Hey my fellow practitioners, came across information stating that Thailand has banned MMA on the following basis: Ministers said that mixed martial arts is “causing erosion” to the sport of Muay Thai and “damaging the image” of Thailand’s native martial art. While this may be an MMA issue, i feel it is equally important to us in the Muay Thai scene. I feel that MMA is damaging the image of Muay Thai because the tradition, culture and respect isn't prevalent in it. It is not true Muay Thai. So i feel that the decision was made on a fair basis. What is everyone's opinion on this statement? http://www.fightersonlymag.com/cont...Fighters+Onlydlvr_route=Cage+Riot+MMA+Twitter
Hmmmmm....MMA has helped bring Thai into prominence if anything. They are probably right that MMA is causing erosion of Muay Thai in some ways (as it is in many arts), but I think the real motivator here is the old folding green stuff (which as we know is the real bedrock of Thai boxing). I wonder what they think about midget's doing Thai and the comedy exhibition matches in bars?
I agree that MMA has helped bring MT into the light, but at the same time i also feel it is damaging it's image. Hmm, yes, the green stuff lol. That may have been a major factor in this decision, in fact i feel it was. They might as well ban them too haha.
I kind of understand it to be honest. With the rise of popularity of MMA people have mixed views of it, and the martial arts integrated into it. I mean think about a parent looking for something for their child to learn. Would they rather pick Karate, a school focused on discipline, yadda yadda, or Thai Boxing, where all the thugs in cage fighting might have started out. Note than is an observation of how one scenario could play out in the mind of another, the mindset that can be instilled into others through public image and perception of the sport, not my personal opinion of either martial art in it's self (I practice Kickboxing and Muay Thai currently and personally I intend to encourage my daughter to take up Muay Thai when she's old enough). I do however think that image is more of a problem here than in Thailand though.
This one of those rare times when I disagree with you. Muy Thai was quite prominent in the world before MMA. I think their action is terrible. Let the martial artist work this stuff out for themselves, it's not the role of governemnt.
I think MMA is a reality that isn't going away. Thailand can't stop MMA from going on in the rest of the world, and it can't stop MMA from being the easiest way for a muay Thai instructor to make money. All they can do is decide whether or not they want that money in Thailand. I understand that the sport is a national symbol and that the Thai government feels a need to preserve it, but I think this measure is ill-advised and will prove ultimately futile.
Oh sure. But it was never big in America and it was never as "big" as Karate or TKD even where it was relatively popular. Both of those things are changing I think. And I think in part that's to do with MMA becoming popular and Thai gaining more exposure as a style that can give you results.
Perhaps many of the Muy Thai masters in Thailand will immigrate to USA because of this. I don't have any great love for MMA but hey it's one of the few Martial Arts ventures to be profitable these days.
I'd honestly rather watch Muay Thai, Taekwondo, or Judo, than MMA. It really just doesn't appeal to me. I remember when Muay Thai used to be on TV all the time. I stayed up to watch it most nights. UFC? Never gets a sniff from me.
I think it's kind of like Easter Egg dye. TKD is RED, BJJ is Yellow, Boxing is Blue, MT is Purple. Put an egg in each and you will have pretty and distinct eggs. Mix all the dye together and you just get a lot of ugly brown.
This is exactly what I think is going to happen. I think this measure is going to backfire and hurt muay Thai in Thailand far more than it helps.
Except whem MMA is ace. All of those arts can produce absolute stinkers of fights. The best thing about MMA for me is skill of blending (so it doesn't look ugly brown) and the unexpected nature of it (so distinct things can come out of it).
I was just reading this FO article. Its a shame, but possibly not suprising. They wouldnt want to take away one of their (if not) their most popular tourist niche by bringing in another kind of combat sport. All fighters want to go to Thailand and train in MT, its their stable. My coach just came back from Tiger MT and I'm planning to go in next couple of years. (scarily quite busy over next couple of years). However, them stating that it hurts the image of MuayThai I dont think so, itll just take away some revenue.
There is no way a Martial Art can compete with show business... There is too much money flowing into show business. Osu!
Ah well, it's there loss really. With so many top level MT fighters there, they have the potential to do VERY well in the cage, and because they are all strikers, they almost guarantee more "exciting" fights (in terms of entertainment, people love knockouts). They also could have brought their culture to the cage, and it would have been good. Ah well, never mind.
