Thai fighters to enter the MMA fray this May

[webfact]

Thai fighters to enter the MMA fray this May
By James Goyder



BANGKOK: -- Mixed Martial Arts will return to Bangkok in May with “Full Metal Dojo 5: ‘Made in Thailand’” at Live House in JJ Green.

To unearth more local talent, the event will feature three amateur tournaments open only to Thai fighters, according to organizer Jon Nutt, in addition to two professional bouts.

“Full Metal Dojo will continue to put on regular pro MMA events, but we also want to grow the Thai grassroots and make the scene here stronger than an oak tree,” Nutt said. “I believe we could have Thais competing at the highest levels of the sport and on the biggest stages like ONE and the UFC in just a few years.”

As well as entertaining fight fans in Bangkok, Nutt said he is determined to discovering Thai mixed martial artists who can go on to compete internationally, an ambition he believes has a fighting chance given the country’s Muay Thai tradition.

“I plan on making Thai fighters famous on an international level,” he said. “It is widely know that Muay Thai is one of the better martial arts for striking in MMA, and it just happens to be Thailand's national sport which means I have a whole kingdom full of killers to choose from.”

The tournaments at FMD5 will take place during the course of a single night with the winning semifinalists meeting one another in the final. It will be held in three different weight classes: flyweight, featherweight and bantamweight.

There will be some prize money on the line for the tournament winners and the show, which will start at 6pm. For more more details visit Full Metal Dojo.

-- 2015-03-25

[JoePai]

Hope there's no underarm boobies

[apetley]

Definitely up for some ground and pound with those four.

[NickJ]

One of the last Cultural Ministers banned MMA about Three years ago. He said that it took away from Muay Thai....this was in the Bangkok Post.

[Bob12345]

“It is widely know that Muay Thai is one of the better martial arts for striking in MMA, and it just happens to be Thailand's national sport which means I have a whole kingdom full of killers to choose from.”

Unfortunately for Thais the takedown and ground game is much more important these days and Thailand does not have a wrestling or jiu jitsu as national sports like the US and Brasil.

[NickJ]

There are still some fighters that dont want the fight to go to the ground but I agree it will take a few tears to get the standing and ground game united for the Thais....Sad the UFC Is off Truevisions .....I had my neighbors over to watch live with me and rhey enjoy it.

[connda]

“It is widely know that Muay Thai is one of the better martial arts for striking in MMA, and it just happens to be Thailand's national sport which means I have a whole kingdom full of killers to choose from.”

Unfortunately for Thais the takedown and ground game is much more important these days and Thailand does not have a wrestling or jiu jitsu as national sports like the US and Brasil.

Yeah, MT is great for striking, but the MT boyz are going to have to seriously start working on their grappling skills if they plan to compete internationally. Ground, pound, and submission - that ain't Muay Thai. There are some good fighters here, but they're going to have work on their grappling skills outside of Thailand imho. Take some young Thai fighters who are talented and trained in both Muay Thai and Brazilian Jujitsu: that might make for some very interesting MMA action!

Edited March 25, 2015 by connda

[BestBitterPhuket]

It is widely know that Muay Thai is one of the better martial arts for striking in MMA, and it just happens to be Thailand's national sport which means I have a whole kingdom full of killers to choose from.

Unfortunately for Thais the takedown and ground game is much more important these days and Thailand does not have a wrestling or jiu jitsu as national sports like the US and Brasil.

Not necessarily. With proper footwork and takedown defense, you can go very far. The problem with traditional Muay Thai is the footwork. You can't stand on your back foot bouncing the front foot when facing a good grappler. Footwork from boxing or karate is much more suitable for MMA strikers. However there is a lot of talent here, if they can switch from Muay Thai to MMA early enough. Edited March 26, 2015 by BestBitterPhuket

[maidee]

muay thai ... you see them kick & punch hundred times, i mean those light weight fighers (anything more substential)

so those kicks & punches might hurt, but nothing compare to real MMA FIGHTERS

i guess it is more for show

[HLover]

Good point. Also the mma gloves are significantly smaller than the Muay Thai gloves. So, the numerous consecutive punches will not happen in the same numbers as MT or boxing.

As far as getting by on foot work and take down defense; past MT fighters (Dekkers) struggled with MMA.

Wish this good luck for an additional sport to view.

Edited May 9, 2015 by HLover

[Craig krup]

For American college wrestlers and judo players - and a lot of the MMA fighters are of course former wrestlers - getting down to fighting weight was a big deal. You absolutely had to sneak into the lightest weight category possible consistent with being strong, which meant being very lean. In Muay Thai if you're as tough as hell and you have great technique you can probably survive blows and then incapacitate your opponent, but if someone the same weight as you but with 10lb more muscle gets you on the ground you'll probably have to give up or they'll break your arm.