Best of BKK Muay Thai: fights you missed, fights coming up: vol 2 (early Nov, 2020) (Patreon)

Our Note: With the passionate support we've gotten from patrons we are always looking to find ways to give everyone better, in-depth content, and also to help support others who are passionate in their work in Muay Thai. As an experiment we're starting a "Bangkok Muay Thai" column, written by Phan Kế Sơn who covers Bangkok Stadium Muay Thai on Twitter (follow him for the latest of what's happening in the stadia, and highlights: @MTLevG). We want you to be able to jump right into the best fights that recently happened, and be able to look forward to what to watch coming up, giving everyone a better sense of the divisions and top talents. This Patreon does a lot to record the legacy of Muay Thai, but that legacy will not survive unless people enjoy today's stadium Muay Thai as well. Let us know if this is something you enjoy! It's free for everyone, patrons and non-patrons alike.

• See the best fights you missed
• See where to watch the best upcoming fights
• Learn about the best fighters in the best divisions

This calendar tells you when up coming shows are happening, and how to watch them.

At the bottom of this article you'll see all the links to the fights, and how you can watch the best BKK stadium Muay Thai from where you are.

Volume 2 | Early November

see mid-October here, if you missed it 

Introduction:

In this article, I will be breaking down my three favorite fights from the two-week period between the 19th of October and the 1st of November. Additionally, I will be breaking down my three most anticipated fights from the 9th to the 22nd of November. Lastly, I will discuss corruption in the sport.

Looking back (all fights are linked at the end):

1. Samingdet vs Rungkao | 132lbs | 23 Oct.

My first pick is quite obvious, Samingdet Nor.Anuwatgym vs Rungkao Wor.Sangprapai from Sia Boat’s True4u show on the 23rd of October, arguably the biggest and most intriguing fight of the subject period. The intrigue of the fight mainly comes from the interesting stylistic matchup.

20-year-old ace, Samingdet can reasonably be considered the best current Super featherweight (130lbs, 59kg) in the sport, by record and skill. As of this fight, he was on a hot 6-1 run. Prior to this run, Samingdet was fighting at 122 and so, when he came up to 130lbs, he was naturally one of the smaller fighters there, which made the run even more impressive. Over the last year, he won the 130lbs Rajadamnern Stadium belt and the 130lbs WBC Muay Thai belt. His last fight was a left elbow knockout win against Deksakda Sor.Jor.TongPrachin. Samingdet is an explosive technical puncher with dynamite in his left elbow. He is a very well rounded southpaw, is able to use his rear teep to great effect and can find the slightest openings for his left elbow. Despite his size, he had only lost once in the last year by close decision. His weakest point is, perhaps, his physical strength and over-reliance on top-offense (elbows and such) in the clinch which often leaves him open to elbows from his opponent and knees from below.

On the other hand, Rungkao is also a top fighter from the Super featherweight division. As of this fight, he was on a 4-2 run with the best win coming against Superlek Kiatmuu9 for the Rajadamnern Stadium 130lbs title. Rungkao is one of the best clinchers in the division. He presents a hard challenge to any fighter facing him, but especially Samingdet. Rungkao is a big and very strong clincher specializing in clinch locks. He is also a good outside striker, often able to use his height and length effectively with rear kicks to push his opponents back, much like his younger star teammate, Rungkit Wor.Sangprapai. Due to this, he is an effective pressure fighter which compliments his clinch style very well.

All this is of course not to say that Samingdet has no chance. Coming into the fight, he was a moderate favorite - and rightfully so, - a part of what makes him so good is his ability to overcome “physical deficits” - for lack of a better way to put it. - In his last seven fights, he has faced big clinchers and/or pressure fighters, namely, Deksakda whom he KOd, and Thanapet Wor.Sangprapai, another teammate of Rungkao. Samingdet won twice against Thanapet, once by KO in his current run so Rungkao will be looking for revenge in this fight.

2.  Prabipop vs Decholek | 121lbs | 25 Oct.

My second choice was a bit hard to make as I wanted to include at least one of the fighters participating in this year’s Tiger Cement Tournament held at Channel 7 Stadium. It was either between Dabdam PTT.Tongtawee vs Chalamseua Nayok-A Thasala, or my second choice, Prabipop Erawan vs Decholek Por.Borirak. I chose this fight because the winner is my favorite to win the 8-man tournament.

Both fights mentioned were supposed to be the first round of the tournament but due to Sunbak Boomdeksian dropping out, the matchups have been reshuffled and the first round will happen this Sunday (the 15th).

20-year-old Prabipop is arguably one of the best current prospects from Southern Thailand and in the Kiatpet circuit. As of this fight, he was on a 9-3 run spanning over two years and two divisions (118 and 122lbs). Six of those wins came by KO. Though, Prabipop’s record isn’t the only thing impressive about him. Prabipop may well be one of the most technically sound young backfoot fighters on the current scene. His best weapons are his kicks and perhaps the most important of all, his teeps. These two build the foundation of his game. His kick has a beautiful arc and can land through the check very well while his teep can quite literally send his opponents flying across the ring. An important facet to his backfoot style is his ability to circle out from the ropes/corner and perhaps more importantly, his clinching. Prabipop is an adept defensive clincher with a great knee defense while still staying vigilant of elbows from up top. His offensive clinching, on the other hand, leaves much to be desired. His biggest weakness is his boxing and head movement. Even though his distancing is very good, top fighters at 122lbs like Suesat and Ronachai are expert relentless pressure fighters with a diverse close-ranged striking skillset that will give him many problems with their size, elbows and punches.

As he is a small (for his division) southpaw who is proficient on the backfoot and has good teeps and kicks, a great comparison could be drawn to Rungnarai Kiatmuu9.

On to Decholek. He is 17 years old and as of this fight, was on a two-fight win streak, having lost five fights in a row prior to that. Despite that, he had looked imbued with a new energy since coming back from a long needed break in the lockdown. He only started competing in the major stadium circuits back in 2018 so, in terms of experience, he is behind many of his peers.

Decholek is a big, strong clincher with great clinch locks and very heavy knees. Besides his main clinching game though, his outside striking is just about average. He can trade knees very well and very often overpower his opponents in the clinch.

The pre-fight odds were only 10/9 in favor of Prabipop due to this potential incredibly bad matchup. Even though Prabipop is great at keeping distance, he hasn’t truly fought a strong and bigger relentless pressure clincher like Decholek before. This was a big test for both men.

3. Kiewpayak vs Lamnamoonlek | 129-132lbs | 22 Oct.

My third and last choice in the period is the fifth rematch in the heated rivalry between Kiewpayak Jitmuangnon and Lamnamoonlek Aor.Atchariya and their second fight since the Covid lockdown since that very lackluster fight ended in a very controversial decision in favor of Kiewpayak, who was leading the series 3-1 as of this fight.

Just a year ago, Kiewpayak won the Fighter of the Year award. As of this fight, on a long 15-4-1 run, only losing to Rungkit, Lamnamoonlek once, and losing twice by round 3 right cross KO against Chorfah Tor.Sangtiennoi. In fact, just before this fight, he lost his fourth fight (Chorfah rematch) in 19 outings. He is no doubt one of the best fighters by skill.

As a long southpaw, his build alone is a dilemma to most of his opponents. To compliment his physical gifts, Kiewpayak’s best weapon is his very fast and strong left kick, which is typically very hard to check.

He has incredible knee defense, clinching skills, balance, and elbows. To simply put it, he is one of the most well-rounded strikers at 126-130lbs. Though, he has a weakness that has been demonstrated twice by Chorfah, his chin and head movement.

Lamnamoonlek, like Kiewpayak, is a top level Fimeu fighter. If I were ranking active defensive technicians, Lamnamoonlek would no doubt be top 5 in that list. His recent record also reflects this as he is on a 6-2 run with losses over Mongkolkaew (whom he beat twice in the run) and Kiewpayak (the controversial decision, he beat Kiewpayak just before lockdown). His last win was an absolute masterclass against Extra. This year, Lamnamoonlek is trailing narrowly behind Petphutai Sitsarawatseua (leading candidate for Fighter of the Year)  for best 126-130lbs fighter in the sport.

Lamnamoonlek is sometimes referred to as “the Magician” for a very good reason. His sweeps are the best part of his game. His reflexes and spatial awareness are incredible, which then brings me to his secondary assets, his defensive skills. Lamnamoonlek’s checks are some of the best in the game, his counter left kicks and lead hand are also good tools to keep distance. But, what makes him a bit unique is in the way that he fights while moving backwards. He does not teep but instead uses a combination of linear head movement, clever footwork and slick sweeps at the ropes. Lamnamoonlek thrives under pressure and it makes him one of the best fighters to watch.

His weak point though, comes against long technical fighters with good balance, who do not bite the bait and go on offense against him.

In this fight, Lamnamoonlek will be looking to get his second win against Kiewpayak and Kiewpayak, to end the rivalry once and for all.

see links to these fights below

Looking forward:

1. Dabdam vs Prabipop | 121lbs | 15 Nov.

Perhaps one of my favorite matchups and potentially the most intriguing fight in the Tiger Cement tournament. As previously mentioned, since Sunbak dropped out, the tournament has been reshuffled and will restart this next Sunday.

22-year-old Dabdam, as of this next fight, is on a four-fight win streak. He started fighting in and around the elite circuit in 2016, and since then, has slowly but successfully climbed up the ladder to now essentially knocking on the door of the top 10 of his division, which is one of the most competitive in the country. Dabdam is strong, he has heavy hands and leg kicks on the outside that he typically uses to get close enough to clinch and use his short-ranged striking or to overpower his opponents in the clinch while breaking down their bodies with knees. Though, his overly-offensive style leaves him very open defensively, especially in an opposite stance matchup where his entire body is open to kicks.

Since I’ve already broken down Prabipop’s style before in this article so I’ll keep it short. He is a wonderful southpaw outside striker with excellent teeps and kicks. He typically fights while moving backwards, can circle away from pressure well and is a good defensive clincher. He deals with pressure very well but has a loose guard and can be overwhelmed by short-ranged punches and elbows.

In this fight, expect to see Dabdam to relentlessly pressure Prabipop and take him out of kicking distance, in this case, Prabipop might have a hard time dealing with the striking there, or, his footwork might prove to be too much for Dabdam and he’ll be able to keep Dabdam away with teeps and kicks. Any way it goes, the fight should be good.

2. Rittidet vs Yokngern | 105lbs | 19 Nov.

Now, onto one of the most overlooked fights in the coming weeks, Rittidet Sitkrudet vs Yokngern Detpetsithong. Both fighters are current Stadium champions of Rajadamnern Stadium and Siam Omnoi Stadium respectively. Additionally, they both won their belts in the aftermath of the lockdown when many champions of lower divisions moved up and/or did not have time to defend their belts before the deadline. Since both are at the beginning of their high level careers, there’s not much information on them so this will essentially be only a style breakdown.

Starting with 16-year-old Rittidet who recently avenged his loss from last year to fellow rising star and promising prospect, Superbright Por.Phikannes in a close decision back in September to win the 105lbs Rajadamnern Stadium title. The decision was disputed by fans online (including myself) who thought Superbright did enough to win. Rittidet is very talented defensive striker, both of his fights against (Superbright who has a similar style) were wonderful to watch (will be linked). Rittidet checks very well and very often, particularly with the rear leg. His kicks are fast and can often slip through his opponent’s check. He typically punches off kicks to good effect. Additionally, great timing, clinch game. Though, his balance in the clinch has proven to be suspect in his last two fights against Superbright as he was dumped multiple times throughout those fights. Even though he can parry punches well, his head movement leaves a lot to be desired.

Moving on to the new 105lbs Siam Omnoi Stadium Champion, Yokngern, who won the belt last month against Sripet in early September. In fact, this fight was made essentially right as Yokngern won the title.

Yokngern is a technical fighter with a good clinch game. His best weapons are elbows at close range, right kicks and punches. He distances well with his footwork, has good balance and can overpower his opponent in the clinch with his strength. Though, his defense is not great, both inside the clinch and from afar.

Last year, he was completely shut down by Superbright (who, to be fair, is one of the best talents at the moment) in nearly every facet of his game. He has improved a lot since then.

Nevertheless, Yokngern is a great talent, and at his age, still have a high ceiling.

This fight is not only a good fight between two champions, it is a clash between two fighters of the next generation, potential future superstars of the sport. The one million baht sidebet should also prove to be good motivation for both fighters. Though Yokngern has shown major improvements in the last year, Rittidet’s style is fairly close to Superbright’s and so, Rittidet should be the favorite but not by much.

3. Kulabdam vs Shadow | 142lbs | 22 Nov.

This is the biggest fight in the period, between two established stars. For the first time in over two years, Kulabdam Sor.Jor.PiekUthai returns to the place where he gained his star status. He will try to get back into the win column while Shadow Tor.Tepsutin will look for his long-awaited revenge as Kulabdam won by unanimous decision in their last meeting back in April 2019.

Kulabdam hasn’t fought in Stadium Muay Thai since the lockdown break ended. He has, however, competed twice in ONE Championship. In a huge upset, he knocked out Sangmanee who had just recently gone on a run that saw him nearly win his second Fighter of the Year title. Similarly, in a big upset, He was dominated by 30-year-old Rodlek. Albeit, both fights were under ONE rules and referees which are much more strict on clinching, and of course, 4oz gloves and only 3 rounds for tournament fights. Needless to say, Stadium Muay Thai and ONE rules are very different. Kulabdam is relatively small for his division but as a powerful and aggressive puncher, he is more defensively responsible than most. His offense generally consists of crosses, wide hooks, elbows and leg kicks but, there is also the occasional teep and knees in the clinch. On defense, he checks kicks often, has decent head movement, and decent distancing. When he needs to, he can also take a shot and is more than able to return it with much more power.

His hands are arguably the most powerful on the current scene. In 2017, Kulabdam exploded onto the scene at Channel 7 Stadium as he went on a 12-fight unbeaten streak knocking out 9 of his opponents in that run.

Kulabdam’s biggest weaknesses though, are getting pressured by another puncher or getting picked apart by longer strikers like Tawanchai.

Shadow, on the other hand, is a Channel 7 Stadium star who broke onto the scene in 2019, known for his aggressive style. He is currently on a two-fight win streak, the first win coming against Julio Lobo and the second against Inseetong by TKO (cut from elbow), a top contender at Channel 7 Stadium. He has the physical advantage in almost every fight he has fought being much taller, stronger and longer. Due to his size, naturally, he is a very good clincher with sharp knees. But, his style is much more complete than just clinching. He has a fast, heavy rear body and head kick, great elbows and can put pressure on anyone. Overall, Shadow is a very well-rounded fighter.

There were rumors for a fight against Littewada back in July which goes to show how good Sia Chun (Kiatpet) believes Shadow to be. Needless to say, the fight never materialized.

In their last fight, Shadow hurt Kulabdam very badly in round 3 after landing two big elbows on Kulabdam at the ropes. Unfortunately, he took his foot off the pedal in round 4 and subsequently lost the two last rounds as Kulabdam started to pressure and landed much more with very accurate punches.

Links:

Last article’s anticipated fights recommendations:

• Sakaengam (red) vs Banluerit (blue) 2
• Tubtimthong (red) vs Nompraew (blue) 2
• Boonlong (red) vs Fahpennueng (blue) | Starts at 2:08:00

Looking back:

• Samingdet (red) vs Rungkao (blue)
• Prabipop (red) vs Decholek (blue)
• Kiewpayak (red) vs Lamnamoonlek (blue) | Starts at 3:53:20

Looking forward (fights referred to):

• Sripet (red) vs Yokngern (blue) | for Omnoi 105 title
• Superbright (red) vs Yokngern (blue) 1
• Rittidet (red) vs Superbright (blue) 1
• Superbright (red) vs Rittidet (blue) 2 | Starts at 2:42:10 | for Raja 105 title
• Kulabdam (red) vs Shadow (blue) 1

Issues with judging and refereeing in the sport

After the massive controversy of the stoppage of Suriyanlek vs Apiwat, the issue of possible corruption has been brought to the forefront again. To summarize the situation, in round 4 of the Suriyanlek vs Apiwat fight, on one of the biggest cards of the month (SAT Hero Series), Suriyanlek knocked Apiwat down, then suddenly, Mr. Wisut Yingupakam, the referee, outstretched his arms and called a No Contest.

It is not uncommon that the referee would stop a fight due to a favorite massively underperforming, strange pre-fight odds or strange, (nonsensical) betting patterns. The problem here was that the elbow knockdown was 100% legitimate, even without needing to use slow motion replay. The pre-fight odds placed Apiwat as a slight favorite, just as he should’ve been and even though Apiwat did underperform (or Suriyanlek overperformed), there were no preceding signs that this fight was fixed in any way.

Though it could’ve just been an honest mistake, Apiwat had to go to a Sports Authority hearing to see if he would be suspended from fighting. He has a family of four (not including himself) to take care of, he cannot afford to lose his job. A suspension, no matter how short could ruin his reputation and make it incredibly difficult to find promoters that would take him on again.

Gladly, the commission ruled unanimously in Apiwat’s favor, suspended the referee in question (a well known Lumpinee Stadium referee) and promised Apiwat a 50% purse increase in his next fight.

Though, this was not even close to an isolated incident. The situation may not be exactly similar but there was a case that struck me in particular from late September. Pumjaithai Pakornponsurin fought Petnamchai on the Saturday Kiatpet show at Or.Tor.Gor.3 Stadium. In the fight, despite staying active, Pumjaithai was given a warning while his opponent wasn’t, then, in a very controversial decision, Petnamchai won the fight.

The next day, him and his team published a letter announcing his retirement because he was tired of the gamblers’ influence on judges and referees, not to mention the Sports Commission and promoters.

There are many stories like this but there have been improvements in dealing with gambler influences. The biggest stride in recent (post lockdown) times was the apology from the gamblers to Chefboonthum after nearly causing a riot due to the referee giving a No Contest to Puenkon vs Chatploy due to neither choosing to engage for over two minutes of round 5. This was a big promoter finally standing up to gamblers and it ultimately worked. Small steps are needed now for, at least, a healthy balance.

- Phan Kế Sơn

This calendar tells you when up coming show are happening, and how to watch them.

How to watch Stadium (BKK) Muay Thai?

Some people find it hard to find a place to watch elite circuit fights and there are many reasons for this, whether it be the language barrier, significant time zone differences, difficulty following the sport or whatever else. In fact, it has never been easier to watch shows live than today. Nowadays, there may be about a dozen shows per week but only three shows are behind paywall (Chefboonthum and Rajadamnern, no way to pay the iPPV without a Thai credit card) and only one requires a VPN (Channel 7). Otherwise, the rest are all either on Facebook or Youtube (or adintrend).

Rajadamnern Stadium typically publishes the entire show 12 hours after the live show itself and Chefboonthum does the same a few days after on Facebook.

The best free (no paywall) shows of the week are typically Sia Boat (Petyindee)’s Muaymumwansuk show on Fridays at 6 PM local time, Muay Jet Si at Channel 7 Stadium on Sundays at 2 PM local, Suk Jitmuangnon (only live link) on Saturdays at 4:30 PM local, and Suk Jao Muay Thai at Siam Omnoi Stadium, every Saturday at 12 PM local.

Following the sport has also gotten significantly easier with the advent of websites like Muay Thai 2000 and English speaking pages dedicated to the sport on essentially all major social media platforms besides Youtube.