Thailand
Tipping Off March Madness With The Week In Review
“Variety is the spice of life.”
I am trying to live up to that saying by posting about different topics that relate to martial arts or not. Anyway ….
In case you were too busy being busy, here’s what you missed:
Bulgarian Greco-Roman Wrestler Is Big In Japan: The David Beckham Of Sumo
It Happened In 1935 … Sarah Mayer, First Non-Japanese Female Judo Black Belt
The Question Is: “Honestly, Are You Really Prepared To Fight If You Have To?”
With ‘The Sensei ‘, She’s Creating Buzz In The Movie Industry And Let’s Just Face It … With A Name Like Lee Inosanto, She’s Got To Be Good
What Goes Up, Must Come Down. With This Guy, Things Appear To Be A Bit Different. Thai Action Movie Star Tony Jaa Defies The Law Of Physics.
There you have it: The Week In Review At TheMartialArtsReporter.com
Have a great Sunday!
I will be reporting again from here tomorrow.
Thai Action Movie Star Tony Jaa Defies The Law Of Physics
Meet our man of many names that are tough for us Westerners to pronounce or even remember without a cheat sheet. Names like Tatchakorn Yeerum or Panom Yeerum or Jaa Panom.
We know him better as Tony Jaa.
Just recently Tony turned 34 and man, oh, man, does this guy know how to defy the Laws of Physics, or what?
A trained Thai martial artist, Tony Jaa has a proven track record as an actor, choreographer, stuntman and director.
You might have already admired some of his incredible work such as Ong-Bak:Muay Thai warrior, Tom-Yum-Goong and Ong-Bak 2: The Beginning.
Tony Jaa was certainly influenced by the great Bruce Lee, Jackie Chan and Jet Li.
But honestly, I am starting to believe that this guy from Thailand is taking things up a notch when it comes to eye-rubbing fight choreography and jaw-dropping stunt performances.
Here some examples and don’t try this at home, alright?
Last Week In Review February 2010 At TheMartialArtsReporter.com
Over the last 5 months since the inception of TheMartialArtsReporter.com my foremost goal has been and will continue to be to provide my readers with the greatest possible diversity of mainly positive martial arts related posts.
Readership has been growing faster than anticipated and I am certainly more than happy about that.
I’ll be honest with you: Make my day simply by visiting this blog whenever you want a quick ‘lift me up’ and tell all your friends about it.
If you have ever sent any comments in the past, I thank you from the bottom of my heart. Don’t stop now!
If you haven’t so far, please feel free to share your thoughts on any of the previous 160 posts.
Thank you so much for your continuing support and interest.
This year seems to be moving at lightning speed. Two months have already passed and here’s the last Week In Review February 2010:
Years before Bruce Lee, …Extreme Pushups By Fitness Legend Jack LaLanne
An important topic in anybody’s life, … No Fear Or Know Fear?
Jean-Paul Belmondo … I Really Think He Was “The French Steve McQueen”
Consider Mokuso Or The Power Of Meditation Not Only For Martial Artists
Did The Movie “Enough” With Jennifer Lopez Help Women’s Self-Defense?
High-grade Muay Thai … From The Netherlands, The First Foreigner To Be Named “Muay Thai Fighter Of The Year”
Enjoy And Don’t Be A Stranger!
From The Netherlands, The First Foreigner To Be Named “Muay Thai Fighter Of The Year”
You guys already know how important and how popular Muay Thai is in Thailand and to the Thai people.
They expect and they will do everything in their power to ensure that Thai fighters are on top of the game, called Muay Thai.
Understanding that makes it such an impressive acomplishment for a non-Thai to receive the coveted “Muay Thai Fighter Of The Year” award and in 1992 that’s exactly what happened.
The recipient’s name is Ramon Dekkers, aka “The Diamond” or “Turbine From Hell” and I must say he is definitely one of my all-time favorites. His kicking and punching abilities are legendary. Absolutely amazing!
The Dutchman was a force to be reckoned with, thus being able to become a 8-time Muay Thai World Champion.
Officially his fighting career lasted for 20 years, namely from 1986 – 2006.
Ramon Dekkers fought some of the best Muay Thai fighters Thailand had to offer. What really makes him stand out even more, is the fact that he would accept any challenge at any time. Many times that meant even if his opponent was bigger and more experienced as well as while he himself was still injured from previous bouts.
This dedication and commitment certainly won him a lot of admiration in the Muay Thai community not only in Thailand.
He is the legendary Ramon “The Diamond” Dekkers.
Learn The Muay Thai Clinch From Walter “Sleeper” Michalowski
While training in Muay Thai years ago, my trainers emphasized the importance of knowing how to clinch and how it can help control your opponent.
If applied correctly and decisively, it will be to your advantage. For real!
And there is one guy who can credibly demonstrate this technique, because it has worked for him countless times while fighting and beating some of the best in the business. Even in the birthplace of Muay Thai, which of course is Thailand.
His name is Walter ”Sleeper” Michalowksi.
Walter is the owner and head instructor (kru) of Sityodtong USA in Pasadena, California.
And this is what I found on their site:
“At his last pro fight he was the featured main event at the newly built Pattaya Stadium in Thailand. He fought against Phothong Sor.
Preapan, a formidable opponent that was fifteen years his junior with twice as many recorded fights. The bout was broadcast on Thai national television and Walter won by an impressive first round knockout victory.
Walter’s record is 32–5-0 and include two United World Muay Thai Middleweight titles, three UWMTA Junior Middleweight titles and an International Muay Thai Council Middleweight North American Championship title.
When asked if he’ll ever fight again, Walter’s response is neither a firm yes nor a definite no, because as a gym owner his focus and passion is training students and developing fighters.
Walter attributes his success in the ring to having logged many miles with top-notch trainers and coaches. He was a staff instructor in the Jeet Kune Do Concepts under Richard Bustillo and his conditioning trainer for several of his championship titles was with notable strength and conditioning coach, Matt Ribaudo from All Star Fitness.
In addition to Muay Thai, Walter is also a skilled boxer and since early 2000 he has trained with Freddie Roach and Justin Fortune at Wild Card Boxing Club in Hollywood. ”
Train this one and it will serve you well.
Master Toddy, Muay Thai Legend And Trainer Of World Champions
Master Toddy, one of Muay Thai’s most famous coaches and an absolute authority in producing world kickboxing champions who come to him from all kinds of countries, runs a very respected Kick-Boxing Gym in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Some reports say that he has trained over forty world champions and that many of them attained world champion status within just a year of training with him.
Master Toddy started his very successful coaching career in the 80’s in England before packing up his gym and trying his luck in the United States.
The TV show “Fight Girls” certainly gave him exposure and national recognition by a greater audience.
Master Toddy did his magic by taking a bunch of very ambitious girls to a level of fighting that they were very capable of
competing with professional female Muay Thai fighters in Las Vegas and even in Thailand.
Of course, viewers were able to experience some TV drama (always helps the ratings), but overall both coach and fighters did an outstanding job.
Especially outstanding was Gina Carano, who went on to become today’s female face of Mixed Martial Arts.
What usually doesn’t get reported is that Master Toddy has one the most devastating Muay Thai kicks ever.
It has been reported that when he applies his waist-high round kick, he can kick even a very strong and muscular man holding the banana bag entirley off his feet about six feet backwards.
And then we have his son, Dayel Sitiwatjana, who obviously is an extremely talented boxer and who is aspiring to climb all the way to top.
We might just be seeing history in the making!
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