Dave the Nomad

Lightning Fight

I’ve been hanging out with my brother’s friend from university, AJ, the past few days on Koh Lanta. Today is his first professional Muay Thai Boxing Match, and this is my account of that fateful day.

Preparation

AJ has been in the gym training twice a day for the past couple of months. I asked him what one of his last workouts involved: 2500 crunches with a few hundred pushups, and grappling with a 6′ 5” Swede. Physically, AJ was as ready as could be, but the preparation didn’t stop there. Like a Thai version of Blues Brothers, the event was advertised by handing out flyers to everyone, making posters, and having a truck drive around the island with an oversized megaphone precariously strapped on shouting out the news of the big fight; there is something refreshing about hearing about an event this way.

George Forman Grills, AJ Cooks Thai

After a casual morning, AJ and his girlfriend April convinced me to come to a Thai cooking class for the afternoon. As tourism is at a low right now, we were the only three in the class, which consisted of us choosing 5 dishes and making them. On our menu for the day, in order of preparation: Beef salad (favorite dish of a soon to be Muay Thai boxer), chicken stir-fry with hot basil leaves, Pad Thai, Massam curry paste, and Massam Curry.

The dishes were eloquently simple, delicious, and nutritious. As we were pounding the curry paste, I asked AJ if he was ready, his reply was to mash at the mortar and pestel harder, and say, “Just getting warmed up.”

Bright Beach

Filled with delicious food, I planned to watch sunset on the tranquil beach, and AJ was going to get a rub-down massage before the fight. As happens this time of year, a large thunderhead had been brewing overhead, and the lightning started to rumble in the distance. It was an odd rush to the senses of staring at a beautiful beach and hear the rolling thunder in the distance. In a freak show of particle charges, we were all suddenly jostled out of our seats as lightning struck the beach with hardly a cloud above us.

After hearing screams, and realizing something had gone terribly wrong I stood up and started to run over to the strike. A blur of what-ifs ran through my head as I flashed back through all the various kinds of Red Cross and lifeguard certifications. As I arrived at the site, there were down branches from the tree that was hit. The branches had collapsed a massage hut, and two women were being dragged from the organic rubble. I could tell they weren’t hit. Definitely in shock, but ok.

I suddenly start seeing faces from the last few days as more people come running out of curiosity or a sense of trying to help. AJ arrived behind me from his massage, and like me wanted to help, but there was not much we could do,…especially with out inadequacies in speaking Thai. Thankfully, a truck arrived to shuttle them to the hospital within 2 minutes, and the crowd had cleared. It was a sudden jolt to the senses, and I decided to head back to the hammock on my bungalow for the rest of the time.

Welcome to the Ring

AJ likes to eat Snickers right before fighting for a little extra energy, not found in the rice/noodle with vegetable and meat staple diet. As such, both he and April had bought 4 each to be ready. With way too many Snickers hiding in the refrigerator in the bungalow ready for a last second snack, we were off to the ring early to meet friends and prep. AJ paced around, April and I scoped out the best photo/film location in the front row and squatted until show time. After waiting for the opposing fighters to arrive, and an hour of anxious fidgeting, the fighting began.

If you haven’t been to a proper Muay Thai match, the fight is 5 rounds, knees and elbows are fair game, and no head gear is used. Unlike our version of English brute force fighting, Muay Thai involves carefully places kicks, learning the opponents movements, and hard knees to the kidneys and stomach when grappling in close contact. The pre-fight involves a respectful walk around the ring to each corner, a walk and kneeling circular display in the middle with flowers adorned by the owner/ manager / or other dignitary present. The headbands are removed and the fight begins. During the fight, traditional high pitched music with a solid percussion beat is played as the joust for control starts.

Today’s match involved 9 fights, starting with children, a section of 5 international fighters (with AJ as the showcase foreigner), and a last bout between two Thais. We cheered for the Lanta gym side the whole time, but the Thais seemed to secretly cheer for the Thais the whole time. The first couple of international fighters did poorly after an adrenaline rush of swinging arms and hard kicks to their core. They didn’t last the ensuing rounds, and our hopes for AJ were starting to be put into doubt.

After a large Canadian smothered his opponent into submission, the largely foreigner crowd was out of their seats and cheering. It was AJ’s turn, and we were loud and proud as he walked down to the ring with a good friend from the gym, Aakey.

The Fight of All Fights

AJ’s opponent’s name was Ramboo, pronounced Rambo. AJ stood in his corner waiting for his opponent to step-in to the ring. 5 minutes later, a rumble heard, Ramboo stepped in large and in-charge. With a grin large enough to hide a submarine, he started to walk around the ring, but unlike the previous fighters, he made a show of punching and kicking the corners as he walked, whereas most fighters, including AJ, make a quiet bow of contemplation and keep walking.

The necessary pre-fight ritual complete, there was not much standing in the way of the fight. Round one was off, and the battle began with a cautious start. AJ and Rambo tried to find the weaknesses of each other with a raucous crowd and high pitch music flooding the ears. The dual was evenly matched until almost the end of the round when AJ landed a solid punch flooring Rambo. It wasn’t a knockout, but a good boost of moral. Haggard looking, the opponents were summoned to their corners.

After a buzz of activity in the corners with men vigorously stretching and rubbing legs, splashing water on the fighter, it was back to the action. Round two started the same as round one, but this time, AJ had unleashed his attack. After a couple grapples, and random kicks, AJ took the upper hand. A couple well placed kicks and a final blow sent Ramboo to the ground again. This time for good; with a wave of the referee’s hand, the bout was over. AJ 1 Rambo 0.

Once out of the ring, we all took turns congratulating AJ, receiving oily tiger balm hugs in return from him, and taking a superfluous amount of photos. AJ was ecstatic, we were ecstatic, we were shocked by the win, especially so fast, but we were happy. After some goodbyes, and a brief deliberation on where to have some celebratory drinks, we were off.

Many thanks to AJ, April, and their many friends who helped make my time on Koh Lanta amazing.