The Drunk Idiot

So in my last entry, I mentioned that there was a fight at the bar last weekend that I happened to catch on tape. I also mentioned that I was seen filming it and after things calmed down, I was approached by Thai security and believe it or not, they actually tried to confiscate my camera. Well that certainly wasn’t happening but to put them at ease, I told them that I would delete the footage, which I did.

Oftentimes at the gym, I’ll show one of the Thai trainers how to “press the record button” and then I’ll pass them the camera to record my padwork. Judging by how often they pass the camera back to me with the footage nowhere to be seen, it’s pretty safe to say that a lot of the Thai guys here aren’t very familiar with how digital cameras work.

In this case, that unfamiliarity turned out to be a good thing because if they were thinking, they would have asked for the memory card instead of simply requesting that the footage be erased. It took me about an hour or so of searching on Google but I ended up finding a program called Delete Fix Photo which allowed me to recover the deleted footage.

So as for the fight, the first thing I saw was a clearly intoxicated, overweight man wearing what resembled a raincoat sitting on the floor at the bar. Why he was wearing a jacket in Thailand I have no idea and why he was sitting on the floor, I’m not sure about that either but I’m assuming that he tipped over from his chair as a result of being so drunk.

At this point, there was a bit of a crowd starting to gather around and one of the Thai girls tried to help him up. When she did, his reaction was surprising to say the least. Rather than thanking her for her assistance, he remained in his seated position, said “FUCK OFF” and then reached over and struck the girl - who couldn’t have weighed more than 90lbs - with his left hand.

He then made it back up to his feet by his own accord and at this point, security was on the scene. Here’s some footage of the drunk idiot trying to attack some of the girls.

This back and fourth, pushing and shoving went on for quite a while. I’d say that it lasted for about 5-10 minutes - which is way too long. I worked at a nightclub back “home” and if someone were to physically attack one of the female bartenders, they would get thrown out immediately and in all honesty, they’d most likely have their head smacked into the door on the way out.

The Thai’s showed a surprising amount of patience with this guy. I knew what happened next was inevitable on account of how he was acting but I just thought that the Thai’s would get to it sooner. It wasn’t until the guy started swinging at the security guards that he finally got what he deserved.

Here’s the video..

Now I’m not normally one for violence and I think that 90 percent of the time it can be avoided but this is clearly an instance where it was both deserved and necessary. I just don’t understand what the guy was thinking. He’s a guest in the country, he’s alone, he’s fat, he’s old, he clearly can’t defend himself and yet he’s blatantly attacking pretty much everyone in sight, women included.

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BJ Penn vs. Georges St. Pierre (GSP)

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It’s not often that two champions - and top ranked fighters in their respected weight classes - square off against each other. However, that’s exactly what we’re going to see on super bowl weekend when BJ Penn clashes with George St. Pierre (“GSP”). This will be the second meeting between the two fighters. The first clash left George St. Pierre (“GSP”) the victor in a controversial split decision as he spent the night in the hospital while BJ Penn spent the night at a club.

Since their initial meeting at UFC 58, both fighters have vastly improved their skills sets. BJ Penn has been on a reign of violence as he’s disposed of Jens Pulver, Joe Stevenson and most recently, Sean Sherk. Not only has he been victorious, but he’s been so convincing in victory that his opponents have had a look of both frustration and hopelessness in their eyes. Joe Stevenson even broke down and cried in the ring due to the ego blow he sustained at the hands of BJ Penn as seemingly litres of blood poured down his face in a scene that resembled something from a horror film.

Move up a division and you have George St. Pierre (“GSP”) who’s been on a tear of his own. His recent disposal of Jon Fitch - the number 2 ranked welterweight in the world - has left several MMA analysts placing George St. Pierre (“GSP”) atop the pound for pound rankings. Being as young as he is, George St. Pierre (“GSP”) is constantly evolving as a fighter and as he puts it himself, we get to see a “new version” every time he fights. What people find most impressive about George St. Pierre (“GSP”) is his strength, athleticism and most recently, his improved wrestling ability. Having never wrestled as a youth, he has now become perhaps the best wrestler in the organization, let alone the welterweight division.

So How Does This Play Out

After re-watching their last confrontation, you have to give the edge to BJ Penn in the boxing department as he was winning most of the exchanges. With that being said, in terms of overall stand-up ability, it remains somewhat of a mystery as George St. Pierre (“GSP”) has the better Muay Thai. As for Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, BJ Penn once again takes the cake. BJ Penn earned the nickname “the prodigy” as a result of his fast-track to achieving a BJJ black belt. For most people, earning such a ranking can take upwards of a decade but BJ Penn earned his in less than half that time. The threat BJ Penn poses on the mat is completely unique as he’s somewhat of a contortionist as his incredible flexibility allows him to do things that others simply can’t - no matter how often they train. As Joe Rogan puts it, BJ Penn “uses his legs like arms”.

George St. Pierre (“GSP”) recently earned his black belt ranking in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and the timing for doing so couldn’t be better. While BJ Penn may have the edge on the mat, George St. Pierre’s (“GSP”) knowledge of submission defence in combination with his strength and athleticism will likely neutralize the offensive ground attack of BJ Penn. BJ Penn is most threatening when he’s in top position on the ground as he’s able to perform what’s been called a “reverse guard” from the top due to the dexterity in his legs (watch the Stevenson fight). However, considering George St. Pierre’s superior strength and wrestling ability, the likelihood of BJ Penn obtaining that top position is highly unlikely.

The BJ Penn vs. George St. Pierre (“GSP”) showdown is truly an intriguing match up with all the elements to make it a “super fight”. There’s a history between the two combatants, both are currently top ranked fighters, both are champions and most importantly, their skills sets compliment each other very well because as we all know by now - “styles make fights”. I’m personally going with George St. Pierre on this one but that’s just me. He seems to be on the top of his game right now (as does BJ Penn) but most importantly for George St. Pierre, he seems to be in the right place mentally.

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Tiger Muay Thai - BBQ Beatdown

Fight night at Tiger Muay Thai! I love these things. The fights are usually great but what’s even more impressive is that these guys are fighting for the love the sport, nothing more. They’re not getting paid. The only payment they get comes in the form of self pride and of course - some free BBQ! As a matter of fact, one of the fighters had to back out as he got sick and on 20 minutes notice - most likely with a beer in hand - another guy offered to step up and take his spot.

The night started off with a fight between two of the Thai trainers. Last month when two of the trainers - who were obviously friends - fought, they were just sort of goofing around and taking sips of beer in between rounds. This time it looked as though they were a little more serious. Although they were wearing shin guards, they were still kicking with bad intentions. However, they were just body shots. Here’s a video clip ..

This months “BBQ Beat down” (as they call it here at Tiger) featured a 4 man elimination style tournament. The tournament fights were 2 rounds each with the finalists fighting twice in the night (obviously).

Rather than do a post-fight commentary style write up on the fights, I’d rather just throw them up and let you watch for yourself. You know the saying “a picture is worth a thousand words” and a video is worth even more. Cliché I know. Whatever, here are the first 2 fights of the tourney..

Both of the fights were awesome. However, the victors - Jonas and Kristian - were both good friends and they were hesitant to really engage in the final. But who can blame them? I wouldn’t want to fight my best friend in a cage for some BBQ either.

That being said, they still came out and put on a show. It was more playful than anything as the fight - which didn’t last long - resembled a real life, choreographed version of “Never Back Down”. Both fighters were trying to pull off all sorts of wacky jump kicks and whatnot. One of the guys even did a flying summersault as he entered the cage - which was good for some laughs.

There were also few other non-tournament fights on the card. One of which was a classic striker vs. grappler showdown featuring Caden from the states and Brad from New Zealand. It was a good fight, check it out..

The Fight Of The Night

Now, the best for last! My favourite fight of the evening. This fight - had it taken place in a large venue - would have received a standing ovation as it was one of those Rocky style, odds-defying victories. The fight pit Ngoo Ditty - a tiny Thai boxer with about 18 months of BJJ experience - against Richard Dinkins, who trains BJJ amongst some of the greatest in the world in the heart of Brazil.

Richard Dinkins - although the camera angle doesn’t show it very well - towered over Ngoo as he must have had a full 12-inch height advantage. You can tell where this is going. This fight had potential for greatness and a great fight it was.

Overcoming all odds, Ngoo - the tiny Thai boxer - ended up not only beating the much larger Brazilian but he beat him at his own game. He submitted him! He submitted him via an armbar from the mount! As you can tell by the reaction of the crowd, everyone was just as impressed as I was. This guy is going places. First Thai in the UFC? Who knows. I suppose the UFC would first have to get some sort of mega-lightweight division but on second thought, as demonstrated in the fight, he’ll be able to overcome the size differences. Check out the fight!

Political Turmoil In Bangkok!

Regardless of where you live, I’m sure heard the news. It seems to be the top story on all the major media outlets. CNN, MSN - they’re all covering the situation at the Bangkok airport(s). Suvarnabhumi International - which is the 18th largest airport in the world - has been shut down by protestors.

Over three thousand tourists were left stranded at the airport as all incoming and outgoing flights have been cancelled until further notice. To make matters worse, the violence seems to be escalating as gun fights have errupted in the streets of Bangkok and bombs have been set off in the airport leaving several protestors seriously injured.

There have even been reports of a grenade being thrown into the crowd. However, it turned out not to be live. Needless to say, it looks as though a lot of the guests here will be staying a little than expected. Of course, I could think of worse places to be stuck than a training resort in Phuket, Thailand.

Stay Updated Here

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Malaysia Visa Run

Yeah, it was that time again. I really don’t see the purpose of spending 12 hours in a van simply to cross over to a new country, fill out a couple forms, get a new stamp on my passport and re-enter Thailand for another 30,60,90 days (however long the new visa is valid for). The whole concept is frustrating but I ended up getting a new tourist visa so I guess I can’t complain. The 60+30 day visa that I got was worth the sacrifice.

I think I’ve finally figured out how these visa procedures work and if I time things correctly, I should be able to stay in Thailand for as long as I need. I was talking to one of the other guests here over lunch today and he said that he came here last year and decided he wanted to stay longer but they told him he couldn’t and that he had to leave - which was true.

However, the immigration officials didn’t mention the fact that “leaving” only entails crossing the border, paying a visit to a Thai consulate in a bordering country and re-entering Thailand. He ended up going back to Canada. Needless to say, when I told him about his options, he seemed pretty stoked and now he’ll possibly be staying even longer than he initially planned. Thailand really has that effect on people. Visiting Thailand - and southeast Asian in general - can truly be a life changing experience.

So as for Malaysia, the one night I spent in Penang wasn’t long enough to form a solid opinion of the place. The Penang residents for the most part spoke better English than the Thai’s. Of course, like I said, this is from only a days worth of observation. Perhaps they were able to speak English so well on account of dealing with some many foreigners as Penang is outfitted with all sorts of hotels and resorts that accommodate both the tourists and the thousands upon thousands of “visa runners” from Thailand like myself.

I’m trying to think of a way to make this all sound exciting but to be honest, it really wasn’t. I guess if you’re to take anything from this, it’s that there’s a lot of confusion regarding the visa regulations in Thailand.

Thailand recently limited the number of 30 day stamps that visitors are allowed to get to 3 within a 6 month period. However, they haven’t restricted the amount of back to back tourist visas and other types of visas that visitors are allowed to get. Worse case scenario is that you may have to switch up which bordering countries you visit in order to get them. And I suppose it’s also a good idea to occasionally get a new passport every now and then so they don’t see 8 pages of Thailand visa stamps in there and start to ask questions.

As For The Training

Last night we had another full moon “fight night” and BBQ here at Tiger Muay Thai. Once again, the fights were awesome. The best fight however was an MMA match between one of the Thai trainers and a BJJ practitioner straight out of Brazil. You’re not going to believe this but the Thai guy won - via an armbar from the mount! That’s right! The Thai submitted the Brazilian! It was amazing! A lot of exclamation marks I know but that’s how awesome it was!!!!

Within a few days I’ll have my write up complete along with the videos of all the fights.

Keep Checking Back!

Loy Krathong Festival

There’s a holiday here in Thailand called Loy Krathong. I knew nothing of it until last year when I was walking down the main street in Patong and noticed a bunch of vendors set up under tends selling all kinds of awesome food. There were smoothie bars where you fill an empty cup with assorted fruit and pass it along to be blended for you; there were stands selling mini-kegs of local beer; there were people barbequing fish, chicken, beef and there was even massage areas set up in the middle of the street where people could just kick back, relax and watch the happenings while getting a foot rub.

The food, drinks and massages aside - the real fun happens down by the beach (or any body of water throughout Thailand). The significance of the holiday - which takes place when there’s a full moon in November - is to honour Buddha and the goddess of water - Phra Mae Klongkha. “Loy” means to float and “Krathong” means a raft. When the Thai people set their raft afloat, they oftentimes add clipped fingernails and hair to the raft as a symbol of letting go of the bad parts of oneself. However, that information is straight off of Wikipedia and I’ve never actually seen them do that.

The rafts are cool but what’s cooler is the hot air lanterns that everyone lights and then sets sail into the night sky. It’s really an awesome sight. I’m sure it’s pretty hard to picture based on just my description of it so check out this video.

As you can see by the random fires and people dodging fireworks from every which angle, you really have to be alert while you’re there. Another tradition of Loy Krathong is beauty pageants. Last year, there was actually a ladyboy pageant going on and this year it was women ..at least I think they were women. Ah, this is Thailand so who really knows.

Loy Krathong is also an awesome day to be a single guy in this country. It seems as though every hot Thai girl is looking for a date for the night. I almost want to compare it to Valentines day in other countries. Of course, on Loy Krathong, the guy doesn’t have to go all out and pay for fancy dinners and jewellery. 3 dollars for a meal at the festival, 3 dollars for a lantern and another 3 dollars or so for the raft and the girl is happy!

Training Update

I’m still living and training at Tiger Muay Thai. Now that it’s high season, there’s a lot more students coming in from all over the world and the classes have been getting busier and busier. The solution to that is a rush expansion and within a months time, the training area at the camp is going to almost double in size. I think they’re also hiring about 5 or so more trainers - one of which is ranked number 3 in the country.

In some of my upcoming entries, I’ll document the expansion and I’ll soon be doing my review on this camp. In my review - as I know a lot of you are curious - will be video tours of all the on-site and nearby accommodations.

Visa Time Again

Time flies when you’re having fun. Once again, my visa is set to expire and I have to head over to Malaysia on Wednesday. These “visa runs” are a major hassle but I guess that’s a sacrifice one has to make while living in this country. So, I guess my next entry will be live from Malaysia.

Keep Checking Back!

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Jon Fitch Seminar

There’s not many things that can get me out of bed at 9 in the morning - especially when I was up until 4am the previous “night” writing articles. However, today - the inspiration was there. Jon Fitch - who has been training here at Tiger Muay Thai for about 3 weeks - gave a free seminar today geared around wrestling for MMA. Being a Perdue wrestling standout and the # 2 rated welterweight in the entire world - Jon Fitch is certainly someone you want to get advice from when the opportunity presents itself.

With the seminar set to kick off at 9am, I set my alarm clock for 8:59am - as that gave me just enough time to roll out of bed basically sleepwalk about 40 feet to the cage area where the lesson was taking place. Staying on-site at the camp certainly has its advantages. Anyway, the seminar started off with Jon demonstrating a basic wrestling shot. I use the term “basic” loosely as while Jon Fitch made the technique seem so automatic and effortless, the majority of the spectators - when given the opportunity to practice it - looked like fishes out of water. What I mean by that that they seemed out of their element. It just goes to show how good these professionals really are. By the way Fitch was demonstrating the shots, you could tell that its something he’s been doing since childhood.

Throughout the seminar, Jon demonstrated about 5 techniques (all wrestling based) but what impressed me the most - other than his talent - was his teaching ability. He was explaining each and every detail by giving examples that people could relate too. Will, the owner of the camp, said that this was the best seminar they’ve ever had here - which is a major testament to Jon’s teaching ability as they have a lot of seminars taught by special guests. I was able to get a lot of video footage throughout the lesson but I was later informed that Jon requested that video clips not be taken as he - along with many other UFC fighters - have started a website called MMAInstructional.com where they demonstrate all sorts of techniques.

So, unfortunately, I won’t be uploading the video footage here. However, the seminar did finish off with an awesome question and answer session. I didn’t have a recorder or anything so these responses are based off my memory and they’re not word for word. Nevertheless, I’m sure you’ll find it interesting..

Jon Fitch on His Loss to GSP

He basically said that a loss is disheartening but it’s something that you have to expect in this business as losing is inevitable. “Nobody retires undefeated, it’s just not going to happen” he said. He then went on and said that you have to view a loss as a learning experience. Instead of being pissed off that you lost, you have to go back and say “Ok, why did I lose? What did I do wrong?”. In the GSP fight, he said he learned a lot. He said he learned not to throw sloppy leg kicks, 1 punch combos and not to drop his hands. He also said that he’s in Thailand now to correct those mistakes. The fight with GSP basically gave him a better idea of what he has to work on and I’m sure he’ll become a better fighter because of it.

Jon Fitch on Supplements

“98% of supplements are garbage” he said. “They’re only out there to get your money”. He said you can get everything you need for “free” through food and that supplements are exactly that - to be supplemented to your existing diet if you’re not getting enough of something. He was then asked what 2 supplements he recommends and he responded by saying “whey protein & vitamins”.

Jon Fitch on Steroids

He seemed quite disgusted with it. “I don’t know how those guys can look at themselves in the mirror” he said in reference to fighters that use them. He said he doesn’t know how guys can think they’re badass and then turn around and stick a needle in their ass.

Jon Fitch on Tuna

He said that as he was growing up, he had to eat canned tuna 3-4 times a day because it was affordable and he needed the protein. He followed that statement up by jokingly saying that “ if I could take all the canned tuna in the world and get rid of it, I would”. I guess the guy doesn’t like tuna very much.

Jon Fitch on training with a Gi

He said he still trains with a Gi because he views it like “adding weights to a barbell”. He said that training with a Gi is less forgiving and it forces you to be more technical. Obviously he feels that training with a Gi will improve your no-Gi game.

Jon Fitch on Fight Training

He said that in the months leading up to a fight, it’s very fight specific. His training camp is geared around the style of his opponent. If he’s fighting a wrestler, he’ll get more wrestlers in to train with. If he’s fighting a BJJ specialist, then he’ll train more BJJ. He’s already a BJJ black belt and a wrestler so if there’s anything he needs to work on, it’s striking and I suppose that’s why he’s made this trip out to Thailand.

Jon Fitch on Coming Through the Ranks

As he was talking about customizing his training camp around the strengths of his opponent, the conversation sort of branched off and he started talking about the “old days” when he was coming up through the ranks. He said that back then, he’d show up and he wouldn’t know who he was fighting. The only time he’d have to evaluate his opponent was while he was warming up. He’d say to his friend “dude, what’s he doing over there? Can you see?” his friend would say “Yeah man, he’s doing some crane-karate shit”. “Alright” says Fitch, “I have to watch out for the flying crane kick”.

He also said that back then, he’d often get asked to fight multiple times in 1 night. He said that on one occasion, a promoter came up to him after his first fight and offered him 100 bucks to fight again. Fitch declined and then the promoter offered him 500 dollars to fight, but not to knock his opponent out. Fitch said that he agreed, but knocked the guy out so he only got the 100 dollars. On top of that, he broke his thumb in the process which cost $700/$7000 to fix. I didn’t quite hear the exact amount. I hope it wasn’t $7000 to fix a thumb. If that’s the case, than wow .. I hope Obama improves the health care system.

Wrapping It Up

At the end of the seminar, Jon Fitch stuck around and took photos with each of the attendees. There was about 60 people in total. He seemed like a nice guy for sure. I think he and his team mates are flying back to the states tomorrow morning..

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Quinton “Rampage” Jackson vs. Wanderlei Silva

While many of the newer MMA fans may not be aware, this will actually be the third meeting between Quinton “Rampage” Jackson and the “Axe Murderer” Wanderlei Silva. The first two meetings - under the now bankrupt PRIDE organization - left Quinton “Rampage” Jackson a bloody mess. Granted, fighters are constantly evolving and Quinton “Rampage” Jackson is not the same fighter today as he was back when he took those beatings at the hands - well, technically the knees - of Wanderlei Silva.

Quinton “Rampage” Jackson has been very successful thus far in his UFC career while Wanderlei Silva was recently on a downward spiral as he dropped three straight - one of which was in his UFC debut against Chuck Liddell. However, it looks as though Wanderlei Silva has returned to his old ways in his last fight as he racked up a brutal knockout victory against light heavyweight standout, Keith Jardine. Not only did Wanderlei Silva secure a knockout, but he did so in a fashion so devastating that the MMA community forums exploded with talks of the “rape choke”. If you missed it, Wanderlei Silva basically held Jardine down with a hand across the throat while he repeatedly landed shots to the face with his free fist.

On the other hand, Quinton “Rampage” Jackson is fresh off a disheartening loss at the hands of now-champion, Forrest Griffin. Following the fight, Quinton “Rampage” Jackson lived up to his nickname as he literally went on a hit and run “rampage” in LA and as a result, he became a household name as the story was covered in some of the worlds most popular tabloid sites, programs and publications.

Quinton “Rampage” Jackson vs. Wanderlei Silva - How they match up.

Having met on two other occasions with the same result, there’s a good chance that Wanderlei Silva is to Quinton “Rampage” Jackson what Anderson Silva is to Rich Franklin - unbeatable. While Quinton “Rampage” Jackson isn’t the same fighter today as he was on Halloween four years ago when he last squared off with Wanderlei Silva, fighting is just as much mental as it is physical and Quinton “Rampage” Jackson’s current mental state is certainly in question. Even had “Rampage” not “lost his marbles” so to speak and mistaken a public road in Orange County for the Indy 500, fighting someone who has brutally knocked you out - on multiple occasions - is a big mental hurdle to overcome on its own.

In terms of their skills sets and fighting style, both fighters are extremely aggressive so it should make for an exciting fight. While both are capable of fighting on the ground - especially Wanderlei Silva as he’s a black belt in BJJ - both Quinton “Rampage” Jackson and Wanderlei Silva prefer to keep it standing and slug it out. Wanderlei Silva has the better Muay Thai as he’s already effectively utilized a Thai clinch on Quinton “Rampage” Jackson in their previous encounters. However, being a product of Juanito Ibarra - a renowned boxing trainer - Quinton “Rampage” Jackson may be a more technical boxer.

If the unexpected happens and the fight does hit the ground, it will certainly be an advantage for Wanderlei Silva. However, Quinton “Rampage” Jackson’s only submission loss has come at the hands of Kazushi Sakuraba - who has been labelled by some as the “greatest grappler in all of mixed martial arts” - and that loss occurred more than 7 years ago. Since then, Quinton “Rampage” Jackson has faced many other great grapplers - none of which have been successful with their submission attempts. Quinton “Rampage” Jackson’s ability to evade submissions is due to his seemingly in-human strength. Rampage - aka. “King of the Slam” - literally power bombed BJJ black belt, Ricardo Arona at a PRIDE event back on 2004 to escape a triangle attempt. All that being said, it’s a virtual certainty that this fight will be an all-out slugfest with the victor likely being awarded a generous bonus for “KO of the night”.

The biggest factor in this fight will be the mental state of Quinton “Rampage” Jackson. Having recently displayed instability with his antics as of late - and the fact that he’s facing a man who has knocked him out on two separate occasions - Quinton “Rampage” Jackson will certainly have to come into this fight in the right frame of mind if he hopes to have any shot at beating the light heavyweight legend, Wanderlei Silva.

So before you pick a winner and place a bet, take everything into consideration - including the odds. In a sport where anything can happen, all you can do is trust your instinct. Everyone responds differently to defeat - as already mentioned - so it should be interesting to see whether or not Quinton “Rampage” Jackson is able to bounce back.

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Fighter Stories - How They Started (Intro)

It seems to me like the other MMA-related sites and publications are all asking the same questions when they get interviews with the fighters. More often than not, the questions are limited to a fighters game planning, training routine and expectations in their upcoming fight. From the time a fighter books a fight until the time he steps into the ring/cage, he must field the exact same questions about 20-30 times. While the future is important, we at FightPassport.com are going to take a different approach.

How’s this for a concept?

Rather than ask the usual, repetitive questions regarding a future fight, we’re going to switch things up a bit. As a matter of fact, we’re not going to focus on the future at all, but rather - we at FightPassport.com are going to focus on the past. We’re going to focus on how the fighters got where they are today. Everyone has a story and when dealing with professional fighters, those stories seem like they’d be a lot more interesting than those of an accountant or dentist.

From what prompted them to partake in their first martial art class to how they felt prior to their first fight; from fighting on the streets to sleeping in cars while trying to make ends meet - we’ll be covering it all. Not only we will be covering the fighters who are currently at the top of the ranks, but we will also be profiling fighters who are currently struggling to make it - giving them some needed exposure and just telling their stories.

So, keep checking back. This should be interesting. And in the meantime, feel free to leave a comment and let us know what you think of the concept..

Myanmar Visa Run

So, for the people that want to stay in Thailand long term, oftentimes they have to sacrifice a day of their lives in order to gain another twenty-nine. Yesterday I spent a combined 10 hours in a van and another half hour or so on a little boat to cross over the border of Burma. My initial visa that was issued to me from the Thai embassy in Ottawa, Canada was set to expire today so I was left with minimal options.

I had originally attempted to obtain a “non-immigrant type ED” visa as I had supplied all the necessary documentation. Turns out, I was given a single entry “type O” visa which was valid only for 3 months. I tried taking all the documentation to the immigration office here in order to get an extension but the immigration officer I was matched up with didn’t consider “Muay Thai” to be education.

His statement was ironic considering that dozens of guests at this very camp have “ED” visas for studying Muay Thai. However, the officer (without even looking through my documentation) simply said “Muay Thai? No! Cannot!”. He then walked to a nearby cabinet, pulled out a handful of paperwork from one of the drawers and handed it to me. After having the papers translated by a Thai friend, it turns out that the papers he handed me were completely irrelevant to the education visa I was applying for as they were for those wishing to work in Thailand.

Just bad luck I suppose as standing there and arguing with the immigration officer wouldn’t have done me any good. My solution was to leave Thailand and simply re-enter for a 1 month extension. Thailand allows you to do this 3 times within a 6 month period. However, next month when I leave Thailand I will likely be going to the Thai embassy in Malaysia to apply for the proper education visa. Even if I’m unable to get a “non-immigrant type ED”, I’ll just get a 60 day tourist visa which can then be extended from within Thailand for another 30 days - giving you 3 months in total. Through a combination of tourist visas and 30 day stamps, you can pretty much live in Thailand providing you time everything right (although clearly, I’m not visa expert so don’t quote me on that). If you’re thinking of coming to Thailand, the best source of visa information can be found at ThaiVisa.com

Anyway, when I finally arrived at the Thailand departure port, the only thing I could focus on was the awful smell. Most of the people in line were holding their shirts over their mouth and noses. Some Thai guy then took our passports, which at first made me a little paranoid. One of the fellow visa-runners had to re-assure me that it was a normal procedure. We then got onto a Thai-style boat and headed toward Burma. This was actually the highlight of the day as the scenery was pretty cool. Here’s a really brief video I took during the ride..

VIDEO COMING SOON (uploading .. slow connection)

When we arrived in Myanmar (Burma), I didn’t really know what to expect. The extent of my Burma education was from the Seinfeld episode where Elain’s boss (Mr. Peterman) randomly goes there and she has to go see him to get his approval on some of the company expenses, at which point, Mr. Peterman questions her about the “Urban Sombrero” on the cover of his magazine. Yup, I certainly live a sheltered life in Canada.

As I’m writing this, I’m simultaneously watching Myanmar-related videos on Youtube. I’m sure most of you are more up to date on world issues and current events than I am so you likely already know about the fucked up problems that the villagers of Myanmar have to deal with. And just in case you didn’t already know about Myanmar’s corrupt military government, check out these videos..

From the time our boat docked to the time we were back on it and headed back to Thailand, not more than 15 minutes had elapsed. That was the extent of my stay in Myanmar and that was quite enough. One of the border “hustlers” - since they just post up and try to sell all kinds of stuff to the stamp-runners - called me “Fred Durst” from Limp Bizkit on account of how I was dressed and then started talking to me about his favourite rappers. It’s interesting to see how widespread American music really is. I wonder if Snoop Dogg knows about “Ali Baba” - his loyal fan at the Thai/Myanmar border?

“Ali Baba”(as he called himself) tried to sell me steroids for seven bucks, Viagra, cocaine and ketamines - all while I was walking back to the boat. He even offered to deliver it to me. It’s a good thing I declined as about 5 minutes after we set off, there was a check-point in which either Thai or Burmese soldiers came into the boat and searched us.

The process tuned out to be a success as I was let back into Thailand with a new - “admitted until Nov. 21st - stamp on my passport. At which point, I will have to go to the Thai embassy in either Cambodia or Malaysia and make another attempt at getting the proper, education visa that I was supposed to have gotten in Canada. Of course, this time I’ll actually double check it to ensure I got the right one before I leave. So all in all, the process is a bit of a hassle but hey, I got to add a new country to my list of travels and a story to tell.

Muay Thai Training Update

Having mildly sprained my ankle last Friday in sparring, I’ve been unable to train all week. I’ve just been limping around the camp. From my room ..to the restaurant ..to the internet area - just back and fourth. Limping around a Thai boxing camp while watching everyone else train isn’t actually what I call a good time. It’s not like I’m still in Pattaya either where I could certainly find entertaining - perhaps not as “constructive” - things to do. I’m in Chalong and there really isn’t much else here to do but train.

Anyway, this afternoon I jumped into the Muay Thai class and explained to the head instructor that I had injured my ankle and was unable to kick. He was pretty understanding and sent one of the other trainers to work straight boxing on the pads with me. Then, for the technique component of the workout, the same trainer would work the clinch with me while the other students worked on kicking technique & defences.

Basically, I was put through a custom workout based on my restricted mobility with a sprained ankle. If I couldn’t do something that was shown, a trainer would either adapt the technique so I’d be able to do it or just show me something completely different. I was pretty impressed actually. I wasn’t just left on my own to hit the bags.

As for Tiger Muay Thai itself, there’s a few negatives and so far, a lot of positives. I’m going to jump into one of the MMA classes either tomorrow or early next week to see how those are. I haven’t done any sort of grappling in about half a year so I’m sure I’ll be tapping a lot. Actually, with a sprained ankle, I don’t even know if I’ll be able to hold guard. I was watching Ray Elbe - the MMA instructor - on the mat today and he was pulling off all kinds of submissions. One was a slick choke from rubber guard, one was an inverted heel hook and another ..well, I’m not sure on this but it looked like he secured a choke and tap out with the sleeve of his shirt.

Keep Checking Back ..

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Fight Night At Tiger Muay Thai

So the other night I witnessed a couple of the best MMA fights I’ve ever seen, and no - I wasn’t tuned into UFC 89. The fights I watched were “smoker” fights and they were the entertainment portion of last night’s “full moon BBQ party” here at Tiger Muay Thai. “Smoker” fights are unsanctioned, inter-camp fights that give fighters a chance to gain experience without effecting their professional records. Usually these smoker fights resemble nothing more than hard sparring sessions but last night, the fighters came ready to brawl and came out swinging.

First up was a light, drunken, boxing-only sparring session between two of the Thai trainers. This fight was more about fun than competition as the fighters were throwing back chugs of beer in their corners between rounds. They would also randomly take swings at the referee in order to get a few laughs from the crowd. Following the boxing match was a Muay Thai fight in which the fighters were going about 70% as I think they were friends.

After that, it was time to move things over to the cage for a grappling match and two MMA fights. The cage is situated about 20 feet from my room so I decided to quickly run and get my camera. In the process of doing so, one of the fighters pulled off a flying armbar and within a matter of seconds, the match was over. I completely missed it as by the time I walked backed to the cage area, the crowd was laughing in disbelief and what they had just witnessed. Luckily, the match was being filmed by some of the other spectators so without further ado, here it is..

It was now time for the MMA fights. In the first fight, one of the guys was throwing out really powerful, technical kicks - one of which landed flush to the face of his opponent. He was tough though as he kept pushing forward. However, he eventually had his back taken and got choked out. Both fighters fought with a lot of heart and put on a great show. Here’s the fight..

Next up was the “fight of the night” as the best was clearly saved for last. These two guys stood toe to toe and swung for the fences. Even Jon Fitch - the special guest referee - was impressed. Had this fight taken place in the UFC, I’d imagine that Dana White - as well as about 17,000 people in attendance - would have given it a standing ovation. It was one of those fights where if you had never seen an MMA fight, you’d have a whole new respect for the sport (sort of like what the Griffin/Bonner fight did for the UFC). I know you want to see this one, so here it is ..

After the fights, the party continued as the beer was included in the cost of the BBQ/fight tickets. The scene got rowdy as the guys started holding each other under the beer tap. It eventually become a competition to see who could chug the longest. By the end of it, I think the time to beat was around 20 seconds. “Fitch! .. Fitch! .. Fitch!” .. The chants began and at first he was hesitant, saying “I need a water!”. He was eventually coaxed into it though and I believe he even broke the previous record.

When the beer ran out, everyone headed out to Patong Beach for a night on the town. I have to say, Patong isn’t what I remembered it to be as at this time last year, it seemed a lot busier. The girls last year also seemed to be a lot more attractive but perhaps that’s just a result of me spending the last 3 months in Pattaya - which I don’t think anywhere else in the world can compete in terms of women. I think all the recent turmoil in Thailand has had a very negative impact on the tourism here in Phuket as several anti-government protests have taken place at the local airport. I suppose the fact that Patong isn’t as exciting as it used to be is a good thing as I won’t have the temptation to go out and party. I can now not only save money, but also, I can focus 100% on my training (which is what I need right now).

And Speaking Of My Training

I was put through my first workout on Friday afternoon. To be honest, I really didn’t know what to expect. Tiger Muay Thai is a lot more foreigner-oriented than a lot of the other camps I’ve trained at. I’d estimate that there’s around 60-80 students here (which is a lot more than any other camp I’ve trained at) and it has somewhat of a summer camp feel. I was a little concerned that I wouldn’t get a lot of one-on-one attention from the trainers as I would roam the camp and oftentimes see some of the students getting “privates”.

“Privates” are basically personal training sessions with the Thai trainers and there’s an additional cost associated with these workouts. Since I saw so many students paying extra for these private sessions, I was worried that perhaps they weren’t getting enough attention from the trainers during their regular workouts.

Luckily, this isn’t the case at all. My first training session began with skill-evaluation in which I was asked to kick the heavy bag. I threw a couple kicks and as moved to the intermediate class. I find it to be a perfect fit as the class had about 10 students and servicing those 10 students was about 5 trainers. One of the trainers (Nazee) is the head trainer here (I believe) and he was working with me on the pads. I was actually told to train with “Nazee” before I even came here so I was familiar with the name and it looks as though I really lucked out since he’s an excellent trainer.

The workout itself was very complete. It began with skipping, stretches - the usual. Once we were all warmed up, we went through some techniques and cool elbow combinations - some of which ended with a flying elbow strike to the top of the head, like something you’d see in a Tony Ja movie. After technique, we moved on to sparring. I ended up doing 3 rounds (each round against a different opponent). After sparring I was exhausted and it was then time for pad-work with Nazee. The instruction was great but not only that, I didn’t feel like I was being rushed and I felt like they actually wanted me to get better. The worked was finished off with some more group technique instruction, some sit ups and some stretches.

I was impressed with the session but unfortunately, during the sparring, I sustained a mild sprain to my ankle and as a result, I’ve been limping around for the last couple days. Hopefully I’ll be good to go in a day or two as I don’t think it’s very serious. All in all though, I was impressed. So far so good. I still have quite a while here before I form my official review though so keep checking the entries.

On Another Note

It looks as though I’ll be doing a visa run tomorrow since I was given the wrong visa by the Thai embassy in home town. I’ll likely be going to Ranong so I’m sure it’ll be interesting.

Stay Tuned..

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