If you have $1,300 and can get to Phuket, Thailand, you can live and train at Tiger Muay Thai & Mixed Martial Arts for a month. You then fight another student in front of a crowd. The match goes for three rounds or until one of you cannot continue. I proposed to my editors to send me there so I could write about the global phenomenon of Thai kickboxing. I also intended to test myself against Tiger’s challenging training.
My lofty goal of discovering a hidden talent didn’t materialize. Instead, I faced physical challenges. I took an interest in martial arts in the late ’80s to defend myself from larger boys. I tried various forms, including taekwondo and wrestling, with limited success. Later, I moved on to Brazilian jiu-jitsu until injuries stopped me.
I resumed Muay Thai training for two reasons. Firstly, bullies and drunks often targeted me. Secondly, and more importantly, I wanted to continue growing and improving rather than declining. Aging might bring vulnerability like childhood; I aim to delay that feeling. My life improved once I gained confidence against potential threats.
Muay Thai offers effective defense. Thailand’s national sport mixes Western boxing punches with kicks, elbows, and knees. It is unique for emphasizing knee and elbow strikes, along with shinbone-kicks that focus on leg attacks. This specialization entrenched Muay Thai’s reputation for toughness and attracted martial arts fans globally.
Tiger Muay Thai was the first on Phuket’s Soi Ta-iad, known as Fitness Street. Resembling a post-apocalyptic Maui, the street has numerous fight and fitness gyms, marijuana dispensaries, and massage clinics. Despite chaotic traffic with pickups and scooters, the street has a reputation for safety due to the concentration of fight trainees. However, accidents are still common.
Tiger’s presence on this unique street underlines its popularity among MMA enthusiasts worldwide.