Ronnie' Machine Gun' Green is one of the pioneers of Muay Thai in the UK and one of the forefathers of the modern MMA era. Green also enjoys a unique distinction among the UK’s Muay Thai fighters as the first to win a world title. WKA Super Lightweight Champion
IMF Lightweight Champion
IFCF Lightweight Champion
Ronnie initially started training in Judo and Karate in 1974. Eventually, he switched
over to Muay Thai in 1978 under the guidance of Master Toddy in his gym in Deansgate (in Manchester). Master Toddy would be Green’s trainer for the rest of his career. Green would have his first Muay Thai fight in 1979, just a year after he started training in the art. He would immediately debut his style, which is more a hybrid of various styles instead of being pure Muay Thai. He incorporated a lot of dynamics and movement to his style as opposed to the traditional Muay Thai style. Green also used a lot of strikes as he was also heavily influenced by Western boxing. "In the 1970s, martial artists were saying that Karate is the best and better than Kung Fu, Tae Kwon Do, etc, so each system was trying to prove its effectiveness in the ring. Truthfully, full-contact karate was the first true MMA concept because it put all the other martial arts together, in the ring," said Ronnie in a recent interview with Siam Fight Magazine. During the course of his career, Green would go on to battle numerous legends, from Europe, Thailand, and the rest of the world. From Europe and the US, he fought the likes of Lucien Carbin, Gilbert Ballantine, Brien Cullen, and Pete “Sugarfoot" Cunningham. The Thai fighters that he battled, on the other hand, included Sombat Sor Thanikul, Noppadet Sor Rawadee, and Sagat Petchyindee. In 1987 he co-founded the Self-Defence Association of Britain and opened a gym in Manchester. Over his career, Ronnie competed in three different weight classes (from 58 kg. He retired from active competition in 2002 after compiling a record of around 98 fights, having emerged victorious in 90 of those fights. His son Lee Green is a former IKF World Thai Kickboxing Champion, who is also a former AMF Pro Commonwealth and WPMF Pro British Muay Thai champion. Ronnie continues to travel the world and train the next generation of MMA fighters.
