Muay Thai is definitely one of the essential skill sets for any mixed martial arts fighter, but it's an ancient and respected martial art on its own with roots that go back several centuries in Thailand where it was both a sport and part of military training. Muay Thai is a highly versatile style of fighting that incorporates the use of the arms and legs; in fact there are eight contact points - the feet, the fists, the elbows and the knees. Throughout the years, there have been many prominent practitioners of Muay Thai, and here are just a few of the best ones.
No article about Muay Thai's greatest figures would be complete without mentioning Nai Khanomtom. He was taken prisoner when the Burmese attacked Siam in the latter part of the 18th century. During an exhibition of Burmese boxing, the Burmese king selected Khanomtom to come out and test his skills against the best of the Burmese fighters. Khanomtom began with a traditional Siamese Wai Kru dance, which stunned the crowd and apparently his opponent, as this top Burmese fighter quickly was defeated by Khanomtom. The king believed that Khanomtom used his magical dance to distract the Burmese fighter so he ordered Khanomtom to fight about 10 more Burmese boxers. After Khanomtom quickly defeated all of them, the king granted him freedom and even offered him a few wives as a reward. Today this feat is celebrated on March 17 as part of Boxer's Day.
Fast forward a century or so and you have the career of Apidej Sit-Hirun to consider. Sit-Hirun is perhaps the most powerful Muay Thai kicker in modern times. If you are a disbeliever, simply ask Sompong Charoenmuang. During a memorable bout, Sit-Hirun broke both of Charoenmuang's arms, forcing him to retire. In addition to that, Sit-Hirun was perhaps the most prominent Muay Thai fighter of the 1960s and was also a highly respected instructor of the sport. The reigning king of Thailand called Sit-Hirun the "Fighter of the Century," and you can find highlights of some of his bouts online.
In Thailand, winning a bout at the Lumpinee Boxing Stadium is like winning a gold medal, the UFC heavyweight championship and about five other championships all rolled into one. This stadium is absolutely the symbol of the sport of Muay Thai, and to win here once is a huge accomplishment. Of course, if you are Samart Payakaroon, winning once wasn't enough. He was the champion at Lumpinee Stadium in not one, but four different weight classes. Overall, his career included 150 professional bouts, and only 19 of these were losses. Oh, he's also a famous singer in Thailand and an actor with more than a half-dozen movies to his credit.
If Lumpinee is Madison Square Garden, the Rajadamnern Stadium is its twin brother. A win at either of these prominent Muay Thai stadiums is akin to winning a major bout in the UFC. Jomhod Kiatadisak has won at both of these arenas and in two different weight classes; he's also been crowned victor 14 times at the WBC Muay Thai Championships. With more than 300 fights in all, Kiatadisak the "King of the Ring," has lost only 24 of them, which is impressive all by itself.
While Thailand has produced many amazing fighters in the world of Muay Thai, the world of mixed martial arts also has quite a few fighters that are well skilled in this form of martial art, such as Wanderlei Silva and Fabricio Werdum. Cristiane Santos holds a black belt in Muay Thai along with her brown belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. Anderson Silva also has a black belt in Muay Thai, one in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and in Tae Kwon Do and in Judo.
No article about Muay Thai's greatest figures would be complete without mentioning Nai Khanomtom. He was taken prisoner when the Burmese attacked Siam in the latter part of the 18th century. During an exhibition of Burmese boxing, the Burmese king selected Khanomtom to come out and test his skills against the best of the Burmese fighters. Khanomtom began with a traditional Siamese Wai Kru dance, which stunned the crowd and apparently his opponent, as this top Burmese fighter quickly was defeated by Khanomtom. The king believed that Khanomtom used his magical dance to distract the Burmese fighter so he ordered Khanomtom to fight about 10 more Burmese boxers. After Khanomtom quickly defeated all of them, the king granted him freedom and even offered him a few wives as a reward. Today this feat is celebrated on March 17 as part of Boxer's Day.
Fast forward a century or so and you have the career of Apidej Sit-Hirun to consider. Sit-Hirun is perhaps the most powerful Muay Thai kicker in modern times. If you are a disbeliever, simply ask Sompong Charoenmuang. During a memorable bout, Sit-Hirun broke both of Charoenmuang's arms, forcing him to retire. In addition to that, Sit-Hirun was perhaps the most prominent Muay Thai fighter of the 1960s and was also a highly respected instructor of the sport. The reigning king of Thailand called Sit-Hirun the "Fighter of the Century," and you can find highlights of some of his bouts online.
In Thailand, winning a bout at the Lumpinee Boxing Stadium is like winning a gold medal, the UFC heavyweight championship and about five other championships all rolled into one. This stadium is absolutely the symbol of the sport of Muay Thai, and to win here once is a huge accomplishment. Of course, if you are Samart Payakaroon, winning once wasn't enough. He was the champion at Lumpinee Stadium in not one, but four different weight classes. Overall, his career included 150 professional bouts, and only 19 of these were losses. Oh, he's also a famous singer in Thailand and an actor with more than a half-dozen movies to his credit.
If Lumpinee is Madison Square Garden, the Rajadamnern Stadium is its twin brother. A win at either of these prominent Muay Thai stadiums is akin to winning a major bout in the UFC. Jomhod Kiatadisak has won at both of these arenas and in two different weight classes; he's also been crowned victor 14 times at the WBC Muay Thai Championships. With more than 300 fights in all, Kiatadisak the "King of the Ring," has lost only 24 of them, which is impressive all by itself.
While Thailand has produced many amazing fighters in the world of Muay Thai, the world of mixed martial arts also has quite a few fighters that are well skilled in this form of martial art, such as Wanderlei Silva and Fabricio Werdum. Cristiane Santos holds a black belt in Muay Thai along with her brown belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. Anderson Silva also has a black belt in Muay Thai, one in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and in Tae Kwon Do and in Judo.
About the Author:
Rod Bourgoine enjoys writing about MMA benefits. To get additional information about muay thai in San Diego or to discover a San Diego martial arts gym, click here today.
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