The ancient art of muay Thai is enjoying a recent global surge in interest, thanks in part to the sport being featured in ONE Championship.
The sport is one of four disciplines that the Singapore-based promotion regularly showcases. In fact, the organization returns to the mecca of muay Thai – Lumpinee Boxing Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand – this Friday, June 9, for ONE Fight Night 11, which will broadcast live in U.S. primetime on Amazon’s Prime Video.
That night, “the art of eight limbs” will take the main event slot, as ONE lightweight muay Thai world champion Regian Eersel puts his belt on the line against Russian challenger Dmitry Menshikov.
Wind the clock back just five years, and it would’ve been unrealistic to think that a muay Thai bout would be the headline act for a global promotion. But ONE has made immense strides to give the sport its dues, and here, we look at how the martial art has become more recognized.
An ancient sport reimagined
ONE dipped its toe into the muay Thai world for the first time in January 2018 – but with a different attitude.
At “ONE: Global Superheroes,” Thai legend Sam-A Gaiyanghadao and rising Italian star Joseph Lasiri strapped on the four-ounce MMA gloves for a three-round muay Thai contest in the ONE circle.
Muay Thai bouts are traditionally contested in eight-ounce boxing gloves over five rounds in a ring, so this was a significant departure from the norm.
The promotion had predominantly held MMA contests up to that point, but the reimagined form of muay Thai was well received by fans. Simply put, muay Thai fights in MMA gloves became a smashing success.
Since then, ONE has helped the sport go from an ancient form of hand-to-hand combat utilized by Siamese soldiers to a global juggernaut that is now appreciated around the world.
A global platform and big stars
ONE took the Asian market by storm after its formation in 2011, and with chairman and CEO Chatri Sityodtong at the helm, the promotion has risen to become a global phenomenon.
Muay Thai bouts regularly headline ONE’s fight cards, and some of the sports mainstays, like Rodtang Jitmuangnon, Superlek Kiatmoo9 and Stamp Fairtex, have risen to international superstardom as a result.
The sport is beamed live to more than 179 countries weekly as part of the ONE Friday Fight series at Lumpinee, helping muay Thai reach a new level of popularity outside its heartland.
With the worldwide audience has come bigger fight purses for its athletes too, not to mention lucrative sponsorship opportunities and seminar tours in the West.
Ensuring the future
With muay Thai fighters rising to worldwide fame in ONE, the next generation of talented practitioners have realized that their passion can lead to a career and a better life.
This has led to the emergence of a swathe of incredible young talents in the organization.
Athletes such as ONE featherweight muay Thai world champion Tawanchai PK.Saenchai and 21-year-old phenom Petjeeja “The Queen” Lukjaoporongtom regularly light up the global stage, which has ensured that muay Thai will live on for years to come in the promotion.
Sityodtong has doubled down on this bright future, too. The lifelong muay Thai practitioner recently pledged 10 million baht – approximately $300,000 USD – to go toward the development of grassroots muay Thai gyms across Thailand and assist the next generation of athletes and coaches.
