Muay Thai in MMA

Son of Siam owner Nathan Fitch chimes in on the importance of Muay Thai in MMA

Muay Thai is one of the toughest sports on the planet! The conditioning and fitness that is involved in becoming a true elitist in the ring takes many years of dedication to accomplish. Even some who reach the pinnacle of the sport will fall short of ever attaining championship status. Thai fighters have a work ethic that is second to none and is the blueprint for many aspiring fighters.

Pro fighters have only a few choices when it comes to choosing a stand up art to take with them inside the cage. Muay Thai seems to be the discipline of choice when it comes to rounding out competitors’ striking arsenal.

The influence of Thai Boxing is undeniable when you watch the sport of Mixed Martial Arts. Few fighters have a true Muay Thai style that they take to the cage due to its upright fighting posture. It is usually more of a blend between Muay Thai and western boxing, which some people would consider to be a Dutch style of Muay Thai or more in the realm of a K-1 style. This altered style is a necessity in MMA where the fight does not have to stay on the feet. Thai fighters can commit to the area of kicking much more without the fear of the takedown.

Every fighter only has so much time to train when it comes to preparing for the cage. Being efficient with your training time is as important as any part of your training regimen. Dividing your time into the primary aspects of Muay Thai is crucial when taking on the task of comprehending this devastating art.

The kick is probably the most noted strike of Muay Thai. Learning the proper mechanics of the kick is an integral part of the system. The method is different from most other kicking arts due to the fact that the shin is the primary striking surface thrown with a heavy hip turning motion as opposed to the snapping kick of other arts with the striking surface being the foot. The primary kicks used in Muay Thai are the rear round kick, lead leg switch kick, and both front and rear push kicks. Take into consideration that all four of these kicks will now need to be done at various levels being the head, body, and legs. It’s not as easy as just changing the target when performing a kick. Movement, balance, and angle must all be changed in order to effectively change the target area. Then you need to work on distance, timing, and speed. All of these variables makes the kicking alone a very dynamic and well respected skill of the Thai boxer.

The knees of Muay Thai are as important as any when we talk about striking. The knee can quickly dismantle a tough opponent when wielded by an experienced Thai fighter. While mostly thrown from inside the clinch by MMA fighters, Thai fighters are exceptional at using knees from close range as well as inside the clinch. MMA fighters have learned to use knees in unconventional positions, such as in a body clinch against the cage and targeting the legs. Another adaptation would be the use of knees on the ground to the body. Knees can be directed at a multitude of targets as with the kick. When coupled with the clinch, knees are a force to be reckoned with.

Buy MMA apparel & clothing featuring bold, unique styles from Intimidation Clothing!

These leg techniques, while known to most, are probably the most misused weapons of Muay Thai by MMA fighters. The angle that they are thrown is as important as the distancing. More low blows are seen in a single night of MMA fights as any Thai fighter will see in his entire career. Carelessness and lack of skill may be the primary culprits for the number of times this foul is seen.

The elbow of Muay Thai can be brutal. While it has been known to knock out the occasional fighter, it has become more known as the razor blade of the fight world. The bloodiest fights ever seen have more often than not been caused by the glancing blow of this sharp weapon. The range of this strike will have only the most proficient of strikers using it, or of course the grappler who loves to inflict heavy damage on the ground rather than seek out a submission. Once again we see a device that has many angles of attack and is as multidimensional as any, especially when used in conjunction with powerful punching combinations.

Punches in Muay Thai are the least scoring of all its techniques. This is due to the fact that the boxing glove on the hands is considered to be the least effective. In the opinion of a Thai boxing judge, it is the weakest of all strikes due to it being the only padded weapon. This, however, does not translate as directly to the MMA practitioner. The four-ounce gloves have quite a different effect than that of a 10 ounce boxing glove in terms of offense as well as defensive applications. Muay Thai uses all the same punches as a boxer, but since the emphasis is on the other unpadded weapons, punches are not as heavily weighted in scoring. Therefore, MMA fighters may have a different approach to throwing punches than that of a Thai boxer since the strategies are not necessarily the same. Punching is the easiest transition for fighters in MMA to pick up due to the fact that most have already used punches prior to ever considering Muay Thai.

The Muay Thai clinch is the last of the skill set to address. Becoming a proficient clinch fighter is not as easy as translating a hook grip of wrestling applied to the neck of your opponent. In fact, they couldn’t be more different. A Thai fighter would invite you to lower your stance and head while clinching to meet a knee up close and personal. A fighter with an excellent clinch can have a seasoned pro feeling weak and claustrophobic while unable to move or defend. Placement of the hands is crucial to the effectiveness. Luckily for MMA fighters, the small gloves once again help in the application due to them being able to slide through smaller gaps. Pressure from the hands on the head and forearm position are major components to making an opponent feel helpless. Once a good clinch is established, you can effectively steer your opponent to his own destruction.

Muay Thai is a dynamic striking art that all MMA practitioners should hope to learn. Using all that Thai boxing has to offer will propel any fighter’s skills to another level. Fighters who are serious about their careers in MMA will more than likely seek out a reputable Muay Thai coach at some point in their training. Even fighters who specialize in grappling and don’t think they will be able to effectively use Muay Thai as a primary aspect of their fighting game plan will still need to know what they will be up against when it comes time to face a competent striker in the cage. Taking the time to learn the finer points of this tough sport will not only leave you with a sense of accomplishment, but it will also have you entering the cage a more confident and capable fighter.

By Nathan Fitch
ProFighting-fans.com MMA Guest Writer

Nathan Fitch is the owner/operator of Son of Siam in Northern Kentucky. For more about Nathan and Son of Siam please visit www.sonofsiam.com

View Nathan Fitch's previous articles for ProFighting-fans.com:

• 01/27/10: Respect in Martial Arts