This is the first interview that I've seen from Mr. Jaa. It's pretty good. http://chud.com/interviews/1473 BTW, he trains 8 hours a day. The dude is the real deal and seems to have a good head on his shoulders. - Matt
Tony Jaa seems a humble guy. I don't doubt his skill for a second his MA has a perfection about it and i predict great things for this guy.
Nice interview! Thanks for the link... I am really looking forward to the movie. Here's an interesting quote: Will this be the next wave of XMA... adding gymnastics to Muay Thai?
Think flashy wushu and taekwondo, but then with more show, add 1080 degree kicks , backflips and cartwheels etc. Just to make it look "extreme" . If you want to see extreme martial arts just google for it, there's a lot of sites out there with movies. Nice interview btw, nice read.
I think the whole XMA thing could be good for Muay Thai, in the sense that it really brings it into the public's eye. I'm not saying that the acrobatics will improve the art, personally, i find the jumping and flipping pointless. However, like Kung Fu, the acrobatics attracted many people to the art, and let it flourish. The fact that movie's like bloodsport have portrayed MT as a "brutal art," doesn't help. MT is a very well balanced art, and very artistic, believe it or not. Sure, it hurts, but then if it was all about softness, and no conditioning, then it wouldn't be effective. I'd really like to see how this whole movie business will go with MT.
I defintly agrre with you, very well said! Another link if anyones intrested for XMA: www.bilang.com And thanxs for the interveiw! JL
I suppose it would work, but I bet some of the muay thai people on this site would disagree. I hate "extreme" karate and I hate those big extreme karate championships, where really all you're seeing is a bunch of good gymnists who aren't really doing anything in relation to karate.
True. I was just saying, I would like to see Muay Thai getting a bigger status. I know not many people like this approach, since they believe Muay Thai should stay merely a fighting art, not a glamorized art show. And I respect that. However, as a fighter, I just really want the world to recognize Muay Thai, as half of the people in my neighbourhood don't even know what Muay means. It's an awesome art, and I think the world should come to recognize this. I know, acrobatics shouldn't be incorporated in a stand-up art, but still, this is what the world has become. People (the general public) aren't impressed with 10 second KO's, oddly enough, but they seem to like pointless jumping. EDIT: Btw, I too, despise Extreme Karate stuff. But you must admit, it has promoted karate itself throughout the western world.
I read in an magazine yesterday that Ong Bak is being released in the theates in Aus on the 10th of March. Better late than never I spose. Muay thai schools should see quite a boost in interest following its release
so what? I would HATE for muay thi to become anything like xma. tae bo is bad enough. I dont care if muay thai isnt favoured by the public. you use kung fu as an example, why? most kung fu schools are taught by people who are riding on the name and know dick about martial arts. the world has already recognised how good muay thai is with people like buakaw and kaoklai representing it in k-1. In every combat sport it is considered the best stand up art for the ring bar none. the only people who dont recognise that are morons who have probably never even seen a full contact fight, and why would I want them to be interested in muay thai.
Tony Jaa is incredible, have read several interviews-very nice,down to earth guy. Agree with Ikken Hisatsu-if you do not already know about Muay thai,why learn about it from a movie that does not accurately portray it. Can you imagine the reaction of a Muay thai instructor when the idiot shows up at the gym wanting to know when he learns to flip around like a monkey on crack!
