Question as Thailand has banned MMA events from happening in the Kingdom. Do you think its because of the violence like they say or because it might take away from Thai boxing events and fighters might go to MMA rather than the traditional Thai Boxing?

http://www.mixedmartialarts.com/news/394153/Thailand-bans-MMA/

I didn't know it had been banned. Seems strange as they do have quite a few MMA training gyms here.

Anyway, probably due to a combination of all of the reasons you mention above.

I didn't know it had been banned. Seems strange as they do have quite a few MMA training gyms here.

Anyway, probably due to a combination of all of the reasons you mention above.

I find it a bit odd. They sould say it will take away from the national sport. As for the violence thing I have seen some very sick Thai Boxing matches where the guy comes out looking like Hamburger. I think any combat sport is = for that.

It isn't banned.

There was an MMA event last week in Koh Samui....

If it is ever banned, it will have done as a protectionist measure on behalf of the national sport. Thailand isn't a wrestling country, so its fighters would have a lot of ground to make up in order to be competitive. No doubt the preferred path is to stick with what they do best, and are most famous for.

Banned do to violence -- no truth to this, would only be said to save face.

It isn't banned.

There was an MMA event last week in Koh Samui....

Wow this I didn't know. Quite a few major promoters have been turned down. I hope you are right and it was not just an under the table thing to keep the police away while they held the event.

The government is now supporting DARE Fight Sports. Thailands first & largest MMA event.

From the Phuket News:

DFS Founder Jussi Saloranta said, “We are delighted to have received official support from the Sport promotion arm of the Ministry of Tourism & Sports. This is the most remarkable development step for Mixed Martial Arts in Thailand since June 2011 when Dare Fight Sports, Thailand's only Professional MMA organization launched its Million Dollar Tournament, DARE.”

Since it's launch, Dare Fight Sports rapidly grew to become one of the leading MMA organizations in Asia, hosting four successful MMA events in Bangkok, Thailand the Original Fight Capital of the world.

DARE returns to Bangkok this October 12 with its next event “Rebels of MMA” in Club Insanity on Sukhumvit Soi 12 with seven heavily anticipated bouts, headlined by IRON FIST VS THE JOE RAY.


MMA was never banned in Thailand, the sports authority of Thailand just issued a statement saying that they wouldn't support it or recognize it as a sport, so difficult for insurance that kind of thing. This got misconstrued and it was reported that it was banned, but that was never the case!

Edited September 19, 201312 yr by Tingnongnoi

Cool, should be interesting. I've heard MMA is more popular in other SE Asian nations

I have never heard of a ban. There is a famous gym in Phuket that trains lots of big names in the UFC. It would be stupid and myopic of them to ban it (although that kind of stuff happens a lot here). MMA won't threaten muay thai. A lot of MMA fighters depend on muay thai expertise. A ban would be bad news for everyone.

To be honest I doubt its for the violence. I have seen more bloody fights from muay thai than of any MMA fight. but I somehow now after understand why they banned it. Muay Thai is growing as a sport and a type of brand of Thailand, Culture, History. In Northern Europe all the younger guys want to train MMA now. I hardly know anybody who trains Karate, Taekwondo, Wrestling, Kung-<deleted> or Judo anymore. Soon one day in the Olympics. A good Question is how Cambodia, Laos(Not sure about Burma) will take it. because if you travel to their countries and say: I want to train Muay thai they will probably tell you out of pride: So you want to train Khmer Boxing?Muay Lao?The Regions history is very old and back in the days Muay Thai was a martial art practiced in the region,The Word: Muay Thai comes from the Sanskrit bahu-yuddha meaning unarmed combat)

I think it dates back to the time when it really was vale tudo . the good days of R. Gracie winning and a 70 kg boxer beating up a sumo wrestler etc.

now adays its got a lot more rules so is accepted

BTW guys any good MMA gym or BJJ Grappling in Thailand?I will be working hard so I do not have time to do it fully, but once a week drop in for some wrestling/grappling/sparring exchanging experience in BKK or Chon buri?

It isn't banned.

There was an MMA event last week in Koh Samui....

Wow this I didn't know. Quite a few major promoters have been turned down. I hope you are right and it was not just an under the table thing to keep the police away while they held the event.

I hope is not band I kinda looked forward to see Thai fighters competing in the UFC in a close future.

Edited October 24, 201312 yr by Mangosteen1