Lumphini Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand, Karate fighters representing Japan, South Korea, USA, and Europe had their opportunity. They were completely annihilated by the Thai fighters. Matches afterwards drew similar results. This is why by the time Muay Thai arrived in the USA, knees and elbows were outlawed. Yet, the Thai kicks alone have sent many fighters like Rick Roufus to the hospital on a stretcher. Had knees and elbows been permitted in that fight, Roufus would have been beaten even more severely.
Earlier in 1974, kung fu stylists from Hong Kong were all knocked out in the first round against their Muay Thai opponents in Bangkok. Indeed, Muay Thai have consistently conquered other striking arts. I'm not talking about just one or two matches when I say consistent! Here is how the April 1996 issue of Inside Kung-Fu magazine described another historical match in the United States between a Muay Thai Boxer and a Western Boxer: "The crowd was silent; it could not believe what it had just witnessed. The small arena was packed with fight fans and the curious. They had come to see their boxing champion destroy the challenger, some guy from Thailand. They expected a slaughter. Where the heck is Thailand, said someone. These guys don't know how to fight, said another. But bone-crusher Murphy, all 185 pounds of him, lay face up on the canvas. His opponent walked triumphantly to his corner without glancing back. Twenty-two-year-old Sow from Chiang Mai, Thailand, had knocked out Murphy with a left hook to the jaw 30 seconds into the first round despite a 30-pound weight disadvantage." Indeed what the Muay Thai stylist did was bombard the Western Boxer with so many weapons from all limbs, that the boxer had to go on the defensive from the pain and opened himself up for a punch - an arsenal that he was supposed to be more effective with. It's funny how people later tried to fight against Muay Thai by limiting the use of knees and elbows. Makes me wonder whether they were more concerned with beating Muay Thai or someone of Thai ethnicity. If you want to fight against Muay Thai, then Muay Thai is an art that employs knees and elbows. Otherwise, it's not really Muay Thai! Full-Contact Karate and Western Boxing stylists are not prevented from using their techniques during their match against Muay Thai boxers. Old pictures from the classic confrontation at Lumphini are shown below.

After the effectiveness of Muay Thai became apparent, the art fell under the ugly propaganda of other nations. This propaganda was led by Japan at the time. After their full-contact karate fighters were beaten, Japan hired several Muay Thai instructors to train their fighters in the art. At the time, Thailand was not even well-known as a country. Furthermore, it was not a global power in terms of being able to advertise its art. This gave the Japanese incentives to learn Muay Thai, and rename it "kickboxing" to make the world think that it was their art. This caused many people to group Thai fighters and Japanese fighters together as Eastern or Oriental fighters. Many full-contact karate fighters who feared fighting in Thailand began to fight in Japan. Several have had success in Japan, which led them to generalize the claim that they have beaten Eastern fighters. Of course Japan is not Thailand, and for full-contact karate fighters to claim world kickboxing championship without fighting Thai fighters consistently is as ludicrous as claiming world championship in basketball without playing against an NBA team. Fighters like Benny "The Jet" who claim to have beaten Muay Thai fighters have fought with only one or two fighters of Thai ethnicity, who were not even Lumphini Stadium Champions; nevertheless, "The Jet" still acknowledges that it was his toughest fight. You don't know what tough is until you fight in Bangkok. Furthermore, "The Jet" fought under watered-down kickboxing rules, which was really not Muay Thai. When challenged by a real Thai Champion, such as "Golden Leg" Pudpad Noy Worawoot, "The Jet" backed down. You know you did, because my father and his friends tried to promote that fight. Yet, "The Jet" claims to be the world's best kickboxer. Now we come back to the word "kickboxing". If kickboxing is the combination of at least punching and kicking, then Thailand has more historical proofs than any other country that kickboxing was fought in the rings of Thailand long before it was practiced anywhere else. I've included two very old pictures here. Moreover, kickboxing is not a combination of karate and boxing. Many kickboxers today have adopted the Thai roundhouse kick, but still say that kickboxing is a combination of boxing and karate. I'm telling you that the Thai roundhouse kick is not a karate arsenal! Give credit to Muay Thai!Today, most people know that the true origin of the most effective form of kickboxing is indeed Thailand. The name "Muay Thai" is now used internationally in place of "kickboxing". This is due to the acceptance of the true art by many European countries (most notably, Holland and France), and by a few Thai and American enthusiasts who have effectively promoted Muay Thai. So why all this complaining by me? Because sites like the World Kickboxing Associationstill refers to people who know that kickboxing originated in Thailand as laymen. If you people at WKA want to discuss the separate origin of Full-Contact Karate or American Kickboxing, that would be fine. However, don't confound the issue by saying that kickboxing, in general, did not originate in Thailand. Where the heck are you guys getting your sources or reasoning abilities? Muay Thai has always been the National Sport of Thailand! It's simplicity is so effective that the modern form have changed very little from the traditional form. To you WKA folks, I think most people are too intelligent to fall for your propaganda. And we don't appreciate being called laymen just because we know the truth! When you talk about kickboxing, the world does not see it solely as a sport that originated from American Kickboxing. Matter-of-fact, there are way too many countries practicing the Thai form of kickboxing that your assertion - that kickboxing did not originate in Thailand - is way too simplistic. I am not denying the fact that America also developed it's own kickboxing style in the form of full-contact karate, but it is YOU who stated that kickboxing, in general, did not originate in Thailand! You are an organization that is supposed to represent the entire world in kickboxing. So why ignore Thai Kickboxing in the justification of the very first line of your statement?Furthermore, don't group Thai fighters with Japanese fighters as if they were one. It is Thailand that developed knees, elbows, and the shin kick, NOT the Japanese. And, success in Japan does not mean success in Thailand! I'm sure fighters who have fought in both places will attest to that! It also puzzles me why the WKA would separate divisions according to Full-Contact Karate, Kickboxing, and Muay Thai, but attribute the origin of modern kickboxing solely to the birth of full-contact karate. What they should have done was discuss the origin of full-contact karate, the origin of Muay Thai, and admit that kickboxing (as they classify it) is just a watered-down version of Muay Thai. Again, I still cannot believe how many kickboxers use the Thai roundhouse kicks, and still claim that the art they practice has it's roots in karate, without a single reference to Muay Thai!Go to the WKA site and e-mail your dissatisfaction with their misleading information. I have contacted them, but they have refused to answer. But it shouldn't surprise me, since the organization was founded by those who feared fighting in Bangkok when they were younger. Why else would they all have a lot of experience fighting in Japan, and zero experience fighting in Bangkok (when Thai fighters demand much less pay than the Japanese fighters)? Am I being too harsh? One man's criticism is never as harsh as the misrepresentation promoted by a global organization!
Finally, let me say that although I am extremely displeased by the WKA's coverage of the history of kickboxing, I am in no way criticizing the skills of many fine modern Muay Thai boxers who are currently fighting WKA tournaments. I have several favorite Muay Thai fighters who are associated with the WKA. I just hope that when you put on those Muay Thai shorts and throw the Thai roundhouse kick, you will at least acknowledge where your skills really came from. For example, Maurice Smith throws more Thai kicks than any of the WKA Heavyweights; yet, people call his art kickboxing. I guarantee you that the skills of Maurice Smith is more like Muay Thai than any other form of fighting! I also believe that before any of the lighter-weight class fighters from the WKA can claim World Championship, they should definitely have to go through Lumphini Stadium more than just once or twice. In the heavier weight class, K-1 is a tournament that offers some of the most exciting match-ups in Muay Thai. But even in K-1, its Japanese promoters have never mentioned one word about Muay Thai. Just click and see for yourself.Any experienced fighter watching K-1knows that these fighters are using Muay Thai exclusively. I have no idea why the truth is so hard to come by.
We've been talking about styles and techniques here. In the ring, techniques will often dictate the outcome of the fight because two fighters are usually equal in terms of weight, size, and conditioning. In contrast, street matches are often determined by technique + size + agility + endurance + match of styles given the previous four variables. What I mean bymatch of styles is how well a certain style can be applied given the opponent's size, agility, endurance, and style relative to those of your own. If a very large opponent is very difficult to take down with grappling, then low Muay Thai kicks may be more applicable. This was apparent in the Marco Ruas vs. Paul Varelans match in Ultimate Fighting Championship VII. In that match, Marco Ruas had a good match of stylesbetween his Muay Thai techniques and a large fighter like Paul Varelans who was not a good grappler, but difficult to take down. In contrast, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu stylist Joe Moriera did not have a goodmatch of styles with Varelans in UFC VIII because although Moriera is great on the ground, Varelans was so big relative to him that a successful take-down could not be executed. In conclusion, you better be prepared for all types of fighters. And if the situation becomes too dangerous, then you should either learn to talk it out or use a weapon correctly.

Questions or Comments?

JimmyHWoo2016@gmail.com

Recommended Fighting Styles:

Muay Thai, Muay Lao, Pradal Serey, Lethwei, Tomoi

Sanda (San Shou, San Da), Kyuk Too Ki, Shoot Boxing, Yaw Yan

Dutch Kickboxing, Savate, Western Boxing

Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Wrestling, Sambo, Pankration, Judo, Shuai Jiao, Kali/Arnis/Escrima