What are the "old rules" and "old scoring system"?

One thing i've heard a few times in discussions with fans, usually with some degree of nostalgia, is that the Muay Thai of the golden age of the 80's and 90's has some stylistic differences with modern Muay Thai due to a number of changes to the rules and scoring system either during or just after the 90's, does anyone know anything about the changes and why they were made? (if they were even made at all?)

 

They don't use hemp wraps dipped in resin and broken glass anymore.

 

Omission of the plow--grabbing the leg and running the guy into the ropes then countering hard with a knee or throwing him through or over the ropes. But it seems grabbing the leg and doing a bunch of things with it were freely allowed. Now you can't run the guy more than a few steps.

 

Yeah, ironically that's actually for the protection of the person who grabbed the leg!

 

Oh, i did not know that, could you explain further?

 

Sorry, double post

 

The rule on ploughing in Muay Thai came into effect to keep the fighters from ending up landing head first on the concrete floor at the stadiums. The apron is already about 3 feet off the ground... then the ropes another 4 feet high... so your looking at a head fist landing from 8 feet or more up. I'm sure there's been more than one serious or possibly even fatal injury from that.

[ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0sgglG-d788"]Den Muangsurin vs. Rainbow Pratalay - YouTube[/ame]

 

Thanks for clearing that up, was the plow the only major rule change though?

 

The bigger rule change would have been direct strikes to the groin. Many fighters built a name on that. Diesel Noi being one of them.

[ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tud9SS_mFFQ"]Most Brutal Knee In Muay Thai By The Legend Dieselnoi Chor Thanasukarn - YouTube[/ame]

 

Nor do they fight in underground fire pits.

 

I've always loved good clinch fighting, but i always though that muay thai mandated steel cups and shorts?

 

Nor do they bleed like Mylee.

 

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I like it.

You should try Tong Po Shots; every time someone says Tong Po's name in the movie, drink a shot. I don't know anyone who made it to the end of the movie before.

 

I assume you mean thai scoring in Thailand ?

The plow was reduced from 3 steps to now 1 step, personally I think this is to keep the action in play, catching a leg and running would cause the opponent to lose balance and fall , it takes little skill to do that, and a less skillful boxer may take the win via plow by simply looking to catch the leg and run, it may even reduce the amount of roundhouse kicks thrown (thaiboxings unique and number 1 move) by reducing the steps to just 1 it forces the boxer to use more skill once he caught it and really determins who has more skill and control.

Main stadiums have reduced the amount of time spent in clinch to make it more viewer friendly

Also 'breaking the back' (bear hug around the low waist and using the head to push on the chest) has been made illegal

 

As someone from a sport where ploughing is a major tactic it's really not that simple and people round kick plenty. What it reduces is lazy kicking and poor footwork.

 

Perhaps I'm wrong but the scoring system in muay thai is based around having more effect over your opponent with Muay Thai techniques, by taking the run forward plow out it forces the boxer use Muay Thai techniques to off balance and score , simply running forward is not showing good use of Muay Thai technique

 

Simply running forwards isn't using any technique and is pretty straightforward to defend against.

 

Which sport is that?

 

Yeah, as far as i know, round kicks above the waist and knees score the highest, where as teeps (which are rarely thrown to the face for a number of reasons), elbows (which are in a similar position to teeps, as most fighters try to avoid getting cut unnecessarily), low kicks and punches are usually scored only if they have visible effects on the opponent, i was also led to believe that the Thai's used a retroactive scoring system, which was to take into account the end of a fight and mitigate people trying to fight for points, but aggression can be a determining factor even if one is being out struck if i recall.