Fighters who competed in Bangkok were considered elite, at least back in the day. Before you could enter the stadium scene, you had to complete a certain number of Muay Thai fights. On top of that, you need to compete a bit in boxing.
There was a strict standard that ensured everyone was skilled. Every fight was entertaining and seemed like a title fight. The stadiums were packed, and the sport was at an all-time high.
That is quite the opposite of the current era. It’s interesting to see that despite traditional Muay Thai hitting a low, the sport has never been more popular. The original sport in the motherland is doing worse than ever.
The reality of competing in Bangkok
I used to have a training partner who really wanted to fight. Had no fight experience whatsoever. Suddenly, the promoter came up to him and asked, “Do you want to fight in Rajadamnern?” This was followed by a nice promo of how Raja Stadium was the oldest stadium in Bangkok and how much it meant to fight there.
But does it matter if you can debut in a place where you had to be elite to compete? Previously, Bangkok was considered a benchmark. Now it has turned into an attraction.
This is partially due to a big change in the audience. The main focus is not the locals anymore. The stadiums are filled with tourists now. The traditional shows are a bit of an exception since the gamblers still go there. But in general, Channel 7 is one of the only places where traditional Muay Thai is still watched by mainly locals.
Probably also the reason why they keep their strict standards. But Channel 7 has no entry fee since it’s government-funded. All the other stadiums charge entry fees and rely on them to generate income.
This isn’t a post about you having to decline fights in Bangkok.
It’s about the reality of the sport in this era. Many influencers use the phrase “I fought in the biggest stadium in Bangkok, where all the elite fighters fought.” Well, yes, they did. But they forgot to mention they had a matchup that looked like a local scene fight instead of a real Bangkok fight.
Fighting in Bangkok is still special.
But today, the name of the stadium doesn’t mean what it used to.
In this era, who you fight matters more than the venue.
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Until next time
Alex
