06/16/2025
"A fighter without respect is like a sword without a handle—it cuts the one who wields it."
In Muaythai our Kru or Ajarn instills discipline in us very early on in training. See in the Thai arts discipline is a must. Without discipline you can't learn. If you truly understood Muaythai you would know how important Wai Kru really is.. it literally means 'respect to teacher', and its not just something you would do in the ring before a fight.. the REAL wai kru is a ceremony where the teacher takes you in under the lineage, traditional Thais who believe in spirits and are superstitious will also ask the Phi Muay (not like a ghost, but more like a warriors guardian angel) of the lineage to protect them and aid them in combat supernaturally also, to which usually the athlete will be asked to bring incense rice etc and these items are to feed the Phi Muay its an offering. This is usually where Sai Sin will also be done. This is another added layer to protect your "luck" to which that cloth is viewed sacredly as a compact between the lineage and the warrior. Breaking it is taboo, and can even be seen as a sign as the Phi Muay of the lineage rejecting that individual, it is best for the camp Ajarn (or a monk) to take it off otherwise the superstition is that you are vulnerable to bad "luck" now. You really have to understand the Thai cultures view on Karma to understand this in Muaythai. Muaythai is all just good Karma.. thats all it is.. and I've had some students that just couldn't adjust to the discipline. Whatever and wherever in life theyre at in their minds and hearts they broke the compact w their lack of respect for the lineage and program. More than one athlete have had to be expelled in my time instructing. Breaking this compact is seen as very TABOO and a GREAT SHAME for the individual and the old school traditional belief is that it also invites BAD LUCK... Old Ajarns still whisper in rural Thailand about Phi Muay punishing disrespectful and offensive boxers. The reason I shut the gym down is because of this notion. I've felt like the program we built became radically undisciplined and my attempts to get it back into more of a proper Thai style atmosphere and culture were stifled and stymied and more or less scoffed at and just not taken seriously. I do not teach recrational Muaythai nor a westernized version of it, and that is what the program became. I teach it as authentically as I can which is why the athletes who have graced the ring under me have always been successful in combat.
So, I withdrew my program after it came to a head. I don't know what the future holds but I can tell you this if I ever do get reinvolved w teaching commercial Muaythai again it will be by the Thai standards.. I will not accept anything less than proper Thai Muaythai. Absolutely no westernized bu****it or any adaptations etc... itll be straight old school. I'm not the coach for everyone, students under me will be steeped in tradition, expected to follow a strict discipline and adhere to the Thai culture of gym etiquette and if you cant or you wanna argue or bargain about ANY of this then go seek a different trainer.
Repeating this for effect: "A fighter without respect is like a sword without a handle—it cuts the one who wields it."
Onwards to better news.. The TBA Classic begins in 2 days, it is essentially the Eve of the Largest Muaythai event in the world. Make sure you guys check for the LIVE STREAM links. 730+ fights tentatively for this year increasing the sheer output of fights over the week by almost 50 compared to last year. I would even go so far to encourage anyone SERIOUS about Muaythai to show up and see what the hype is about. If you like sport entertainment and want to be entertained tune in w the LIve stream.. if you live this lifestyle for real you need to show up even if its just for the weekend (there will still be approx 350-400 fights over those 2 days). The TBA Classic is the place to be this week if you do Muaythai.
