Muay Boran and the ancient arts of Siam and Thailand.

This is where you find the elephants and the mythology of Asia. A mix of Chinese and India and others ideas that have peculated around the east.

To best sum it all up actor Tony Jaa in Ong Bak series , Thai Chocolate and Yamada a film about Japanese meets Muay Boran, will help show you.

About 20 years ago the start of the federations of Muay Thai is were it all went a bit round. I myself initially was trained in a very large class with many Thai trainers around. Then it progressed to a Thai Academy with Master Toddy while the other now famous Masters promoted their culture food and martial art, but in a different way.

My teacher Master Toddy was about getting you in the ring. The others helped out and watch their sport of Thai Boxing grow over here in Manchester England. People call me a pioneer of Kick Boxing and Muay Thai but really I was just a student of the Art from Thailand and my purpose was to win for Manchester and England. I was the first man in the UK to fight under Thai boxing rules and again the first to fight a real Thai. I say that you are not a real Thai Boxer until you have fought a Thai. I am not talking about now, today’s belts and titles and the rumours of England’s best only having showcase fights. May be this is true. You get journey men and the journey man.

I was on a real Muay Thai journey that included the Thai Masters, nearly all of them. That was before the federations started up and as usual politics and the business men tried to turn our little existence in to something English. And now were are we? I think we have gone backwards hence I only like to help federations and organisation rather than dominate them like I did in my sport. I have sat back and watch the Thai UK community fight amongst themselves and kept away.

Muay Boran is only about the art and is mainly for teaching the martial art of Thailand. My old friend Vinnie Shoreman often commentates you can’t pull of a Muay Boran move in the ring. Only if Vinnie knew his Muay Boran.

The Thai’s have taken all the dangerous moves out of the ring because it’s only a sport. Muay Boran is along the lines of traditions and moves, stories and mythology that help you become more that just a showcase fighter. It’s a way of passing on the arts from Thailand. The west only adopted the Thai Boxing part and lust like now in MMA. The UK Thai community set precedence by not involving the Thai cultural part and by not having good teachers to pass on another mans art. The old moves from Thailand helped keep Thailand safe from wars and tyranny. Muay Thai was born on the battlefield so therefore I think some UK commentators may be wrong? You can’t use hip throws in a Thai Boxing match, yet MMA and the cage don’t seem to want to have a sport its just a bit of a brawl that includes ground and pound etc. But in war, on the battlefield going to the floor could be an easy death to your self. Slipping in the corner in the ring on the canvas and a referee there ensures that a simple slip will not allow the competition to be marred.

Deathly is war, competitions are about showmanship and supreme athletes. So careful who you listen to, they may have there own agenda and want to hypnotize you. Like Vinne, I could argue that hypnosis and NLP don’t work in the ring!

I never had a hypnotist to help me fight a Thai. I fought from my heart with a great teacher mentoring me on, a master from Thailand that still knows his art today. Only a good fighter can teach warriors not a book reader, hence you need to explore your art if you are serious about promoting another countries art and before you pretending at home that you are the best, that’s false. It’s the stories of the moves and the ancient culture that has always hypnotized me. That made me a winner. NLP and hypnosis may help you look a real Thai in his eyes and stare him out before your fight. But it’s the real men that take the moves and put them into practise and then explore them. I did it and now others across the world can lean too. Muay Boran, is just a name and a powerful art. It puts a bit of Gung Fu in your Thai and a few kata like moves that’s all, but with a long history of successful warfare behind it.

Times have changed, we have the internet now to see whose real good and real bad. Yes, years ago we were real lucky if we got hold of a Video Tape ‘VHS’ with a Thai fighter on it. That’s the truth.

So that’s real Thai and a good teacher of Muay Thai must learn Muay Boran and it’s moves and the history otherwise you are only part there. Not whole!

To me the UK Thai Boxing community has left themselves a great big hole of confusion and arranged showcase fights instead of taking up the full arsenal of Thai martial arts. This is also apparent across the globe. USA seems to be having the same cultural clash. They have little Thai knowledge in there arsenal. Let’s hope we can help. As you can see I am still on my journey of clarity.  Ronnie Green.