After a short hiatus, it’s time to continue our discipline-by-discipline analysis of which martial art is best. Next up is one of the more popular and exciting forms of striking today: Muay Thai.
Muay Thai’s true origin is unknown but most sources claim the art dates back 2,000 years and that ancient Siamese warriors used it when disarmed in battle. We know undoubtedly that Muay Thai also evolved from Muay Boran – ancient boxing – and that nations like Thailand and Cambodia spread the art throughout Asia.
Dubbed “The Art of Eight Limbs,” Muay Thai uses perhaps more body parts as weapons than any other form of striking, including knees, elbows, feet and hands. As a result, Muay Thai practitioners can explode on opponents with deadly combinations.
Another key component of Muay Thai – arguably one that places it above other forms of striking – is clinch work. Some of the most potent Muay Thai strikes come from tying opponents up in a clinch by grabbing their neck, then delivering devastating knees to their jaw or midsection.
Famous Muay Thai practitioners: Anderson Silva, Wanderlei Silva, Mauricio Rua
It’s hardly a coincidence that so many MMA fighters incorporate Muay Thai into their gameplan, as it allows them to launch offensive attacks from anywhere, be it several steps away (flying knees) or inches away (clinching). Brazilians like Anderson Silva, Wanderlei Silva and Mauricio Rua have enjoyed immense international success using Muay Thai, scoring countless knockouts and thrilling fans in the process.
As I’ve stated before, everyone has a unique opinion on which martial art is best, but I’ll put myself on the line and say that Muay Thai is, in my opinion, the most effective form of striking in practice today. Whereas boxers or Karate fighters aim to score points from a distance and must keep strong grapplers or wrestlers at bay, Muay Thai fighters can engage any type of fighter because of their clinch game. At least when standing up, Muay Thai is perhaps the most versatile form of striking used in MMA.
By Matt Larkin
Guest Writer
Muay Thai Training in North York, Toronto, Brampton, Etobicoke, Markham, Mississauga, Oshawa, Peel Region, Pickering, Richmond Hill, Scarborough, Thornhill, Vaughan, Woodbridge, York, York Region Ontario Canada.