To become a top UFC fighter, you need to have a pretty rounded game that incorporates striking, clinching, grappling, as well as punches and kicks. One of the contact sports that is part of mixed martial arts is Muay Thai, or Thai boxing and that is one of the reasons why top MMA fighters spend time at Bangkok gyms.
Thai Expertise
Muay Thai has been around for centuries and starting very young, Thai males do exercises to strengthen their leg bones, which means they can kick much harder. MMA fighters have realised this and they often spend 3 months in Thailand, which might include bone strengthening and kicking techniques. Muay Thai only really surfaced in the western world in the 1970s, when a few Dutch kickboxers decided to train in Bangkok and compete with Muay Thai fighters. There is affordable MMA coaching in Bangkok (called ฝึกสอน เอ็มเอ็มเอ กรุงเทพ in Thai) and Google can help you find the right gym.
Training with Muay Thai Fighters
Muay Thai fighters have an awesome reputation and as many aspects of MMA are connected to Muay Thai, top level UFC and Bellator fighters spend time in Bangkok and Phuket, where there are several top MMA gyms. Some top MMA trainers are based in Thailand and if a fighter wants to train with the best instructors, they have to come to Thailand.
Low Cost of Living
Not all MMA fighters are rich and when compared to Europe or America, living and training in Thailand is economical. If a UFC fighter has a title fight, they might have their camp in Thailand and arrive at the venue a week or so before the fight. We see the UFC champions using private jets and limousines, but for an average MMA pro fighter, money is always tight and living and training in the Thai jungle is probably the cheapest way to prepare for a big fight.
Thailand is an MMA Hub
Thanks to the art of Muay Thai, the Land of Smiles has a strong connection with the sport of mixed martial arts and this attracts fighters and trainers alike. If you fancy a 3-month stint living and training at an MMA camp in Thailand, search online and you will find a lot of MMA gyms and you can compare costs.
Learning How to Kick
A boxer might decide to crossover to MMA and that would mean incorporating kicks into their game; Thailand is the perfect place to become accustomed to using your legs as a weapon and also to block.
Thailand has a unique culture that incorporates Muay Thai, which is part of mixed martial arts.
