Burmese warriors one after another, Nai Khanom Tom would have his freedom – and two wives. The Thai warrior was victorious, and returned home a hero.

Muay is a national pastime – the most passionately followed spectator sport in Thailand and much of Southeast Asia. Its popularity has spread throughout the world, and in 1995, the World Muay Thai Council was established by cabinet resolution to promote the ideals, techniques and all other elements of muay thai.

Muay Thai Matches, Rules and Equipment

Muay is fought in five three-minute rounds separated by two minute breaks. The fight is presided over by a referee, and scoring is determined by three judges who are trained observers. Each of the judges awards points to fighters based on their performance, and the fighter with the most points is awarded the round. At the end of the fight, the fighter with the most rounds is declared the winner of the fight.

There’s more to a muay match than the fighting, though. Each fight is accompanied by a band playing next to the boxers’ ring. The band consists of horn, drums and cymbals, and begins playing with the opening dance. As the action in the fight quickens, the tempo of the music accelerates to keep up, bringing the audience’s collective pulses along for the ride.

An important part of each match is the preliminary dance of thanks and respect offered by each opponent, called the wai khru. The styles of those dances are very individual and often serve to announce which school and instructor taught the fighter his technique.

In the early years, the only protection worn by a muay fighter was makeshift gloves – string wrapped around the knuckles and fist. Today all boxers are required to wear full safety equipment when competing to lessen the chance of injuries. Muay matches are held all over the world, and there is a formal ranking system to recognize the best and most accomplished muay fighters in the world.
This article was prepared for this Muay Thai Equipment site, please visit them for more information.

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